speedyguy

London maybe? How about Wembley, West Ham, Wimbledon, Walthamstow, Stamford Bridge, Crystal Palace, Lea Bridge, Harringay, Hackney, Catford, New Cross, White City - just to be going on with?

Cannot see the original remark as to my identity. But if I am who it is claimed, my wife is going to be very surprised!

There's another review of Brian Belton's book on Fay Taylour in the issue 55 of VSM. By his favourite reviewer too!

I believe Jack Winstanley lives in the Bolton area and is still a keen follower of the sport.

Thanks a lot. But was he related to Mike Tams?

It was definitely Les Tams. I found it on the Speedway Researcher and the name appears in many second-half races for Eastbourne - as does Mike Tams. They raced against each other so it's not a 'printing error.' Les Tams was second-half at Eastbourne in same season that Les Trim was in the Exeter. No chance it was Des Tamblyn either. Did Les Tams move on to Hastings in 1948 I wonder? Thanks a lot. Good to see these old-timers are still remembered. I saw Les Trim at the Palace in 1939 when Keith Harvey was the captain. T

Late in that season, it was 1947, a team came over from Holland, paying their own expenses, and donated all their prize money to a fund in aid of Jack Ladd's family. I am certain that the Tamworth team also did this. Sadly, the Dutch riders were completely outclassed by the Hounds. If memory serves me, the track Jack Ladd died at was Alkmaar.

Probably seasons either 1949 or 1953.

Or maybe Dr Brian Belton can answer this?

Then just who was Les Tams then? He is listed in Stenners Annual 1947 - as was Mike Tams - as being signed for that season's Eastbourne team. Tams isn't excatly a common surname is it? There was an article about Mike Tams in VSM a couple of years ago. I don't recall a mention of Les Tams in it. I wonder who he was? I remember the late Charlie Appleby at Hackney and Crystal Palace around 1938 and 1939, and as a member of the Birmingham team in 1946 until his sad death at, I believe, Newcastle at the end of that season. He hit the safety fence after avoiding a rider who fell in front of him.

In 1947, the Canadian Mike Tams raced in one league match for Eastbourne, then spent the rest of the season in the second-half. There was also a Les Tams racing in the second-half that year. What became of him? I know this wasn't a 'crossover' and that they were not the same person. I checked some 1947 Eastbourne results and they raced against each other a couple of times.

Incarace - who also run Birmingham Wheels and Hednesford - control Northampton, and have done for years. It's very much a Brisca F1 and Brisca F2 stock car venue, 'big league stuff'. That seems to be on the list of plans now for Wimbledon as well. If Incarace ever agree to speedway at Northampton Stadium (Brafield) just how would a speedway be laid? Not another lay-on then left-off shale venture that failed at places like Wimbledon, Skegness and Rye House? Yes, I remember the old Norwich rider Paddy Mills running an SAL team at Brafield. Had an after-the-meeting practice ride there in 1954. Their top man was Vic Hall, who also rode at Leicester. There was another speedway venture at Brafield in the mid-1960s. That also failed. Since then its been stock cars and Hot Rods - and top class racing is provided by these formulas.

You do surprise me!

Have you checked the book on Bluey Wilkinson by Brian Belton?

Not plugging the September 20 Motoring News, but its front cover gives a photo of what has happened at the Stade de France in Paris and will happen presumably at Wembley. If you hurry your WHS or newsagent may still have a copy. The photo is wonderful. The MN may have a website which shows it. I don't know. It goes from there, I guesss!

That such a prestige car event as the Race of Champions is being talked of for Wembley is something speedway would be foolish to ignore. It shows that speedway could also move in there. I agree with all your comments on both Birmingham and speedway in London. Wembley is known world-wide - cannot same the same for some of the other venues where the Speedway Grand Prix takes place. Speedway so far has not scorned the idea of also sounding out Wembley - probably because it has not yet EVEN considered the possibility. Let's hope it is not leaden-footed over the chance - and also that the GP organisers also consider the Stade de France in Paris. That's easy travelling from this country these days.

Motoring News September 20 makes it clear they (Wembley Stadium) would consider options to stage other events. The possibility of a major car event surely makes it likely that speedway could also be an option.

The September 20 edition of Motorsport News says that the organisers of the Race of Champions want to talk to the new Wembley Stadium owners about staging the big car racing event there in 2007. This is because their present three year agreement with the Stade de France in Paris ends after this December. And the report further quotes a Wembley spokesman as saying they are keen to stage all sorts of events in the Stadium. I wonder, havve the Grand Prix organisers seen this report and are they also going to see about a possible speedway use for the stadium? And how about the Grand Prix moving to Paris in the Stade de France? These are both great venues for a Grand Prix - better I feel than some of the outposts used in Eastern Europe. There's a wonderful MN cover photo of how the Stade de France looks when set up for the Race of Champions. I can 'almost taste' speedway going on there!

Didn't we go though a similar list some months ago that involved other countries besides the USA? For all that, this sort of thing is very interesting. I knew a little about Bud Reda in the USA, mainly East Coast rider in late 1930s and through to about 1952. I also read as mentioned that he was a Yellow Cab driver in New York State. Bud later promoted in Florida (1980s?) and his grandson John Reda was one of the riders. Other names to conjure with are Putt Mosssman (pre-war) and Manuel Trujillo (pre and post-war).

Timmy Jo Sheppard from Indiana

I wonder if Herbie the Hammer and Brian Belton go out for a pint together?

This latest epic is the most incredible interview I have ever read. Good job Dr Belton hasn't taken to talking to himself!

Fay's car racing career. Isn't there an authority on this sport somewhere around...at least in regard to the midget car and sprint car era so far as Fay is concerned?

What! a double helping of interviews between Herbie the Hammer and Brian Belton. This is also on the VSM section. Where else is it going to appear?

I don't know what to make of the Herbie the Hammer - Brian Belton interview. Another book on Fay Taylour on the way...threat or promise?