chunky

Was it bombed by the Germans?

Yep, I remember both of those! Used to drive past Gus' on a regular basis.

Or speedway riders, for that matter! Ron How and Malcolm Holloway for a start...

Reg Trott sold scooters in Merton High St, and before him, Wally Kilmister ran a sports shop in Wembley (it was still going in the '70's).

It's amazing how many riders had shops back in the day...

Quite a few have suggested things like that, but judging by some of the comments on here, they're not interested in things like that. They want an hour's racing, and then they bugger off home... The same can be said about a lot of fans... I have no problems with gardening at the gate - particularly in modern times when gating seems to be so important. However, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO NEED for riders to return to the pits every time there is a false start...

Which is the goal (or SHOULD be the goal of) of the GP's... As I have stated repeatedly, the old World Final system was NEVER designed to include all the top riders, and that is what makes the GP's so much more "credible"... Plus, as much as we'd like to think so, domestic averages aren't quite as accurate as they would first appear. If they were, Eric Boocock and Phil Crump would have been multiple world champs...

Have to agree there. Custom House was much more imposing, and not only looked like a proper stadium (concrete and corrugated iron), it FELT like a proper stadium...

And I went to all of 'em!

My response was just aimed at the comment that stated the "England ruled the roost"... I agree with everything you say, but don't agree with the reasoning stated mikebv; there are many other reasons that have contributed to speedway's decline. However, the biggest threat to British speedway is the loss of venues. Without somewhere to race, we are screwed...

Really? They couldn't even qualify for finals - when they were in England!

Sorry, but that is a gross exaggeration; "most" Saturday afternoons? We had maybe half a dozen meetings on 'World of Sport', and The Internationale on 'Grandstand'. Another gross exaggeration is "England ruling the roost". Okay, we did good in 1980... Don't blame it on the foreigners either! They brought skill and glamour - and increased crowds. Anyway, packing teams with foreigners hasn't hurt football any... Viewing figure dropped because - as many have stated on here - speedway ceased to be "cool". Don't ask me why, it just happened. It started to really stagnate with the redevelopment of stadia (particularly those in city centres, of which there were many), and we were forced out into the sticks. That's those that were able to survive of course. Then, the death of greyhound racing hammered another few nails into our coffin.

For me, the biggest obstacle for it as a"team" sport is the fact that clubs can't use the riders they want, and riders can't ride for the clubs they want, because teams seem to be solely constructed using averages. With the ridiculously low points limits, riders are forced out not only from their teams, but their leagues...

Not many bloody teams to follow now...

There have ALWAYS been crazy rules - rider control, for example - but people still showed up... It doesn't matter how cheap or credible something is if it's not enjoyable.

Everyone focuses on "credibiity", but that his little or nothing to do with it. If it was an enjoyable and entertaining night out, most wouldn't give a toss about credibility...

1977. He actually died as the result of a ruptured aorta, which may have been responsible for the crash.

I've often said the same thing. I watch old YouTube videos, and the vast majority I watch have VERY little in the way of decent racing. Did we REALLY think it was that good at the time?

Romford moved to West Ham, and went into Div. 2. They combined the Hammers logo with the Bombers' roundel. With Snowy Beattie in the background...

I wish they still used the 1938 stock; I miss them...

Can't see 'em making it four...

Yeah... I'd make 'em go over the fences too...

With the Czech Golden Helmet, Stancl really DOES cut it for "elite"! Five-time winner, runner-up twice, and third three times. He was beating Mauger, Olsen , Lee, and the like pretty regularly in that! I can't find a lineup for the 1984 event, but I''m pretty sure there would have been some big names in there. It really wasn't an easy thing to win - particularly when Stancl was in the field.

There were others. Davis won the Sussex Open Championship at Eastbourne in 1978 (ahead of Kennett, Crump, and Sanders), the Artdeans Trophy at Swindon in 1979 (ahead of Crump and Autrey), and the Yorkshire Open at Sheffield in 1977. He won that with a maximum from riders like Jessup, Wyer, Lee, Coliins, and Olsen.

Look on Google maps. The outline of the track is as clear as anything...