When I started following the sport 51 years ago Colin was already a big name in the sport (and would still have been riding if it wasn't for Lokeren). That's a hell of a long time to be a major figure in speedway. My condolences to friends and family.
Surely Masters represents Edinburgh and Wolves, allowing a Newcastle representative (Barker) into the field. [Morris (Prem) and Nicholls (Champ) would be the highest average riders not in the field]
I'm referring to the Bundesliga Final (the final of a league in which precisely no matches have taken place). I know Smoli won the individual in August (and Grobauer was 8th)
And for a truly bizarre example look no further than Workington v Lakeside in 2018 which was "iced off" after 4 heats the day after the same two teams raced on the same track in the Championship Play-off Grand Final
Although there was some hostility to the "young upstarts" the PL was founded under the umbrella of the SCB and ACU in 1960. It only went "black" after the winter of 63/64 dispute over the enforced promotion of Wolves.