speedyguy

Or even the legendary Wal?

A good question indeed.

There was no solo racing at Western Springs. They just did a few solo demos - the track was set up mainly for sprint cars, midget cars, etc and completely unsuitable for speedway bikes. It seems there was solo racing at Rosebank the next day February 14.

I was only basing my answer about £9.99 because of that renowned mishap of the keyboard - a 'fat finger' when keying stuff in. I can lead to lots of 'spelling mistakes' and similar mishaps.

My guess - it should be £9,99 - the seller hit a 9 too many. Bet he doesn't even know about his error.

Yes, in 1929. I have a photo of the famous lady Fay Taylour in action at Hamburg.

Isn't Western Springs under some threat because of noise. Or has that been sorted out?

Any news as yet on the second volume about Fay Taylour?

Who actually conducted this interview? I'm still waiting to find out. By the way, we haven't seen anything about Fay Taylour anywhere over the past four weeks!

I think when in the USA Dave Hynes worked closely with Jack and Cordy Milne on their bikes, possibly even when they were in the UK in pre-war years.

Both NZ and Oz are too keen on cars - especially sprint cars and midgets - when it comes to speedway. Other forms of car racing dominate the NZ track scene. About 30 tracks there - not one really interested in solo bikes (apart from Rosebank).

Wasn't the last Australina-staged GP a financial disaster?

Dave Hynes was well-known post-war as a frame builder with a good reputation.

Among the starters in the Putt Mossman team was Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando - better known for his exploits as a leading midget car driver. Who else - apart from Mossman and Rhiando - were in that team?

It goes back to the time when, after the Dons were put at out a Plough Lane, a search was on to find a new home and one of the projected ideas was - as I recall it - to not have an area name for the side but just call them the Dons, rather similar to what happens in rugby union with names like the Wasps, Harlequins, etc.

This is probably a link to when another group with Plough Lane connections was interested in staging speedway at Sittingbourne a few years ago.

Roger Cearns is going to be a PROMOTER. Somebody prepared to put MONEY into the sport. Obviously with his Wimbledon background he wants what he regards as the best - he mentions riders like Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs - and will seek to give something of that standard at Sittingbourne - IF HE WINS HIS PLANNING APPEAL. With his long-time family background at Wimbledon he wants the best. When Wimbledon had the 'barren years' the Cearns family had already moved on to other things, as we all do in life. Why should Roger Cearns or his family have gone back there after so many years away from Plough Lane? Nor, with his other interests circa 2005, why should he have popped up on to the 'save the Dons' campaign when the GRA said 'we don't want speedway any more.'

Justin Elkins was not exactly a 'favourite'. I just could not believe that somebody with obvious talent - and when his bike was running he could match anyone - could have so many mechanical problems. I did enjoy watching Wayne Barrett - my soft heart for a veteran - and also his buddy Jason Prynne.

What a nice tribute to Roger Cearns. Yes. I agree - good luck with his Sittingbourne venture. PS: Wayne Barrett - my favourite rider! What about Justin Elkins?

Roger Cearns had a long-time involvement with Wimbledon Stadium. He is currently involved at Sittingbourne, where he hopes to add speedway to his greyhound activities. His family was innvolved at Plough Lane for several decade. Some years ago - when was it? - Roger made a visit to Wimbledon. In an interview in 'Speedway Star' (February 6 2010), he commented: "I can't remember my first meeting because I went as a kid but I was certainly there when they got Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs back. "I do enjoy speedway, but what I didn't enjoy, and I've got to be quite candid, was a few years ago when the promotion at Wimbledon invited me back to do a presentation at the Laurels. "It was absolutely awful, it was at the lowest level and everyone fell off every race. It went on and on." Any clues as to which Laurels Roger Cearns attended?

More likely the big American dirt tracks with riders like Eddie Brinck and Sprouts Elder showing their paces.

Charlie Venegas looks on course to win the Extreme Indoors Series in the USA again.

I look forward to seeing if you mention Fay Taylour and Camberley in 1927. Or Droyslden in the same year.

Strong claims could be made for the USA in the 1920s. A track at Saint Antonio on the west coast in May 1922 must be a firm favourite,

FROM THE SOUTH LONDON PRESS, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2010: A DRUG courier who collected cocaine worth £62,500 hidden in a hollowed loaf of bread has been jailed for two years. Former speedway rider Andrew Galvin was caught as he left a property being watched by police. The 44-year-old said he was set to be paid £250 for job to help him with “money worries”. Jonathan McGarry, prosecuting, told Inner London Crown Court he was seen going into the address in Wordsworth Road, Walworth, on the evening of November 4, last year. The barrister said: “He had gone to an address being kept under observation by police. “Twenty minutes later he left with a Tesco bag which he had not been carrying when he arrived in an L-Reg Mercedes. “Officers found £1,254 cash in his car and they were not satisfied with his explanation for it. “They seized the Tesco bag and found the loaf of bread had been hollowed out and filled with 249g of cocaine at 67 per cent purity.” Mark Stevens, defending, said Galvin’s greatest concern about his “terrible crime” was the “turmoil he has caused his family”. The court heard Galvin stopped racing after an horrific accident and now has “absolutely no assets”. Judge Duncan Matheson said he had received a series of “quite touching references” from family and friends. Passing sentence on Friday the judge said: “It is a serious offence which carries a very long sentence at higher levels, but this is not at that level. “I have no alternative but to impose a custodial sentence, not least as a deterrent.” Galvin, of Deborah Close, Whitstable, Kent, admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply.