TonyMac

Mary Whitehouse lives! Oh, come on, please. We're all grown ups here, aren't we? You're right, we do add a warning at the very beginning about the occasional use of strong language, so if you have any children in the viscinity who are likely to sit down and watch a 4-hour double DVD about apeedway in the 70s, then the warning note is there to alert you to cover their ears. Or wait until they've gone to bed until you play it! You are the first to have even mentioned the swearing bits, which I believe give the whole thing authentcity and show the wholehearted passion people like Briggo have for the sport and (in this case) just how seriously he viewed that incident with Berny Persson. It's earthy. It's raw. it's real. And it's from the heart. Anyway, don't blame Briggo for using 'fruity' language which is obviously too 'disgusting' for you to bear. Blame me. For when we recorded the interview at his home, it was simply done with the intention of me being able to refer to it some time later before writing it up for part use in Backtrack and Classic Speedway magazine. The days of short-hand are thankfully long gone. Barry had no idea then that it would be used in an audio format for the purpose of this DVD. And neither did I at the time. It was only 18 months later, when we looked at all the material we had accumulated over a six-year period, that we decided to adapt some of it for the DVD. The language Barry uses when recalling THAT crash with Persson is entirely in context (which is why we left it in) and not at all gratuitous. He has used big grown-ups swear words in his book too - and I don't have a problem with that either. If you have been offended by strong language on our DVD, then I can only apologise. To suggest that the great Briggo is not a good ambassador for the sport because of a few F's on a DVD is, frankly, laughable. You're talking about a man - nay, a legend - who has just cycled halfway round the UK to raise tens of thousands of pounds for disabled ex-speedway riders, and will continue to do so in the weeks ahead (www.briggo.net) You're talking about a collosus who has devoted his life to the sport, of which he was a household name throughout the 60s and 70s and, if you asked the general public now, would still be the first speedway rider's name they could remember. For F*** sake, Midland Red, give us a break!

I thought Kelvin gave an excellent and, as you and others have said, very honest account of his time as a rider. He gave us lots more good stuff, too, but we couldn't fit it all into the 8 pages allocated for that main feature. It was a case of prioritising the content that related to the pre-90s Backtrack era. And yes, Tommy K is definitely on our radar. I'd like to get out to Denmark in the next few months and do that as a one-on-one. John Jorgensen is another we must think about for the not too distant future.

MM - But Chris is just a 'baby' in terms of Backtrack eligibility! Plenty more 'old boys' to track down before him.... Thanks to you and all for your very kind comments and support - it means a lot. Glad you're liking the improved look of the mag.

MICHAEL Lee is the big name subject of the next book to come off the Retro Speedway shelf. We are delighted to announce that we have reached agreement with the former World Champion to publish his authorised biography. Back From The Brink, written by Retro Speedways Tony McDonald, will be launched in Cardiff before the British Grand Prix on July 10. But if you order your copy before July 1, it will be personally signed by Michael, the 1980 world title holder and former Boston, Kings Lynn, Poole and England No.1. McDonald says: It was great fun working with Michael on his Mike the Bike DVD, which has been a huge success since it came out late last year, but there are some many more different issues to explore with this book. Michael has crammed so much into his life not all of it good! but that just means he has an even more compelling story to tell. We are always being offered proposals from authors asking us to publish their books but we have to cherry-pick them these days and Back From The Brink is the kind of exciting project we like to get out teeth into. One of Mikes endearing qualities is that hes such a down to earth bloke and not a prima donna who is up himself. He knows he has made stupid mistakes in the past and hes not afraid to face up to them, and talk about them in a refreshingly frank manner. That honesty and introspection will shine through strongly in this book as he recalls his highs and, at times, very low lows both on and off the track. Other publishers had shown interest in producing a book on Michael but, for various reasons, their plans never materialised and thats when we stepped in with a deal that appealed to Lee. Everyone seems to have an opinion on Michael, continues McDonald, so it made more sense to produce the book as a biography rather than an autobiography solely in his words. Naturally, he has plenty to say and many of his revelations will shock some people, including those who thought they knew him well! But the biographical approach means Ive been free to talk to Mikes family including his father, Andy, who had such a strong influence on his speedway career, his mother Valerie and his two sisters, as well as close friends. Ive set out to discover the real Michael Lee and Im sure readers will be intrigued by what they find inside the pages of Back From The Brink. We have obviously also talked to the people who have known him well through speedway, too the promoters and team managers he rode for, plus past team-mates and rivals at club and international level. Michael accepts that not everyone will have nice things to say about him but he is now a much more mature person than the one that went off the rails in the 80s and 90s and is ready to face his critics. This is no whitewash how could it possibly be? and I hope readers agree that it is a balanced and objective read. Michael has experienced and done some things that he wished he hadnt like his problems with drugs which led to him serving three prison sentences but these were defining periods of his life and he knows they cannot simply be brushed under the carpet. This book has given him the chance to confront his previous demons head-on. Back From The Brink is also a story of triumph. McDonald says: A lot of people have criticised Mike for his past, and he has certainly brought a lot of that stick on himself, but too many are quick to forget, or overlook, his many great achievements in speedway. Its debatable how much of his gifted talent he really wasted. After all, he became one of speedways youngest World Champion in 1980, aged 21, and World Long-track Champion (Englands first) a year later. He won two World Team Cup gold medals, two British Championship and every top individual international and national title in the sport between 1975 and his retirement from racing in the early-90s. And then having sunk to the lowest depths in his life, he showed great personal character to claw his way back to respectability and is now making a success of himself as one of the sports leading engine tuners. Tai Woffinden, Britains newest GP challenger and one of our brightest talents, has put his faith in Michael, as have numerous others who appreciate his skill in the workshop. He really has come back from the brink. ------------------------ To order your copy for £16 (post-free in the UK), go to http://www.retro-speedway.com Or phone Susie on our Credit/Debit Card Hotline: 01708 734 502.

