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Ok.where did I say it was a fact!As usual you read to much into a Post and give your opinion(which you are entitled too)

You didn't.

 

Sorry if I upset you with my views - that was not my intention hence the smiley.

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My only real issue with the Star is the coverage of grasstrack racing, does anyone know how many readers are interested in this discipline of oval sport. Not knocking it at all, I have been to grass & sandtrack meets but the mag is the Speedway Star not Speedway & Grasstrack Star. Surely grass & sand racing would be better suited to, say, Motorcycle news. E.g. years ago there was a tabloid paper format publication, much like Speedway Mail, called Trials & Motocross News, dunno whether it's still published. Oh how newsagents would try to palm that one onto me as they couldn't be bothered searching for my 'Star or 'Mail. "But it's still motorbikes" used to be their last plea before the trouble of needing to look under the counter.

 

Also with the grasstrack coverage taking time out until the new year I'd like the 'Star to cover the amateur scene. Ok it's 'only' amateur guys & galls, but you do get some real competitive racing, there are fewer spills than you might imagine and this is where the next MDL, NJL, National league, etc riders will likely originate. The amateur scene is well worth a look as it's free entry, it is at Scunny, and it's a joy to behold how they rattle though 60+ heats in 4 hours....

Edited by Martin Mauger
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My only real issue with the Star is the coverage of grasstrack racing, does anyone know how many readers are interested in this discipline of oval sport. Not knocking it at all, I have been to grass & sandtrack meets but the mag is the Speedway Star not Speedway & Grasstrack Star. Surely grass & sand racing would be better suited to, say, Motorcycle news. E.g. years ago there was a tabloid paper format publication, much like Speedway Mail, called Trials & Motocross News, dunno whether it's still published. Oh how newsagents would try to palm that one onto me as they couldn't be bothered searching for my 'Star or 'Mail. "But it's still motorbikes" used to be their last plea before the trouble of needing to look under the counter.

 

Also with the grasstrack coverage taking time out until the new year I'd like the 'Star to cover the amateur scene. Ok it's 'only' amateur guys & galls, but you do get some real competitive racing, there are fewer spills than you might imagine and this is where the next MDL, NJL, National league, etc riders will likely originate. The amateur scene is well worth a look as it's free entry, it is at Scunny, and it's a joy to behold how they rattle though 60+ heats in 4 hours....

 

What is the actual casual spectator attendance at these amateur meetings - not those who are involved with or are related to a family member who is competing?

I support the 'Speedway Star' coverage of grass track racing. It is 'very closely related' to speedway in the bikes used and many of the riders who race at grass track meetings both in the UK and Europe are well known to speedway supporters. The same applies to long track racing, flat track racing and ice racing.

IMO the 'Speedway Star' has it correct in its coverage of the various types of track racing.

Edited by Guest
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My only real issue with the Star is the coverage of grasstrack racing, does anyone know how many readers are interested in this discipline of oval sport. Not knocking it at all, I have been to grass & sandtrack meets but the mag is the Speedway Star not Speedway & Grasstrack Star. Surely grass & sand racing would be better suited to, say, Motorcycle news. E.g. years ago there was a tabloid paper format publication, much like Speedway Mail, called Trials & Motocross News, dunno whether it's still published. Oh how newsagents would try to palm that one onto me as they couldn't be bothered searching for my 'Star or 'Mail. "But it's still motorbikes" used to be their last plea before the trouble of needing to look under the counter.

 

Also with the grasstrack coverage taking time out until the new year I'd like the 'Star to cover the amateur scene. Ok it's 'only' amateur guys & galls, but you do get some real competitive racing, there are fewer spills than you might imagine and this is where the next MDL, NJL, National league, etc riders will likely originate. The amateur scene is well worth a look as it's free entry, it is at Scunny, and it's a joy to behold how they rattle though 60+ heats in 4 hours....

I would say this is often the speedway fan view.As i posted on the Superprestigio thread,Flat track was tried out alongside speedway/Longtrack and a lot f fans cried out that they didn't want to be spending money watching it,rather if there was going to be more races,then please,more speedway.Guess it is the same with the Speedway Star,that fans don't want cycle speedway or flat track or now grasstrack taking up any space.Must say when i got the Star i didn't begrudge the Grasstrack section,i just thought it was poorly presented when compared to the speedway sections

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I would say this is often the speedway fan view.As i posted on the Superprestigio thread,Flat track was tried out alongside speedway/Longtrack and a lot f fans cried out that they didn't want to be spending money watching it,rather if there was going to be more races,then please,more speedway.Guess it is the same with the Speedway Star,that fans don't want cycle speedway or flat track or now grasstrack taking up any space.Must say when i got the Star i didn't begrudge the Grasstrack section,i just thought it was poorly presented when compared to the speedway sections

Agree with that. At least with Grasstrack it does include some names of current or past riders within their reports. If the grass track fraternity buy the SS, it can only help the circulation figures and our magazines viability.

