Issue 10

[shazzybird]

That has got to be the longest post EVER on the forum!!!!!! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Where'd it go??

[Mr. Clemens]

  Where'd it go?? 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Sorry for causing offence with my post and my failure to understand the rules of your speedway forum.

 

Star Posting

Please do not post when you have nothing to contribute to a discussion, but simply want to increase your number of posts.

.

 

I have deleted this post and will delete all those other long posts that cause offence in due course. My apologies to the Speedway Forum for not obeying the rules.

[Andrew]

Well I read it (took awhile!)didn't see anything wrong with it,makes a change to read something abit different than the 1000 odd posts slagging off Poole and Sheffield etc lol

Edited September 9, 2005 by Andrew

[shazzybird]

Nothing wrong with the posting Mr Clemens we had a posting a while ago that was IMO slightly shorter, just saying I think you should of had the title for the longest post ever

[Mr. Clemens]

Reflections on the opening of a grave

 

The interview concerning Michael Lee makes very interesting reading bringing to the surface many thoughts concerning speedway of yesterday and today. Thoughts lying dormant till the moment of reading this article.

 

Michael Lee was young lad of 17, with great natural talent, who stunned the Speedway world with his debut in 1975. For supporters this was the heralding of the dawn of the new breed of speedway world champions, being groomed for the 1980's, to follow on from the Mauger, Olsen, Collins, Michanek, Szczakiel era. In effect the 'Big Five' of the 1970's

 

Ivan timed his sixth title to perfection by winning in 1979, saying 'that'll do for me', then handing the baton to the 'new breed' of world champions elect the first one who just happened to be Michael Lee.

Michael Lee therefore became the embodiment of the passing of the world championship baton from one era to the next. But has Michael describes, the baton fell from his hand and he has struggled ever since to understand how and why.

 

Each person has their reasons for stating why things turn out as they do and Michael Lee has his. Whatever is said about what people thought about Michael Lee there are those who saw him as the great rider he was and not the 'foolish' man that people like to depict him has.

 

The indication in this article is that the speedway authorities were against Michael Lee. Indeed they were perceived by some supporters to be exactly that. But Michael Lee was a 'victim' perhaps of circumstances way beyond his control. Circumstances that it's not surprising that he did not understand, because they originated outside the sport of speedway.

 

The political and social times were changing, heralded by the Oil Crisis in 1973. Times that had remained fixed in a certain mode since the end of World War Two when everything eventually came to develop a 'certainty' about it in an uncertain world. By the 1980's, however, the world was heading for a period of change culminating in the collapse of communism in the USSR and a release from the political and financial constraints that created that 'certain' sense of security behind the supposed threat of nuclear war.

 

'Protected' by this umbrella of thought people went about their daily lives 'certain' of the world they lived in. Therefore everything was in order and a 'certain' spirit of being was abroad in the western world. This spirit being of the nature that 'nothings going to change our world' sang the Beatles whose world had already changed and would do so again in 1980 with the death of John Lennon.

 

The political scene changed in Great Britain in the 1980's. Mrs Thatcher decided it was time for everyone to have a good dose of 'the cold facts of reality' as an antidote to the unrealities of life brought about by the Cold War.

 

Realising that the Soviet Union was a 'paper tiger' without a leader of the magnitude of Joseph Stalin to hold it together, Thatcher understood that it was now possible to make sweeping changes in the way people thought about society and how it worked.

'The dream is over', as John Lennon so succinctly put it!!!

 

Thatcher proceeded to take us all back to the 19th century, back to those golden days when the capitalist entrepreneurial spirit reigned supreme. A time when everyone was rich and no one suffered from poverty and everything was wonderful. Read Charles Dickens to find out how wonderful it really was.

 

Thus the political times change and so does the society that politicians 'represent'. Sport reflects society and how it works. As the times change so changes the 'spirit' within which sport is played and supported.

 

Why did Michael Lee drop the baton passed to him by Ivan Mauger? Because he was caught up within the changing of the times and the passing of the 'spirit' of the sport from one way of 'experiencing' speedway to another type of 'spirit altogether?

