KIRKYLANE Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 If you had to pick one meeting as your most memorable meeting which would it be and why? For me it was my first meeting abroad in 1976 in Katowice where Peter Collins was crowned World champion… first Brit for 13 years to be World champion. 130,000 in the stadium with good racing and an experience of a lifetime… and a Belle Vue rider crowned as champion. over 62 years watching Speedway there have been many memorable meetings but this is number one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TINYS Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 6 minutes ago, KIRKYLANE said: If you had to pick one meeting as your most memorable meeting which would it be and why? For me it was my first meeting abroad in 1976 in Katowice where Peter Collins was crowned World champion… first Brit for 13 years to be World champion. 130,000 in the stadium with good racing and an experience of a lifetime… and a Belle Vue rider crowned as champion. over 62 years watching Speedway there have been many memorable meetings but this is number one I agree as I was in that crowd I was also in Poland in 1973 when Ivan Mauger lost in a run off with Jerzy Szczakiel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 I was there too, and it was our first (and only) speedway trip abroad. Fantastic atmosphere, just a meeting memories are made of. Still watch clips of it on YouTube. Our coach went onto Marianske Lazne, Czech for the following weeks long track world final. Much prefer speedway, though admire the courage of long trackers at those speeds. It was another world final that sticks in my mind. 1967, Ove Fundin 5th and last world final. First world final my girlfriend (now wife) went to and she thought me and my male mates were nuts jumping, in a circle, up and down when he won. That night Ove raced using an ESO bike with a JAP engine in. He still rated the JAP engine for Wembley track, though it still has to be set up right. Apparently he asked the Belle Vue mechanic to set the bike to get him to the first corner first, and he would do the rest. He dropped 1 point to his nemesis Igor Plechanov. That put him in a runoff with Bengt Jansson. The story goes, on the walk from the pits to the start line, Fundin “talked” Jansson out of him winning. The “wily fox” won. Whether the story is true or not, but it fits the result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.D Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 I have a few memorable meetings but my first is Eastbourne V hull in the early 80's I had been to a few meetings at Arlington since 1976 but was really young so don't remember that much. I went to Arlington still as a kid with friends on our bicycles to watch Eastbourne V Hull. Prompted by my mates I went and got a few autographs in the pits before the start, going back to my mates I asked 'Who was that?' That's Ivan Mauger was the reply.. I was hooked from heat 1, GK scored a full max, Kelly Moran and Paul Woods also went unbeaten in a 48-30 win. The rest for me is history, sometimes it's not the magnitude of the meeting but what it means at a personal level. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk127 Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 Many memorable meetings at Rayleigh watching Dingle Brown, Hughie Saunders, Bob Young, Geoff Maloney, Tiger Beech, Red Ott, Trevor Barnwell, Terry Stone and I remember clearly the first time I saw Peter Moore with those strange handlebars. Boy could that guy gate. One meeting that does stick out is one bank holiday when the rockets took on Boston and a young reserve Ivan Miller whooped Arthur Price a heat leader.i still have the picture that appeared in the Evening Echo with Miller leading Price, suffice to say Price was not happy. Then you had the days of Eastbourne and Dave Lanning, Canterbury and Johnnie Hoskins and the coach loads of Ipswich fans that use to descend on the Weir and then rivalry's with Romford in the Essex Gold Cup when Romford’s main protagonist was the one and only Brian Foote. Happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midlandred Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 Mine is the 1970 World Final in Wrocław, where Ivan Mauger carried off the title despite everything the East Europeans put in his way. Never been quite as emotional as when the National Anthem was played. Travelled with Ray Glover’s party from Sheffield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 (edited) 1993,'Wolverhampton v Belle Vue... Wolves needed a draw, and the Aces needed the win to be Champions.. No play offs then, just a league that ended with the top team winning.... The Aces were 8 points down, with only a few races left, and only that win on the night would do... The four of us there that night all agreed to watch one more race and then get out quickly, so we didn't have to watch the mullet headed Wolves fans (in all their 70's denim clothes), celebrate... Then the Aces got a 0-5.. Then suddenly a couple of races later, were one point up, with just one race left .. And then Bobby Ott flew from the tapes, with Jason Lyons riding shotgun, whilst Peter Karlsson did his best to spear him at the end of every straight, eventually doing so, lap 3, which let Henka Gustafsson through too... But neither could catch "Bob".... There must easily have been 800 and more Aces fans there that night (how times change), and the lady in the " Wolves Megastore" was particularly unimpressed when, as we finally left, I asked her if she had any "Wolves 1993 Champions" car stickers.. I think her face, and the pile of unopened boxes behind the wallpaper paste table used as a "display", told me the answer...... Big crowd, great atmosphere, and the right result... Just like the other night at the SON.... Edited July 15 by mikebv 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Central Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 4 minutes ago, mikebv said: 1993,'Wolverhampton v Belle Vue... Wolves needed a draw, and the Aces needed the win to be Champions.. No play offs then, just a league that ended with the top team winning.... The Aces were 8 points down, with only a few races left, and only that win on the night would do... The four of us there that night all agreed to watch one more race and then get out quickly, so we didn't have to watch the mullet headed Wolves fans (in all their 70's denim clothes), celebrate... Then the Aces got a 0-5.. Then suddenly a couple of races later, were one point up, with just one race left .. And then Bobby Ott flew from the tapes, with Jason Lyons riding shotgun, whilst Peter Karlsson did his best to spear him at the end of every straight, eventually doing so, lap 3, which let Henka Gustafsson through too... But neither could catch "Bob".... There must easily have been 800 and more Aces fans there that night (how times change), and the lady in the " Wolves Megastore" was particularly unimpressed when, as