TonyMac

Simmo couldn't have been that bad. He rode 40 matches in 1985 - more than any other Robins rider - and averaged virtually eight points overall. I'm in no way defending what Simmo did. But If you listen to the DVD, he admits he felt bad about what he did to reduce his average at the end of '85 and now regrets letting down the club, management, riders and supporters.

SIMMO: IN HIS OWN WORDS THE BRILLIANT BRAND NEW TRIPLE DVD! OUR much-acclaimed book, SIMMO: THE WHOLE TRUTH, sold out. Now hear Malcolm's compelling life story in his own words in DVD FORMAT, lasting more than FIVE hours across three discs! YES, THAT'S RIGHT, FIVE HOURS+, 3 DVDs AND FOR ONLY £16.00 (POST-FREE IN UK)! Listen to the former World No.2 and one of England's all-time greats as he lifts the lid on some of speedway's ‘secrets'. Hear him talk candidly about team-mates and rivals from his spells with Hackney, West Ham, King's Lynn, Poole, Wimbledon, Swindon and Arena-Essex. He reveals the highs and lows of his glittering career and how he provoked controversy on and off the track. Hear from the man himself why he now regrets deliberately throwing races in his last match for Swindon. Simmo also bears his soul about his private life - his mother leaving him at the age of 13, how he had suicidal thoughts after being sent to prison and much more. You'll be captivated by what Malcolm has to say about himself and others, while also enjoying the visual feast of hundreds of on-screen images of Super Simmo, including rare and previously unpublished photographs. There is also classic archive footage of Malcolm in typically majestic speedway action, grass-track action from his comeback period in the 90s, plus brief trials footage from 2007. Watch again that race with Peter Collins in Poland that effectively decided the 1976 World Final and hear what Simmo says he would have done differently, as well as his typically forthright opinions of PC and his other World Pairs-winning partners, John Louis and Gordon Kennett. And in a new interview filmed in July 2009, 63-year-old Malc brings us right up to date with what he's doing now, including his ongoing battle to defy his declining health to continue his passion for riding motorcycles. Every DVD sleeve is personally signed by Simmo himself and this great, new product is only available direct from us at Retro Speedway. So let Simmo join you in your living room today by ordering your copy now! ­ You won't believe your ears! TO TRY OUR FREE SEVEN-MINUTE SAMPLER AND ALSO TO ORDER THE WHOLE PACKAGE ONLINE NOW FOR JUST £16.00, GO TO http://www.retro-speedway.com

BRITISH SPEEDWAY IN CRISIS British speedway is in the grip of another crisis – and this time there are genuine fears that our sport is on the brink of losing its professional status. The sport’s history is littered with major setbacks – the introduction of Entertainment Tax and television in the 50s and the dreaded curse of VAT in the early 70s among the most drastic to threaten its existence – but there was always a cure on the horizon. However, this badly wounded patient is now fighting for survival on a life support machine and there are few signs of recovery. Of course, many of today’s ills are deeply rooted in the past, where problems arose and were allowed to fester to the point where they have become monumental and, in some cases, irreversible. 20 BIG PROBLEMS So where did it all go wrong? While the BSPA continue to sit on their hands and plan their next re-write of the rulebook, we’ve asked JOHN BERRY – the same man who should have been empowered to lead our sport out of this mess many moons ago – to recall the 20 Biggest Problems to afflict British speedway between 1970-90. Find out what JB believes was the worst thing to happen during the period under review . . . and see if you agree with him! IT’S NOT ALL BAD – 10 GOOD THINGS IT would be very churlish – and totally wrong – to try and claim that there were nothing but problems and negatives to arise throughout the 70s and 80s. We are all – fans, media and the people who run speedway – sometimes guilty of being too hard on our sport. That is only natural, because we care for it passionately, always want to see it make the best of itself and to appeal more to a much wider audience. The era Backtrack is all about will also be fondly remembered for a number of very positive things that served British speedway well and contributed to its self-proclaimed status as the nation’s second biggest spectator sport. Here we recall 10 very good things to come out of that period in time, which still evokes lots of happy memories for many of us . . . BRUCE PENHALL & MALCOLM SIMMONS JOIN THE BACKTRACK TEAM We are delighted to announce the ‘signing’ of Bruce Penhall and Malcolm Simmons, two of the finest riders to grace the BL scene during the 70s and 80s. They present the first of their regular columns in this issue. Double World Champ Penhall reflects on his early days in England in 1978, while former World No.2 and British Champion ‘Simmo’ has plenty of typically forthright views on the state of the sport today compared to his era. Read what he thinks of the GP tracks, the clothing worn by modern day riders, the recent SCB investigation into points-throwing allegations and more. SCOTTISH SPECIAL There is a distinct Scottish flavour to this issue. With plenty to interest fans of both Glasgow and Edimburgh. We’ve got a new, exclusive four-page interview with former Tigers and Monarchs favourite BOBBY BEATON, who also starred for Hull in the top flight. Richard Bott has unearthed some cracking tales from Bobby, who is now driving a coach for a living. Mike Hunter presents his Scotland Dream Team from the 1970-90 period. Who made it in and who was left out? Martin Neal talks to Bobby’s father, JIMMY BEATON (Senior), about his determined struggle to keep Glasgow Speedway alive through thick and thin since he first joined the promotion at Hampden Park in 1972. And our intrepid reporter stayed up in the far north to visit and photograph all eight of Glasgow’s former home venues. Talking of travel, the globetrotting Bob Radford presents the first of his reviews of all the tracks he visited during the Backtrack era – starting at Arena Essex with 11 more venues also under scrutiny from one of the sport’s most travelled scribes. In another new feature, we talk to PAUL THORP, who recalls his Big Night in winning the 1986 NLRC wearing the colours of Stoke Potters. From Australia, we catch up with the hard-riding CARL ASKEW, who looks back on his days with Birmingham and Oxford. In the south-east, we popped along to the recent Romford Bombers reunion, where old Bombers Des Lukehurst, Frank Wendon, Stan Stevens, John Hibben and general manager Maurice Morley were reminiscing about the early 70s at Brooklands. http://www.retro-speedway.com/