 

Businessmen were now free to make as much money as quickly as possible in any way they could. Making money was what life was all about now, nothing else. Those with the entrepreneurial spirit were the new rulers of the world and the way people thought.

The customer was no longer there to be 'served and entertained' and given 'value for their money'. The customers were simple a necessary 'cog in the machinery of capitalism', their sole purpose to pay as much money for the least possible return on production cost.

 

Ivan Mauger had shown the speedway rider the way forward in the 1970's. Ivan wasn't satisfied with the bleak, dark and dirty post war image of the speedway rider known then as 'the Black Sport' in Poland.

 

Mauger came over to the UK in the early 1960's and went back to New Zealand with his 'tail between his legs' as a 'failure' unlikely to be seen on these shores again. But Ivan's time in the UK wasn't wasted he had understood what it took to be a successful speedway rider and applied the lessons learned in his riding back home in New Zealand.

He also understood what speedway needed to do to cast off the image of a sport that belonged to the past. A new dedicated professionalism from those who rode and promoted speedway. And all of this must be presented in full living colour.

 

On his return to the UK Ivan Mauger was 'a born again' speedway rider, in tune with the times and a step or two ahead of them. Gone were the black leathers of the old 'Black Sport'. Ivan was positively psychedelic, compared to those riders who still adhered to the tried and tested ideals of racing and presentation of themselves, which had served them well during their careers.

 

Ivan Mauger might well be the first one to admit that Ove Fundin was possibly the greatest speedway rider that has ever been. Legend are the tales of the great man who never had sponsorship, rode the track spare at Norwich, won a world title with a broken leg and signed Mr. Clemen's world championship program at Ullevi in 1977. But Ivan Mauger realised that he could 'top' Fundin's record of five world titles by aspiring to a level of professionalism previously unheard of in speedway.

 

Television previously presented programs to people in dull unmemorable 'two-dimensional' black and white but enthralled people with their '3 D' colourful programs. Sport being one of the main beneficiaries displaying their wares in 'full living colour'.

The public responded to this new 'colourful spirit' injected into their lives. People remember things that have depth and colour and remind them of an eternal 'today' and 'forget' those two dimensional black and white images depicting events of ancient history.

 

Ivan Mauger likewise wanted to make this sport a 'colourful' sport by injecting this new colourful 'spirit' into speedway, hand in glove with the 'spirit' of dedicated professionalism. An unbeatable combination that Mauger knew, if he could equal or surpass Fundin's record, would keep him 'as fresh as today in peoples minds' for who knows how many years to come?

 

The perceptive Ivan Mauger knew all this and the equally perceptive Ove Fundin realised that Mauger knew all this too.

 

Fundin it is said had (and still has) a dedicated 'will to win', to be first, to be number one. Fundin was the ultimate expression of the old 'Black Sport' the embodiment of the 'spirit' to win and to be the first among equals. The other 'equals' being Barry Briggs, Peter Craven, Ronnie Moore and Bjorn Knuttsson making up the 'Big Five' World Champions who dominated speedway from 1954-1967 inclusive.

 

In that 'spirit' Fundin won four world titles and became the first man to win three titles, the first man to win four titles and eventually the first man to win five titles. Fundin was a speedway rider who was the 'leader of the gang of five', in every way.

 

But Ivan Mauger didn't want to be 'the first among equals'. Ivan Mauger wanted to stand head and shoulders above the 'crowd' and be regarded as the 'Grand Master Supreme' unequalled by anyone anywhere and likely to remain so for all time.

In order to do this Mauger had to prove the point that 'professionalism' in speedway was the future and he was prepared to accept the derision of riders, promoters and supporters alike to ram home his point of view.

 

The writing was already on the wall, even as Fundin imagined he had put the record, of world titles gained, certainly beyond reach of his contemporaries. Fundin no doubt was hoping that he had set the 'benchmark' that would take years for anyone to equal or surpass. But even as Fundin set this record, Ivan Mauger was already looking over his shoulder finishing in third place in 1967.

