lucifer sam

There wasn’t any “torrential rain”. It was mostly light rain during the first four races, although it did get slightly harder for a couple of minutes (around about Heat 3, I think). It was clearly passing, since the sun was coming out behind the main grandstand, and although times slowed, it was still possible to race, as evidenced by Ben Barker’s fourth to second in Heat 4. The track inspection called by John Campbell was a curious one. I guess only he will know the reason why he called it.

There wasn’t a problem – the track didn’t even need a regrade before Heat 5. The times got slower because there had been light rain during the first four races, but the riders didn’t look in trouble – Ben Barker raced from fourth to second in Heat 4 without any problems at all. It stopped raining after the completion of the fourth race, so you don’t need a crystal ball to tell you that it will then start to get faster – a bit of common sense would suffice. To be fair to the referee, it was the quickest track inspection ever. I think he went down to the pit gate, spoke to both captains, who told him it was fine and then went straight back up to the box. Maybe it allowed John Campbell a couple of minutes to spend a penny or have a go on Rob G’s new Brum car. Good meeting last night, with Heat 9 the pick of some tremendous racing.

TODAY’S MEETING IS ON! Just to reassure everyone that it is still ALL SYSTEMS GO for today’s meeting. The weather here in the East is very different to Sheffield. In fact, Rob Godfrey is currently wearing his shorts and is preparing to water the track! SEE YOU LATER!

See you tomorrow! Should be a great match, given our home form and your away form!

WE'VE PUMPED what must be thousands of gallons of water off the track today. The forecast for tomorrow is much better, and unless it changes, it will be ALL SYSTEMS GO for tomorrow's meeting against Glasgow Tigers. REMEMBER it's a 6.30pm start-time!

Apologies, it's my dad's funeral later today, hence the lack of official word. There will be a press release by the end of the day.

Hi Sid, it's actually an old article that appeared in Backtrack a couple of years ago. You've probably got it.

RESULT: Redcar Bears 43 Scunthorpe Scorpions 47.

A few excerpts from Steve's interview for Backtrack: Reflecting on his hard man image, that gained him the nickname ‘Steve The Heave’, he recalls: “I think my reputation was more for things that happened off the track rather than on it, because I stuck up for myself. “I never took any crap. If you get pushed about and you don’t stick up for yourself, then the rest of the riders will take advantage. That’s just human nature. “I saw other riders who got pushed around all the time. That didn’t happen with me, because people knew they couldn’t get away with it.” On track, Steve reflects: “I moved riders out of the way. There were certain times you needed to nudge a rider out of the way, and certain times that they wouldn’t move. I felt I had to be aggressive. “There were certain riders who would take you out to the fence and leave you in never-never land, and I didn’t do that. “But if I went into a corner and I was looking to get inside someone, and they moved across to block me, I didn’t like being forced off the throttle. So then I would put pressure on them, and a lot of the guys would buckle under pressure. “It didn’t bother me having to come from the back. I never intentionally took another rider out of a race; I wouldn’t go into a corner and not turn. That wasn’t a safe thing to do in any case, because you’d just go with them. You’d tangle and both end up in the fence. “If you tried to go around someone and got pushed up against the fence, I always thought I was partially to blame for putting myself in the wrong place and allowing them to do it. I should have known better. “If someone rode me rough into a corner, I didn’t go up and bellyache at them. But I remembered what they’d done to me. That was the way I was raised - it doesn’t do any good to yell up and down. “You should be a gentleman and play fair; and if not, then at some point, they’re going to have to race you again.” AND: On July 21, 1980, Swindon travelled to high-flying neighbours Reading for a BL match. Crump had recently returned, after missing the start of the season to set up a motorcycle business in Australia. With Autrey also in their ranks, Robins were keen to prove what could have been had Crump been available for the whole season, in what proved to be an explosive local derby. In Heat 8, Racers’ Jiri Stancl led, while Milan Spinka forced a way under Tony Briggs with Gresham following through the gap. Briggs crashed spectacularly, with Gresham excluded, even though some felt his team-mate Spinka was the one at fault. “From what I recall, I returned the pits and was walking out to the watch the racing (the re-run of Heat 8), when Barry Briggs, Tony’s father, tackled me from behind.” Blows were exchanged and the racing was held up for around 20 minutes. “I never had a problem with Tony over that incident; we never even really talked about it, because it was just racing. “I bumped into Barry not long ago at a race meeting, and I decided to go over and talk to him. It was a private conversation, but we chatted for a couple of hours and we were getting on well by the end of it.” Swindon won at Smallmead by 40-38, but Reading still ended the season as champions. AND: Steve looks back to his decade in Britain with great fondness. “I had a wonderful time. Coming to Britain was the best time in my life. I feel I grew into an adult in Britain. People took care of me, and I met lots of friends and learned how to control my money. “I gave up a formal education to go racing, and my family thought I was crazy. But it was because of speedway that I learnt how to control my money and set up a successful business. I learned about life and don’t regret any of it. “It gave a sense of what life was worth and how to respect other people. “I still go for a ride on my bike every now and then. You don’t forget how to ride and it’s a lot of fun.”

Jason Edwards

Gone to hospital today - fingers crossed!

Yup, meeting off to forecast tonight - due to bucket it down around 6-7pm by the look of it. Matt Wethers and Matt Marson had agreed to guest for Scorpions.

No it hadn't. Subsequent piece in the Star confirmed that, saying that Jedd was heading back to Australia.

Back on topic, Steve Worrall and Joe Lawlor are the guests for Scunny on Friday.

Ryan Douglas, Tero Aarnio and Alfie Bowtell as guests for Scorpions.

Best wishes Sam - wishing you a speedy recovery.

Geoff is a pair of Workington fans, who often go fishing on threads, nowt to do with Scorpions Today, rather than fishing on threads, they should have gone fishing in that puddle behind George Hope this miserable weather stops soon - some riders must be really struggling for income at the moment.

MEETING OFF due to a waterlogged track!

No, simply a "Good news" story that Scunny continuing to invest in their stadium and thanking the people responsible for that.

ROB GODFREY SAYS “THANK YOU” HEB Scunthorpe Scorpions’ owner Rob Godfrey wishes to thank all the fans and riders who continue to support the club. During a recent lull in home fixtures, the club took the opportunity to re-tarmac the stadium. Godfrey says: “I think it’s the right time to say a big thank you to everyone who supports us and brings money into our stadium. “That includes the home fans, the away fans, our sponsors, all the staff and volunteers, plus those riders who support both our practices and amateur meetings, which are a vital income stream for the club. “All the speedway income goes into the same pot, and we re-invest everything back into the stadium. “I’m very proud of the stadium that we’ve built up from nothing, and I hope our fans are too. I think it’s something that town of Scunthorpe can take genuine pride in. We’ve built up that stadium and we also plan to maintain it and keep it looking smart.” Scorpions are next at home when they entertain local rivals Sheffield Tigers at the Eddie Wright Raceway next Friday (June 21st).

UPDATE: Danny Ayres suffered a shoulder injury after a fall while practicing at the Eddie Wright Raceway today. Jordan Stewart will guest for him at Newcastle tomorrow.

Each of the 14 Race jackets has its own tweet on the NSSC twitter.

Advance bids are allowed, but there's no guarantee that someone there on the night won't outbid it.

Some really unique items up for auction on Thursday! Lot 12 is Tommy's No 5 racejacket from 1979. He would have worn this on October 13, when Coventry Bees beat Hull Vikings by 42-36 to clinch the British League championship in front of 20,000 spectators. Tommy beat World Champion Ivan Mauger in Heat 9 on that huge evening.

MEETING OFF!