I do welcome genuine opinions - good or bad - and you are, of course, entitled to yours, just as everyone else is. Doesn't mean that I will agree with it, though! Just think you are completely wrong with your 'bottom of the barrel' style comments because there is still a great deal of ground for us to cover within our existing timescale of 1970-90, without the need to extend it. You mention your interest in defunct tracks. Hopefully, if you decide to buy the latest issue, you will particularly enjoy the start of our new Bob Radford's Travels feature, where he reviews the venues he visited during the period. Martin Neal has also visited and photographed all eight past and present venues of Glasgow Speedway as part of our Scottish special. We've appointed two new star name columnists in Malcolm Simmons and Bruce Penhall. Simmo, as expected, has plenty of very forthright things to say about the state of speedway today compared to his time. Bruce will be dealing with his feud with Kenny Carter in his second column. I wouldn't describe those you have mentioned as sychophantic. They happen to like Backtrack and have simply said so as their kind way of supporting and endorsing what we try to do. It's always nice to hear that we are appreciated and makes it all worthwhile.

Yours was a fair question - not a negastive one. I wasn't referring to you!

Sorry?

C'mon, what's keeping you all...Bob had a varied and interesting career with numerous clubs, so let's hear from you. We can obviously ask him lots of questions ourselves (and will do so), but we like to involve our readers where possible and make them feel part of the process...

Issue 33 is being printed now and should be ready to be mailed out to subscribers at the end of this week. Thanks to MM and others for all your kind words of support.

We're about to interview Bob Andrews for the next issue, so just wondered if any forumites had any specific questions you would like us to put to Bob about his career...