 

Mauger made inroads into Fundin's record with his magnificent triple world title wins 1968 - 1970. This being the reason why Fundin 'emphatically and decisively' beat Mauger in that historic race in the World Team Cup of 1970.

'You might be the new kid on the block Ivan, who may well equal my record, but this is to show you and all concerned who is the true 'Grandmaster of Speedway' and I will leave you all with this memory, as a constant reminder of that fact'.

 

Fundin advised Ole Olsen in the 1971 world final to make sure Mauger didn't make it four on the trot and then 'God forbid' five times on the trot!!! Just in the same manner Mauger advised Hans Neilsen, Eric Gundersen and Mark Loram among others. It's all about protecting the record and maintaining the status of grand masters of the sport.

 

By 1979 Ivan Mauger's professionalism and dedication to his craft brought about the fulfilment of all he had set out to do. For these were not dreams but a set of principles he formulated, lived by and brought to completion when obtaining his sixth world title. Achieved in a manner that could not be questioned by anyone.

As a result, leaving those who concern themselves with matters of principle in speedway to debate who between Fundin and Mauger was actually the best rider. An ambiguous thing that no one can determine, as Fundin might have been better on Monday at Norwich but not as good as Mauger on Saturday at Belle Vue.

 

But has Duane Eddy said 'the twangs the thang' and Ivan Mauger won 6 world titles and Ove Fundin won five.

 

So why didn't Michael Lee emulate Fundin or Mauger? No one doubts for a moment that Michael Lee had the talent and the ability to become a multiple world champion. The first most definitely since Peter Craven, which isn't to denigrate the single world championship of Peter Collins, which stands between Craven's 2nd and Michael Lee's title win.

 

The difference between Collins and Lee being the 'sense' that Peter could have won more world titles and the 'sense' that Michael would have won more world titles. And there were those who thought that after his 'unexpected' first world title win in 1955, that it was unlikely that Peter Craven would win a second. Michael Lee did in fact win another individual world title becoming World Longtrack Champion in 1981.

 

Michael Lee was has professionally prepared, presented and has dedicated to speedway as Ivan Mauger. Otherwise how could he have won two world titles, one year after the other, against more favoured and even more 'colourful' speedway riders? No one would argue that Michael Lee wasn't has 'colourful' as Ivan Mauger but certainly in a different sense than he was.

 

But why was he regarded as the 'enfant terrible' of the sport. This was because Michael Lee had lived and breathed motorcycle racing from birth. He travelled with his father on his trips to race in Motocross meetings and came into contact with the 'spirit' of that sport understood it, embraced it and recognised it was there in speedway too.

 

Times were changing however and the general 'spirit' of the times and how people thought and lived took on a different meaning. The spirit of 'avarice and greed' took over from the spirit of 'make do and mend'. Thus the players of Liverpool football club, in the process of becoming four times winners of the European Cup in effect 'made do' on a pittance, in the 'spirit' of playing for the love of the sport itself.

 

Whereas from 1979 on, the footballer was fast developing into a 'highly paid, highly professional commodity' heralded by the one million pound transfer of Trevor Francis from Birmingham to Nottingham Forest.

 

Doing everything for financial gain was seen as the 'new spirit' and prime motivation of people and was fast becoming accepted normal practice in life. The principle being we live in a world now where if you work long and hard you will reap the rewards of your endeavours become a mini entrepreneurial capitalist and become relatively richer, in proportion, than you were under the previous order of things.

 

Ove Fundin's legend implies that he embraced 'make do and mend' made money but didn't become rich from the speedway, despite all his five individual world titles and all his other gold medals besides.

 

Ivan Mauger's legend implied he would have benefited from the 'avarice and greed' befitting 'a highly paid, highly professional commodity' but found himself stood on the bridge separating these two worlds from each other.

 

Ivan Mauger was 'born too late' to be just another competent rider competing in the 'Black Sport' and 'born too early' to capitalise on the 'vast riches' to be had with embracing the new 'capitalist spirit' breathing life into the 'brave new entrepreneurial world', of the 1980's.

