speedyguy

You can please some of the people some of the time but you cannot please all of the people all of the time! http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

In an article about New Cross on the oldtimespeedway yahoo site its says: "Hoskins relinquished his interest at the end of 1961. Speedway was back on April 12, 1963, when promoter Wally Mawdsley entered the team in the Provincial League, but they folded in mid-season. The last match was on August 2 when visiting Poole won 41-37." http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Let's say no more than that I remember going to the opening meeting of the season at New Cross in 1946. And I have been told that I was also taken to see speedway at Crystal Palace when they ahd a National League second division team in 1939!

I remember when I took Colin Gooddy, along with Ray Harris and Pat Flanagan, to two meetings in Germany. They were at Bremen and Oldenburg in 1957. Harris turned in two great performancs at both venues, only the Polish ace Marian Kaiser was able to really master him. Sadly, both Gooddy and Flanagan struggled at these tracks. I also remember Gooddy as being a cycle speedway star on south London tracks in the early 1950s. When he started in speedway it was in the old Southern Area League at Brafield in 1954. Over the ensuing years, he became a very competent rider. I last saw him and his wife at a pub in Lewisham, south London, sometime in the mid 1980s. I let him buy me a drink! http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Oops! I must have read Geoff Pennikett as Geoff Pymar!!!! Years march on. No idea what happened to Geoff Pennikett. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Surely it's simple to solve - if someone has the Speedway Star that carried the meeting result. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

The name of Sharpe - was it Ron Sharpe? He was a New Cross junior in 1952-53, then had a spell in the Southern Area League with California. Sharpe was a protege of the former Wimbledon, West Ham, Southampton and Liverpool leg-trail rider George Bason. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Geoff Pymar died some years ago. I remember a meeting at New Cross in 1946 when I wheeled his bike from his car to the pits gate, then did the same thing for his team-mate the South African Keith Harvey. I think I was paid sixpence. But this was early in 1946 and sixpence was not an unreasonable sum for about four or five minutes effort. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

I am certain that previous to this, there was a speedway track in Amsterdam. I think they had a team which was led by Cor van Corcum, and probably including Henk Stemen (senior) and Thei Bischopps. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

I remember great meetings in Holland in the 1950s with riders like Hans van der Sluis, Gerrit Kops, Nico van Gorcum. Piet Seur among thos in action. All a long long time ago. Den Bosch was then my favourite track for watching races. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Can you be more specific?

I think that Les Bentzen was an Australian, possibly of Polish ancestry, who came from Adelaide. Not 100 per cent sure. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Good to see you effected the correct spelling of the first name as NICK. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Ray Liston did ride in France in the early 1960s, possibly for the Victor Boston Troupe that included George Bason, Stan Tebby, Pete Rogers, Geoff Harris (England), Alberto Sirvan (Spain) and Claude Boston (France). http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

There is a photo album devoted to the career of Eric Hockaday to be found on this site:: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

You are getting these army riders racing on improvised bikes on self-built tracks mixed up with a tour sponsored by ENSA in the winter of 1945-46. This did involve recognised speedway riders. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Yes, how sad it is when we look back at those wonderful old days and then reflect on what we are presented with in so many instances in modern times. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

I believe he was also related to Brian Crutcher. May have been Brian's uncle? http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Besides the great Sverre Harfeldt, I also saw West Ham's other great Norweigan rider Basse Hveem during his all-too brief 1953 spell at Custom House. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

That's what took all the prestige out of the event. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Ah! Memories of Jack Parker, Bill Kitchen, Ron Johnson, Vic Duggan in contention for the Sunday Pictorial/Sunday Mirror golden helmet match race championship. Years and years ago. A golden helmet in speedway's golden days...1946 to the early 1950s (for me at least). http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Were the Australians Ernie Evans and Bert Spencer involved in any of these teams? http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Were they by any chance related to Bill Clifton who rode for Bristol in 1947 and 1948? http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

Yes he was. At Cradley Heath in the early Provincial League days in the 1960s. Quite a colourful lad from what I remember of him. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway

An there was Bob Harrison who rode for Aldershot and, I think, also for Long Eaton. http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/oldtimespeedway