Admin phantom Posted November 21, 2018 Admin Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 I see that they have taken the decision to drop down from the Premiership down to the Championship Anybody know why they would do this? Certainly isn't to cut down on travel expenditure looking at where they will be racing Berwick, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leicester, Newcastle, Redcar, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Workington, together with two clubs who are expected to make the move up from the National League (third tier). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne allisons tongues Posted November 21, 2018 Report Share Posted November 21, 2018 Think it maybe due to the prices the riders get paid and also in Premiership can go back to there favoured race night of Friday. Premiership is fixed race nights of Monday and Wednesday unless you get special permission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
City Rocker Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 27 minutes ago, Med/MadHatter said: I used to love going to Eastville Stadium every week.............to watch the speedway! Same. We even stood on the decaying steps of the Tote End sometimes. As I recall there were a lot more of us there on a Friday night to see Crump, Gresham and Langli, than on Saturdays watching Prince, Pulis and Parsons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, City Rocker said: Same. We even stood on the decaying steps of the Tote End sometimes. As I recall there were a lot more of us there on a Friday night to see Crump, Gresham and Langli, than on Saturdays watching Prince, Pulis and Parsons. Don't forget Nigel Boocock and Neil Farnish ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miah Dennehy Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, slartibartfast said: Don't forget Nigel Boocock and Neil Farnish ! Who was the black guy with the chequred fag? Leigh something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Pack' It In Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 2 hours ago, slartibartfast said: Don't forget Nigel Boocock and Neil Farnish ! Also, Bob Cole, Henrik Krose (spelling?), Phil Bass, Soren Sjosten plus Phil Herne, great times (watched Bristol Speedway as a nipper) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 2 hours ago, Miah Dennehy said: Who was the black guy with the chequred fag? Leigh something? Can't remember, but he was quite famous throughout the sport, used to do internationals as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redysteadygo Posted April 13, 2020 Report Share Posted April 13, 2020 2 hours ago, City Rocker said: Same. We even stood on the decaying steps of the Tote End sometimes. As I recall there were a lot more of us there on a Friday night to see Crump, Gresham and Langli, than on Saturdays watching Prince, Pulis and Parsons. Dick Bradley and Johy Hole anyone. From Memories of Knowle Stadium During that heyday the riders regularly attracted 8,000 or 9,000 fans to the track – more than an average gate at Bristol Rovers – and on the first day of the 1977 season legend has it that 14,000 spectators turned up to watch the Bulldogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Net Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 On 13/04/2020 at 14:20, slartibartfast said: Don't forget Nigel Boocock and Neil Farnish ! What about the late Ivan Mauger? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banjo Island Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 20 minutes ago, In the Net said: What about the late Ivan Mauger? Tormod langli was my fave netty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Med/MadHatter Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 3 minutes ago, Banjo Island said: Tormod langli was my fave netty Phil Crump for me, used to watch his son Jason when he was at Poole ( sorry can't mention their last name on this forum!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 Anyone remember Tom Leadbitter ? He had a horrendous crash entering the Tote end corner, I thought he was going to be dead, but the crash ended his career (or at least hastened his retirement ). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Med/MadHatter Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 6 minutes ago, slartibartfast said: Anyone remember Tom Leadbitter ? He had a horrendous crash entering the Tote end corner, I thought he was going to be dead, but the crash ended his career (or at least hastened his retirement ). Yes I remember that, horrendous crash, I think he did retire soon after that accident Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Banjo Island Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 6 minutes ago, slartibartfast said: Anyone remember Tom Leadbitter ? He had a horrendous crash entering the Tote end corner, I thought he was going to be dead, but the crash ended his career (or at least hastened his retirement ). I was there for that slarti spetacular action that he was a goner for sure speedway friday nights and city home and away saturday luvly jubly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pillred Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Med/MadHatter said: The 70s version, I was still at school so had to bicycle down there from Winterbourne Was it really the 70s I was there that first night it returned after god knows how long, what an atmosphere, reckon it must have been the largest crowd that had been seen at Eastville for decades, remember him Phil Crump? