Ove Fundin Latest News Letter (october 2010)

[Jim Blanchard]

Hello dear readers.

 

It's a new year, the U.S. has a new President, the world a new leader and lots of people are full of hope for the future, of course there is no denying that most of us are in for some hard economic times ahead. But despite the grim situation I hope our dear sport of speedway can ride out the storm. To do this I do think that the riders (not all but too many) will have to stop being so greedy and concentrate more on the sport and less on the money. I can't understand why every rider must have a team of mechanics and several bikes....

For sure it does not make the racing any better. In my days we had one bike and some, not all, had a mechanic, if you had trouble with the bike, you just borrowed another from a fellow rider.

 

My friend, John Chaplin, wrote recently about the problem with "gardening" at the gate, the irritating habit of riders digging grooves in the track surface at the starting line. I have for a long time been advocating that all tracks should reintroduce the old tarmac or concrete starting areas. It could be coverwith a couple of inches of dirt (like it was at Wembley) That would stop the "gardening" that so much frustrates the fans, not least me.

 

My son Michael was born in Norwich 1959, he will be 50 next June.

HAPPY BIRTDAY dear Michael!

Does that make me feel old, well most of all I'm amazed, my little boy, 50 years old....

I, myself do not think of me as old! I can still do what I could when I was younger -OK I can no longer race a speedway bike- but when I feel like it , I can without a problem play two rounds of golf in one day, ride my motor bike or drive my car over 600 miles in a day... I weigh the same as when I was 18, my hair has gone gray and it is thinner, but.....

Sure I am more of a patient at my doctor then before, but most of the time he check me over and say "you are fine, nothing wrong with you"

 

Back to speedway.

Mr Dudley Jones, a long time speedway supporter, has written to me about his concern of the G.P. series.

Mr Jones points out that " every rider should have a chance to become World Champion"( just as I wrote in my latest newsletter) he goes on to say that " for me there is no World Championship any more, although no doubt those who come top of the G.P.'s are worthy riders"

Please give us back the qualifying system, no more seeding of riders. It's unfair!

I see that a few riders are leaving the English speedway league, to, as they say, concentrate on Polish and Swedish speedway.... I think it has more to do with money, and I'm sure they are making a mistake. They will come crawling back when the Swedish and Polish promotors can no longer pay as much as today.

Because English speedway is the backbone of the sport!

 

Ioana and I spent a couple of weeks in Sweden during January, we went there in our car, but had to return by air as I had an accident while in Sweden. I was alone in the car at the moment, the car got badly hurt, but I got away without a scratch.... just my pride and wallet.

As a ressult with all the problems I shall miss thel WSRA dinner, so I will miss seeing my friend Terry Stone installed as President for 2009 sorry. And I miss the WSRA golf tournament!

 

Now we are looking forward to a new speedway season. Hope to see you at some racetrack.

 

We wish you all a wonderful summer!

 

Ove and Ioana.

 

Fundinove@aol.com

Edited October 17, 2010 by Jim Blanchard

[Jim Blanchard]

Hello dear readers!

 

I have not had much interest in the Speedway G.P.'s the last few years, but now I can hardly wait for the next round (even that I have to watch on tv) The answer is EMIL SAYFUTDINOV, the young Russian who has given speedway a much needed injection. What a speedway rider....

I don't know of anyone before that has had such an impact on the sport.

 

Right from the first of this years G.P.'s ( and Emil's first ever ) has he been the man to watch. That opening meeting, in Prague, would have been quick forgotten had it not been for Emil Sayfutdinov and Fredrik Lindgren. It was boring speedway, kind of "follow John", no passing .... The track was much too slick and easy to ride with just one line.

The next two G.P.'s were much the same, Emil still shinning, but I don't know what happened to Fredrik, one meeting the young Swede is very good and then riding like a novice in the next.

 

Then came Ullevi, Gothenburg, at last some good racing with lots of overtaking, I think that you need more dirt on the track to provide for better racing, that plus one or two bumps in it opens up for passing and for riders mistake, that is what we need and what the crowd comes to see. Not just seeing riders finishing the way thay start.

 

Parken, the stadium in Chopenhagen, again Sayfutdinov looked, to me, as the winner, in spite of yet another clash with local favorite and last years World Champ, Nicki Pedersen. The two had a dramatic crash at Gothenburg and now again here in Copenhagen, Pedersen both times being excluded.Unlucky for Emil he was excluded for touching the tapes in the semifinal.

 

I still thing that Ioana's favorite, Jason Crump will be crowned Champ at the end of the season, but for sure Sayfutdinov is going to win the title in the near future.