 

But Ivan sensed all this was coming and laid down the paving stones of the road speedway riders following in his wake would have no choice but to take.

What financial rewards would Ivan have gained if he had won the third of his triple- crown achievement in 1980 rather than in 1970 and completed his career with his sixth title in 1989?

 

It must have been galling for him to be finishing his career at the very moment that this potential 'promised speedway land of financial milk and honey' opened up to those beginning their racing careers. But this promised speedway paradise was an illusion. Just has the concept that everyone was going to be rich was, when recession knocked the bottom out of all these hopeless thoughtless dreams.

 

Those who despised Ivan Mauger, for taking away from them their 'Black Sport' of blessed memory, paid him back in kind, by refusing to get to grips with the new professionalism he had brought to the sport during his career.

 

Speedway had got by on 'make do and mend' for fifty years and would continue to do so. There was no reason to change. The paying public came through the turnstiles in satisfactory numbers keeping speedway ticking over nicely as a viable business.

There was no need to promote speedway and capitalise on it with a well thought out, planned campaign, to attract a wider public via expensive sponsorships, television and media coverage.

 

Speedway didn't need to become 'a highly paid, highly professional commodity'.

Speedway didn't need dragging into the world of 'avarice and greed' thank you very much. Speedway was doing all right as far as the promoters were concerned, because the paying public said it was, by showing up at the stadiums every week in satisfactory numbers.

 

Speedway was doing all right and would continue to do all right despite not because of Ivan Mauger and his new colourful professionalism making demands all over the place. Telling folk what he was going to do and not going to do. Demanding a plane to fly him from his home to ride in Exeter in home meeting only.

('Tha must be bleedin' joking mate').

 

But they did it because they had to do it because Ivan Mauger was the number one representative of the sport. He had put himself in the position 'to make demands' by applying professionalism and dedication to all he did. Ivan Mauger made those demands firstly to reap the rewards he felt his due, but also to further the interests of the sport itself.

Ivan knew he had to have a 'career' after his riding days were over. Speedway was what Ivan was all about and what better way would there be to cement his status as the 'Grand Master Supreme'

 

But those who promoted the sport didn't like Ivan and his 'demands' on them when he was a rider. Ivan was a rider who had to be listened to when he spoke to promoters because of his legendary status in the sport.

But stepping over to the other side of the fence was a different speedway race altogether. Ivan was stepping onto their speedway circuit and he was most certainly not going to be allowed to become 'Grand Master Supreme' in the ruling bodies of the sport.

 

(So he b*ggered off t'Gold Coast of th'Australia instead >>> where he lived happily ever after >>> till Tony Rickardsson came along and upset th'bleedin applecart' chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens),

 

And it was all these ingredients of a speedway cake that Michael Lee was expected to digest. He was expected to be a world champion in the mould of Ivan Mauger.

'But seeing has you're a kid 'wet behind the ears', a talented kid we will give you that, but a kid nonetheless. You will do as you're told and receive what we regard as your due. Who do you think you are anyway Ivan Mauger'???

 

Michael was expected to perform in the professional manner laid down in the Ivan Mauger code of practice. Michael did so and asked for his reward and it wasn't forthcoming. Mauger had told speedway what it was going to do. Michael Lee was going to do what the speedway told him to do. Michael Lee says himself that he has a rebellious streak.

 

A clash with authority was inevitable.

On one side stood an awkwardly built youth who, in a lot of peoples' minds, should have made a useless speedway rider. A rebellious talented unruly youth brought up in the spirit of a sport he understood and experienced has a 'brotherhood'. A sport made up of riders who fought against each other on the track but whose lives depended on each other to survive intact.

 

On the opposite side the speedway authorities running the sport in their entrepreneurial image. Free to make money in the new entrepreneurial spirit of minimum expenditure and maximised profits. Determined to carry on running the sport their way. And all of the ingredients of this speedway cake, Michael Lee was going to have to digest, fell into place in 1979.

