TonyMac

Ok, we like your answer (ha-ha), but can we keep this serious and rule Darcy out of the reckoning....

We would like your input, please, in to a readers/supporters' survey for Backtrack magazine. Our question is: If you could bring back one former rider (in his prime) to inject new life into modern speedway, who would it be - and why? You only get one shot at it - no multiple answers, please (we could all rattle off most of the stars of the 50s, 60s, 70s & 80s!) The best responses will be reproduced in our next issue. Thanks. Tony Mac

Brough & Grand Central, Thanks for pointing out what looks like an error we have repeated by using the Complete History Book (CHB) as our source of reference, which is a bit annoying as we also possess the 1966 BSPA Handbook, as mentioned above. One question, though: The averages printed in the CHB relate to all OFFICIAL matches (ie, league and KO Cup), so would that make, for example, Nigel Booey's figures of 11.91 correct? He asks, desperately clutching at straws. As an aside, we are in touch with Bryan Seery, who was the official BSPA statistician from 1965-81 and Manager from 1978-81. He will be 80 this year (he's currently 79.98, to be precise). If we interview Bryan, do any of you have any specific questions you would like us to put to him?

Can anyone please help us by confirming which SHEFFIELD HOME MEETINGS Kelly Moran rode in during the 1988 season? Not interested in away matches, only meetings at Owlerton from that '88 year. Our email is editorial@retro-speedway.com Many thanks for your help. Tony Mac

Blame the editor - the fool put Cyril's name on the front cover and forgot to remove it when we decided to hold his interview over to our next issue!

Normally, it's very good but there are, inevitably, occasions when items can be delayed or even 'lost' in the post through no fault of our own. I'm proud of our track record in terms of customer service and rapid turn around of all orders. It was a pity that you saw fit to post this on a public forum, with its implied criticism, rather than aim your question directly at us by either phoning us (01708 734 502) or sending an email (subs@retro-speedway.com). That way, we could address the problem much quicker and possibly send you a replacement issue if necessary. Of course, it would also help us to track the potential problem and resolve it if we actually knew who you were, instead of posting under your forum name!

1. Mike Lee 2. Bob Ott 3. Joe Owen 4. Tom Owen 5. Les Owen 6. Richard May 7. Mick Bell 8. Pip Lamb

As usual, Retro Speedway will be in attendance at the CoS, so if you're going please come up and say 'hello' to Susie and Lisa. We'll have all our ever-expanding range of products for sale, including our latest three DVDs: Kenny Carter Racing, Michael Lee Racing and In Conversation with Freddie Williams. See you there! Or if you can't make it to PWP on Sunday, all our products can be purchased from our website at http://www.retro-speedway.com Cheers, Tony & Susie Mac

2015 SPRING EDITION Issue 28 of our quarterly magazine is out now and includes . . . MARTIN ASHBY INTERVIEW Very few riders have enjoyed hero status at two top flight tracks, but MARTIN ASHBY did. Tony McDonald went to Martin's Marlborough home to interview the former Great Britain World Cup winner who, among other things, talks about: * Conquering Exeter's fast, fearsome track and the man who helped him do it. * Why he nearly quit speedway in the early 60s after family tragedy. * A mistake by the births registrar means that Martin is NOT his real Christian name! * Why a freak accident in his first-ever public ride at Bristol earned him the nickname 'Crash'. * His painful debut for Swindon at Norwich which confined him to hospital for a week. * Learning from Robins' team boss Norman Parker. * Turning up at the 1968 World Final, only to discover the authorities didn't have him down to ride! BIRTH OF THE BRITISH LEAGUE Fifty years on from the formation of the British League, we reflect in depth on the BL's effect on riders and how this landmark season evolved. In the first of a two-part feature, Doug Nicolson and Tony McDonald turn the clock back half a century to a pivotal time in British speedway history. It was the winter of 1964-65 and British speedway had reached a major crossroads. The National League, the top division in those days, had lost another long-time member following the expected closure of Norwich at the end of '64, which reduced the senior section to just six teams. Our Track Directory, listing each promoter plus track record times and holders, recalls the 18 teams that formed the inaugural BL. We've all the riders' final averages from this watershed season, as well as the final league table and a look at what else was happening in the sporting world in 1965. LEGEND: DANNY DUNTON Danny Dunton, who has recently died at the age of 90, did most things in speedway, from distinguishing himself on the track as a rider to promoting, administration and management. And he did all of them well. Some years ago Danny agreed to be interviewed by John Chaplin. He revealed much about himself, the sport and the great stars he rode with and against. In their conversation he talked about the man he regarded as a god, illegal payments, how he coped with riding before 93,000 people in a Wembley World Final, what he did to opponents who tried to buy him off, the day he thought he was going to die and why he would have paid to be a speedway rider. ARTHUR WRIGHT INTERVIEW In a new interview with Philip Dalling, Bradford star ARTHUR WRIGHT recalls his finest season 60 years ago. When the 1955 campaign came to an end Arthurs personal honours board recorded that he had topped the Tudors National League Division One score chart, riding in all 24 league matches and notching up 284 points at an average of almost 12 a match. He qualified for the Wembley World Final alongside Bradford team-mate and brother-in-law Arthur Forrest, appeared in all but one of the six official England versus Australasia Test matches, with a top-score of 10 (paid 11) at Wimbledon, and finished the season as the track record holder at Odsal. EVZEN ERBAN INTERVIEW After a track crash almost left him paralysed, Evžen Erban became one of the most influential people in Czech speedway as a rider-coach and director of the Jawa factory. As Vitek Formanek reveals, Erban has friends in very high places. Plus . . . your letters, tributes to Danny Dunton, Ken Cameron, Pat Williams and Joan Greer, and Newport's Sandor Levai in full colour. To order this single issue or to subscribe, please visit http://www.retro-speedway.com

