arnieg

Jim is still busily capturing more info - I have had several exchanges with him (principally heat details of Leicester meetings) and I'm sure it will appear eventually. One of the problems is that the more info you gather the more conflicting bits of info you have, and resolving those alternative pieces of evidence can be even more time consuming for the serious historian with a regard for accuracy.

Final Individual Championship of Russia Balakovo, September 8, 2009 1. (5) Renat Gafurov (Vladivostok) (3 3 2 3 3) 14 2. (15) Roman Povazhny (Balakovo) (3 3 1 3 3) 13 3. (2) Emil Saifutdinov (Balakovo) (r 3 3 3 3) 12 +3 4. (3) Alexey Kharchenko (Vladivostok) (3 2 3 1 3) 12 +2 5. (14) Denis Gizatullin (Balakovo) (2 2 2 3 2) 11 6. (16) Gregory Laguta (Vladivostok) (x 3 3 2 2) 10 7. (12) Semen Vlasov (Balakovo) (3 2 0 2 1) 8 8. (4) Alexander Loktaev (Balakovo) (2 1 3 1 1) 8 9. (13) Roman Kashirin (Salavat) (1 2 1 2 2) 8 10. (9) Daniil Ivanov (Togliatti) (1 1 1 2 1) 6 11. (11) Oleg Beschastnov (Togliatti) (2 0 2 f 0) 4 12. (8) Roman Ivanov (Togliatti) (2 0 0 1 1) 4 13. (7) Sergey Kuzin (Balakovo) (r 1 2 1 0) 4 14. (10) Sergei Karachintsev (Togliatti) (t 1 0 0 2) 3 15. (6) Ilya Bondarenko (Togliatti) (r 0 1 0 0) 1 16. (1) Alex Izotov (Balakovo) (1 0 0 0 0) 1 17. ® Alexander Marinyuk (Vladivostok) (0) 0 18. Denis Saifutdinov (Balakovo) - NS 2008 Russian Championship Final - Oktyabrsky, 16 August 1 Denis Gizatullin 33133 13 2 Victor Golubovsky 20110 4 3 Marat Gatiyatov 1130fx 5 4 Artem Vodyakov 021fx3 6 5 Sergey Darkin 32011 7 6 Renat Gafurov 21233 11 7 Denis Sajfutdinov 13222 10 8 Evgenie Gomozov 00M00 0 9 Alexey Kharchenko 10121 5 10 Emil Sajfutdinov 32322 12+3 11 Sergey Kuzin 0033x 6 12 Alexey Guzaev 212ff/- 5 13 Ilya Bondarenko 11022 6 14 Roman Povazhny 23012 8 15 Daniel Ivanov 02311 7 16 Grigory Laguta 33r33 12+2 17 Roman Ivanov 2 2 18 Roman Kantiukov 1 1 Russian Championship Vladivastock, August 5 1. Denis Gizatullin (Lukoil Oktiabrskij) (3,3,3,2,3) 14 2. Renat Gafurow (Wostok Władywostok) (3,3,2,3,2) 13+3 3. Sergiej Darkin (SK Turbina Bałakowo) (2,2,3,3,3) 13+2 4. Artiem Wodjakow (SK Turbina Bałakowo) (2,2,2,3,3) 12 5. Roman Povazhny (SK Turbina Bałakowo) (1,3,3,3,1) 11 6. Eduard Szajchulin (Wostok Władywostok) (r,3,1,2,2) 8 7. Danił Iwanow (Mega Łada Togliatti) (2,2,0,2,2) 8 8. Aleksandr Kosołapkin (SK Turbina Bałakowo) (3,0,3,1,fx) 7 9. Roman Iwanow (Mega Łada Togliatti) (1,1,2,0,3) 7 10. Maksim Kalimullin (SK Turbina Bałakowo) (1,2,1,2,1) 7 11. Wladimir Dubinin (Mega Łada Togliatti) (3,0,1,1,0) 5 12. Ilia Bondarenko (Mega Łada Togliatti) (0,1,2,1,1) 5 13. Sergiej Kuzin (SK Turbina Bałakowo) (1,1,0,0,2) 4 14. Rusłan Gatiatow (Lukoil Oktiabrskij) (2,1,0,0,fx) 3 15. Marat Gatiatow (Lukoil Oktiabrskij) (0,0,1,0,1) 2 16. Igor Kononow (Lukoil Oktiabrskij) (0,0,0,1,0) 1

Reading v Bristol 10/10/77 The missing point belongs to Tony Garrad who finished third in ht 2 ahead of Wilmott Reading v Belle Vue 25/9/77 The infamous Wassermann guest meeting.Hans had a meeting in Germany and Racers had Neil Middleditch as a guest. Hans missed his plane and was at Smallmead. BV objected to the use of a guest and while eveyone was arguing the rain arrived. Only one race was held. Jessup, Wilkinson, Humphreys*, C Turner 4-2 63.2 * reserve substitution for Middleditch who was not allowed to take the place of Wassermann Swindon v Reading 19/3/77 Abandoned after 4 heats: 1 Karlsson, Jessup, Ashby (M), Humphreys 4-2 72.4 2 Bouchard, Ashby(D), Bo Jansson, Taylor(G) (exc) 5-1 72.2 3 Andersson, McNeil, Bengt Jansson, Leigh 5-1 73.2 4 Kilby, Davis, Bouchard, Taylor 4-2 72.8 The Poole match was abandoned after 5 heats due to the death of Kevin Holden - but I don't have details to hand.