I intend to prove all doubters wrong and we're going to continue to take Backtrack forward. I'll be honest here - I'm disappointed with the apparent apathy of some and wonder what people expect in terms of value from a publication? Read back issues of Backtrack and tell me, hand on heart, that you've ever read such candid, honest opinions about our sport in days gone anywhere else other than the one-to-one exclusive interviews within our pages? Like all very small, niche publications we rely on the support of a loyal band of readers and, without them, it makes it a real struggle, if not impossible, to make it commercially viable. Of course, I realise that the support of readers should never be unconditional but - and I know I'm biased - is it not good value at £17.50 per year for six issues? As for features/interviews with certain riders or particular tracks, there will inevitably be aspects of any magazine that a reader will not be especially keen to read, or skip completely, for whatever reason. I look forward to reading Speedway Star every week, but never bother with the grass-track or foreign news. That's just my personal preference, but it doesn't mean the mag is not providing an excellent, value for money service for speedway fans in general. To answer the Preben Eriksen case, he was not a solo cover man anyway, and shared front billing with Middlo in that particular issue. Many may not like Eriksen, but the fact remains that he was a BL1 No.1 and Danish World Cup winner, a character who made lots of headlines - for whatever reason - in his day and who had some interesting stuff to say. Ditto Middlo. It's surely not only about hearing what the superstars have to say? I've come to the conclusion that offering a PDF version wil not solve anything or increase our readership. The people who are indifferent now about subscribing or buying every issue from their local track (spending £3.50 every two months) will almost certainly take the same view when considering whether to pay for a PDF download. And we certainly wouldn't offer a PDF version on a single copy, one-off only basis. It would have to be a full year sign-up option for it to even come close to being justifiable. Even then, and you may call this old fashioned, but I'm very much inclined to agree with those who say that a mag of Backtrack's type should be enjoyed in your favourite armchair, not hunched over a computer or from a print out. I'll not allow the negative feedback of a few posters on here to dampen my enthusiasm for producing what clearly appeals to the thousands who do continue to support us. There is still so much more to cover in Backtrack - two decades! - including big names worthy of front cover status. Changes are planned for the next issue, we'll be introducing new regular features, and there could be surprises in store when we announce our ex-rider columnists... Watch this space...

Event organiser (and ex-Rayleigh Rocket!) Terry Stone says that he is expecting the following ex-Bombers to attend tomorrow, so should be well worth a look for those of us who used to get our Thursday night fix at Brooklands: PHIL WOODCOCK DES LUKEHURST GEOFF PENNIKET MIKE VERNAM STAN STEVENS FRANK WENDON Plus a rare appearance by former Romford general/team manager MAURICE MORLEY. And other riders who rode at Romford, including PETE SAUNDERS, who appeared in the first-ever race at Brooklands when Crewe were opening night visitors on May 29, 1969. We'll be there with our Retro Speedway stand, so hope to see plenty of you...

There will be a strong Scottish flavour to our next issue (No.33), on sale in early August. Richard Bott has interviewed former Scottish No.1 Bobby Beaton, who had successful spells with Glasgow and Edinburgh at either end of a career that also took in Hull. Martin Neal is interviewing Bob's father, Jimmy Beaton snr, on his years as Glasgow Tigers boss. He will also be photographing each of the Tigers' different venues with a resume of each stadium - from Hampden, to Coatbridge, Blantyre, Shawfield, etc, etc, and, sadly in some cases, what became of them. Mike Hunter will be presenting his 'Scottish Dream Team'. Which seven riders do you expect to be included in it? Remember, it's the Backtrack time scale of 1970-90.

Many thanks, Arnie, and to all others who have offered help and advice.

Excellent news - the ideal venue. We'll be there!

They are, and they will no doubt have what we need, but it will be in microfilch format and not easy to copy. I'm hoping for a simple scan of the original paper(s), if someone happens to have kept them for 25 years!

Can anyone please help with cuttings of the series of Sunday People newspaper articles that appeared in 1984 about race-fixing allegations, etc? We are urgently trying to obtain the newspaper headlines and reports that accompanied the three articles which appeared in. I believe, September '84. If anyone has them handy, would they please scan and email them to us either today, tonight, or tomorrow, using 120dpi scanning resolution. Or, if you are unable to scan, please post them to us immediately at Retro Speedway, 103 Douglas Road, Hornchurch, Essex, RM11 1AW. We will then scan and return them to you immediately. A reward awaits anyone who can help. PM me if you'd prefer. Very much appreciated. Tony Mac

HERE'S a thought for you guys ... what do the five British riders at Peterborough do next? They can be quite pleased with their respective performances against tough opposition in Australia and Poland but did they go home and think about what is required to reach not just the next level but to get to the top of the speedway ladder? Did they ask themselves some searching questions? Is their machinery good enough? Are they working hard enough themselves, on their fitness (vital), diet (important) and technique (ask the likes of Mark Loram). Or do they assume that just by carrying on with what they are already doing will achieve their individual goals? That is the key and where Rob Lyon, who has made a good impression, needs to be taking stock. Unless you are an absolutely natural talent (Ronnie Moore) nothing will be achieved without honesty and a long hard look in the mirror. Whatever people like to say about Nicki Pedersen, and there is no shortage of diverse opinion on the BSF, all the British riders should try and adhere to his work ethic to supplement whatever natural talent they might possess. PHILIP RISING