Interestingly, the Speedway Star and News used to contain Ice Hockey News, so that combination would have been helpful to us, even though there would not have been a cross over element.

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Agree with that. At least with Grasstrack it does include some names of current or past riders within their reports. If the grass track fraternity buy the SS, it can only help the circulation figures and our magazines viability.

Interestingly, the Speedway Star and News used to contain Ice Hockey News, so that combination would have been helpful to us, even though there would not have been a cross over element.

When Oxford re-introduced an Ice Hockey team (1984) it was surprising how many speedway fans attended. It was a way of keeping in touch during the winter months...and good entertainment it was too!

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Some fair points, least it got everyone talking about it. I do read the grsstrack section, seen as I read the Star from cover to cover and back again, but pretty much skim through it unless speedway names are involved. It just isn't my top soprt. In some of the amateur events at Scunny they have flatrack section and road bikes. Indeed the one event I took my father to; last oval action Hull Angels 1949. (Ok he saw some beach racing with me at Filey, East Yorkshire in the late 1970's but 1949 sounds good). I finally wore him down and his interest was sparked purely by the varied bikes on dsiplay. But he throughly enjoyed it, talking my brother's ear off about it for ages, he enjoyed the speedway bikes too and will defo be back next year, maybe I could tempt him into attending a pukka speedway meet...

Edited by Martin Mauger
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In the late 1950s I was a keen ice hockey fan and used to watch the Harringay Racers and Wembley Monarchs (the clubs also had teams Harringay Racers and Wembley Lions). Most of the ice hockey supporters were also follows of the Harringay and Wembley speedway teams.

 

Also in the late 1950s the Speedway Star besides its ice hockey coverage also catered for sidecar racing, midget car racing, films and records!

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My late uncle, mums side of family, told me he watched at Harringay in the 1930's when they were called Tigers. Unfortunately he mentioned this to me very late in life and he became really ill and passed away before I had the chance to ask him any more....

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My late uncle, mums side of family, told me he watched at Harringay in the 1930's when they were called Tigers. Unfortunately he mentioned this to me very late in life and he became really ill and passed away before I had the chance to ask him any more....

 

The pre-war speedway team, with riders like Jack Parker, Jack Ormston and Norman Parker in the side, were the Tigers. In 1947 they were revived as Harringay Racers and led by Vic Duggan.

Over the years there was a lot of activity at the Arena, as the Link will show.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harringay_Arena

 

...and here's a Link to the speedway.

http://www.defunctspeedway.co.uk/Harringay.htm

 

You will also find some historical background to Harringay at

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com

 

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/board/51/harringay

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Thanks for the info, but I meant fans memories. My father doesn't recall much of Hull Angels' days at Hedon, 1948-49. There was zip to do in Hull on Saturday nites back then, some say nothing has changed. Being the youngest he would tag along with his brothers and sisters as it was their big nite out, sadly non-one kept programmes or bought mags of the day. Whereas in addition to proggies, 'Stars, 'Mails, Speedway Supporter (remember that), 5-1 magazines, Speedway Express, etc I kept almost all re-entry vouchers and even car park tickets from Hull Vikings' days at the Boulevard and Craven Park.

 

The Hedon site was ploughed over a few years ago, the Boulevard was levelled in 2009ish and Craven Park squared off at one end, turns 3 & 4,a few years back. So there is next to no tangible evidence speedway ever existed in Hull, certainly nothing physical that I'm aware of. And it will probably surprise no one to learn the sport will almost certainly not be represented in the Hull 2017 City Of Culture. Don't get me started on that subject....

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I always know when we've got a new postman, or a temporary one because my magazine arrives a day late and is almost always unpicked (slightly opened) in one corner. I guess that's because it's sent in a plain brown envelope. Poor old postie must be gutted when he peeps inside the envelope and sees pictures of men dressed in leathers.......there again.....

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SS is a great read during the season and covers the results World Wide ,the moaners on her don't even buy on a weekly basis( there prerogative)yet tell you how poor it is !!!!.I enjoy it all the year round it is a good casual read in the winter months.Subscription makes it a value for money magazine comparing it with other publications.

He probably wipes his a**e on it.

The first post is far more accurate in my opinion.

Edited by Hodgy
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  • 4 weeks later...

Shocked to see The Star on sale in M&S Orbital Shopping Park north Swindon today. On closer inspection all dated September 2016!!!???

Let's hope it's not like the Don McLean song......'The Day Swindon Speedway Died'!

Edited by Ray Stadia
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  • 1 month later...

Is anyone else in the country having problems with postal deliveries of their Star or is it just areas of West Central Scotland? I used to get mine on a Thursday, now it's any day up to Tuesday. I phoned Pinegen and was told subsription copies went out First Class on Wednesday. I phoned Royal Mail and was told First Class didn't mean day delivery and it could be up to ten days. The woman at R.M. said that the delivery contract was between R.M. and S.S. and my complaint was with S.S. It is on sale on Thursday in a supermarket five miles from me. :blink::unsure:

Edited by tyretrax
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