Whatever happened to Boras in Sweden? - I only know it as the venue for early World Pairs Finals

Maybe one or more of us should write to Backtrack sumarising the deliberations on this thread

Russian stats are on irgiz.narod.ru (dated 14 October) http://translate.google.co.uk/translate?u=...en&ie=UTF-8 The stats on speedway.nu are without bonus points and exclude the play-offs. The aktuellspeedway stats contain several errors and include play-offs up to the Semi-finals, but not the final. I can provide a complete and more accurate list of Swedish Elitiserien averages (inc bonus pts) but I don't guarantee it is 100% accuarate

Afraid I don't have the details, but the Long Eaton round was rained-off and run on October 5th

Auburn 21 August - results here: http://www.speedwaybikes.com/res09_w/ff090821.htm

Seriously injured at the beginning of the season, a promising German under 21 rider. I saw him ride as a 12/13? year old at Kings lynn a few years ago in the GB v Germany under 16 international and was very impressed.

Time to bump this back to the top of the list weather forecast OK

My first World Final too, but Olsen didn't break the tapes he fell in his first ride trying to pass Bernt Persson (I think) on the last lap Edit: I was wrong - it was Christer Lofqvist he was chasing, Olsen passed Persson earlier in the race

From http://www.speedwayranking.110mb.com/ Pontus Aspgren 15.3.91 Niklas Aspgren 24.7.77 Robin Aspegren 24.3.89

54-42 http://www.speedway.nu/2009/reportNY.asp?ElitF.HE What a mare for Nicki P! Davey Watt at reserve for Lejonen, no 1 for Eastbourne!

My thoughts starting in 71 because that's where I can start adding personal recollection to interpretation of statistics. 71 - agreed - Mauger 72 - agreed Olsen 73 - Michanek - his form was stunning that season he won the following open meetings on British tracks (as well as topping the averages by a country mile): The Spring Classic (Wimbledon), Manpower (Reading), Pride of the East (King's Lynn), Blue Riband (Poole), Golden Gauntlets (Leicester), Brandonapolis (Coventry), Superama (Hackney), Champion of Champions (Wolverhampton), Prince of Wales Trophy (Newport), Autumn Classic (Halifax), Brew XI Trophy (Wolverhampton) 74 - Mauger agreed 75 - undecided I think it's a close call between Mauger and Collins, and I'm also taken by the Crump argument. As the GP appears to have benefited older riders I suspect that you may be right and Mauger's experience would have told in the end 76 - Collins agreed 77 - I think I'd go for Collins rather than Olsen, but it is a close call (and of course there is PC's broken leg) 78 - Olsen agreed 79 another tricky one - I think I'll go with Lee, but I'm tempted to put in a claim for Scott Autrey 80 - I just can't see Jessup winning. Lee is my choice again but Collins, Penhall and Nielsen wouldn't be far behind 81- Penhall of course 82 - although it pains me to say as I was firmly in the Penhall camp, my choice is Carter 83 - a really tough choice but I'm going for Sigalos (add his really impressive test scores v England to topping the averages) 84 - 90 Nielsen everytime but I am sure that Gundersen would have pipped him somewhere along the line. If everything went to form Gundo would have been second 5 years in a row (and would have been heading for 2nd in 89 ahead of Shawn Moran or Kelvin Tatum). I think Moran would have been 2nd in 1990 (assuming he wasn't stripped of his position through over-indulgence in cough medicine) Note that in 84 Nielsen was way ahead of Gudersen in the British averages, but that was due to the new tape touching rule - which didn't apply at FIM level. 91 Nielsen again with Jonsson second (Jonsson was second to Nielsen in Polish averages and topped Swedish averages with Nielsen second) 92 Jonsson agreed 93 Ermolenko not Nielsen In my view. He was just superb that year. As well as topping British averages by some distance he also topped Polish averages with Nielsen 2nd. 94 agree with Nielsen, but Jonsson might have been leading before his accident (Per topped Polish and British averages that season)

Don't forget the Soccer World Cup reaches its climax on Sunday July 11 - so the FIM schedule may look different from other years (eg Cardiff GP will be later than normal)