 

Ivan Mauger to all intents and purposes was gone along with Olsen, Collins, Michanek and all those other riders who dominated speedway between 1965 and 1979. The new breed was knocking on the doors and making demands, but they weren't going to get what they regarded as their just deserts. They weren't going to reap the 'field of golden speedway corn' that Ivan Mauger had sown for them.

 

This professional ideal is not about money as such, though due reward is expected for services rendered. The professional ideal meant that everyone and everything should operate to the standard made explicit because of Ivan Mauger's professionalism, as a racer, across the speedway board.

 

It wasn't and there was a recession and spectators didn't come to watch the sport in the numbers they once did. Money was tight has an era ended with the passing of Ivan Mauger and the other members of the 1970's 'Big Five' into speedway history. Rebellious ill-mannered disrespectful young men were coming into the sport with these new expectations. Some one had to be made an example of. Someone was at fault. Someone was to blame. Someone was going to get punished for it.

 

(Hey up Michael, job for you mate >>> 'fall guy')!!!

 

And thus we come round to Michael Lee's fall from grace. Was he pushed or did he jump? Judge for yourself by reading his interview. And thus we come to 1985 the recession, the closure of the 'Hallowed Halls of Halifax' Transformed into an attraction from 'a grey team from a grey place' with the advent of Kenny Carter, according to the words of John Berry.

 

Not so. Halifax speedway was an attraction to spectators long before Kenny Carter came upon the scene. No one there, thought of let alone talked of a 'second coming of anyone' as I recall. Has for being 'a grey team from a grey place' that wasn't true either. It's not for nothing people are 'transfixed' by a certain colourful woollen pullover. But as in all things we 'believe what we are told to see' by those who are not has myopic and senile, as we are, in thought word and deed.

 

'Whatever is said about what people thought about Michael Lee there are those who saw him as a great rider and not the 'foolish' man that people like to depict him as'.

 

There were those of us who realised Michael Lee represented, embodied and made tangible to the supporter the turmoil affecting speedway from 1980 to 1985. An unfortunate period when speedway was deprived of world champions, in the moulds of the 'Big Five' of both previous eras of the sport. (1954 - 1967 and 1968 - 1979) around which the rest of the sport revolved.

 

It was Michael Lee's 'misfortune' to be a world champion at that moment. Unable to represent the sport in the manner of old, as the 'old' was in a state of flux transforming itself into the 'new', in line with all the other changes taking place in society.

Michael Lee was confused has to how he was to fulfil everyone's expectations of him as world champion because everything that 'should be' to make smooth his reign has world champion was no longer there.

 

Not before long 'in spirit' and sometimes in fact Michael Lee wasn't there either. So the speedway ship was rudderless. But there was renewed hope in Bruce Penhall another of the new breed confident in his abilities to become world champion. But after his world title win of 1982 Penhall wasn't there either. So the rudderless speedway ship was drifting towards the rocks.

 

And then there was Egon Muller. 'Time to respect Muller'. But Muller wasn't there to be respected either. And by the time Erik Gundersen restored some equilibrium to speedway the ship was already on the rocks in the eyes of the speedway paying public.

 

Circumstances kept people away from speedway because of the financial restraints imposed on them by the new entrepreneurial spirit that was in full swing during the late 1980's. Short sighted policies by those outside speedway, but in control of speedway's 'destiny', decided that this sport was an outdated nuisance factor standing in the way of progress in other areas.

Thus speedway was removed from the Shay stadium in order that it could be redeveloped to fit in with the new spirit of enterprise. Thus Cradley Heath speedway followed suit and all the other speedway tracks that have been shut down in the name of progress ever since. For in effect nothing has changed.

 

So we the speedway supporting public were invited to walk away from the sport. Forcibly removed from the premises, so to speak. You did not walk away from the sport of speedway alone Michael Lee. Many of us walked away with you, just has disillusioned and confused as to why a sport that was at the top of the world was laid down so low, as you were.