Have you seen the new issue of Backtrack magazine – now in full colour throughout! Look what’s in Issue 38... KELVIN TATUM – exclusive interview England’s last World Cup-winning captain on pressure, regrets, coping with autism and much more. The former Wimbledon and Coventry star and now SKY Sports TV commentator lifts the lid on his eventful career, which also took in later spells with Berwick, Bradford, London Lions and Arena-Essex. He talks about his youthful naivety when starting out at Wimbledon in 1983: “When I signed for Wimbledon in 1983, I had no idea how much money speedway riders earned. I first rode for 4 and 8 - £4 per start and £8 per point - and was paid nothing upfront. I remember Maido telling me what they were offering and I said to him: ‘Really? What, you’re going to pay me?’” Read about his mixed experiences with Coventry, were he won back-to-back league titles in the late 80s, and his uneasy relationship with Bees’ boss Charles Ochiltree: “I knew where I stood with Ochiltree. He always favoured Tommy Knudsen and I knew it would be a struggle to have any influence at the club. We were two No.1s on 10-point averages and banging heads. We weren’t mates but our rivalry inspired each other and it was also good for Coventry.” In only his third season of racing, Kelvin rode in all three World Championship finals – individual, team and pairs – which brought pressures he now admits he found very difficult to handle: “I was hugely nervous and worried quite a bit. I’m quite a twitchy character when I’m under pressure and 1985 ratcheted it up massively. In hindsight, if I’m being selfish, I needed more time out of that limelight before I was genuinely ready for it. Mentally, I wasn’t strong enough to cope with all that.” The 1989 World Team Cup-winning skipper recalls the difficulties of leading the national side: “The BSPA were short-sighted. A successful national team would have brought the sport more national publicity and led to more people coming through the turnstiles. If they had just dipped into their pockets a little bit and given more help with things like hotels and travel, it would have made a difference.” He admits, too, that he was never the most popular or charismatic rider in the eyes of his fellow riders and supporters. “I definitely wasn’t well liked by my fellow England riders but they respected me. I wasn’t in the clique and I think they saw me as being different from them – public school educated, slightly posh and a bit up himself. “They (the fans) probably found me a bit miserable, a bit distant and a bit arrogant maybe. I was there to do a job to the best of my ability and that didn’t always make me the most approachable human being in the world. A lot of supporters probably looked at me as just a miserable bugger.” Kelvin also talks candidly about the struggles he and his devoted wife Debbie have had bringing up their autistic son, Oliver, now 19. KELLY MORAN REMEMBERED Following Kelly Moran’s sad death on April 10 after his long battle against lung and liver disease, more of the Jelly Man’s former team-mates, rivals and friends pay tribute to him and recall their favourite stories about the hugely popular American who leaves behind a rich tapestry of memories. BRUCE PENHALL COLUMN BP is back with an emotionally poignant piece about Kelly Moran and spending time with his former USA Test team-mate in his last days and hours in California. SIMMO’S COLUMN In typically forthright style, the former England No.1 expresses his personal view that what the fun-loving Americans brought to the party was not always a good thing for British speedway. BILLY SANDERS REMEMBERED On the 25th anniversary of the former Australian star’s death, our lead columnist John Berry – the man who brought ‘The Kid’ to Ipswich in 1972 – writes about the impact Billy’s suicide had on him and others, and also explains why he has decided to abandon thoughts of writing a book on Billy. STAN BEAR – exclusive interview We track down the former Weymouth and Poole star in his native Brisbane, where he looks back on his brief but successful time in England in the mid-80s. WORLD FINAL FLASHPOINTS To coincide with the rlease of our new World Finals of the 70s DVD, Peter Collins looks back at the first of our ‘flashpoint’ moments from past finals when he recalls having a ‘grandstand view’ of Heat 19 of the 1973 World Final, and why he believes Zenon Plech was robbed of a place in the run-off alongside Jerzy Szczakiel and Ivan Mauger. WILKIE AND IVAN BOOK EXTRACTS We’ve an extract from the new Alan Wilkinson book, including a heart-rending account of the Belle Vue skipper’s heroic battle to cope with his disability. Plus, Ivan Mauger recalls some unusually barren years in an excerpt from his forthcoming book, The Will To Win. RADFORD TRAVELS Our intrepid scribe reviews past trips to Reading, Rochdale, Romford, Rybnik, Rye House, San Bernardino, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Skien, Smederna, Stoke and Sunderland. Plus... We’ve Q&As with Duncan Meredith and Gene Woods, we find out what happened to Vic Cross, there’s a look back at England’s 1980 World Pairs victory, plus your letters and even more besides. To subscribe in the UK for just £17.50 a year (6 issues) or £24 (Europe), £32 Rest of World, go to: http://www.retro-speedway.com

