Jeff.

But why should they actually get anything at all. For instance people travel the country all the time playing snooker, pool, darts etc for no money or expenses, club players I'm talking about, basically chasing a dream of turning pro or just enjoying a hobby. Just buying a cue does not give some one a right to earn money from it, and the danger factor or the cost is irrelevant, it is the path they choose to pursue. By the same token just buying a bike does not give a rider the right to make a living, or even cover his costs. Most peoples hobbies cost them money. As it is conference league is a glorified training league which probably costs the staging promoter money and the riders should either be prepared to fund their own hobby or quit. It is nice when they get a bit of sponsorship or some pay for riding in a meeting but it shoul not be expected.

It was a good description, for a rider called Joe Abbott, and he was rather tough.

No Star Lady not exactly the same at all. We are in the play off's on the back of an excellent performance, one which will give the lads a real belief that when we get there the final is still winnable.

Why does everyone try to blame the whole worlds problems on BSI/Olsen. Loram wasnt injured because of five rider races he was injured through trying to get a meeting through in atrocious conditions because of TV schedules and the need to complete the meeting for the meeting schedule to be kept to. Did this not happen in the old days, well far more than it does now I can tell you. Any one remember Gothenburg 77 (or any Gothenburg World Final for that matter) the Inter Continental Final 81 was a classic example or what about the British Final of 84. The logistics of getting all the riders and fans at a track on a given date means that if at all humanly possible the show goes on, and it always has done. If people could see beyond the end of their noses they would see the Benefit of BSI and Sky TV for that matter.

Somerton Park was probably the most hated track ever, by the riders I mean. It was virtually square and left absolutely no room for overtaking. A few riders were known to duck meetings there, most notably Peter Collins who ducked a league match there in 1976 with the excuse of a car breakdown, although he later admitted to never leaving home. Malcolm Simmons also lost his chance of winning a Daily Mirror Grand Prix Series by refusing to compete in his qualifying round at Somerton Park. Your right that it closed its doors to speedway at the end of 1977 but top flight speedway ceased at the end of 1976 when the license was transferred to Bristol, a track which also received scathing criticism from the riders, the most notable being Dave Jessup who walked out of a meeting there. Bristols problems though were to do with the track surface, which was a combined speedway/dog track and not its shape

As people have said "best" is very subjective. If you were using set criteria for determining the best rider such as World Championship record then it is easier to put a name to it, but then based on that it would be Peter Craven and Freddie Williams. If you were going for longevity and the time a rider spent at the top, or thereabouts then riders like Booey would be considered. Back to speculation, for what it's worth, but I do believe that if Mike Lee had not gone off the rails he would almost certainly have gone on to be the most decorated British rider of all time

It was actually the 1977 Inter Continental Final Grachan. Hard to believe that within five years of that inauspicious debut Bruce had been twice world champion, possibly the most recognisable speedway racer of the modern era and retired to become a movie star.

And then speedway could return to the former glory it held prior to Sky and BSI. We could go back to World Finals at Pocking or maybe even Coventry. And then we wouldnt need to worry about queing to get in and out of stadia as we could go back to the days of only a few thousand die hards attending these events. If we were very lucky the event may just get a mention in the papers but of course we certainly dont want any nasty TV coverage. The promoters could then go back to the days of fans clamouring to get into their tracks and forever having to put the "house full" signs up. Oh for a return to those wonderful days eh!!!!

"Let Go Early" He was at 90' to the fence at 60mph with no possibility of avoiding hitting it, when do you think he should have baled out.

Back in the sixties the big five, Ove Fundin, Barry Briggs, Ronnie Moore, Bjorn Knutsson and the late Peter Craven did it in every race in every match, from 20 yards I believe.

Yes the area where the track was is a car auction but the whole Belle Vue site now consists of houses a cinema a bingo hall a couple of fast food type eateries (one recently closed). Take a look at this site ti see how it was in its hey day. http://manchesterhistory.net/bellevue/menu.html

Weslake were taken over by Bill Davies and Tig Perry. Their decline came about by most riders preferring the GM and to a lesser extent the Godden or the new (at the time) single overhead cam Jawa

BAGS is just the Bookmakers Afternoon Greyhound Service. They are dog meetings put on purely for transmission into the nations betting shops, I dont believe admission is charged for anyone attending the actual meeting

It was, and probably still is, Duchess not Princess