Respect your decision, but that's very, very disappointing to hear. What, may I ask, has made you reach this decision? Mag not worthy of the price? If so, then please tell us where we're going wrong. Or is it for cost-saving reasons? It's not easy making a speedway magazine work (ask all of those who've tried over the years and failed through lack of support), especially in the current economic climate, so we can ill-afford to lose any readers. Meanwhile, I'm pondering the PDF option question and will investigate in due course. I guess it's the PC world we live in today, with more and more people chossing to browse the online version of national newspapers and media news outlets for all they need to know. What happened to those days when we would all take to our favourite armchair, not worry about the dross served up on TV, and sit back and read our favourite mags from cover to cover, as they were meant to look? God help us if the day comes when computer generated PDFs replace the look and feel of good, old fashioned ink and print!

It's not something we've considered but it's an interesting question. How much (max) per issue would you be prepared to pay for this service?

Cheers. Indeed so, Jim. It's Susan Hanson - or, as you say, 'Miss Diane'. We've got another shot in our archives of Noel Gordon (also of Crossroads fame) about to present the trophies at Wolverhampton Speedway. I think they used to hold a Crossroads TV Trophy event at Monmore,

Issue 32 is out now and all subscribers should receive their copy either today or tomorrow. Here's what's in... AMERICAN IDOLS There is a strong American flavour to this issue as we look back at the new wave of Californians who crossed the Atlantic in the early 70s to make their mark in British speedway – from Scott Autrey to Bruce Penhall, Bobby Schwartz to the Moran brothers, and Sam Ermolenko to Greg Hancock, plus all the others who appeared for British teams. Columnist John Berry, who managed England in Test matches against the USA, examines the impact those fun-loving, wheelie-popping, colourful and sometimes controversial characters from the States had on the British League scene. He writes: “They lived their lives in the same way they rode their bikes . . . on the edge. Somehow they seemed to represent everything that was good – and bad – about Californian speedway riders. On track they were each worth the admission money by themselves. The skill, the daring, the panache made them true entertainers. “Away from the track they seemed to live their lives as if every moment should produce a new sensation. Hang the consequences, let’s live for today. “The British public loved the way the Americans brought action and colour into the sport. They loved the wheelies and the flag-waving and the extrovert character of these devil-may-care riders who all seemed to be prepared and able to project themselves both on and off the track. “The supporters also seemed to shrug their shoulders at the rumours of drug taking and of wild parties, even when some of the lads were caught red-handed. A rudimentary drug testing regime was introduced around that time and, it has to be pointed out, no American was found guilty of using performance-enhancing drugs but there was plenty of evidence to back up claims of a fair amount of ‘recreational’ drug use.” We’ve a full list of every American who rode in the BL from 1969 to 1990. Berry goes on to name his American Dream Team. So who did make it into his top 7 from the Backtrack period? BRUCE PENHALL Many champions have come and gone through the years but probably none have created a void as big as the chasm left by Bruce Penhall when he left speedway in a hurry in 1982. Editor Tony Mac on why Cradley Heath’s American Golden Boy was such a huge loss to the sport and he offers a controversial view on why the British public were wrong to turn against the double World Champion who quit while on top. He writes: “What Bruce did that afternoon in West London was hardly different to what many, many others have done to facilitate the greater need of others. If he was guilty of anything, it was naivete.” MEMORIES ARE MADE OF THIS We also talk to Andy Hale, the English speedway fan who boasts the biggest collection of Bruce Penhall memorabilia, as well as racing mementoes purchased from other top US stars. NORSE POWER Norway was a major speedway force early in the Backtrack era. Apart from Australia, New Zealand and Sweden, British speedway then imported more Norwegian riders than from any other country. Sverre Harrfeldt, Reidar Eide, Oyvind Berg, Odd Fossengen, Dag Lovaas, Edgar Stangeland and the rest . . . Bob Radford reflects on the highs and lows experienced by former BL riders from this small Scandinavian nation. REIDAR EIDE A No.1 for Wembley, Poole, Sheffield and Newport, Reidar Eide was perhaps the best known and most successful of all the Norwegians who rode here in the BL era. Bob Radford provides a personal view of a controversial man, known to many as a mercenary, who became his country’s major force in the late 60s and early 70s. STEVE REGELING Steve Regeling spent 14 seasons in British speedway, several of them at a time when Australian riders were a much more rare species than they are today. Martin Rogers, who brought Regeling to the UK in 1980 and was his promoter for eight of those years at Leicester and King’s Lynn, catches up with one of his old favourites. FRANK AUFFRET In a new and remarkably candid exclusive interview, former Middlesbrough and Hull favourite Frank Auffret tells Richard Bott about the rider he hated, the best promoter he ever rode for, why he didn’t much like Ivan Mauger and why something a supporter said to him made him give up speedway. He’ll also explain why we’ve all been pronouncing his name wrong all these years! ALAN BRIDGETT If there’s a problem with the track, then there’s only one man who can cure it. Martin Neal caught up with a former rider who is still very much in demand today. Alan also looks back on his career as a second division racer with Doncaster, Bradford, Stoke, Paisley and Edinburgh, where is still very much involved as the Monarchs’ highly-respected track curator. EMIL SOVA He spent only a brief while with Belle Vue Aces in the late 70s but as Vitek Formanek reports, Czech international Emil Sova is still remembered with much affection 10 years on from his sad death. Miroslav Verner provides a fascinating insight into a popular man. NEWCASTLE Diamonds definitely were not forever for Ian Hoskins, the beleaguered promoter who explains the problems he faced in dealing with Anders Michanek and other issues that plagued him in that ill-fated 1970 season at Brough Park. Plus... Reg Fearman and John Berry lock horns over the Halifax track on our letters’ page! Rod Haynes' column, Q&As with Gary O'Hare and Brett Saunders, plus loads of great pics that simply ooze nostalgia and make you wish you could be transported back in time!

