Issue 47

[TonyMac]

Issue 47 is out now and available to buy online . . . featuring:

 

CHRIS MORTON INTERVIEW

Chris Morton rode more times for Belle Vue and England than any other rider and he’ll always be remembered as one of the sport’s greatest entertainers. Tony McDonald spoke to the subject of our newest DVD, who clearly still has lots of ambition and major goals to achieve . . .

As pure entertainers go, there was none better than Chris Morton, who thrilled Belle Vue fans week in, week out for the best part of 20 years.

From the day he joined the Aces in 1973 until his final ride for them in 1990, the local lad made the most difficult passing manoeuvres look almost effortlessly easy as he accumulated a club record 703 appearances, winning most of his races from the back.

Every promoter in the land, both then and now, would love a ‘Mort’ in their team; someone to set pulses racing and get the supporters off their seats and craving for more.

 

MEN OF HONOUR

Testimonial and benefit meetings have been routinely added to the annual fixture list since the mid-70s. Here John Berry looks back at some of the most deserving recipients.

 

ERIK GUNDERSEN v HANS NIELSEN – Head2Head in 1985

By the mid-80s England and the USA were on the wane and the speedway world was in the grip of Denmark and, in particular, Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen.

They had finished number one and two in the world in 1984 and their intense rivalry would again be the focal point throughout the ’85 season, both on an individual level and in team events as Gundersen’s Cradley Heath and Nielsen’s Oxford competed for the main domestic honours.

 

DAVID WALSH INTERVIEW

Speedwayriders are very rarely known for being studious enough to earn a Masters degree or having a keen interest in writing poetry but, as we reveal, David Walsh in no ordinary former star.

 

MILTON KEYNES

In this special five-page, in-depth report on Milton Keynes Speedway, we look at key events and talks to some of the main men involved in the club’s brief and turbulent history, including Knights’ all-time legend Bob Humphreys, who is now retired in his native Australia.

 

GRAEME SMITH INTERVIEW

Graeme Smith nearly died in India five years ago but thankfully the former Rayleigh, Hackney and Canterbury rider is still here, doing $1m international business deals and talking to us about an eventful UK racing career that once saw him accused of throwing races by his own promoter, kicked out of the house by another, live to regret turning down Wembley and retire while still a star with Sunderland . . .

 

ALES DRYML

Ales Dryml rode in speedway World Finals at Gothenburg and Wembley and was a 30-times world finalist in all track disciplines. With two sons having followed him into British league racing, he now looks back on what might have been.

 

ALAN WILKINSON

It is 12 months since the first copy of The Alan Wilkinson Story rolled off the press. Since that day this widely acclaimed book has been in big demand in all corners of the world, the publishers shipping copies to Canada and Australia and even to one exiled speedway fan based in Mumbai, India.

 

RAYLEIGH

It’s getting on for four decades since speedway was last staged at Rayleigh, but we turn back the clock to relive memories from The Weir of those Rockets who were sadly brought down to earth by the bulldozers in 1973.

 

GORDON STOBBS

Ivan Mauger won it all in speedway but here we talk to Gordon Stobbs, the loyal and trusty Geordie mechanic who supported the six times World Champion behind the scenes.

 

AND ANOTHER THING

John Berry recalls the cost-cutting days of the miner’s strike, the three-day week, the banning of Swedes and offers a solution to the guest rider problem that still plagues the sport today.

 

Plus…

 

Q&As with KEITH BLOXSOME, ALI STEVENS and MARK LYNDON, plus photo coverage from DENZIL KENT’S birthday party.

 

To order this issue or to subscribe, please go to http://www.retro-speedway.com

[salty]

Was a nice early Xmas pressie. I like the recent focus on figures from the National League and in particular the feature on David Walsh, who is a fascinating character. I'll always be grateful for his cup winning exploits in Heathens colours, but I was equally interested in hearing about his life post-riding. Hats off to all for that article.

 

As an aside I note the CD-rom version of the 1982 Speedway Yearbook. I used to love the Peter Oakes editions of this title (though my 1977 copy got mislaid a few years ago and I've yet been able to replace it). I would be interested to hear any feedback about this new format from anybody who has already purchased.

[TonyMac]

Was a nice early Xmas pressie. I like the recent focus on figures from the National League and in particular the feature on David Walsh, who is a fascinating character. I'll always be grateful for his cup winning exploits in Heathens colours, but I was equally interested in hearing about his life post-riding. Hats off to all for that article.

 

As an aside I note the CD-rom version of the 1982 Speedway Yearbook. I used to love the Peter Oakes editions of this title (though my 1977 copy got mislaid a few years ago and I've yet been able to replace it). I would be interested to hear any feedback about this new format from anybody who has already purchased.

 

Glad you're still enjoying Backtrack.

 

We've just started a new thread on the 1982 Speedway Yearbook on CD-ROM in the Years Gone By section. There's a link to our website where you can view sample pages from Richard Waller's mammoth effort...

[The White Knight]

Another TERRIFIC Issue.

 

I particularly liked the Article on Graeme Smith (no surprise there then). The Chris Morton piece was great too.

 

This Magazine really does go from strength to strength - long may it last.