 

Michael Lee who had seen nothing of life other than a world revolving around motorcycles involved himself in the lifestyle that he wanted to involve himself in. For no one tells a rebel where to go and what to do when they go looking for themselves. But Michael Lee appears to have found himself in his garden.

 

This rebel went looking for himself in a garden too, 'Eden, garden of trees' searching for 'Sweet Liberation' and 'Nirvana'.

('But I found Woody Guthrie instead' chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens to his silly sen').

 

Doing all this instead of 'b*ggering about collecting peoples signature on paper', implicit in the bemused look Anders Michanek gave a young autograph hunter one night at Halifax.

Michael Lee no doubt recognises the 'clarion call' of such 'mystical' concepts?

 

I knew when it was said Michael Lee was in line for the next big interview that this would be the 'catalyst' for expressing certain thoughts about days gone by and has to why things developed as they did in those days. And we come to present times and we see similar patterns taking place in speedway today.

 

Tony Rickardsson has combined both aspects of the spirit of 'make do and mend' and 'avarice and greed' in a manner palatable to those following in his stride. Tony Rickardsson has done it with a 'smile on his face'. He has done what Ivan Mauger couldn't do nor perhaps had any concept of the possibility of doing so, at the time. Ivan Mauger built the bridge from taking speedway from the era of the original 'Big Five' to the era of the second 'Big Five'.

 

Tony Rickardsson understands what the first 'Big Five' represented and he understands what the second 'Big Five' represented too. Thus he understood the possibilities implicit within these two principles. Meaning that if he could be seen to be the ultimate professional performing in the proper 'spirit' understood by riders, promoters and speedway supporting public alike he could equal and perhaps surpass Ivan Mauger's record of six world titles making him 'Grand Master Supreme'.

 

And thus ancient ghosts of speedway are laid to rest.

 

But there is a note of caution written on this benchmark set. There are those riders who burn themselves out or give up on attempting to emulate these new standards set by Rickardsson. Burning their selves out or give up because they fail to understand the motivation for and grasp the practicalities of achieving these ends. Or lack the financial clout to put these ingredients into practice. Perform in effect in a manner similar to Michael Lee and thus fall from grace in the speedway paying publics eyes.

 

Michael Lee 'fell from Grace with the Speedway Gods' because Ivan Mauger was a hard act to follow. The speedway cake was too big to digest. Has Tony Rickardsson baked a speedway cake that's indigestible for the next breed of up and coming world champions?

 

'Only time will tell who has fell and whose been left behind, when you go your way and I go mine'

Bob Dylan >>> 'Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine' >>> Blonde on Blonde

 

'I try my best to be just like I am but everyone wants you to be just like them'.

Bob Dylan >>> 'Maggie's Farm >>> Bringing it all back home

 

'There are still one or two of us walking the street >>> with no arrows of direction painted under our feet >>> with no angels to warn us away from the heat >>> but if I have to remember >>> that's a fine memory'.

Leonard Cohen >>> 'Tonight will be fine >>> Live Songs

[shazzybird]

That's got longer

[Mr. Clemens]

That's got longer   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

No it's the same length

I had it measured to by the 'government's weights and measures' department before reposting

 

I just corrected a few spelling mistakes and corrected the quote by leonard cohen as I knew it wasn't correct the moment I first posted it >>> which makes it half an inch longer than previous >>> tops

 

I don't mean to make them so long >>> they just >>> take on a life of their own >>>

[iris123]

Mr.Clemens,

Could you really describe Szczakiel as being part of a "Big Five" along the lines of the "real" big 5 of the previous era.The others were the best 5 riders in the world during that period(well,the league,would have to include Plechanov in a big 6).Was Jerzy even one of the best 5 on the continent during the decade,or just for a few years.It's even debatable that he was the best Polish rider of the decade.Apart from winning 2 titles on home tracks,his record wasn't too good.Hardly ever made it past continental semi's in the individual comp.Wasn't very often picked for Polish pairs or even WTC teams.If a final had been held in the U.S.S.R,maybe one of the Gordeev brothers would have been champ.If the final had been held in Germany,Müller might have one more than the one title,Stancl in Czech...would say they were better riders than Jerzy,not that he was the "no-hoper" that some try to make him out to be though.