WORLD FINALS OF THE 70s NEW ON DOUBLE DVD Four hours of pure World Final nostalgia. From Wembley to Wroclaw, Gothenburg to Katowice, this is the inside story of 10 World Championship Finals. *Exclusive interviews with the stars *Dramatic archive action footage *Previously unpublished photos Former World Champion PETER COLLINS talking from home and from the heart about the pursuit of his boyhood dreams, the glory of Katowice ‘76 and the ones that got away. --------------------------------------------------- Hear sensational views straight from the riders themselves... *Who amazingly thought he was a “useless World Champion” and felt relieved to lose his crown? *What a very forthright Briggo has to say about Bernt Persson and THAT Wembley crash. *The mistakes that cost Ivan Mauger so dearly in 1973 and PC in ’77. *Ivan on the “hardest ever” meeting to win. *Why the “cheats” denied Ole Olsen in 1976. *The race that still haunts Malcolm Simmons. *Kelly Moran’s final interview. Ah, those were the days. The super 70s, when crowds of 90,000-100,000 and more filled Wembley and Katowice to watch the world’s top riders battle it out for the sport’s richest prize. It’s all here . . . action-packed drama, controversy, great races, hair-raising crashes, costly machine failures, heartbreak and heroism involving the men who were at the centre of it all. Interspersed with key archive action footage and still images, we present exclusive, new interviews with the winners and losers of World Finals from the glorious 1970s. Be shocked and riveted by this revealing insight from some of speedway’s all-time track greats: Record-breaking six times world champion Ivan Mauger, three times winner Ole Olsen, four times title holder Barry Briggs, England heroes Peter Collins & Michael Lee, super-Swede Anders Michanek, the nearly men John Louis, Malcolm Simmons, Dave Jessup & Gordon Kennett, plus Brits Trevor Hedge, Ray Wilson, Terry Betts & Nigel Boocock, stylish Swede Bengt Jansson and American ace Kelly Moran. Order your DOUBLE DVD today and relive the magic and drama of speedway’s biggest nights from a golden era. £16 (P&P free in UK) To order by phone, simply call our Credit/Debit Card Hotline on 01708 734 502. Or send cheque for £16.00 (payable to Retro Speedway) to: Retro Speedway (World Finals), 103 Douglas Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1AW. Or go online and make payment via secure PayPal at our website: http://www.retro-speedway.com

Many thanks, Tomcat. We did interview JL about his racing career - in-depth - in Issue 7. You can check out the link: http://www.retro-speedway.com/page.php?14

