Speedway thread

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kenthammer
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Speedway thread

Post by kenthammer »

Anyone supporting or planning to watch any meetings next year,not much for London/Essex based fans to support with the demise of Lakeside/Rye house
Local team the Kings moving up to the Championship, good family entertainment though not the crowds of the old days
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by WHU Independent »

I have a mate who supports the Kent Kings - he lives near Tonbridge. He goes all the home games and he loves the speedway WC. Him and his wife go to as many WC games as they can and also go to Poland a lot. Not my cup of tea I'm afraid. I've watched some of it on TV and it doesn't do it for me.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

kenthammer wrote: Mon Dec 30, 2019 9:41 pm Anyone supporting or planning to watch any meetings next year,not much for London/Essex based fans to support with the demise of Lakeside/Rye house
Local team the Kings moving up to the Championship, good family entertainment though not the crowds of the old days
Lakeside fan here. My Dad went nearly every week but i'd go occasionally too. Gutted that it's stopped over there as my Dad had made good friends and it was a nice thing for us to do together other than football.

We've been on a bit of a Magical Mystery Tour over the last year or two. We've been to Peterborough, Poole, Rye House and Kent. Kent is about an hour from us, which isn't too shabby. The problem is the meeting time. I cant get home from work and then drive up there in time which is annoying.

I'll try and take my Dad up there again if i take a half day or something otherwise i might have a trek up to Ipswich, or maybe the Norfolk clubs Kings Lynn and Mildenhall (if that one is still going?).
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by old fart »

I used to watch Romford Bombers at Brooklands in the late sixties until someone complained about the noise

Phil woodcock was my hero
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Rio »

The demise of lakeside was a real blow.

Always preferred the SGP though. Some great racing in those
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by GaryP »

SGP killed British speedway. I said it would before it even started.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by kenthammer »

Mildenhall in the NDL next season
Kent changing to Weds next season but hopefully keep the bank holiday meetings as norm 15.30 starts
Still 18.30 start on Wed nights unfortunately thanks to the idiots on Swale Council
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by CRFC Hammer »

I used to go to Arena, worked on the track for a while during the Russell years, you really get to appreciate the speed and skill of the riders from the inside of the track. Andrew Silver, Martin Goodwin, Neil Middleditch, Leigh Adams, Bo Petersen, Brian Karger, Andy Galvin, Andreas Jonsson and my favourite Alan Mogridge all mastered the tight turns of the raceway to provide thrilling entertainment. Had many great away days and Northern tours were always good fun. Also, it was always good to be able to chat to the riders after the meeting in the bar.

You used to be able to go to Wimbledon on Wednesday, Arena on Thursday, Hackney on Friday, Canterbury on Saturday and Rye House on Sunday to get your Speedway fix, now it looks like Kent on a Wednesday is the only option or Eastbourne, though not sure if they race on Saturdays these days

Agree with GaryP that the SGP killed the sport in this country, not many of the elite riders need to race over here anymore and there doesn’t seem to be too many up and coming Brits that are going to break into the SGP and emulate Tai in becoming world champion.
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Re: Speedway thread

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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

old fart wrote: Thu Jan 16, 2020 1:23 pm I used to watch Romford Bombers at Brooklands in the late sixties until someone complained about the noise

Phil woodcock was my hero
Always an issue with Speedway unfortunately.

Will probably venture over to Kent next season. I hope the racing is better than last time.

BTW - If anybody hasnt read Tai's book i recommend it. Good insight into his life and the sport itself.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

CRFC Hammer wrote: Sun Jan 19, 2020 7:55 pm I used to go to Arena, worked on the track for a while during the Russell years, you really get to appreciate the speed and skill of the riders from the inside of the track. Andrew Silver, Martin Goodwin, Neil Middleditch, Leigh Adams, Bo Petersen, Brian Karger, Andy Galvin, Andreas Jonsson and my favourite Alan Mogridge all mastered the tight turns of the raceway to provide thrilling entertainment. Had many great away days and Northern tours were always good fun. Also, it was always good to be able to chat to the riders after the meeting in the bar.
Nice one. We'd being going since it opened in 84. Sad when it closed, even more so for my Dad who went every week. In a way i suppose we were lucky to have it so long. Seen so many clubs close in that time.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Rio »

Great Britain

World Cup Winners at last. 32 years since the last victory. And after losing star rider Tai Woffinden through injury

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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

Thought the Poles would win this so this is a very nice surprise. Without Tai for some of it is even more impressive.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

With what seems like the endless closure of tracks it's good to see one lost that's making a comeback.

