Just One Race (or maybe two!)

[chunky]

5 hours ago, NeilWatson said:

https://youtu.be/YjG_LavdVpI

Note the dapper start-line assistant in blue!

I take it that was you, then? 

I'd never been to Peterborough at that point, and what really impressed me was that all three were taking totally different lines for the whole race, and nobody was able to get any advantage.

Steve

[steve roberts]

55 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Erik and Tommy had there successe's  against Nielsen  at Cowley Blackbird/!Phorp/ Doncaster won the odd race here and there otherwise Hans took the p...,     great rider no doubt a great advert to speedway as well.

Yes Hans and Erik used to have some titanic battles at Cowley but Nielsen was truly 'King' at Cowley and set the standard and some of his manoeuvres when he missed the gate (which wasn't often) were very classy using the apex of the bends as momentum in taking opponents when exiting or lining himself up entering the next bend. However Jan O. Pedersen used to be able to pick up traction where nobody else was able to...another very classy rider.

Edited February 22, 2019 by steve roberts

[stevehone]

10 minutes ago, chunky said:

I take it that was you, then? 

I'd never been to Peterborough at that point, and what really impressed me was that all three were taking totally different lines for the whole race, and nobody was able to get any advantage.

Steve

proper racetrack Steve

[Gavan]

5 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Did you ever think Gavan Mark would be a world champ?  when you have a affinity with a rider it is special .I did with a lower/ Lesser rider but when they do well it is great Loram god he was exciting to watch he put bums on seats.

If I’m honest no never expected that certainly not over a gp season never thought Mark could string together 6 consistent gp’s together as sometimes certain tracks wouldn’t suit and could easily make the final one gp and score poorly the next one. On a given day on the right track (Vojens or Bydgoszcz) he could have won a one off.

My uncle used to sponsor him at 15 and at many grass track meetings , Mark , Screeny and Schoey would pop over to my uncles van for a sandwich and sausage rolls. 

Watched him progress right through and it was so sad my auntie died in feb 2000 and never sad her ‘Marky’ win the world title. Mark being the man he is came to her funeral and to this day I’m still in touch with his old mechanic Jorge

[Sidney the robin]

6 hours ago, Gavan said:

If I’m honest no never expected that certainly not over a gp season never thought Mark could string together 6 consistent gp’s together as sometimes certain tracks wouldn’t suit and could easily make the final one gp and score poorly the next one. On a given day on the right track (Vojens or Bydgoszcz) he could have won a one off.

My uncle used to sponsor him at 15 and at many grass track meetings , Mark , Screeny and Schoey would pop over to my uncles van for a sandwich and sausage rolls. 

Watched him progress right through and it was so sad my auntie died in feb 2000 and never sad her ‘Marky’ win the world title. Mark being the man he is came to her funeral and to this day I’m still in touch with his old mechanic Jorge

Remember seeing Mark as a mascot and then like Tatum,Screen,Doncaster thrown straight in the deep end.I think when he dropped down a league his career changed that then set him on a upwards spiral in way he reminded me of Peter Collins his gating not the best busting a gut often coming from the back.

[steve roberts]

26 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Remember seeing Mark as a mascot and then like Tatum,Screen,Doncaster thrown straight in the deep end.I think when he dropped down a league his career changed that then set him on a upwards spiral in way he reminded me of Peter Collins his gating not the best busting a gut often coming from the back.

Remember Kelvin as a relatively 'wild & woolly' debutant riding for the 'Dons' until Malcolm Simmons took him aside and ironed out a few faults. He nearly ended up at Cowley but eventually decided on Coventry.

Talking of spectacular races I recall the great ride Martin Dugard put in at Cowley during the 1989 Gold Cup Final where he stalked and passed aforementioned Tatum and, I think, Greg Hancock who was proving a handful that night and went on for a win on the line. Great memories!

[NeilWatson]

10 hours ago, chunky said:

I take it that was you, then? 