OUT NOW! KELLY MORAN – Exclusive interview The speedway world was recently shocked to hear that popular former American star Kelly Moran had been rushed to hospital, where doctors didn’t expect him to make it through the night after he was found collapsed at home. The good news is the ‘Jelly Man’ is still hanging in there and fighting to regain his health having suffered serious damage to his liver and lungs. The former Hull, Birmingham, Eastbourne, Sheffield and Belle Vue favourite recovered well enough to give Backtrack an exclusive, in-depth interview from his bed in California. Now 49, he talks candidly about his hell-raising ‘party lifestyle’ that led him to the brink of death, his regrets and why he must now put alcohol and drugs behind him. Kelly talks about the highs and lows of his memorable British racing career – his early days with Hull Vikings and the crash that nearly wrecked his career, why Eastbourne was his happiest period in the BL and the reasons he stunned the Eagles by leaving them after two very good seasons. Having conquered the US scene in the mid-80s, he explains what brought him back to England and a move to Sheffield, where he teamed up with younger brother Shawn, before winding down his BL career at Belle Vue and Swindon. With new colour pics of Kelly at home with his family and friends plus the honest opinions of John Berry, Ian Thomas, Ivan Mauger, Bob Dugard and Eric Boocock, this dominant feature of Backtrack 37 is a must for all Moran fans and those who appreciate just how much excitement and entertainment Kelly brought to the sport wherever he rode. BENGT JANSSON – Exclusive interview One of the most stylish and likeable imports to ever grace the BL in the 70s, former World No.2 ‘Banger’ Jansson recalls his brilliant racing days at Hackney, where he was idolised by Hawks’ fans, before less happy spells with Reading and Birmingham. He recalls his family’s struggle to overcome the tragic death of Tommy Jansson in 1976 and his successful veteran days in the Swedish leagues. Bengt also reveals plans to revive his business as a promoter of his beloved country and western music. SIMMO’S COLUMN Our straight-talking columnist reports back from the World Speedway Riders’ Association dinner, where he caught up with his former England team-mate Ray Wilson, plus Erik Gundersen and Terry Russell. ‘Super Simmo’ also writes about former Hackney team-mate Andy Galvin’s imprisonment, wonders whether he dare show his face at Swindon again and considers the merits of calls for a special memorial meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of Simon Wigg’s passing. HAPPY ANNIVERSARIES – Workington & Peterborough We spotlight two clubs that first opened their doors to speedway 40 years ago as both Workington and Peterborough celebrate their anniversary. Looking back at the opening season, with memories from several of those who were part of history, including Comets boss Ian Thomas and ex-Panthers’ stars Pete Seaton (the first race winner at the East of England Showground) and Pete Saunders. TIGER’S TALES We’re in Ipswich – Tiger country – for An Evening with John Louis, as the Witches legend entertains us with tales of his successful racing career. CONCRETE CAPERS The inside story of the indoor speedway extravagabnza at Wembley Arena, where a bold experiment in 1979 snowballed into a five-year adventure. Co-promoter Ian Thomas reveals the successes and failures behind the scenes. NIGEL LEAVER – On 2 Minutes Q&A Tracing the ups and downs of a rider who started out as Alan Grahame’s mechanic at Cradley Heath and went on a long and winding journey that involved stop-offs at Arena-Essex, Rye House, Wimbledon, Exeter, Mildenhall, King’s Lynn, Swindon and Belle Vue, where a bomb hoax once worked to his advantage. AMAZING BRIGGO Erik Gundersen urges British speedway to get behind the ambitious charity mission undertaken by Barry Briggs, while John Berry reviews Briggo’s new book, Wembley and Beyond. RADFORD’S TRAVELS Our intrepid reporter recalls his previous trips to far-flung venues. This time it’s: Nearbo (Norway), Nelson, Newcastle, Newport, Norden (Germany), Ornarna (Sweden), Ostrow (Poland), Oxford, Paisley, Peterborough, Poole, Rayleigh and Reading (Tilehurst). To order this issue and for details of how to subscribe, please go to: http://www.retro-speedway.com

SPEEDWAY Grand Prix ... there's an app for that. For more information go to http://www.snowfunk.com/sgp/ Speedway fan Craig Williamson has developed a superb SGP app for the iPhone and iTouch. See above.

ISSUE 8 (Spring 2010) of the quarterly retro speedway magazine is out now! SVERRE HARRFELDT – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW He is probably the greatest speedway rider Norway has ever produced . . . and now Sverre Harrfeldt has taken time out to look back over his eventful career with Classic Speedway. The former Wimbledon, West Ham and Wembley crowd favourite talks candidly and for the first time about THAT controversial night of the 1963 Internationale that was marred by accusations of bribery in which greats Ove Fundin and the late Peter Craven were both implicated. Read Sverre’s account of that big rumpus at Wimbledon and why he refused to shake Craven’s hand. Sverre also recalls how he was just three laps away from winning the world title in 1966 and why he blew his chances in 1965 by arriving a day late for the European Final! In the European Final three years later, Sverre was involved in a horrifying crash that put him out of speedway for 18 months and almost cost him his life. And he reveals how he had a very lucky escape again when he was unable to go on the fateful tour to Holland that killed his friends and West Ham team-mates in 1970. DANNY DUNTON – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the sport’s most popular and enduring characters, Danny looks back at his career as a rider with Harringay, Ipswich, Belle Vue and Oxford, among others. He recalls beating Jack Parker from the back on his first visit to Hyde Road and says: “I hadn’t even heard of him – I didn’t know any riders at the time!” REG DUVAL Q&A – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Popular former Coventry, Liverpool and Poole favourite Reg Duval is the subject of our Q&A this time, as he recalls his overseas adventures in Europe and South Africa, where he competed in his last meeting at the age of 47, as well as his British racing experiences. He talks about Jack Young, his most respected Coventry team-mate, and also explains why his promoting attempts at Liverpool ended in disappointment and strife. MIROSLAV VERNER – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the finest Czech riders ever, Miroslav Verner reflects on a career that took him to two Wembley World Team Cup finals and a host of British second division tracks where his full throttle exploits are still fondly remembered. SPLIT WATERMAN, JACK YOUNG AND THE GOLDEN HELMET ROW In the summer of 1952, Harringay star Split Waterman was hauled before a Control Board tribunal after refusing to race against ex-World Champion Jack Young, of West Ham, in the coveted Golden Helmet match-race championship. John Hyam explains the story behind the row and why the charismatic Waterman was harshly treated. TOM FARNDON – IS HE THE GREATEST EVER? There are fellas called Mauger, Fundin, Briggs and Rickardsson who might have something to say about the title, but that is what is claimed on the front cover of the new book on the former New Cross idol John Chaplin examines the impact Farndon had on speedway, explains why he was such a huge star in south-east London and, arguably, the best the sport has seen before his tragic death in 1935, aged just 24. http://www.retro-speedway.com