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/19547 ... next-year/
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Whitton tank »

I'm wondering if there are any West Ham 'Hammers' out there. I fell in love with it only for it to close 18 months later😥.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

Whitton tank wrote: Sat Apr 09, 2022 3:55 pm I'm wondering if there are any West Ham 'Hammers' out there. I fell in love with it only for it to close 18 months later😥.
My Dad used to go, before my time though. Romford Bombers as well.
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Re: Speedway thread

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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Highway Star »

Very very sad to hear of Nigel Pearson's passing.

Only 52 as you say, and a well known commentator for darts, and a West Brom / Baggies fan.

He was perhaps best known for his commentating on speedway - known as "the voice of speedway" - where he formed a commentary partnership with Kelvin Tatum. In keeping with his Brummie/West Midlands connections, at club level in speedway he followed Cradley Heath 'Heathens' for many years (that contained speedway world champions such as Erik Gundersen, Jan O Pedersen, Billy Hamill, Greg Hancock, etc) a team now sadly gone at senior level, the old Dudley Wood greyhound stadium also gone, the Cradley name only kept going at 'junior' or 'development league' level these days predominantly for young up and coming teenagers etc, and of course the old Cradley race jacket had a big hammer on it, at Dudley Wood they also used to run individual meetings such as the 'Golden Hammer' and I think the local footie team Cradley Town is also nicknamed 'the hammers'. Cradley were definitely Nigel's team that he followed since he was a young lad and speedway was in his blood that he cared passionately about, covering League matches on BT Sport / Eurosport, and covering all of the Grand Prix meetings (for the Individual World Champion) on Sky, then when it moved to BT Sport, then Eurosport, and he was in place for its move this year to Discovery Channel. A giant within speedway that will be impossible to replace.

As a follower of speedway myself I'm shocked. It was announced to the speedway world last night and its difficult to take in. R.I.P. Nigel
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Cockneyboy311 »

Highway Star wrote: Sat Apr 16, 2022 12:51 pm Very very sad to hear of Nigel Pearson's passing.

Only 52 as you say, and a well known commentator for darts, and a West Brom / Baggies fan.

He was perhaps best known for his commentating on speedway - known as "the voice of speedway" - where he formed a commentary partnership with Kelvin Tatum. In keeping with his Brummie/West Midlands connections, at club level in speedway he followed Cradley Heath 'Heathens' for many years (that contained speedway world champions such as Erik Gundersen, Jan O Pedersen, Billy Hamill, Greg Hancock, etc) a team now sadly gone at senior level, the old Dudley Wood greyhound stadium also gone, the Cradley name only kept going at 'junior' or 'development league' level these days predominantly for young up and coming teenagers etc, and of course the old Cradley race jacket had a big hammer on it, at Dudley Wood they also used to run individual meetings such as the 'Golden Hammer' and I think the local footie team Cradley Town is also nicknamed 'the hammers'. Cradley were definitely Nigel's team that he followed since he was a young lad and speedway was in his blood that he cared passionately about, covering League matches on BT Sport / Eurosport, and covering all of the Grand Prix meetings (for the Individual World Champion) on Sky, then when it moved to BT Sport, then Eurosport, and he was in place for its move this year to Discovery Channel. A giant within speedway that will be impossible to replace.

As a follower of speedway myself I'm shocked. It was announced to the speedway world last night and its difficult to take in. R.I.P. Nigel
Good double act him and Kelvin. 52 is no age at all. RIP Nigel.
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Re: Speedway thread

Post by Whitton tank »

Cockneyboy311 wrote: Sun Apr 10, 2022 10:45 pm My Dad used to go, before my time though. Romford Bombers as well.
Nice one, amazing to think they once averaged over 40, 000 for league matches and I believe drew the largest ever crowd to a league match when visiting Wembley.
I attended Arena Essex in the first few seasons so my favourites there were Alan Sage and Martin Goodwin. Sadly missed!
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