I'd never been to Peterborough at that point, and what really impressed me was that all three were taking totally different lines for the whole race, and nobody was able to get any advantage.

Steve

Yes it was, and my dad was the starting marshall. For quite a while my brother-in-law was with us in yellow, and my sister played the music (vinyl in those days).

[Gavan]

5 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Remember seeing Mark as a mascot and then like Tatum,Screen,Doncaster thrown straight in the deep end.I think when he dropped down a league his career changed that then set him on a upwards spiral in way he reminded me of Peter Collins his gating not the best busting a gut often coming from the back.

He was put in the British league for Hackney in 1987 when all top flight teams had to promote a junior. Marks job was basically to beat the other number 7 which he more than often did along with the number sixes and second strings.

Hackney dropped down in 1988 and Mark became a top National League rider as it was then forming a potent spearhead with Andy Galvin and a certain Chris Louis at reserve.

He moved to Ipswich in 1989 with the John Louis/Mike Western promotion along with Moggo and Chris Louis. He didnt have such a great season in 1989 as he had issues changing from Weslake to Godden, though he was able to win the National League Riders title and Coventry towards the end of the season.

Mark over the years became known as a 'miss the gate' rider but i can assure you that in his first 2 seasons in 1987 and 1988 his gating was up there with the best. I think as he became older and taller it became an issue

[fatface]

15 hours ago, lucifer sam said:

Three races from the same night, with the same result.  Carl Blackbird beat Hans Nielsen from behind three times.  At Cowley. In 1986.  The year that Hans won his first World Championship, and recorded a 11.83 average from BL matches.

It does make you wonder why Carl Blackbird didn’t go further. I recall he had a decent run as Golden Helmet holder around that time too...might even have beaten Gundersen in that run too? 

[steve roberts]

1 hour ago, falcace said:

It does make you wonder why Carl Blackbird didn’t go further. I recall he had a decent run as Golden Helmet holder around that time too...might even have beaten Gundersen in that run too?

In an interview in 'Backtrack'  some years ago he explained that, like many, finances were an issue...or the lack of.

[Tigerblade]

On 2/22/2019 at 1:07 PM, lucifer sam said:

Yes, I don't think he expected it.  In the end, he was caught out by wanting to entertain.  Rather than simply feigning an engine failure, he pulled the wheelies. 

Dave Jessup and Larry Ross did something similar 12 months earlier... without the wheelies.  Hardly a murmur from the crowd, although an inquiring young Lucifer Sam did ask my dad what was going on.  I think that's what annoyed so much - the inconsistency.  DJ and Ross were allowed to do it, but Penhall does it and he's suddenly Public Enemy No 1.

White City wasn't the best track, but it was less than a hour from us and where we tended to go for big meetings.  There was always memorable going on - Penhall and Carter locking together in '81; Penhall throwing Heat 19 in 82; Sigalos v Nielsen in both the 1982 British Open and 1983 ICF (run-off between the two in one, and controversy in the second).

 

On 2/22/2019 at 1:08 PM, chunky said:

Not cheating; team-riding... Not the first time it happened, and won't be the last, but nobody complains when the Brits do it.

Steve

 

On 2/22/2019 at 2:13 PM, Sidney the robin said:

Or Ole in 1982 Vetlanda with Bo/Erik.

Absolutely..... As I've often posted, I saw/heard Jeremy Doncaster getting dog's abuse at the 1994 Overseas Final at Coventry for NOT letting Joe Screen past, who needed the points, when the Donc was already through after what he'd got in his previous heats. 

Also, 1980, British Semi Final at Sheffield... Michael Lee needs a win, but who is in his last heat with him... his team mate, and the previously unbeaten, Dave Jessup!  The rest, as they say, is history....  Could say it backfired on DJ in the end. 

[Terry]

16 minutes ago, Tigerblade said:

 

 

Absolutely..... As I've often posted, I saw/heard Jeremy Doncaster getting dog's abuse at the 1994 Overseas Final at Coventry for NOT letting Joe Screen past, who needed the points, when the Donc was already through after what he'd got in his previous heats. 