Spot on, Speedguy. Yes, I had the pleasure of interviewing Jimmy at his home just under a year ago, when he talked about virtually everything (and more) Rob mentioned in his first post. Good to see that the local press have recognised Jimmy's many talents, too, but it again goes to show just what so many on this forum are missing by not subscribing to or buying Classic Speedway magazine! Jimmy sent us a video recording of his charity parachute jump last September - remarkable stuff from an amazing man. We ran an appeal for our readers to support his charity leap but, sadly, very few bothered to respond. His humble reaction to our feature on him was very touching. Top man, Jimmy.

Some good thoughts there, tom, but Ray Wilson was featured prominently as our main man in Issue 18. You can still obtain a back copy if you want to read all about World Cup Willie, including those garish (for the time) yellow Bostik leathers... http://www.retro-speedway.com

We've just interviewed Sverre Harrfeldt for Issue 8 of Classic mag. He has some very interesting, controversial things to say. Anyone got any good stories they would like to share wth us about the former Norwegian No.1 and crowd-pleasing favourite at Wimbledon, West Ham and Wembley?

Issue 36 is out now and includes.... JAN O PEDERSEN – Exclusive interview Former Denmark and Cradley Heath favourite Jan O Pedersen bares his soul in our latest big exclusive. The 1991 World Champion recalls his rollercoaster career that began with the Heathens in 1983 and ended cruelly less than a year after he was crowned speedway’s No.1. Little Jan O, one of the most thrilling and spectacular racers of his era, reveals the legacy of his career-ending crash at the start of 1992 that has left him to commit to a daily course of pain-killers to ease the suffering he still feels in his back, hands and legs. But he talks about the good times, too . . . nine successful seasons with his beloved Cradley and the Black Country life that remains so close to his heart. An enjoyable year spent on loan to Sheffield, how he adapted his gating technique to succeed fellow Dane Erik Gundersen as Heathens’ top rider and became a triple world champ in the months before his racing days came to an abrupt end. He explains why he refused to gift Gundersen the win that would have guaranteed him the 1988 World Championship and re-lives the heartbreak of missing the following two World Finals due to injuries. The ever-popular Jan O reflects on his life after speedway – as promoter of Cradley at Stoke and Oxford team manager - and talks of his ambition to become a youth speedway trainer who can help nurture the next generation. John Berry also runs the rule over one of the sport’s genuine nice guys. BRUCE PENHALL Our American star columnist turns the spotlight on two of his former USA Test team-mates, Bobby Schwartz and Dennis Sigalos. BP partnered ‘Boogaloo’ to World Pairs glory in 1981 – the Yanks’ first World Championship victory since 1937 – before his retirement allowed ‘Siggy’ to join Schwartz and retain the pairs crown in ’82. Bruce also recalls the embarrassment he felt when he was left without a partner in his first World Pairs Final, at Vojens in 1979, and explains why the American authorities did little to help. MALCOLM SIMMONS Our other former star rider columnist explains why Maurice Littlechild, his former boss at King’s Lynn, was the best promoter he ever rode for. Super Simmo also continues his review of old London tracks with a look at the spacious White City, which was one home to the biggest meetings in the UK racing calendar. And he begins a new series of technical insight with his opinions on the once dominant JAP engine on which he began his career in the early 60s. MALCOLM HOLLOWAY One of the sport’s biggest characters, Malcom Holloway looks back over his racing days with his hometown club Swindon, plus his spells with Reading, Oxford, and Milton Keynes, etc. Find out who Malc describes as his ‘hero’ and what he thinks of former team-mates such as Bob Kilby, Phil Bass, Phil Crump and Steve Gresham. ‘Mad Wellie’ recalls some of his exploits both on and off the track, as well as his ill-fated period in management at cash-strapped Reading. WHERE HAVE ALL THE CHARACTERS GONE? Richard Bott laments the loss of so many colourful characters who made speedway such a vibrant and much-talked about sport in the 70s and 80s. STEVE BISHOP Q&A The former Swindon, Exeter, Stoke and Arena Essex rider reveals his favourite tracks and promoter, plus much more... RADFORD’S TRAVELS Bob continues his world-wide journey with reviews of visits to Huddinge (Sweden), Landshut (Germany), Larvik (Norway), Leicester, Lejonen (Sweden), Long Eaton, Lonigo (Italy), LA Coliseum (USA), Middlesbrough, Mildenhall, Mildura (Australia) and Milton Keynes. Plus... Your letters, plus colour pics of Phil Herne, Robert Henry, Roy Carter, Ian Humphries, Martin Hagon, Steve Finch, Robert Maxfield and Paul Woods and many other previously unpublished pictures... To buy this issue and for full subscription details, go to: http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Can anyone plse help with footage from the 1970 World Final at Wroclaw, Poland? I appreciate that if any is available, it is most likely to be in its original 8mm cine format, and taken by a fan from the terraces. Just wondered if there's anything gathering dust in a loft or garage somewhere? Cheers.

