Wild Man Vic Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 (edited) Not much has been said about Workington's 40th Anniversary Meeting but I am looking forward to it, hopefully we will see plenty of ex-Comets coming along on the night. Edited February 18, 2010 by Wild Man Vic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jill Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 when is it ?? x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz !!! Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 27th March 2010 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topaz325 Posted February 18, 2010 Report Share Posted February 18, 2010 when is it ?? x March 27th. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanzi Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 News on Workington Speedway Blog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shady Posted February 19, 2010 Report Share Posted February 19, 2010 (edited) I was very sad to read that Mr Workington, Carl Stonehewer, has a prior engagement...it has to be acknowledged that it wont be the same without him and it will dampen the whole event for many. There was some speculation that, for a variety of reasons, Carl might not attend and I guess those turned out to be spot on. What a crying shame he couldnt change his engagement. Edited February 19, 2010 by shady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 APPEAL - INFORMATION AND HELP WANTED: I am currently assisting the Workington management in tracking down as many ex-Comets regulars as possible to be guests at our 40th Anniversary Meeting at Derwent Park on Saturday 27th March, and so far we have located, and been in contact with, quite a lot of former Comets from both the first era (1970 to 1981) and this era (from 1999 onwards). A recent appeal in Speedway Star found a couple more but we are still very keen to track down the following: Mick Blaynee (Workington 1979) who then went on to ride for Milton Keynes and was, I believe, based around the midlands. John Frankland (Workington 1981) who later rode for Long Eaton before being forced out of the sport through injury. Wayne Jackson (Workington 1980 and 1981) and still living in the Manchester area I believe. Arthur Price (Workington 1978) based in the midlands and, the last time I remember seeing his name mentioned, he later went on to record a song that he was selling at a few tracks several years ago. If anyone has any information, suggestions or even better, contact numbers, for any of the above we would be delighted if they could PM me. Many thanks, Tony Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topaz325 Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 (edited) There is a photo of Richard Lawson racing in the blog which looks very like one of mine, feel free to use any photo,s of mine if they are good enough! Such a shame Carl Stonehewer cannot make it to the meeting one of the Workington Speedway Greats. Edited February 20, 2010 by topaz325 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted February 20, 2010 Report Share Posted February 20, 2010 I have now tracked down and spoken to Arthur Price - thanks for the help given. Still looking for information to contact Mick Blaynee, John Frankland and Wayne Jackson. Many thanks. Tony Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted February 23, 2010 Report Share Posted February 23, 2010 FURTHER HELP WANTED I am struggling to find a contact number for former Comet Blair Scott, as the number I had no longer works. If anyone has a contact number for him I would be most grateful if they could PM me. Many Thanks. Tony Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KN comets Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 James Wright the latest named added surely we will get steady aswel would also be nice to see nermark! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul84 Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Great news Wrighy is superb to watch around DP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 James Wright the latest named added surely we will get steady aswel would also be nice to see nermark! Unfortunately the fixtures have gone against us - Simon Stead is riding at Eastbourne for Swindon that evening in the first Elite League match of 2010. Regards, Tony Jackson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul84 Posted February 26, 2010 Report Share Posted February 26, 2010 Unfortunately the fixtures have gone against us - Simon Stead is riding at Eastbourne for Swindon that evening in the first Elite League match of 2010.Regards, Tony Jackson Just one of those unfortunate things in Speedway as we know. Looking forward to the meeting, Keep up the hard work Jacko. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KN comets Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 Unfortunately the fixtures have gone against us - Simon Stead is riding at Eastbourne for Swindon that evening in the first Elite League match of 2010. Regards, Tony Jackson I thought eastbourne had changed there race nights til fri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted February 27, 2010 Report Share Posted February 27, 2010 I thought eastbourne had changed there race nights til fri No, they've changed them to Thursday this year. However, with both Eastbourne and Swindon now having the same race night Eastbourne have to move off their race night to host Swindon. They have therefore chosen to ride on a more profitable Saturday night and are getting it in early before other commitments - i.e. GP's etc. prevent them doing this, which is a shame for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KN comets Posted February 28, 2010 Report Share Posted February 28, 2010 No, they've changed them to Thursday this year. However, with both Eastbourne and Swindon now having the same race night Eastbourne have to move off their race night to host Swindon. They have therefore chosen to ride on a more profitable Saturday night and are getting it in early before other commitments - i.e. GP's etc. prevent them doing this, which is a shame for us. Thanks for the info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeanzi Posted March 2, 2010 Report Share Posted March 2, 2010 (edited) A rider has been added to the line-up View from the Pits Edited March 2, 2010 by Jeanzi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anton Posted March 4, 2010 Report Share Posted March 4, 2010 (edited) COMETS LEGEND LOU SANSOM COMES TO WORKINGTON FOR 40th ANNIVERSARY MEETING From WORKINGTON COMETS 2010 SPONSORED BY THE THOMAS ARMSTRONG GROUP AND NEW TEAM PARTNERS PRESS RELEASE No 6 – March 4th LOU Sansom, Workington’s first speedway superstar, is jetting 24,000 miles to be a special guest at the Comets 40th anniversary meeting on March 27. Sansom, now 63, says he would even like to have a “tootle round Derwent Park on a bike to wave at the fans” just for a leisurely spin round the track again. The popular Australian rode in Workington’s very first meeting and will be one of three riders who faced Berwick that night who will be attending the celebrations. Ian Armstrong and former Sheffield team manager Reg Wilson will join Sansom. Vic Lonsdale and Maurice Wilson are both dead while Mal McKay and Dave Kumeta are in Australia. Comets team manager Ian Thomas, the original promoter in 1970 and who signed Sansom to ride for the Comets, said he was thrilled that the former go-karts star was coming back to west Cumbria. “I think it’s true to say that there have been two legends as far as Workington speedway is concerned. Carl Stonehewer certainly from the second era, and definitely Lou from when we first launched in 1970. “It would have been nice to get the two of them together for the night but unfortunately Stoney has a prior engagement,” he said. When he was putting his team together Thomas was recommended two young Aussies by a friend, Dennis Gavros – his younger brother Jimmy Gavros and Lou Sansom. “I did the deal to bring both of them over but tragically, days before they were due to fly over, Jimmy was killed in a racing accident. Lou came on his own and the rest, as they say, is history,” explained Thomas. Sansom rode in the very first race at Derwent Park in 1970 – and didn’t make an auspicious start as he fell off on the first corner after a clash with Berwick’s Andy Meldrum. He then fell off in the same place in his next ride too, before winning his last two outings. Ironically, when he returned in 1975, after a year’s absence, he fell off on the first bend of his first race again too. He is the all-time top Comet in terms of appearances and points from the first era (1970 – 1981), riding in 213 official matches he scored 1,960 points and 109 bonus points for Workington. While riding in Comets colours he recorded 36 full and 11 paid maximums and topped the Comets averages in three of the six years he rode for the club – 10.51 being his best in 1973. The 1973 season was his golden year in which he topped the Second Division averages and scored an incredible 20 full and 2 paid maximums from 42 matches. . That year he finished third in the Division Two Riders’ Championship at Wimbledon, behind winner Arthur Price (Boston) and Bobby McNeil (Eastbourne). In 1975, as well as riding for the Comets, he rode some Division One matches for Ian Thomas at Hull, and in 1976 he rode matches for Birmingham in Division One before joining the Brummies full-time in 1977. He averaged 5.00 for them before returning home for good with his wife Linda, who hails from Workington. Now working as an RAA patrolman in and around Adelaide he has been back to the UK for a visit once before, in the summer of 1995. This week, from his Adelaide home, he said: “It will be absolutely fantastic to come over to Workington to see everybody again. I’m really looking forward to it. “To see all the fans again and also to meet up with a lot of my old team-mates will be something really special. “I get updated as to how the Comets are getting on and I’m keen to see how the track has changed since my day. But this 40th anniversary meeting is the perfect time to come over and see it for myself. “I'm all sorted at this end, I have my ticket and am raring to go!” The returning Workington hero will be available for commercial engagements during his short trip and on the Friday night before the anniversary meeting will be chatting to local journalist John Walsh and answering questions for “'An Evening with Lou Sansom' to be held at The Washington Central Hotel on Friday 26th March at 7:45pm. Tickets for that event are £5 and can be obtained from Tony Jackson, a close friend of the rider, on 01900 65963 or at Press and Practice (March 13) during the ‘meet the riders’ night in the Derwent Lounge. Edited March 4, 2010 by 40 Year Comets Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topaz325 Posted March 9, 2010 Report Share Posted March 9, 2010 Haines and Lemon complete the line up: http://www.getnoticedonline.co.uk/speedway...te-line-up.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.