the outsider: Pleased to see you've highlighted a prominent feature in our latest issue. For those interested, this is what else is in issue 66: MARTIN ASHBY INTERVIEW He is a man of few words, but his impressive career records for club and country speak volumes for what a superb rider Martin Ashby was. Tony McDonald visited the former Swindon and Exeter star to find out more about one of the sport's finest and most popular servants. INTER-CONTINENTAL FINALS (1975-90) For some riders qualifying from this penultimate round of the World Championship was a career-defining moment, a jubilant time to celebrate reaching their first final. For others, including World Champions Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen and Anders Michanek, it spelt the end of the line, a champions' graveyard. Rob Peasley looks back at the most dramatic moments of the Inter-Continental Final. TONY OLSSON INTERVIEW Tony Olsson recently quit as GP Race Director but what about his own racing days for Reading, Hackney, Belle Vue, Swindon, Exeter and Ipswich in a career spanning some 20 years? Andrew Skeels caught up with the former World Finalist and Swedish international. MIKE LOHMANN INTERVIEW A member of Denmark's historic first World Team Cup-winning side in 1978, Mike Lohmann (pictured) invited Backtrack to his home city of Hillerod to look back over a once promising career with Halifax and Belle Vue that ended far too soon and in near disastrous circumstances. BRIAN FOOTE INTERVIEW Brian Foote has long since left the speedway limelight behind but his fans at Romford, Rayleigh and Rye House will readily recall the no-nonsense performer who became one of Division Two's biggest characters. Keith McGhie caught up with him down in the West Country. SHEFFIELD: 50 MEMORABLE MOMENTS We trace the history of a club where Wyer and Wilson were the wow factor, the Moran brothers combined skill and fun and Owlerton consistently served up some of the best racing in the land. TONY COUPLAND - Team Manager's Tales In this first of a two-part interview, no-nonsense former Middlesbrough team boss Tony Coupland tells it like it was. OPENING TIMES - Glasgow 1988 How Glasgow Tigers went from near extinction to build one of the National League's crown jewels at Shawfield Stadium in 1988. Co-promoter Dick Barrie and Paul Ackroyd, who officiated at the opening night meeting against Scottish rivals Edinburgh, turn the clock back. SCOTTISH TOURS Doug Nicolson looks at the club sides who visited Scotland over the years and also at the limited forays abroad made by Scottish teams. COLLECTING Steve Luxton lives with his family in Jupiter, Florida but, as he explains, his memories of supporting Exeter in the 70s remain very close to his heart. Plus . . . Your letters and many classic photos from the 70s and 80s that ooze nostalgia. To order this issue or to subscribe, please visit http://www.retro-speedway.com

You are right in all that you say - I was just looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses, as I often do when reflecting on all sports.

In an interview Retro Speedway did with Martin Rogers a couple of years ago, he made the point that he would love to have promoted in the era where social media was a device tool to attract new customers and keep existing ones updated on a much more regular basis via the likes of Facebook and Twitter. I understand that e-zines or e-newsletters are commonly used by professional football clubs today, emailing their season ticket holders on at least a weekly basis. It is unthinkable that ANY club in ANY of the three current British speedway leagues, or the BSPA itself, would not use those two sites (and possibly others) to better inform their public.