WINTER 2009-10 Welcome to Issue 7 of our quarterly retro magazine. There's another feast of speedway nostalgia for your enjoyment... BILLY BALES - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the most popular riders in the long history of Norwich Speedway, Billy Bales looks back over his career that promised much but was ultimately handicapped by a series of injuries. A diminutive racer with a huge heart, Billy reveals how his first promoter gave him a new Christian name that stuck for life. He recalls his early days with Yarmouth Bloaters before his move up into the senior league with his local Norwich Stars team, where his regular race partners included the great Ove Fundin. Billy gives us his own views on the controversial Swede and how he, too, benefited from Ove's acclaimed mechanic Les Mullins. Although a legend at Norwich, Billy explains why he enjoyed spending the last five seasons of his career riding for Sheffield Tigers before he finally retired at the end of 1969. "Fortunately, apart from a little bit of concussion, I never suffered any bad head injuries. I consider myself very lucky to be here today," says Billy, who celebrated his 80th birthday last June. GEORGE WHITE - EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Our second major interview is with the former Swindon star George White, one of the most spectacular riders to grace the British scene in the 50s and early 60s. After spells as a rookie with Yarmouth and then a brief spell in the juniors at New Cross, George blossomed at Blunsdon, where he became a huge crowd favourite with his fearless style and distinctive all-white leathers. "I had no fear and used to love going out wide and around the fence," he told Classic Speedway. RON JOHNSON - LEGEND In this in-depth profile, we chart the rise and fall of the former Australia and New Cross legend Ron Johnson, one of the most dynamic personalities of the late-40s and early-50s. Johnno's story covers his rapid emergence as a Johnnie Hoskins discovery in Perth, Western Australia, through his golden period of international stardom as hero of the mighty ‘Rangers' down the Old Kent Road and residence at the swanky Dorchester Hotel, to his subsequent sad demise - serious head injuries, failed comeback bids for Ashfield, West Ham and Edinburgh and two prison sentences for drink-driving.He spent his latter years confined to a wheelchair following a road accident. He had been dead for a week before his body was discovered in 1983. LEO McAULIFFE Q&A with the one-time World Finalist and former Eastbourne, New Cross, Wimbledon and Oxford rider who was forced to retire after fracturing his skull in a bad smash at Halifax in 1969. LEN SILVER We produce an edited extract from his new book, As Luck Would Have It: A Cockney's Tale, in which Len looks back on his early days as a struggling and accident-prone novice - "the two-lap champion" - before he got his chance with Ipswich under the management of a regimental man he quickly came to curse. JIMMY TANNOCK Fellow Scot Bert Harkins brings us up to date with his former Edinburgh Monarchs team-mate Jimmy Tannock and explains why he became known as ‘The Laird of Glen Orchy'. Plus... Columnist Ian Hoskins recalls the watershed World Final of 1950, a tribute to the late Sandor Levai, Hungary's greatest ever speedway rider, your letters, news updates and much more... ORDER YOUR COPY OR SUBSCRIBE ONLINE NOW BY FOLLOWING THIS LINK... http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Thought you'd approve of the feature on Ted. It's Jan O Pedersen - not Erik - next time!

And why wouldn't you expect to read about an 80s NL star in Backtrack! Andy was a one-time protege of Simmo's, firstly at Crayford and then Hackney and Arena Essex, so it was appropriate for Malcolm to mention Andy and their past working relationship in his latest column.