 

Everyone who has read my earlier letters knows my point regarding the system with riders being seeded in to the G.P. series; Next round is The Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and I understand that without any rider from the U.K. that meeting will not be the success it has proven to be since speedway was first run here.

But none of the two English riders at present in the G.P.'s belong there; It's sad, but something has to be done regarding finding new speedway stars in the worlds finest speedway country. And please come back to the qualifying of riders if it is to be World Championship, not just a business.

 

Our trip to Sweden last week for the 50th birthday of my oldest son, Michael, was a great success and I got to see all my 8 children plus their families and friends. Of course it's always nice to come back to your "home town" the place you were born and brought up, and that's where Michael now lives, in "my" Tranas.

 

For this summer I plan, among other things, a motor bike ride to Bucharest, Romania, Ioana will, as always, travel by airplane.

I also hope to be in Leszno, Poland, for the World Team Cup and maybe see one G.P. live.

 

Hope you will all enjoy your speedway and we wish everyone a nice summer.

 

Ove and Ioana.

 

Web site here

[BOBBATH]

Ove is such a gentleman-and it is great to hear of his activities.I well recall his race-offs for second place with Igor Plechanov in the 1964 and 65 World Finals. Ove lost those times but what great races-I also recall of course Ove's many wins.Glad to hear he is enjoying life so much.He 's a good example of how physical fitness keeps you young.Good for you Ove.

[Brian Hamilton]

Well said Bobath,

 

I can remember his run off with Peter Craven and Ronnie Mopore at Wembley in 1960. It was the first time I had ever been to the stadium, I was 12 and my father took me.

 

I can also remember many times that Ove rode at Cowley and one race in particular where Ronnie Genz went round the back on the last bend to beat him. I have afeeling that it was about a week after Ove's World Final win in 1960(September).

 

Ove was a Great Champion

 

 

[BOBBATH]

Hi Brianhamilton, thought you'd dropped off the radar there glad you're back-remember your comments on Ronnie Genz well-interesting comments in Classic Speedway by Jimmy Gooch on Ove-also comments on Arne Pander by him -anybody got any comments on Arne being a loner(nothing the matter with that I'm a loner too)??.Worst thing about your post was that you said you were 12 in 1960 makes you younger than me aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!- yet how can that be I was born in 1946 but am only 42-in Canada 60 is the new 40(understand that they will be soon introducing that law in UK also-make ya wait for your pensions!!!)

[Jim Blanchard]

Bob, I also think there should be an article on Arne in the Classic Speedway magazine. He, if I remember correctly was a very good speedway rider and excellent team man for Oxford. In fact, I think that he only rode for them. I am not 100% sure also but I think he resides fit and well in this country near 'Fundin country' at Norwich....

Edited June 24, 2009 by Jim Blanchard

[Bee]

Bob, I also think there should be an article on Arne in the Classic Speedway magazine. He, if I remember correctly was a very good speedway rider and excellent team man for Oxford. In fact, I think that he only rode for them. I am not 100% sure also but I think he resides fit and well in this country near 'Fundin country' at Norwich....

 

 

Pander was only at Oxford.

 

Great Dane was lived up to.

 

Very good rider indeed in his day.

[norbold]

Very good rider indeed in his day.

Indeed. One of those frequently mentioned in "Greatest rider never to reach a World Final" type threads.

[star ghost]

I think Ove got Arne to come over here first, I seem to recall Arne was going to ride for Norwich in them days but this was over-ruled and Arne was passed on to the Oxford team where he became the number one except for a time when he had to run his dads business for him and he was unable to ride in the U K at that time. As has been said Arne was one of the riders who didnt rach a World Final

Arne lived near Wymondham and played Pool for one of the local pubs, The Windmill, One night he came to play at ours and of course, we had "a few jars". When it was time to go I asked Arne if he was having "one for the road". His answer was to have one for each road he had to go on to get back home. Arne was unfortunate that night as he slipped on some ice on the Car Park outside but straight away denied it was anything to do with what he had just had. He worked for Lotus for a while but I cannot say where he is now. Arne always was "one of the best" without a doubt

He was also quite a modest bloke as the other members of his Pool team had no idea how good a speedway rider Arne was until we told them

Edited July 1, 2009 by star ghost

[Brian Hamilton]

Hi Brianhamilton, thought you'd dropped off the radar there glad you're back-remember your comments on Ronnie Genz well-interesting comments in Classic Speedway by Jimmy Gooch on Ove-also comments on Arne Pander by him -anybody got any comments on Arne being a loner(nothing the matter with that I'm a loner too)??.Worst thing about your post was that you said you were 12 in 1960 makes you younger than me aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!- yet how can that be I was born in 1946 but am only 42-in Canada 60 is the new 40(understand that they will be soon introducing that law in UK also-make ya wait for your pensions!!!)

