If Only All Speedway Races Were This Good..

[AndyJ]

Apologies if this topic has been covered before (I'm sure it must have been but can't find it) but, after stumbling across the below video I felt I just had to share the link.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUw_cs6CsEs

 

It's a 1995 race between Seb Ulamek, Billy Hamill, Piotr Swist and Joe Screen and involves Screen stalking the team-riding Swist and Hamill for the majority of the race, seemingly unable to find a way past, he somehow bursts through a tiny gap and claims the victory in front of a rapturous crowd. I recall seeing the race being repeatedly played on the screens at Belle Vue in the late 90's and a while back saw some poor quality uploads of it on Youtube. Today I finally found a quality recording of it (the above link).

 

Now I'm sure there are plenty of races that many would rate higher -

for example contains many crackers - but the Screen video for me is a reminder of how lucky we Aces fans were to have experienced such Screen magic on a regular basis during his first spell with the club. If only all his exploits were available to watch today.

 

Any other recommended 'must watch' races?

[SCB]

Im sure Screens team needed a 3-3 in that race to avoid relegation making it, for the fans at the time, all the better as he went through that gap!

[stratton]

Apologies if this topic has been covered before (I'm sure it must have been but can't find it) but, after stumbling across the below video I felt I just had to share the link.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUw_cs6CsEs

 

It's a 1995 race between Seb Ulamek, Billy Hamill, Piotr Swist and Joe Screen and involves Screen stalking the team-riding Swist and Hamill for the majority of the race, seemingly unable to find a way past, he somehow bursts through a tiny gap and claims the victory in front of a rapturous crowd. I recall seeing the race being repeatedly played on the screens at Belle Vue in the late 90's and a while back saw some poor quality uploads of it on Youtube. Today I finally found a quality recording of it (the above link).

 

Now I'm sure there are plenty of races that many would rate highŷer -

for example contains many crackers - but the Screen video for me is a reminder of how lucky we Aces fans were to have experienced such Screen magic on a regular basis during his first spell with the club. If only all his exploits were available to watch today.

 

Any other recommended 'must watch' races?

Great race that Screeny at his best, the ones that stick out in my mind are 1./at Sheffield England v Sweden 1973.Test match Michanek,T Jansson,Collins, E.Boocock 2./ 1976 world final Collins pass of Simmo. 3./ Ray Wilson holding off the unlucky Ashby in the 1975 British Final run off for a place at Wembley there are endless others 'TKdandy' which is why most of us still keep going to our great sport.

[Leicester Hunter]

Ray Wilson holding off the unlucky Ashby in the 1975 British Final run off for a place at Wembley

Certainly is, Sidney. Rated by some critics as the best match race they've ever seen.

[Pirate Nick]

Saw him for what will be the last time for me (unless he does a farewell meeting) at Glasgow last weekend. A pleasure to watch him screaming round the banking, leg trailing out the back. Riders like him a few and far between, treasure the memories.

[stratton]

Certainly is, Sidney. Rated by some critics as the best match race they've ever seen.

I loved Ashby but Ray was a hero of mine in 75 i never told anyone i liked Wlson bostik leathers hard rider but fair for me he was one of the few who could beat Briggs and Mauger on merit nice man great rider.

[pawel115]

This is one of the reasons Joe Screen is still a hero to Czestochowa fans and together with Mark Loram the most fondly remembered British riders in Polish league in the last 20 years

[E I Addio]

I loved Ashby but Ray was a hero of mine in 75 i never told anyone i liked Wlson bostik leathers hard rider but fair for me he was one of the few who could beat Briggs and Mauger on merit nice man great rider.

 

Absolutely right there Sidney but add to that he had a nice tidy riding style and always good machine control. Great rider to watch. tool a fair number of track records as well, as I recall.

[stratton]

 

 

Absolutely right there Sidney but add to that he had a nice tidy riding style and always good machine control. Great rider to watch. tool a fair number of track records as well, as I recall.

His record from 1968 until 1974 in big individuals events was very good and as you said he did hold a few track records that one year did Leicester have Ray,DJ, and the vastly underrated Boulger.?

[Leicester Hunter]

His record from 1968 until 1974 in big individuals events was very good and as you said he did hold a few track records that one year did Leicester have Ray,DJ, and the vastly underrated Boulger.?

Yes they did, and that would be 1973. But DJ was injured on 17th April in their home match with Ipswich, missing exactly 3 months of the season, making his comeback on 17th July against Reading. That might have cost them a decent tilt at the league title, as all three heat leaders feasibly might have achieved 10+ averages that season.

[stratton]

Yes they did, and that would be 1973. But DJ was injured on 17th April in their home match with Ipswich, missing exactly 3 months of the season, making his comeback on 17th July against Reading. That might have cost them a decent tilt at the league title, as all three heat leaders feasibly might have achieved 10+ averages that season.

Bloody hell Hunter your memory is well pretty good ! always liked Ray goes without saying Boulger for me was a very good rider world class underrated.Jessup i never really liked as a rider but he was some rider no doubt about that.If i think of Leicester Wilson, Boulger,Storer,Auffrett, and both the Whites come to mind Vic and Keith.

[EnglishRoundabout]

aham

Yes they did, and that would be 1973. But DJ was injured on 17th April in their home match with Ipswich, missing exactly 3 months of the season, making his comeback on 17th July against Reading. That might have cost them a decent tilt at the league title, as all three heat leaders feasibly might have achieved 10+ averages that season.

Didn't you guys have Graham Plant in that side as well?

[stratton]

 

Didn't you guys have Graham Plant in that side as well?