ISSUE 35 OUT NOW! WORLD FINAL versus GRAND PRIX - The 80s Following our attempts in the last issue to determine who would have won the World Championship finals had the modern GP system applied in the 70s, this time we leap forward to the 80s, as John Berry and Tony McDonald choose their main men from that era. After Michael Lee and then Bruce Penhall claimed victories in the first three World Finals of the 80s, it became a decade dominated by the dynamic Danes. But just how many titles will our ‘experts' JB and Tony Mac award to Hans Nielsen (below) and his great rival Erik Gundersen - and not forgetting Tommy Knudsen and Jan O. Pedersen? And did they ‘give' another glory night to Lee or a much sought-after first crown to his fellow Englishman Kenny Carter? The individual world title eluded Dave Jessup but would it have done had the championship race been decided over a long series? Where did Sam Ermolenko (left, chasing Nielsen)and the other Americans feature in the reckoning? Surely Egon Muller wouldn't have got near the rostrum under the GP format? All is revealed in the latest issue as we analyse the who, what and when of World Finals/GPs of the 80s. MICHAEL LEE - Exclusive interview Talking of Lee, we catch up with the 1980 World No.1 and find out what keeps him busy today - apart from starring in his own, new DVD! The controversial former King's Lynn and Poole racer (right)explains his mechanical background and why he gets such a buzz from tuning engines for several of today's star names, including England's new white hope and 2010 GP challenger Tai Woffinden. BRUCE PENHALL Our big-name columnist from across The Pond gives his own thoughts on Michael Lee, as well as recalling his former Cradley Heath team-mate Erik Gundersen (left), who was forced to quit racing just over 20 years ago following his near-fatal crash at Bradford. And just what did Ivan Mauger have to say to Bruce when he called him up recently in California? MALCOLM SIMMONS After more bad news from Wimbledon Stadium as the main stand is closed to the greyhound racing public, our other regular star columnist ‘Super Simmo' provides a fascinating insight into three of the London tracks he rode at most often . . . Plough Lane, plus Hackney and West Ham, in what he calls his ‘London lament'. He also reveals some sorry news about his former Hackney team-mate Andy Galvin and has some words of praise for Terry Russell following his recent resignation as BSPA president. Oh, and why did World Champion Jason Crump have cause to phone chez Simmo in Kent? Was it something you said, Malc? CASTLEFORD A place fit for Kings? Well, you would hardly describe the now sadly defunct Whitood Stadium in West Yorkshire as a venue for royalty but this training track cum open licence venue served a very useful purpose in 1979 and '80, before its sudden closure. Martin Neal talks to an ex-Kings rider and team manager who were part and parcel of the Castleford scene, plus we've images of the old site after the bikes moved out. DOUBLE DUTCH National newspaper journalist Richard Bott is back from hospital to recall what it was like covering the World Finals of the 80s, including trips to Poland, Sweden and Amsterdam for the sport's one and only two-day final in 1987. ALAN MOGRIDGE - My Night As a key member of Hackney's all-conquering National League team of the late-80s, ‘Moggo' relives the night, in 1988, when the Kestrels overpowered London rivals Wimbledon to win the KO Cup and complete a glorious NL double. TED HUBBARD Q&A The former Canterbury, Rye House and Hackney favourite (right) is the subject of our latest ‘On 2 Minutes' interview. Amongst other things, read why he didn't go too much on Crewe and who he enjoyed riding with most. RADFORD'S TRAVELS Intrepid Bob is back with more tales of his trips to far-flung places. He's reached the Gs and K's, which means we're on the go from Getingarna to King's Lynn, via Glasgow, Gorzow, Gothenburg, Hackney, Halifax, Hull, Ipswich and Katowice. ZDENEK MAJSTR - Exclusive interview Probably not the first former Czech rider's name you will recall from the early-70s, but an international performer with an intriguing story to tell nonetheless. Vitek Formanek caught up with ‘Zen' to find out all about the determined man from Slany who emerged from the shadow of the favoured Red Star Prague team members. Plus... Your letters, including a backlash for Bruce following his controversial comments about Kenny Carter in our previous issue. BUY YOUR COPY OR SUBSCRIBE ONLINE VIA THIS LINK http://www.retro-speedway.com

Much of the criticism aimed at Bruce Penhall on here has been over the top, unjustified and, in one or two cases, moronic. I’ll say nothing about the Penhall book because it has nothing to do with us, other than to make it clear that Retro Speedway didn’t publish it, but as far as his comments in his Backtrack column are concerned... The man really can’t win, can he? If he had said nothing about Kenny Carter and his previous hostile relationship with him, then people would probably have accused him of avoiding the issue and ‘being boring’. It wasn't a case of Bruce wanting to use his new column to have another pop at Carter. I specifically asked him to tell our readers how he feels now about Carter because, whether you agree with him or not, people are interested in what he has to say about one of the most talked-about and volatile rivalries in speedway history. So he comes out and says, with complete honesty, what he really thought of Kenny, and people condemn him for it. It was obvious that his views would not go down well with Kenny’s supporters. What did they expect him to say?: ‘Yeah, as everyone knows, I hated him really, but as he’s now dead, I suppose he wasn’t such a bad bloke after all.' I applaud Penhall’s honesty in standing by his opinions on Carter and also in what he said about Ivan Mauger’s motives for attaching himself to Kenny. As for those who have whined that Kenny has no opportunity to respond to Bruce’s comments, well perhaps they should remind themselves why that is the case. Bruce’s anger towards Carter is fuelled not just by their aggressive on-track feud, but even more so by the tragedy that devastated two families, led to the cruel death of the defenceless Pam Carter and left their two children without parents. People also like to throw the 1982 White City ‘race’ back at Bruce, as if it was the biggest treachery ever enacted in speedway. Take it as fact, some riders who have won as much - and more - as Penhall did in the sport have done equally dubious things to serve their own needs – and, in some cases, much worse. But you won’t read about them anywhere because they will never be proven or acknowledged by those concerned. Again, BP has been castigated for his honesty. He could have gone out for that heat 19 of the Overseas Final, feigned machine failure, broken the tapes or just pulled up for no obvious reason (as many others did over the years without drawing accusations of ‘fix’), but he chose the honest (but very naive) route...just stayed out of the way with the aim of helping as many of his fellow Americans through to the first US-staged World Final and even admitted doing so on national television immediately afterwards. His naivety was in making it look TOO obvious, by badly missing the gate and then pulling wheelies while at the back. He probably thought that even though he was not legitimately competing to gain any points from the race, he would at least trying to offer the crowd some form of showmanship and entertainment. He clearly misjudged the mood and reaction of the British public but don’t accuse him of being a coward or selfish. All he did, in allowing three fellow Americans to finish ahead of him, was the same as many others did before and after him under the old World Championship formula, where favours were freely traded among riders along the route to the final, and at the world final itself. The purists can bury their heads in the sand but, as Simmo has made clear, it DID go on. In doing what he did (and I’m not saying for one minute that we should applaud him for it, because it was clearly not in the sport’s best interests), Penhall also sacrificed a little personal glory that day, because he could have won the meeting. You can imagine that if he had ignored the bigger picture – ie, the Yanks wanted as many of their own boys through to LA as possible to boost the appeal of the World Final that year – and instead gone on to win the OF, he would have been hammered for being selfish, arrogant and uncaring about his fellow countrymen and USA team-mates. In response to Martin M’s comments above, yes Bruce will be moving on in his next column, in which he talks affectionately about his former Cradley team-mate Erik Gundersen and also Michael Lee, the rider he feared most. Oh, and he'll also tell you about the phone call he received from Ivan Mauger following his last Backtrack column. Does anyone have any constructive thoughts about what, or who, they would like Bruce (or Simmo) to discuss in their future Backtrack columnns?....

