Trackman Posted March 5, 2004 Report Share Posted March 5, 2004 Hate to think wot link your talking about tho LoL..... who has the whip, You, Gem or Shazzy? ()) It went somthing liker this Lioness. ())............. I remember, as a 4 or 5 year old lad sitting at side of me Dad, its Saturday night so its Speedway night. I’m in Mum’s chair at side of me Dad real glad its BelleVue at Halifax tonight. Me Dad parks near the pub and me hearts racing cos I can hear bikes warming up. It’s me second season now so I know where the pits are. So I’m running round the 3rd turn, just looking at that track and imagine the riders are going round, passing me cos now I’m within smelling range, the engines are echoing through the grandstand. The crackling and banging and the smell of the castor oil, I’m coming off the 4th turn and running behind the main stand. Got to get an autograph! Too late, they are all at the start line, can’t even see a rider and I’ve been here 5 minutes. I’ll have to run up to the riders car park and climb the embankment, just in time as both teams got a push start for their lap of honour. Now I can see the chrome on the spokes, they look like sparkers from the track lights. The shiny black leathers, just like me school shoes. There’s Kentwell all in red and Eric Boocock with his Man United shirt. Oh no! whats that! There’s no elephant, NO ELEPHANT! I got to go and tell me Dad, they’ve taken the elephant away. I like it up here near the bus depot, but I like sliding down the hill. I got to run all the way back round to the middle of the 3rd & 4th turn. But soon as you get out from behind the grandstand and I got to the 3rd turn, there was people everywhere, it was packed full. I don’t recognise any of them, where’s me Dad! I’ll have to go down near the fence so I can find where the middle of the corner is. Oh no I’ve already missed 2 races and I haven’t even got down to the fence yet. I wonder what they have done with me elephant cos we were called the Dukes. I don’t want to be called anything else, I want to be a Duke with me elephant on the front of me. I’ve found the fence, race has finished!! Wonder if one of them is going to come back around, I’ll wait. I can see some tear offs, I’m going to get a lot of them this year, I’m 5 now. Don’t have to stay with me Dad at turn 3, I can slide down the big hill where the bus depot is, jump fence and pick em up all way down front straight. When me Dad said I was 5, I could go from turn 4 to turn 1, so I can now. Oh here’s middle of corner, he’s just up here. Can’t see nowt now, oh there’s the bikes, there’s a race, I’m going down t fence. Lots of people, wish I was taller, got them bars that me Dad leans on and he usually lets me stand on that. It’s Boocock and Gaveross, wish it was Younghusband and Boothroyd cos that’d been the first race. Oops theres a crash in the second corner and they’ve stopped the race. Looks like Boothroyd’s got a swan on the front of his chest, oh no me elephants gone and they’ve got a swan!!! I don’t like that, what they got a swan for, got to go back to school and tell me mates that I’ve been watching the swans!! I’m not going to tell em swans, I’m going to tell me Dad they’ve got swans. I don’t like swans!! I like elephants. I can’t see nothing and there’s been 6 races or is it 8. I want the toilet too, I want me elephant, I don’t want swans, and where’s me Dad. Everyone is cheering and everyone is clapping and me favourite song is playing too, “Ha Ha said the Clown” There’s me Dad, its half time. Got to go to toilet before racing starts again. . . . . LoL SCB, & Lioness, "Pawprint had the post" ()) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoddy Posted March 10, 2004 Report Share Posted March 10, 2004 I went for a bit from near the start of 84 and through 85. Sad to lose it but Bradford was not a bad replacement track for the racing and was as near to travel for me! Kenny Carter Neil Evitts Steve Baker Steve Finch Eric Monaghan Rod Hunter Kurt Hansen etc... great memories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trackman Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 2 of the best race track in the UK!...... Gone but not forgotten. (o( Regards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trevor Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 I cannot understand why an area as big as West Yorkshire, hasn't even got a Conference track! Is the problem lack of a Promoter, or suitable land for a track? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
25yearfan Posted March 11, 2004 Report Share Posted March 11, 2004 I believe the Shay stadium was squared of with new stands a few years ago so it would be very difficult to accommodate a speedway track there now. I was watching Rugby League from Odsal on the Tv the other week. The old track is still there just the shale's been taken of and the Rugby corners just overlaping which they used to before anyway (they would be lifted up for speedway and car meetings). The old pit's area (which were probably the best speedway pit's anywhere) have been built over by a plush looking multi story executive suite. Interesting to note that the suite follows the contours of the old speedway track so the tantilising possibility remains of speedway one day returning to a stadium and track that ranked up there with the best in the world, though a new pit's area would be needed to be built. The problem with Odsal now is the Rugby club have got the lease to it now and do not feel the work involved in preparing for speedway and stock car events are not worth the financial rewards they would get. Such a shame when the perimeter track which the shale track was once on is now doing nothing. Surely rent fron speedway and stock cars events (both of which were staged smoothly alongside Rugby and even football for a short period in the mid 80's at Odsal up to 1997) is better than the present situation of no income arising from the perimeter track? A couple of years back the company that owns Sheffield stadium announced plans to build a similar facility with a spedway track the same size as that at Owlerton in Leed's. I've heard nothing for quite a while now, does anyone know what is happening on this one at present? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razzer Posted May 2, 2004 Report Share Posted May 2, 2004 i was from 1976 through to sad demise , then to bradford , good but never quite the same Halifax and its banking was simply awesome - from chris pusey , henny kroeze , tormod langli, john louis , the brilliant kenny carter and people like alan graham how good was he at shay !! golden helmet races with carter and penhall , mike lee and the fastest bike we ever saw round there happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bee Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 As a Bees fan since 1960, I remember Halifax well visiting there on many occasions throughout the time the Shay was running, having moved from Middlesborough. Being a Boocock fan these were always fixtures we looked forward too. The two Brothers clashing. Great Days. The Stadium was never brilliant, but the track was good for good racing. The Shay Hotel was a good meeting place. I recall the days of Eric and the other Eric Mr Boothroyd, Dave Younghusband, Dennis Gavros, Bryan Elliot who you got from us! Greg Kentwell and a few others. I remember Henny Kroeze 21pt score, and other hero's there in the 70's as well like King Kenny, and Langli, Louis with his spell there. Ian Cartwright etc. Yes great days, sadly gone forever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WATigerman Posted May 11, 2004 Report Share Posted May 11, 2004 The Stadium was never brilliant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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