The same could be said for Egon in the 80's.He dominated the continent and in particular his home country far more than Szczakiel did,but you couldn't include him in a "Big 5,6 or 7" just because he won a world title.

Edited September 10, 2005 by iris123

[Mr. Clemens]

It was said in the sense that he was an actual world champion being one of the 5 riders who won the title between 1967 and 1979.

 

Mauger > Olsen >> Szczakiel >>> Michanek >>> Collins >>>

 

A position that elevated him to the status of number one rider in the world. And you have never heard Ivan Mauger say any other than that Szczakiel won his world title by right that day in 1973.

 

No matter how you class Szczakiel has a rider in the pecking order of riders of his day, he achieved something they didn't.

 

But the big 4 + 1 also ran >>> if you prefer >>> though Szczakiel was a better rider than he was given credit for as he was one of the World's Best Pairs in 1971, as you said.

 

The main reason people always want to dismiss Szczakiel's achievement of winning a world title is because he simply wasn't Zenon Plech. In most peoples opinion Szczakiel wasn't expected to win Plech was.

 

The fact Plech didn't win and Szczakiel did has got up peoples noses from that day to this. And perhaps Szczakiel wasn't allowed the oppertunities to further his career and confirm his abilities because his face 'didn't fit' and maybe even as a 'punishment' for having the temerity to deprive 'the more deserving' of what was rightfully theirs.

 

And IMO the way Szczakiel has borne the 'ignominy' of his elevation to world champion status eversince, with good grace, has shown him to be a 'Big' man in every way.

[iris123]

Well as for getting opportunities,before his World title win he wasn't in the WTC team,after he was picked for the final and scored 0.In 74 he got another 0 in the continental semi and a 0 in the WTC Final.75 he got 1pt to finish last in the continental semi.No wonder the Poles didn't let him carry on like that.He was one of the best Poles for a few years,thats it.Did he ever win the Polish championship?.He was World Champ,but where would he have been in the old style world rankings?.I'm not dismissing his acheivement,he won,others didn't,that was the great thing about the old style "one off" Championship.Anyone had a chance,just like Tooting & Mitcham have a chance in the F.A Cup.

[Mr. Clemens]

He was one of the best Poles for a few years,thats it.

 

Proving it perhaps by winning a world championship?

[iris123]

Right thats that sorted,now for the next paragraph

 

 

 

This could take some time!

[shazzybird]

classic Iris I like that

[Guest FlyinPanther]

I just bought my first ever copy - Issue 10 Sept-Oct 2005.... definately going to subscribe...

What a cracking good read... Loved the Michael Lee exclusive..

Shame that Issue 11 has sold out - will there be a reprint at any stage?

[TonyMac]

I just bought my first ever copy - Issue 10 Sept-Oct 2005.... definately going to subscribe.

What a cracking good read... Loved the Michael Lee exclusive.

Shame that Issue 11 has sold out - will there be a reprint at any stage?

 

Glad you finally found us after five years! Who says advertising doesn't pay!

 

Seriously, we're delighted that you enjoyed Issue 10. As far as subscribing goes, please note that our address may be different to the one printed in that 2005 edition (can't remember if we'd moved by then). It is:

 

Retro Speedway

103 Douglas Road

Hornchurch

Essex

RM11 1AW

 

Alternatively, you may prefer to subscribe online, using PayPal. The link to our website is:

http://www.retro-speedway.com/

 

While we have no plans to re-print the sold out Issue 11, you will find every other one of our 30 issues available to purchase as back copies.

 

Welcome aboard!

 

Cheers,

Tony Mac

 

 

[shazzybird]

Tony are you in Leicester this Saturday night????

[TonyMac]

Tony are you in Leicester this Saturday night????

 

Yep, we'll be there selling our wares before dinner...

[shazzybird]

Oh good as have lost one of my issues and need a replacement just got to go through them and see which one it is

 

See you there xxxx