He rode for them from 1968 until 1971 and i think he won the British U21 junior championship.I exspect Hunter will put me right didn't Plant ride in the same team as the American Dewayne Keeter.? Edited August 31, 2013 by sidney

[EnglishRoundabout]

Saw the Ashby/Wilson race at Brandon. Agree that it was the best match race I have seen. Martin was just too nice though. Always a gentleman on and off track, but it cost him a world final place that day.

[Leicester Hunter]

Didn't you guys have Graham Plant in that side as well?

No, allocated to Newport for 1972 under rider control. Lions got DJ from defunct Wembley as recompense.

He rode for them from 1968 until 1971 and i think he won the British U21 junior championship.I exspect Hunter will put me right didn't Plant ride in the same team as the American Dewayne Keeter.?

Yes, he did. And they were in the team that went unchanged throughout the 1969 League Championship campaign, a record that will never be beaten! I knew DJ was injured sometime in 1973, but couldn't remember when. I looked up the details in Alan Jones excellent book 'When The Lions Roared' which covers the years 1968-83. Shame Blackbird Road was redeveloped, a great race track. Edited September 1, 2013 by Leicester Hunter

[stratton]

No, allocated to Newport for 1972 under rider control. Lions got DJ from defunct Wembley as recompense.

Yes, he did. And they were in the team that went unchanged throughout the 1969 League Championship campaign, a record that will never be beaten! I knew DJ was injured sometime in 1973, but couldn't remember when. I looked up the details in Alan Jones excellent book 'When The Lions Roared' which covers the years 1968-83. Shame Blackbird Road was redeveloped, a great race track.

It was a great track i loved going there ,over a few years in the Rogers era Gramstad, Courtney, Cook (ect).We rode Leicester alot i think the Midland cup and maybe other cups i think we had a good record against them generally.With Blackbird RD if i remember rightly didnt the stadium have alot of pylons now maybe they're would of been a safety issue great track though.I see one of the Golden Gauntlet meetings i think Scott Autrey won it the year i went.

[Leicester Hunter]

It was a great track i loved going there ,over a few years in the Rogers era Gramstad, Courtney, Cook (ect).We rode Leicester alot i think the Midland cup and maybe other cups i think we had a good record against them generally.With Blackbird RD if i remember rightly didnt the stadium have alot of pylons now maybe they're would of been a safety issue great track though.I see one of the Golden Gauntlet meetings i think Scott Autrey won it the year i went.

And Swindon always won 40-38 (happiness!) at Leicester during the Martin Rogers era. But you're right about the lamp standards, they were dual purpose if I remember rightly, for both speedway/stock cars and greyhounds. Saw one of them demolished at the end of an individual meeting, a tangle between Alan Grahame and Doug Wyer I think, although no-one was injured thankfully. Health & Safety would have a fit if they saw those things so close to a track these days! Scott Autrey won the Golden Gauntlets three years in a row (78-80), virtually unbeatable at Leicester in those days.

[stratton]

And Swindon always won 40-38 (happiness!) at Leicester during the Martin Rogers era. But you're right about the lamp standards, they were dual purpose if I remember rightly, for both speedway/stock cars and greyhounds. Saw one of them demolished at the end of an individual meeting, a tangle between Alan Grahame and Doug Wyer I think, although no-one was injured thankfully. Health & Safety would have a fit if they saw those things so close to a track these days! Scott Autrey won the Golden Gauntlets three years in a row (78-80), virtually unbeatable at Leicester in those days.

Ive got the Ray WIlson DVD and he said that he didn't ever think about the lamp standards when he raced.And visiting riders they loved riding there as it was a good and fair racetrack no home advantage.Going back to the Blackbird rd days how good was Ila Teromaa? i see him in the 1977 BLRC and he was excellent he also he reached the Wembley jubilee final.I think he badly broke his leg and was never the same a shame as he could of been a force for a few years.

[Leicester Hunter]

Ive got the Ray WIlson DVD and he said that he didn't ever think about the lamp standards when he raced.And visiting riders they loved riding there as it was a good and fair racetrack no home advantage.Going back to the Blackbird rd days how good was Ila Teromaa? i see him in the 1977 BLRC and he was excellent he also he reached the Wembley jubilee final.I think he badly broke his leg and was never the same a shame as he could of been a force for a few years.

Well, if ever a rider didn't achieve what was expected, he has to be a prime contender for that accolade. Came over from Finland as an unknown in 1975, did reasonably well, upped his average to almost 9 over the next two seasons, still averaged almost 8.75 in '78 in a much stronger Lions team. Then he requested a transfer, presumably to become a No1 in his own right, request denied, he got injured on the continent early in the '79 season, and his average plummeted. He was eventually sold to Cradley Heath after the Lions had virtually finished their league programme and avoided the wooden spoon, but due to the 50 point rule, did not complete any home matches for the Heathens that season, and was cup-tied too. After that, his career in Britain just ebbed away, really, and he retired from British speedway at the end of the 1980 season, finishing his riding days in the German Bundesleague. A great shame, and a missed opportunity in many ways.

[EnglishRoundabout]

Going back to Blackbird Road Hunter, I visited once in the 70's and you guys gave the Robins a real thumping. I seem to recall as Sidders says, the track being very fair. But from memory it was similar to Blunsdon. Am I right in thinking that? Memory fades as years go past! Incidentally, when you think back, it was amazing how many tracks were of a bigger shape/size in the 70's. I can think of Hyde Road, Blackbird Road, Blunsdon, The Shay, Owlerton, White City Saddlebow Road and The County Ground at Exeter. The others such as Waterden Road, Brandon and Smallmead were also a fair size. Plough Lane was the only small track in those days that I can think of anyway.