we finally left, I asked her if she had any "Wolves 1993 Champions" car stickers.. I think her face, and the pile of unopened boxes behind the wallpaper paste table used as a "display", told me the answer...... Big crowd, great atmosphere, and the right result... Just like the other night at the SON.... Mine too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 41 minutes ago, mikebv said: 1993,'Wolverhampton v Belle Vue... Wolves needed a draw, and the Aces needed the win to be Champions.. No play offs then, just a league that ended with the top team winning.... The Aces were 8 points down, with only a few races left, and only that win on the night would do... The four of us there that night all agreed to watch one more race and then get out quickly, so we didn't have to watch the mullet headed Wolves fans (in all their 70's denim clothes), celebrate... Then the Aces got a 0-5.. Then suddenly a couple of races later, were one point up, with just one race left .. And then Bobby Ott flew from the tapes, with Jason Lyons riding shotgun, whilst Peter Karlsson did his best to spear him at the end of every straight, eventually doing so, lap 3, which let Henka Gustafsson through too... But neither could catch "Bob".... There must easily have been 800 and more Aces fans there that night (how times change), and the lady in the " Wolves Megastore" was particularly unimpressed when, as we finally left, I asked her if she had any "Wolves 1993 Champions" car stickers.. I think her face, and the pile of unopened boxes behind the wallpaper paste table used as a "display", told me the answer...... Big crowd, great atmosphere, and the right result... Just like the other night at the SON.... I was there and I think I rode second half that night too and as a wolves fan I was gutted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 11 minutes ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said: I was there and I think I rode second half that night too and as a wolves fan I was gutted Gutted for you Dean... I seem to remember that Sam was in hospital, hence Henka guested, and they had him on the phone over the PA several times duing the meeting... I must confess several of us did shout "Get Sam back on!", more than once at the end... The place was rammed that night and showcased everything that is great about this sport.. Real rivalry, proper hard racing, a massive crowd with the resultant atmosphere that such crowds bring, and an amazing last heat decider... Such a shame that the raw material of the racing, which can still often be great nowadays, doesn't get supported by what surrounds it..., 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 7 minutes ago, mikebv said: Gutted for you Dean... I seem to remember that Sam was in hospital, hence Henka guested, and they had him on the phone over the PA several times duing the meeting... I must confess several of us did shout "Get Sam back on!", more than once at the end... The place was rammed that night and showcased everything that is great about this sport.. Real rivalry, proper hard racing, a massive crowd with the resultant atmosphere that such crowds bring, and an amazing last heat decider... Such a shame that the raw material of the racing, which can still often be great nowadays, doesn't get supported by what surrounds it..., I remember John Perrin not being there because of some dispute, but yes great memory of how fantastic speedway could be 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 1 minute ago, THE DEAN MACHINE said: I remember John Perrin not being there because of some dispute, but yes great memory of how fantastic speedway could be Yes. John Hall led the team... He is in the video of the night berating PK at the end of the last heat as he came past, "It's not effing Stock Cars"... Happy Days... Used to attend four or five tracks a week all over the country... Now, my mortgage would cost me much less if I tried the same.. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 24 minutes ago, mikebv said: Yes. John Hall led the team... He is in the video of the night berating PK at the end of the last heat as he came past, "It's not effing Stock Cars"... Happy Days... Used to attend four or five tracks a week all over the country... Now, my mortgage would cost me much less if I tried the same.. I followed wolves everywhere until I started riding in 93 then obviously things changed but I still went pretty much wolves every week,I live 2 miles from track, then after I retired I spannered for skornicki so was going everywhere with wolves again,,I can’t really believe monmore is no more and sad to say there isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel regarding wolves at the moment, I’ve only been to 4 meetings this year 2 at BV 1at Workington and 1at Isle of Wight 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 British League Riders Finals 1965-late 70’s at Hyde Rd,it was like watching a World Final every year,packed in like sardines could hardly get your hands out your pocket.Then there was the Amusment Park before and after the Meetings .Great Memories for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambo Posted July 15 Report Share Posted July 15 Monday 4th October 2010. Poole v Coventry. Play Off Final. 2nd Leg. Chris Harris Man-of-Steel. Nuff said! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted July 16 Report Share Posted July 16 Too many to narrow it down, but I'll start with these... 1981 World Final 1989 NL KOC Semi - Dons against Poole. We got a draw after losing the first four heats 5-1! 1976 Grand Prix Final at White City. My first visit to Wood Lane. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruno Posted July 16 Report Share Posted July 16 One for me was around 76 I think, it was a cup meeting v Newport. We went down 49 - 29 on the Friday but at Dudley Wood the next day won 51 -27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted July 16 Report Share Posted July 16 5 minutes ago, bruno said: One for me was around 76 I think, it was a cup meeting v Newport. We went down 49 - 29 on the Friday but at Dudley Wood the next day won 51 -27 I was there! August 1975. Cradley did it with just 6 riders as well as Sandor Levai withdrew following a first heat fall. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdave Posted July 16 Report Share Posted July 16 1981 World Final at Wembley - Apart from the two Bruce Penhall races, it's the only meeting I've ever been to where you couldn't hear the noise from the bikes due to the noise that the crowd was making. What an atmosphere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ch958 Posted July 16 Report Share Posted July 16 Sept 1972, Teesside v Bradford. 40 - 38, Dave Durham beat Dave Baugh on the last corner of the last lap in the last heat. Never forgotten it!! DD was the master at diving under people at Cleveland Park 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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