Slow down! I go away for a few days and your on to 1977! Re Lawson and 1951: Ultimately it may only be an argument for Lawson being second to Young, but I feel I should make it as there is a case to be made: Lawson topped both the league point scorers and averages for Division One (where of course we have no record for Young): Top Points: Lawson 324, Hunt 299, N Parker 289, M Craven 287, R Moore 286, Rigg 285 Averages: Lawson 10.32, Moore 10.08, Hunt 9.62, F Williams 9.52, N Parker 9.40, Rigg 9.40 Results in the Final Qualifying Round of the World Championships: Lawson 25, Young 23 (Top qualifyers: Biggs 29, Waterman 27, Hunt 26, Moore 25) Open Meetings on League One tracks: Lawson won open meetings at Belle Vue, Harringay, New Cross, West Ham and Wimbledon. Nobody else won more than two (excluding World Champ QRs). Young won the Tom Farndon memorial (Lawson was second) The World Final preview edition of Speedway News carried the following predictions: Morgan: Waterman, Lawson, Biggs Went: Lawson, Biggs, Young Against that the case for Young is that he won the World Final, topped the Stenners World rankings (1 Young, 2 Waterman, Lawson, Moore), and out scored Lawson in the test series (see below) and dominated Division 2 - although Tommy Miller did take the D2 match race championship off him in August) England v Australia Test Series - Leading Scorers (inc bonus): Young 70, Lawson 62, Biggs 54, Moore 43 (all 5 matches), (you can see why Australia won - top Englisman was Split Waterman with 42 from 4 tests.

Put me down for Lawson in 51, and the Star Rankings are summarised here (on the Bob Andrews site): http://www.geocities.com/robnade2001/WorldRatings.html

I'm fairly sure that the 1968 event was always billed as a trial meeting, but the 1969 one was certainly regarded as official at the time and for many years after. When and why the FIM retrospectively changed the status of the 1969 event remains a mystery to me

I think Bluey Wilkinson was the best rider* in 1936, BUT the view that most of the participants in this debate have taken is that by topping the bonus point scorers going into the World Final Eric Langton has made his case. And Wilkinson was only 6th in the list of bonus point scorers going into the final. * edit: actually looking at the 1936 averages I think that a stronger case can be made for Frank Charles

I think Parker gets it for 49 Top averages (Jackson & Vass) were: 1 Duggan 10.65 2 Warren 10.23 3 J Parker 10.13 4 Lammy 9.65 5 Lawson 9.57 Top pointscorers (Morrish): 1 J Parker 393 2 Warren 376 3 Lawson 374 4 Oliver 363 5 Gilbert 357 6 Price 348 Duggan missed 11 matches due to injury in July which would have lost him a couiple of GP rounds leaving Parker's experience to edge out youthful Warren. I'm, comfortable with the consensus that is emerging around: 1936 Eric Langton 1937 Jack Milne 1938 Bluey Wilkinson 1939 Cordy Milne 1946 Jack Parker 1947 Vic Duggan 1948 Vic Duggan 1949 Jack Parker 1950 Graham Warren - let the debate continue

According to Polish wikipedia he is an American speedway rider, who rode briefly in the UK (with Poole I think). Rings no bells with me though http://pl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brode_Mail

There were a few good races, more than one would expect given the conditions, and a fresher looking final line-up. At least one of Crump, Hancock, Gollob, Nicki Pedersen and Rickardsson has appeared in all but 2 of the GP finals since the start of 2001 (up to last night). The exceptions were: 2006 Prague: Andersen, Zagar, Lindback, Hampel 2002 Cardiff: Sullivan, Wiltshire,M Karlsson, Adams PS Note to Nigel Pearson - likening speedway riders competing for points to the M25 in the rush hour seems to miss the mark. If speedway riders travelled as fast as M25 rush hour traffic we'd be looking at a track record time of 7 minutes! (and that's the M25 on a good day )

I think Michanek would have won it in 73 (instead of 74) under a GP system, and Ermolenko was so good in 93 that he would have won it that year under a GP format too. (Similarly while I don't think Jonsson would have won under a GP format in 1990, he could have done so in 1992) Ultimately whatever the system there will only be one world champion per year. What a GP system does is to share those titles among a smaller number of riders. And back to the original question: Vic Duggan, Jack Parker, Igor Plechanov, Zenon Plech, and any Moran of your choice would be the top of my list.

Trinon Cirello - he was 1984 USA Youth Champion (I think that is under 16). I did find his name in a 2005 Industry result but it looks like he drifted out of the sport many years before. It's an unusual name so I suspect the drag racing/motocross entries I found by asking Mr. Google are the same guy. But I found this interseting article: http://articles.latimes.com/1988-07-09/new...35_1_full-speed Now what happened to Greg Hancock? But my favourite line is: The three are Orange County teen-agers competing in a sport in which the average age is 22 1/2. I wonder what the average at Costa Mesa is now?

Provisional line-up for Industry's 'Legends Night' (Sept 9) below, and an interesting article at: http://www.pasadenastarnews.com/sports/ci_13202939 Gene the Dancin Machine Howie "Hardhat" Zechner Warren Russell Andrea Phillips Chris Agajanian Bruce Penhall Rick Woods Bobby Schwartz Dennis Sigalos Rick Miller Mike Faria Shawn McConnell Gene Woods Josh Larsen Brad Oxley Bill Cody Kelly Moran Scott Sivadge Billy Gray Jim Fishback Don Odom Chris Manchester Jan Ballard Ron Preston Billy Meister Danny McNeil Gary Ackroyd Danny Becker Steve Russell George Fox Pat Hawley Kelly Inman Jesse Finch Andy Northrup Dean Foreman (from Speedwaybikes2 yahoo discussion group)