iris123 Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Rick Miller, Scott Autrey, Steve Rick Miller was on here a year or two back and came across as a decent bloke.Scott Autrey though.Nasty piece of work Although i do still posses a signed photo.Also seem to recall getting Mike Bast's siggy at Plough Lane and he seemed ok.He was there i seem to recall with Bruce when they came over for an Intercontinental Final or something at White City a couple of days later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 (edited) I've got a great photo of Don Hawley. The style of bike, not to mention his full-on leg trailing, suggest the late 40's or early 50's. Would that be right? I would welcome more info about him and his career. Don raced class c dirt track and of course desert, & speedway. He came to England with the american team in the 50's. He was known for his toughness, and also used to play a bugle in the pits. Unfortunately, died a paranoid scizophrenic (sp) alcoholic. As a child, I did see him drive sprint cars, he was amazing, literally drove the wheels off of cars that were not the best. I was a pit rat & he always had time for us kids, and to this day I have fond memories of him. As for the comments about attitudes, cant say I have ever met an american racer I didnt like in some way. The really good guys on the list would be Ronnie Preston, Moran bros., Mike Curoso (impeccable manners) Rick Miller & Billy Hamill to name a few. edit; Dave, i knew Wino Willie, also Filthy Scruggins & met Von Dutch too. man, did i have a great childhood or what. never cared for eddie mulder. when i tried to get his autograph he told me to beat it. made fun of my haircut & said i had a big head then flicked a lit cigarette at me. i told him i was gonna tell my dad on him. my ol pop was a pretty tough customer for sure so he immediately apologised and then signed my program. my dad & uncle Roy used to let me drive us home on the freeway when i was ten years old, (designated driver because they couldnt be bothered, too tired they said) how cool is that? Also, if any of you out there have never had the pleasure of hearing an Offenhauser at full song, you missed out on truly one of lifes best experiences. cant begin to describe it except just beautiful. kinda like the old honda cr93 125cc road race bikes with a megaphone. or the old speedway bikes before silencers. i do go on i know,... sorry.. Edited October 21, 2008 by sandman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 Rick Miller was on here a year or two back and came across as a decent bloke.Scott Autrey though.Nasty piece of work Although i do still posses a signed photo.Also seem to recall getting Mike Bast's siggy at Plough Lane and he seemed ok.He was there i seem to recall with Bruce when they came over for an Intercontinental Final or something at White City a couple of days later Yep, I remember that night well. That was the week before the 1977 I-C Final, and I got both their autographs too! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 (edited) Yep, I remember that night well. That was the week before the 1977 I-C Final, and I got both their autographs too! Steve ( From the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame) (with the odd judicious edit ) By the early 1970s, several U.S. riders, such as (edit: the incredibly evil ) Scott Autrey and Dewayne Keeter, were leaving America to race Speedway in the British League, to qualify to contest the World Finals. Mike Bast went to England to check it out. “It was cold, miserable, the food was bad and there was no money,” he said. “I was making 50 to 60 thousand a year in America living at the beach. So I never really rode British League." (edit)..........and who can blame him? Edited October 21, 2008 by BigFatDave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigFatDave Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 edit; Dave, i knew Wino Willie, also Filthy Scruggins & met Von Dutch too. man, did i have a great childhood or what. never cared for eddie mulder. when i tried to get his autograph he told me to beat it. made fun of my haircut & said i had a big head then flicked a lit cigarette at me. i told him i was gonna tell my dad on him. my ol pop was a pretty tough customer for sure so he immediately apologised and then signed my program. my dad & uncle Roy used to let me drive us home on the freeway when i was ten years old, (designated driver because they couldnt be bothered, too tired they said) how cool is that? Also, if any of you out there have never had the pleasure of hearing an Offenhauser at full song, you missed out on truly one of lifes best experiences. cant begin to describe it except just beautiful. kinda like the old honda cr93 125cc road race bikes with a megaphone. or the old speedway bikes before silencers. i do go on i know,... sorry.. The ol' "You drive, yer too drunk to sing" story, eh? I remember drivin' me dad & me uncle Derek back from a rugby match in Cardiff when I was 13. A few Sidebangers in