Thankfully, I remember when the team that finished top of the league was the best, were accordingly crowned as champions, and the team that finished bottom was the worst. It was a time when the general public widely accepted these routine issues as a simple fact of life and didn't need to be mollycoddled into thinking that their particular favourite team could somehow be transformed from also-rans into potential winners, without the need for counselling. I guess we must ultimately blame Sky for this change of attitude. By artificially contriving an exciting finale, the play-offs have become good box office and usually generate excitement for both the live and TV audience. But do two or three end-of-season meetings really make a season? Why can't people these days accept that finishing 2nd (or 10th) in the final league table isn't actually the end of the world? After all, it's only sport. There's always next year.... Anyway, I thought the Kenny Carter DVD wasn't bad.

Thanks to both of you for the positive feedback, but an online version is not an option that would have strong appeal to the majority of our readers, many of whom are of a 'certain age' and much prefer the good, old fashioned feel of a magazine in the hand and a relaxing favourite armchair to read it from. Some, believe it or not, do not even have internet access or have any desire to have it. Many of our subscribers still pay using snail mail and a cheque (or postal order), refusing to trust online transactions. The other question is viability. Would we be cutting our throats by offering online content at a significantly discounted rate, because many would expect a cheaper version online compared to the printed magazine? I take your point about NZ and all overseas posting costs. The cost of postage continues to rise at an alarming rate and it's a situation we need to examine carefully, including an online option - even if it may be restricted to non-UK readers, at least initially. Print and paper price increases are also a key factor to very small independent publisher like ourselves in what is a very, very niche market. Would we sell twice as many issues online at £2 as we do now at £4? The sums are not quite that simple, but you get my drift? It is all food for thought, though, and we always welcome constructive comments and suggestions. Come on, Humph, how long would it really take you to pick up the dog and bone and tell Susie that you're moving from Park Lane to Berkeley Square....?

John Louis was brilliant at Hyde Road. The vital race when he took Bruce Penhall to within an inch of the safety fence on the fourth bend, before beating him to the line to win the 1979 BLRC at the age of 40, was one of the best races I ever saw anywhere, let alone at the old Belle Vue. Mort and PC were simply poetry in motion to watch, tormenting and teasing the opposition before passing them - inside or outside - almost at will. The place was made for them. When I had the pleasure of interviewing Mort for his DVD the other year, it was fascinating to listen to him describe how he rode the Hyde Road track in different ways depending on the situation, and all the different possibilities it offered for passing manoeuvres. He explained that there was a particular patch of grip on the very tight inside line of the (I think it was) 3rd/4th bend but he and PC had an agreement between them that neither would use it unless it was absolutely necessary to pass an opponent - and often they didn't need to use that part of the track at all. But when they did, they both knew that the dirt there was still deep and fresh enough to give them the grip they needed to execute the perfect passing move. Even the visiting riders enjoyed the whole feel of Belle Vue and the zoological gardens. I once accompanied Zenon Plech and his mechanic to a BV v Hackney match in 1976 and before the meeting Plechy disappeared into the funfair to have a blast around on the dodgems - as you do before a league match! Viewing from the pits wasn't the best, though. You'd get covered in dirt and there were only a few fairly shallow steps between the safety fence and the back of the pits viewing area. Announcer Ken Wrench also handled everything very professionally. Some of those BLRC nights, when the Manchester mist drifted in, were very atmospheric and memorable for all different reasons. The sight of all those supporters' coaches parked up around the stadium was special in itself. Happy days.

Hackney, Superama, 1972. Sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't Poole's Christer Lofqvist beat Ivan Mauger in their first ride, then get himself excluded under two minute allowance before what would have been his second ride? Christer had left his place in the pits to find a quiet spot somewhere near the dressing rooms or car park, to get away from it all and concentrate his mind. He was enjoying a fine season and looking a good bet to win this prestigious meeting. Trouble was, he neglected to tell his mechanic or anyone else exactly where he was going, so when the two-min buzzer sounded for his second ride, he was nowhere to be found. It was a straightforward exclusion incurred in bizarre circumstances. Stupid thing was, without digging out the prog, I think he won his three remaining rides, so another win in the heat he missed would have given him victory in what was a star-studded line-up for Hackney's annual individual classic.