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Med/MadHatter Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 37 minutes ago, pillred said: Was it really the 70s I was there that first night it returned after god knows how long, what an atmosphere, reckon it must have been the largest crowd that had been seen at Eastville for decades, remember him Phil Crump? Great atmosphere at the speedway, and the sweet smell of 2 stroke! Yep remember Phil, also used to see him at Poole as he was Jason's mechanic, great admiration for those guy's, they had balls of steel! Once I had the pleasure(?!) of riding one of those bikes, accelerated like lightning :laugh:, scared the bejeezus out of me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Maesknoll Red Posted April 14, 2020 Admin Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 1 hour ago, Med/MadHatter said: Great atmosphere at the speedway, and the sweet smell of 2 stroke! Yep remember Phil, also used to see him at Poole as he was Jason's mechanic, great admiration for those guy's, they had balls of steel! Once I had the pleasure(?!) of riding one of those bikes, accelerated like lightning :laugh:, scared the bejeezus out of me! Castrol R a smell never forgotten..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In the Net Posted April 14, 2020 Report Share Posted April 14, 2020 3 hours ago, Med/MadHatter said: Great atmosphere at the speedway, and the sweet smell of 2 stroke! Yep remember Phil, also used to see him at Poole as he was Jason's mechanic, great admiration for those guy's, they had balls of steel! Once I had the pleasure(?!) of riding one of those bikes, accelerated like lightning :laugh:, scared the bejeezus out of me! Loved it - used to go to Eastville and Swindon with my parents, then in later years to Poole with my husband, if we were on holiday in that area. Great times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norn Iron Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 11 hours ago, Med/MadHatter said: Phil Crump for me, used to watch his son Jason when he was at Poole ( sorry can't mention their last name on this forum!) Jason should have been back in the UK riding for Ipswich this season having been lured out of retirement. His dad was my favourite. First saw him ride for Newport before that team became Bristol Bulldogs. Phil used to live in Nailsea. There's a ridge, Morgans Hill, that runs from the Grove Sports Centre (is it still called that? Should have been named the Adge Cutler Sports Centre). One morning all I could hear was that fantastic sound from a Weslake or Jawa engine. It turned out Steve Gresham and Phil were testing out bikes. I went to the last ever Speedway final at Wembley in 1980. Steve Gresham was testing a bike in the nearby car park and he wasn't even racing that night! However, his fellow American Bruce Penhall did race and won the title. BTW, the freebie satellite channel Eurosport has the contract to show live UK Speedway this season. BT Sport has the rights for the World Championships. For those that don't know, it is run like F1 these days with a number of Grand Prixs. Speedway is still thrilling to watch and an ambition of mine is to go and watch a GP in Poland plus see the Bulldogs race again with former 3 times World Champion Tai Woffinden being the captain! The Poles love Speedway and have purpose built stadiums for it (check out Torun's). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Med/MadHatter Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 36 minutes ago, Norn Iron said: Jason should have been back in the UK riding for Ipswich this season having been lured out of retirement. His dad was my favourite. First saw him ride for Newport before that team became Bristol Bulldogs. Phil used to live in Nailsea. There's a ridge, Morgans Hill, that runs from the Grove Sports Centre (is it still called that? Should have been named the Adge Cutler Sports Centre). One morning all I could hear was that fantastic sound from a Weslake or Jawa engine. It turned out Steve Gresham and Phil were testing out bikes. I went to the last ever Speedway final at Wembley in 1980. Steve Gresham was testing a bike in the nearby car park and he wasn't even racing that night! However, his fellow American Bruce Penhall did race and won the title. BTW, the freebie satellite channel Eurosport has the contract to show live UK Speedway this season. BT Sport has the rights for the World Championships. For those that don't know, it is run like F1 these days with a number of Grand Prixs. Speedway is still thrilling to watch and an ambition of mine is to go and watch a GP in Poland plus see the Bulldogs race again with former 3 times World Champion Tai Woffinden being the captain! The Poles love Speedway and have purpose built stadiums for it (check out Torun's). Thanks for the info, I've not watched hardly any speedway since I emigrated to Canada in 2007 ( their tv sport hardly goes beyond ice hockey, baseball and NFL), but will look out for it on my IPTV when it returns later this year. Used to really enjoy the GP system too, built up the tension to the final all through the season, can't wait now! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Fred Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 13 hours ago, Med/MadHatter said: Great atmosphere at the speedway, and the sweet smell of 2 stroke! Yep remember Phil, also used to see him at Poole as he was Jason's mechanic, great admiration for those guy's, they had balls of steel! Once I had the pleasure(?!) of riding one of those bikes, accelerated like lightning :laugh:, scared the bejeezus out of me! Happy days.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Son of Fred Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 3 hours ago, Norn Iron said: Jason should have been back in the UK riding for Ipswich this season having been lured out of retirement. His dad was my favourite. First saw him ride for Newport before that team became Bristol Bulldogs. Phil used to live in Nailsea. There's a ridge, Morgans Hill, that runs from the Grove Sports Centre (is it still called that? Should have been named the Adge Cutler Sports Centre). One morning all I could hear was that fantastic sound from a Weslake or Jawa engine. It turned out Steve Gresham and Phil were testing out bikes. I went to the last ever Speedway final at Wembley in 1980. Steve Gresham was testing a bike in the nearby car park and he wasn't even racing that night! However, his fellow American Bruce Penhall did race and won the title. BTW, the freebie satellite channel Eurosport has the contract to show live UK Speedway this season. BT Sport has the rights for the World Championships. For those that don't know, it is run like F1 these days with a number of Grand Prixs. Speedway is still thrilling to watch and an ambition of mine is to go and watch a GP in Poland plus see the Bulldogs race again with former 3 times World Champion Tai Woffinden being the captain! The Poles love Speedway and have purpose built stadiums for it (check out Torun's). This will bring back memories.. Crumpy looking like an extra from 'planet of the apes,, And is that Nigel Boocock (seated) with an afro?