Our new Michael Lee DVD - Mike the Bike - is selling like hot cakes. And no wonder given the sensational content of this double-disc, four-hour package in which Michael takes a long, hard look at himself and opens up to Retro Speedway about the ups and downs of his turbument life, both on and off the track, in our exclusive series of interviews. Whatever you think of Mike - and whether or not you believe he wasted a great career - he should at least be applauded for his honesty on this officially endorsed DVD in which he bares his soul. Drug abuse, arrests and three prison sentences . . . he doesn't flinch from any questions. Oh, and there's plenty of speedway talk, action and images too! To those who have ordered (it is available exclusively from us), all existing orders are being despatched over today and tomorrow, so the DVD should be with you very shortly. For those who haven't ordered it from us yet for just £16.00 (post-free in the UK), why not check out this nine-minute sampler on our website. It just gives you a little flavour of what's in store. Please note, though, this clip is downloaded from You Tube and the picture flickering you see towards the end of the clip definitely does NOT appear on the actual DVD! Here's the link: http://www.retro-speedway.com/

Rob, Bruce had nothing more to prove to anyone after winning the title in '81 & '82. As he has himself admitted, he was burnt out from speedway by the end of '82 and ready for a new challenge - he wouldn't have been up for another crack at it in a German field. Rob, Carter believed in himself like no other, to the point where it became self-destructive. It was his failure sometimes to accept that he couldn't do the impossible that rebounded on him so spectacularly. I don't know how you can conclude that he won so little. Apart from the 'Big One', he won the next most important and prestigious individual titles in the form of the British Championship (twice - once when massively handicapped by a broken leg) and the BLRC (twice). He also won the World Pairs with PC and came very close to winning it again with Tatum in '85 before an inspired piece of brilliance by Gundersen denied them.

Take your word for it, Rob, but you get my point. Well, the BF was such a cut-throat meeting, who wouldn't have turned down automatic seeding to the ICF that year? mmm...'83 very open? Like Falcace, I thought everything about Norden was tailor-made for one man only... Don't know about '82 being KC's peak. Still think he would have been very difficult to stop at Bradford in '85, after the way he demolished the rest in the BF at Coventry. All said and done, it says a lot about the impact Carter had on us and the sport itself that so many words are still being spoken and written about him today.

I wouldn't put too much store by who won individual qualifying rounds along the way to the final - except, perhaps, the most meaningful British Finals of the 70s and 80s when the meeting carried real prestige and the main men genuinely cared about winning it. Winning the BF brought more kudos than the Overseas/Commonwealth finals and even the Inter-Continental final. Ivan Mauger could have won the ICF at White City in '79 but admitted that he deliberately threw his last race (after proving a point by leading Finn Thomsen all the way to the last bend) to ensure a more favourable span of races in the final at Katowice - and it worked! Winning the world final itself required qualities not necessary in qualifiers that, for most, were all about getting through to the next round. We will, of course, never know what Carter would have done had broken legs not stopped him from reaching the finals of '84 and '85 but he would surely have been a major contender and a rider feared by all.

What, declined as in he 'only' won the 1985 British Championship in emphatic style. Halifax fans will confirm just how much of an outstanding No.1 rider he was for them - invariably a one-man team away from The Shay - or "me and six w*****s" in Kenny's own words! Of course, he didn't do much of note after May '86. Carter fans will also argue that he was one refereeing decision away from winning the world title in '82 and was nailed on to win it at Odsal, in his own backyard, in '85 before the rain of Vetlanda intervened.