We spent an entertaining few hours in the company of Dave Lanning at his Parkstone, Dorset home last week. The full interview will appear in the next issues of both Backtrack and Classic Speedway mags. As usual, Dave was as forthright as ever and has plenty of illuminating things to say about the sport, past and present, and his opinion of sports commentary also make interesting reading. Meantime, what are your most memorable/favourite 'Lanningisms' from his days with World of Sport...

"So long as we know..."

Bruce only did what a multitude of others have done before and since, only he didn't try to disguise it and actually admitted doing what he did on TV. So-called 'favours' for team-mates (in individual meetings) and fellow countrymen has been going on since the first cinders were laid. Ironically, in 1980 Dave Jessup helped Michael Lee gain some vital points in the British semi-final at Sheffield. In the World Final DJ came second . . . to Mike!

King's Lynn definitely used the Old Comrades march - adopted from Norwich. Martin Rogers has also confirmed this to be the case.

Issue 63 of Backtrack is out now and here's what you can look forward to in another feast of 70s and 80s nostalgia . . . SUPER SIMMO - Goodbye to a true great As the world of speedway mourns the loss of one of its all-time greats, Tony McDonald pays tribute to a supreme all-round motorcyclist whom he was proud to call a friend. McDonald writes: "Because Simmo always told it like it was, he made the job of every speedway journalist he willingly gave up his time for very easy. He was a hack's dream. Whilst working with him on his 2006 book Simmo: The Whole Truth and his columns for Backtrack, Simmo never needed any prompting or encouragement to spice things up with hard-hitting comment or a controversy angle. On the contrary, it was often the case that Id rein him in. "When he spoke out or confessed in print to some wrongdoing or other, he did so knowing the truth didn't always portray HIM in the best possible light. When he criticised the powers that be, it was because he cared about grass-track and speedway and it drove him mad to see both his sports lose popularity." In our Memories of a Legend feature, supporters from all over the world also pay tribute to Malcolm, while we have a report and pictures from Simmo's funeral in Kent his 'super send-off.' MICHAEL LEE INTERVIEW - The price of freedom In a new four-page Backtrack exclusive, former World Champion Michael Lee reveals the full horror of his recent costly battle to clear his name in court, where he was proved innocent of all charges at the end of a gruelling 13-day trial. Lee's biographer Tony McDonald has the full story, or at least as much as the legal system would allow us to print. "Nightmare is the only way of putting it," says Michael, who is now rebuilding his engine tuning business. "It's been a very unpleasant, nasty time. Obviously the accusations against me were totally unfounded, I was proved innocent in court, but over that period leading up to it, it took its toll mentally and physically. It made me feel sick inside." WORLD PAIRS FINALS OF THE 70s Ron Peasley traces the origins and heyday of what was considered the third of the FIM's speedway World Championships, including victories for New Zealand, Sweden, Poland, England and Denmark. NEWCASTLE: 50 MEMORABLE MOMENTS The Diamonds helped to produce four world champions and dominated the second tier for long periods in the 70s and 80s. We recall the highs and lows at Brough Park, where Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen, Anders Michanek, Tom and Joe Owen, Rod Hunter, David Bargh and Kenny Carter graced the black and white racejacket. MICK BELL INTERVIEW: Team Manager's Tales Catching up with a man who won league championships as both a rider and team manager with two different top flight clubs, Reading and Coventry. Mick talks about working for Bees supremo Charles Ochiltree and explains why he couldn't support Dave Lanning in his court case against the Reading promoters. BIG STRUGGLE FOR MINNOWS - Inter-league Knockout Cup Boston made history when they beat Hackney and became the first National League team to topple a top flight team in the ILKOC but that shock result proved to be the exception rather than the rule. Doug Nicolson looks back at the few shocks and many disasters of the all too brief time when British speedway ran an all-inclusive knockout cup competition. GONE . . . BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Coinciding the release of Retro Speedways new Defunct British Speedway Tracks DVD, we lament the loss of many old venues in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. REG FEARMAN ON READING'S DEMISE AND POOLE DISASTERS As chairman of the BSPA during British speedways last golden era and senior promoter at tracks as far afield as Middlesbrough, Stoke, Long Eaton, Halifax, Leicester, Reading and Poole, Reg Fearman knows the sport inside out. Although not actively involved since his company at Poole went into liquidation in 1984, Fearman has now committed his extraordinary experiences and memories to print with the publication of his autobiography, Both Sides of the Fence. In our latest issue we bring you a couple of excerpts relevant to the Backtrack era, concerning the demise of Reading and what he describes as the Poole disasters. Full details of how you can purchase this book direct from Retro Speedway are included in this issue. OPENING TIMES White City opened in 1976 and were league champions in only their second season before closing down just a year later. Through the eyes of Trevor Geer and former promoter Bob Dugard, we recall the costly rise and fall of the Rebels following their curtain-raiser against London rivals Wimbledon. BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH . . . JOSEF ANGERMULLER Josef Angermuller, or simply 'Sepp', wrote his name in the history books when he signed for Reading in 1971 and became the first German to race in the British League. He also rode briefly for Hull in 1974 and was killed in a track crash three years later. Vitek Formanek talks to Sepp's former friend and mechanic. COLLECTING Belle Vue fan Tom Newey, a technician on the Apache attack helicopter in the British Army, talks about his collection of racejackets, bikes, helmets and saddles. Plus . . . Martin Neal's Q&As with GARRY MAY and IAN ATKINSON, your letters and some more Mystery Men to try and identify. Buy this issue, order back issues, or subscribe at http://www.retro-speedway.com