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Taylor Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 14 hours ago, Med/MadHatter said: Great atmosphere at the speedway, and the sweet smell of 2 stroke! Yep remember Phil, also used to see him at Poole as he was Jason's mechanic, great admiration for those guy's, they had balls of steel! Once I had the pleasure(?!) of riding one of those bikes, accelerated like lightning :laugh:, scared the bejeezus out of me! Miss those days watching Swindon Ronins v Bristol Bulldogs, v Reading Racers, v Oxford Cheetahs either individually or in a four team tournament and many fans used to travel as we often raced on different evenings with no animosity just decent banter amonst the fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slartibartfast Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 17 minutes ago, Shaun Taylor said: Miss those days watching Swindon Ronins v Bristol Bulldogs, v Reading Racers, v Oxford Cheetahs either individually or in a four team tournament and many fans used to travel as we often raced on different evenings with no animosity just decent banter amonst the fans The only time I went away with the Bulldogs (Swindon) it was rained off ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Taylor Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 2 minutes ago, slartibartfast said: The only time I went away with the Bulldogs (Swindon) it was rained off ! That's the problem with speedway it always seemed to rain on race nights!! Shame Bristol can't create a new stadium and start again as I'm sure you have massive potential Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 36 minutes ago, Shaun Taylor said: That's the problem with speedway it always seemed to rain on race nights!! Shame Bristol can't create a new stadium and start again as I'm sure you have massive potential What sort of attendances do they get these days? Whenever I stumble across it on Sky Sports, the UK events always seem to be coming live from a patch of waste land on the edge of some sort of housing estate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Taylor Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 45 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said: What sort of attendances do they get these days? Whenever I stumble across it on Sky Sports, the UK events always seem to be coming live from a patch of waste land on the edge of some sort of housing estate. I would say as an average Swindon get 1500-2000 which is good for speedway these days. The crowd for the last home meeting in 2019 when Swindon completed the treble there was 5000-6000 and completely packed to the rafters. In general speedway is not well supported but a lot of that is due to not racing on a Friday or Saturday evening which basically stops young families from attending as it falls on a school night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiale Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 Would love Bristol to have a dedicated indoor racing / motor arena for anything from speedway / freestyle / banger racing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bristol Rob Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 4 minutes ago, Shaun Taylor said: I would say as an average Swindon get 1500-2000 which is good for speedway these days. The crowd for the last home meeting in 2019 when Swindon completed the treble there was 5000-6000 and completely packed to the rafters. In general speedway is not well supported but a lot of that is due to not racing on a Friday or Saturday evening which basically stops young families from attending as it falls on a school night I guess like most things, put a track in the right area and people will go and watch it. Not a sport I have ever really seen much appeal in watching, but get that for a lot of people it provides exciting racing and a format that allows you to follow 'your' team. I know it's popular in Europe, what sort of budgets do the teams operate with, there is something about how it is presented that makes it look low budget and amateur mechanic, but I am guessing it's a lot more monied and professional than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Taylor Posted April 15, 2020 Report Share Posted April 15, 2020 2 minutes ago, Bristol Rob said: I guess like most things, put a track in the right area and people will go and watch it. Not a sport I have ever really seen much appeal in watching, but get that for a lot of people it provides exciting racing and a format that allows you to follow 'your' team. I know it's popular in Europe, what sort of budgets do the teams operate with, there is something about how it is presented that makes it look low budget and amateur mechanic, but I am guessing it's a lot more monied and professional than that. Good point that it always looks amateurish and budgets are always kept quiet with the top riders more relying on good sponsorshp to pay for their engines etc. I guess all riders would be on a flat starting rate plus bonuses on top rather than sole payment for the points scored as the lesser riders who score low wouldn't be able to make a living. it an exciting sport when you watch it live and it makes you wonder why an earth anyone what want to do it considering the injuries they get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.