Hi Bobbath, had problems with password but all sorted now. Yes I remember Arne very well, he rode his first meeting for Oxford on Good Friday 1959 whuich was also my first meeting.

 

Arne was a great rider and would certainly have got to a World Final had he not been so badly injured at Brandon. Although Genno was my all time favourite Arne had the ability to have gone all the way had ghe treached a final! He was so brave and Rode for Oxford at times with his wrist in plaster and his ankle in plaster(not at the same time though).

 

I dont remember him as a loner as he used to visit local Cycle Speedway tracks ( I went with him and a mate of mine to a Great Milton Rockets meeting one Sunday afternoon)and watch some of there meetings. He always liked a drink and I think a very good bloke.

[Jim Blanchard]

My guess that Jason Crump would win the G.P. series turned out to be right, also did I get it right that we would see Emil Sayfutdinov on the podium together with Tomasz Gollob. Many congratulations to the three of you. It was a very exciting finish to the championship we saw from Bydgoszez, I enjoyed every race, but did not agree with Tony Steele ( without doubt the best referee in todays speedway ) when he put all four riders back in the re-run of the second semi-final. Sorry, but Pedersen should have been left out.

 

Now I await to know the line up for next years G.P. Those of you reading my earlier letters are familiar with my view regarding "wild cards" Please, please decide the riders by qualification races. We do not want to see same old riders giving new chances year after year.... look what happened this season, wasn't it great to see Emil Sayfutdinov ....I'm sure there are other new boys that could impress us just like Emil, let them show us.

 

My friend, Len Silver wrote in "Speedway Star" about clubs/promoters not doing anything to improve speedway stadiums unless they are the owners. He is so very right!

I wish that all promoters during "speedways golden years" had made sure to own the racetracks, todays speedway i the U.K. would have been so much diffrent and bett

 

Also in "Speedway Star" I read about "the hugger safety tyre guard" I think it might be a good thing, but can't help wishing that speedway could be like in the old days when spectators could smell the racing oil,hear the noise of engines... no silencer, no dirt deflectors, no confrontations on or off the track......

Maybe it's just nostalgia.

 

Ioana and I had a nice visit to "the speedway lunch" in Norwich at the end of October. As always it was "a full house" of riders and supporters. Pam Hedge does such a fine job of getting us all together, we all want to thank Pam for giving us every year this possibility.

My wife and I stayed over a week in England, much of it visiting old castles and ruins from the middle ages.

After having read Philippa Gregory's books, we became so interested in Henry the VIII, the Boleyns and everything regarding England during the historical times of the 15 and 16 centuries. The U.K. and the world has so much to thank British National Heritage for saving and keeping all those great old buildings.

 

In London we saw, among others, my granddaughter Michelle, she is trying her luck in the world of art. If anyone is interested in her work you can take a look at http//mimisioux.blogspot.com or http//redsquirrrel.blogspot.com

 

We will spend Christmas and New Year on a cruise sailing from San Diego along the Mexican Riviera. Also seeing some friends in California.

 

May we take this opportunity to wish you all MERRY CHRISTMAS and a fine NEW YEAR;

 

Ove and Ioana

 

Valcros Nov 2009

[star ghost]

All the best for Xmas & the New Vear Ove & Ioana, sorry to have missed you at Norwich this year. As you say Pam Hedge does a fantastic job on running these functions.

[boston five]

sad to here the passing of phil i was lucky to be at poole i think it was in the late 50s and got phils,ove,billy bales autograph on the same night i seem to remember they had all travelled together that night any one no different!!!

[britmet]

Ove's latest News Letter. And he does not agree with riders qualifing for the WC based on nationality. Here are his views on the subject:

 

My link

QUOTE: I do not agree with the system of seeded riders, in my days not even the defending Champ was seeded, everyone had to qualify. Unquote]

 

They say it comes to us all eventually, and so it has to dear old Ove.

From 1956 to 1960 all World Champions, incl'g Ove himself after his first win, were seeded into the following years Wembley Final:

Craven, Fundin, Briggs twice, (being brought back from NZ as late as August when in dispute with W'don,) and Moore all got the easy route thru.

[Gray]

Happy birthday Ove!!!

Ove start his marathon in North America?

Edited May 25, 2013 by Gray