 

If I remember correctly Louis could've missed out in a run-off for the last few places if Doncaster had let Screen through. I think Ermolenko and Hancock gave Josh Larsen a 'leg up' in that meeting also.

I always thought it all added to the excitement of those qualifiers, trying to work out who's going to help who in the last round of heats..even though it was basically cheating!

[Ovalman]

On 2/23/2019 at 1:20 PM, steve roberts said:

In an interview in 'Backtrack'  some years ago he explained that, like many, finances were an issue...or the lack of.

A case of Bye Bye Blackbird

[steve roberts]

4 hours ago, Terry said:

If I remember correctly Louis could've missed out in a run-off for the last few places if Doncaster had let Screen through. I think Ermolenko and Hancock gave Josh Larsen a 'leg up' in that meeting also.

I always thought it all added to the excitement of those qualifiers, trying to work out who's going to help who in the last round of heats..even though it was basically cheating!

It's always gone in speedway whereby 'favours' have been exchanged. There was of course the infamous Sunday People investigation but I personally never took too much notice of it and it's a question I shall be asking Martin Rogers for his views in his 'Questions & Answers' Column in the 'Backtrack' magazine at a later date.

[foamfence]

1 minute ago, steve roberts said:

It's always gone in speedway whereby 'favours' have been exchanged. There was of course the infamous Sunday People investigation but I personally never took too much notice of it and it's a question I shall be asking Martin Rogers for his views in his 'Questions & Answers' Column in the 'Backtrack' magazine at a later date.

A lot of people DID take notice of it, especially when the named riders admitted it, I had quite a large group of friends who travelled to big meetings all over the country and weekly at our local track, they all quit going soon after that.

[Ovalman]

1 hour ago, foamfence said:

A lot of people DID take notice of it, especially when the named riders admitted it, I had quite a large group of friends who travelled to big meetings all over the country and weekly at our local track, they all quit going soon after that.

Didn't follow speedway then..what was the story?

[foamfence]

52 minutes ago, auntie doris said:

Didn't follow speedway then..what was the story?

Riders were open to bribery, someone would approach a riders and say 'so and so' wants to win the meeting and there's (whatever the inducement was) for you if you let him win the next race and maybe get under everyone else's feet as well. Some were openly bragging about it, some made it obvious when they suddenly slowed to let someone through and this was happening at all levels. It was eventually highlighted in a Sunday newspaper, complete with famous riders openly admitting it and seemingly seeing nothing wrong with it. I can't give figures but it seemed that a significant number of people stopped supporting and It never recovered, I knew a fair number who never went back and now consider the sport a joke. These days I'm sure there's much less of it but riders are still leading the sport's eventual demise by taking more out of it than is going in.

[Gavan]

7 hours ago, Terry said:

If I remember correctly Louis could've missed out in a run-off for the last few places if Doncaster had let Screen through. I think Ermolenko and Hancock gave Josh Larsen a 'leg up' in that meeting also.

I always thought it all added to the excitement of those qualifiers, trying to work out who's going to help who in the last round of heats..even though it was basically cheating!

Chris Louis was winning the heat in question and with Screen in third it ensured that Joe didn’t make a run off with Loram Louis and Hamill for 3 spots. Donkey kept Screen behind him and meant there was no need for a run off. Donkey hadn’t qualified he was already out and he blocked Screens every move.

Dont forget Donkeys partner was Pat Louis who was firstly Chris’s mum and secondly mother to Joanne who at that time was Mark Loram partner so of course Donkey wanted those 2 through.

 

[cityrebel]

I seem to remember Jonn Louis having a titanic battle with Bruce Penhall at the 1979 BLRC at Hyde Road. The tiger was past his best, but a well deserved winner on the night.

[bill94d]

Dick Campbell beating Ivor Brown at old Meadowbank from the back for the Silver Sash is the best I've seen but there can't be many left who also did!