What's inside Issue 5... JIMMY GOOCH – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Jimmy Gooch has led an amazing life and some of the most extraordinary things he has achieved came after he completed his distinguished racing career with Wembley, Ipswich, Norwich, Oxford, Newport and Hackney. Classic Speedway headed to a remote part of coastal Essex to meet a remarkable man. Jimmy recalls the day he thumped team-mate Ove Fundin, why he stayed with Wembley when he could have gained more rides elsewhere and he names his best-ever team partner. And read why he admits he was “disgusted with himself” after his one and only World Final performance that had a heart-breaking postscript. JACK GERAN – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW One of the most colourful and popular Aussies to grace the British scene, Jack Geran was fortunate to avoid serious injury in a career spanning 20 years. We caught up with the Exeter Falcons legend at his Devon home, where he reminisced about his great friendship with Neil Street, his friendly rivalry with Ken McKinlay, riding in front of 70,000 at his only Wembley World Final appearance and his trophy-winning days with Oxford in the 60s. TERRY STONE – EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW Welcome to the Stone Age! He might not have polled quite as many votes as Barack Obama in the USA, but World Speedway Riders’ Association President Terry Stone is a selfless man of the speedway people. We talk to the former Rayleigh stalwart, who recalls his spells at opposite ends of the country with Glasgow, Exeter, Wolverhampton and West Ham before returning to Essex to complete his career with the Rockets. BILL KITCHEN We take a close look at the life and times of our Vintage Legend Bill Kitchen, the veteran former Wembley skipper who was idolised by the Empire Stadium crowd even though he never quite scaled the heights of more illustrious Lions team-mates. Plus… Remember those mysterious Russians who captured the fans’ imagination on their first tours to Britain in the mid-60s? And, who needed Xbox, PS3, Wii or Game Boy back in the 50s and 60s when you could have had hours of fun playing . . . Subbuteo Speedway! We’ve another FREE Classic Speedway binder up for grabs in our latest picture competition. http://www.retro-speedway.com/

True about DWK arriving in 1969, but we're still going to credit him in print with having led the 'modern' USA revolution in British speedway.

Agree with everything you've said there.

Thanks for all your responses so far, even if the likes of Dukie Ermolenko and Billy Janeiro don't meet the Backtrack 1970-90 time criterion. As suspected, geography is having a clear bearing in the choices of many, although there is evidence of impartiality too. The many and varied names thrown up probably just goes to prove what an entertaining and popular bunch the Americans were as a whole. I'm surprised Penhall hasn't polled more votes. Strange that people appear to be holding the 1982 Overseas Final episode against him. He only did what many riders from other countries (inc GB) had done for many years...assisting fellow countrymen in a vital World Championship qualifer. OK, so he didn't make a good job of disguising it, but at least he didn't try to mislead the public who eventually turned against him. Perhaps many resented him for walking away from speedway when he did?