lucifer sam

I'm going to revert to having Gollob as my captain - thanks. All the best Rob

I remember Hackney once winning a meeting by a point with a final heat 5-0. I think it was in the days of Andy Galvin, although I'm sure Bryn will know for definite. Is there any more instances of this happening? All the best Rob

Tomcat, it was in 2001 and it helped cost Poole the league title that season. All the best Rob

Looking forward to reading the Ronnie Genz interview. His final year at Oxford was two years before I was born, so I never saw him in action. But he was one of top men at Oxford for almost two decades, spending 11 years at Cowley between 1954 & 1964, and then having a further spell at Oxford between 1968 & 1971 (although he missed either the whole of the 1969 or 1970 season through injury - can't remember off the top of my head which one it was). His 14 years riding for Oxford is a club record, no other rider rode for the Cheetahs for more seasons. For most of those years, Oxford didn't have much success, although Ronnie was part of the treble-winning side of 1964, and he also figured in an Oxford side that nearly upset the all-conquering Wimbledon Dons in 1960, when the Cheetahs led the league table for most of the season. It seems, these days, that it's very rare for a rider to stay to spend that amount of time at one club. All the best Rob

Ouch, just one point out. Well, I got those right. TNT, please can we have the final scores. All the best Rob

SS, I don't think it's Buxton. All the best Rob

Parsloes, come up on bank holiday Monday instead. You'll not only be able to enjoy my company, but you'll also be able to purchase Jeff Scott's latest excellent book. All the best Rob

To answer the original question on this thread: August 9, 1980 Halifax 38: Kenny Carter 9 (5) Tormod Langli R/R Ian Cartwright 5+2 (5) Mick McKeon 6+1 (4) Merv Janke 4 (4) Piotr Pysny 12+1 (5) Craig Pendlebury 2+1 (3) Hackney 39: Finn Thomsen 11 (5) Barry Thomas 0 (2) Bo Petersen 8+2 (5) Sean Wilmott 0 (2) Zenon Plech 14+1 (5) Roman Jankowsi 6+2 (5) Keith White 0 (2) Progressive scores 31-16 >>>> 35-36 > 38-39

The match in question was Halifax v Hackney in 1980. Score after Heat 8: 31-16. Four successive 5-1s to Hackney transformed the scoreline to 35-36 and then the final heat was shared, final score 38-39. There's a report in "Speedway's Classic Meetings" book. I'll post the scorers this evening if someone else hasn't beaten me to it. All the best Rob

Oxford beat the Wimbledon Wombles at Plough Lane in 1984. They needed 5-1s from the final three races and got them. And later in the same season, Oxford repeated that feat at King's Lynn, which caused Martin Rogers to throw his toys out of the pram and prevent the Cheetahs having a victory parade. But as far as I know, the biggest ever comeback was Arena Essex at Exeter who came from 18 (yes, EIGHTEEN) points behind to win at Exeter. I think it came during Arena's all conquering 1991 season. All the best Rob

Shazzy, just tell us the date and you'll double the Cov crowd. It'll be more interesting than the track action. All the best Rob

Great isn't it? Reckon Shazzy should come and stand near SCB at Cov when I next visit there (probably August 6) - it would hugely add to my entertainment for the night. All the best Rob

Sandie will box their ears. All the best Rob

I forgot the lovely Natalie Imbruglia as well, who would have rode about as well as Rory Schlein tonight. All the best Rob

Rolf Harris, Dame Edna, BFD, Madge Ramsey, Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, Scott & Charlene, Bouncer, Crocodile Dundee, Plain Jane The Superbrain, Holly Vallance, Elle MacPherson, your boys took one hell of a beating!!!!!!!!! All the best Rob

Is that a promise? All the best Rob

1 ~ Winners of Event 1 - Polski 2 ~ Play Off qualifiers from Event 1 (2 teams) - Russia & Denmark 3 ~ Winners of Event 2 - Great Britain 4 - Oz & Sweden 5 ~ Points Artem Laguta will score in Event 1 - 1 6 ~ Points Nicolai Klindt will score in Event 1 - 7 7 ~ Points Tai Woffinden will score in Event 2 - 8 8 ~ Points Freddie Lindgren will score in Event 2 - 14 9 ~ Points Great Britain will score in Event 2 - 50 10 ~ Two teams that qualify from Play Off - Denmark & Sweden 11 ~ Team finishing 3rd in play off - Oz 12 ~ 4TH IN FINAL - Great Britain 13 ~ 3RD IN FINAL - Sweden 14 ~ RUNNERS UP IN FINAL - Denmark 15 ~ WORLD TEAM CUP CHAMPIONS - Polski 10 Points per correct answer .... for riders predictions, lose a point for each point out.

It can't be, because of: Swindon 21 Oxford 56 (British League) 1986. Isn't there an even bigger one somewhere though? All the best Rob

Oh dear, can't help yourself can you? Say what you like, I've got a thick skin. But it's you and RocketBen who seem to be the ones stalking Malcolm Vasey, by following him around the forum. What surprises me is that he's taken so long to crack - I'd have told you where to go a time long ago. All the best Rob

Screamer - well said. All the best Rob

Oh, for goodness sake, just go away. I just hope that, between yourself and Najjer, you haven't persudaded Malcolm Vasey not to use this forum anymore. I'd rather listen to his views, rather than a thousand of your type. All the best Rob

OK, this is my revised list: 1. Peter Collins 2. John Louis 3. Michael Lee 4. Malcolm Simmons 5. Ray Wilson 6. Dave Jessup 7. Gordon Kennett 8. Terry Betts 9. Martin Ashby 10. Eric Boocock 11. Chris Morton 12. John Davis 13. Doug Wyer 14. Nigel Boocock 15. Jim McMillan 16. Bob Kilby 17. Chris Pusey 18. Tony Davey 19. Roy Trigg 20. Joe Owen All the best Rob

Tony, oh well, I'll have to find another 4 names. Interesting when watching the "World Finals of the 70s" DVD that the likes of Mauger and Briggs were considered to be British riders right up until around 1976 (Mauger rode in the British Final until 1974). Dave Lanning definitely gives the impression that Mauger was "our" man in the 1972/1973 World Finals. All the best Rob

1. Ivan Mauger 2. Peter Collins 3. John Louis 4. Michael Lee 5. Malcolm Simmons 6. Ray Wilson 7. Dave Jessup 8. Barry Briggs 9. Gordon Kennett 10. Jim Airey 11. Terry Betts 12. Martin Ashby 13. Eric Boocock 14. Chris Morton 15. John Davis 16. Doug Wyer 17. Nigel Boocock 18. Jim McMillan 19. Ronnie Moore 20. Joe Owen Mauger, Briggs, Airey and Moore were all part of teams that won the World Team Cup for Great Britain in the 1970s. All the best Rob

Best I've seen (covers 1980 onwards): 1. Hans Nielsen (heat leader) 2. Jason Crump 3. Bruce Penhall (heat leader) 4. Tony Rickardsson 5. Erik Gundersen (heat leader) 6. Michael Lee 7. Simon Wigg (Mauger, Olsen & Collins not included since I saw them, but not in their prime). Best of all-time: 1. Ove Fundin (heat leader) 2. Barry Briggs 3. Hans Nielsen (heat leader) 4. Erik Gundersen 5. Ivan Mauger (heat leader) 6. Bruce Penhall 7. Vic Duggan On standby: Tony Rickardsson, Jack Young, Bluey Wilkinson, Peter Craven, Ronnie Moore, Ole Olsen, Peter Collins, Jason Crump, and (for Norbold) Tom Farndon. All the best Rob