March-out music is often what triggers thoughts and memories of speedway tracks visited, both past and present. To assist with our forthcoming triple disc DVD, DEFUNCT BRITISH SPEEDWAY TRACKS, to be released on June 30, were asking supporters for help in naming the march-out music and theme tunes adopted by the following old tracks. We already know one or two, but can you please help us to fill in some gaps? Barrow (Park Road) Belle Vue (Hyde Road) = Tokyo Melody by Helmut Zacharias Berwick (Berrington Lough) Birmingham (Hall Green, Perry Barr, Bordesley Green) Boston Bradford Bristol (Knowle, Eastville) Castleford Canterbury Cradley Heath Crayford Crewe Doncaster Edinburgh (Old Meadowbank, Powderhall) Ellesmere Port Exeter Glasgow (White City, Hampden Park, Shawfield) Hackney = Magnificent Seven Halifax Hull (Boulevard, Craven Park) Isle of Wight Leicester (Blackbird Road) = Imperial Echoes by Arnold Safroni (according to another BSF thread) Linlithgow Long Eaton Middlesbrough Milton Keynes (Groveway, Elfield Park) Newport (Somerton Park, Hayley Stadium) Norwich = Old Comrades march Oxford = Imperial Echoes (as per Leicester) Plymouth (Pennycross) Rayleigh = Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines Reading (Smallmead) Rochdale Romford Scunthorpe (Quibell Park) Southampton Stoke (Sun Street) Sunderland = The Radetzky March (1971-73), then March of the Gladiators (1974) Trelawney Wembley Lions West Ham Weymouth White City (London) Wigan Wimbledon = Blaze Away Yarmouth HOW TO PRE-ORDER THE DEFUNCT BRITISH SPEEDWAY TRACKS DVD FOR £20 (post-free in UK): Phone: Call Retro Speedway on 01708 734 502. Online: Visit http://www.retro-speedway.com and pay using the secure PayPal facility. Post: Send cheque/postal order (payable to Retro Speedway) for £20 to: Retro Speedway (Defunct Tracks DVD), 103 Douglas Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1AW Add £3.50 when ordering from outside the UK.

Alas, Simmo has had at least one, possibly two, operations at a top London hospital in recent years to try and ease his discomfort but he has had to accept that the ravages inflicted on his lungs from all those years of smoking in his youth have slowly caught up with him. He knows he was a fool to have smoked so many strong fags in his younger days but by the time he stopped, the serious damage was already done.

Even though he was fighting for breath when I last spoke to him a week ago, Malcolm Simmons asked me to include a section urging the authorities to save Iwade in his latest Backtrack column, which is due back from the printer's in the next couple of days. "It's pathetic," said Simmo when he heard that the track, where he used to hold training schools and take pre-season practice rides, might be forced to close if it had to install an expensive air fence. "It's a ready-made training facility, somewhere for English youngsters to learn how to ride."

IT is sad to see our friend and Backtrack star columnist Malcolm Simmons being cared for in a Kent hospice. Super Simmo has been battling emphysema for a number of years and his condition has worsened significantly in recent weeks. Thoughts and prayers with Simmo and his wife June. Any messages of support posted here or on our Retro Speedway Facebook page will be printed off and forwarded to June. Thank you. Tony Mac