here, m8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted October 21, 2008 Report Share Posted October 21, 2008 The ol' "You drive, yer too drunk to sing" story, eh? I remember drivin' me dad & me uncle Derek back from a rugby match in Cardiff when I was 13. A few Sidebangers in here, m8 the funny part was ah pullin into mcdonalds for coffee and the look on the face of the kid at the window, me behind the wheel of a 65 buick rivera. it was kinda like the look..."you lucky b**t**d" . i dunno, i sniveled a lot as a kid but nowadays you cant get away with stuff like that. really great memories. i know im gonna get flack for bringin all this up, but i swear, i was 10 and didnt have a drop so no, it was absolutely not driving under the influence ok? the only other time i brought this subject up i drove a golf cart on the beach with bill after leaving foxys and i got spanked pretty good. i do not drive after even one drink .but, at times i am a good desiginated driver, lots of experience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezza Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 (edited) the funny part was ah pullin into mcdonalds for coffee and the look on the face of the kid at the window, me behind the wheel of a 65 buick rivera. it was kinda like the look..."you lucky b**t**d" . i dunno, i sniveled a lot as a kid but nowadays you cant get away with stuff like that. really great memories. i know im gonna get flack for bringin all this up, but i swear, i was 10 and didnt have a drop so no, it was absolutely not driving under the influence ok? the only other time i brought this subject up i drove a golf cart on the beach with bill after leaving foxys and i got spanked pretty good. i do not drive after even one drink .but, at times i am a good desiginated driver, lots of experience. Overall, I think that the Yanks brought a great deal to British speedway, flambouyancy and great character. I firmly believe that they were more popular with the British crowds than most of the GB riders, I know I did, being a Cradley fan of many years. I think the GB lads were jealous of them, and other team's supporters wished they had had them in their's too. Edited October 29, 2008 by Gezza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 There was a guy called Eddie Ingels who rode one season for Newcastle in 1984. Great attitude and up for anything. Actually got married on the home straight at Brough Park. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted October 29, 2008 Report Share Posted October 29, 2008 Overall, I think that the Yanks brought a great deal to British speedway, flambouyancy and great character. I firmly believe that they were more popular with the British crowds than most of the GB riders, I know I did, being a Cradley fan of many years. I think the GB lads were jealous of them, and other team's supporters wished they had had them in their's too. Have to agree with you we had Shawn Moran at Sheffield, and I don't think that I have ever seen a more popular rider at Sheffield before or since. Like you say they had a great character, and they were fantastic with the supporters always appearing to have time for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATigerman Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Have to agree with you we had Shawn Moran at Sheffield, and I don't think that I have ever seen a more popular rider at Sheffield before or since. Couldn't agree more. Here's a picture of Mr Moran taken early (1981 I think!) in his Sheffield career. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted October 30, 2008 Report Share Posted October 30, 2008 Couldn't agree more. Here's a picture of Mr Moran taken early (1981 I think!) in his Sheffield career. That would be early on, I noticed The Miracle Worker's van in the background, I remember the night he was present with it, is it Christmas he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman Posted October 31, 2008 Report Share Posted October 31, 2008 imo, i believe most american riders actually liked the supporters. i know you cant make a blanket statement and have it be 100% true, but in the main the supporters and riders seemed to have a common bond? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 4, 2008 Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 ... Olle Nygren had been fined for the same thing at Wimbledon in the Internationale, but the powers to be did not reprimand Penhall as it was an FIM event ,where different rules were said to apply. The Internationale was an FIM event too, though, wasn't it..???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted November 4, 2008 Report Share Posted November 4, 2008 The Internationale was an FIM event too, though, wasn't it..???? Maybe at the start.Don't think it was always the case though.Certainly by the early 70s i just think it was an Open meeting.A very big Open meeting,but nothing official Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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