The closure of Newport Speedway because of a dispute with the BSPA is the Valentine’s Day news that speedway fans didn’t want to hear and, given talk of potential interested parties, hope will soon prove to be only temporary. Over past years, club co-promoters Steve and Nick Mallett have spoken honestly to the media...
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Tags: #speedwaylife, BSPA, Newport Hornets, Newport Hornets Speedway, Newport speedway, Newport Speedway closure, Newport Speedway sale, Newport Wasps, Newport Wasps Speedway, Nick Mallett, Steve Mallett, the late Tim Stone, Tim Stone
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Along with the flood of tweets from speedway riders, satellite television reporters, fans, service industry personnel, bigheads and, of course, occasional blowhards: there were numerous Twitter photos posted too. Some of these photos take us behind the scenes in never before seen ways. Others showcase the mundane life that’s the frequent flier, hard driving...
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Tags: #speedwaylife, speedway life, speedway photos, speedway rider photos, speedway rider Twitter photos, speedway riders Twitter, speedway Twitter, speedway Twitter photos
Posted in Archive of Blog |
To enter the BSPA website competition to win one of the two copies of #speedwaylife: Sideways Quotes, Tweets & Comments, click on the contact button above* and answer the following question: which speedway rider has tweeted the most? Please provide your name and full postal address along with your answer. * Note: please DON’T submit...
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Tags: #speedwaylife, #speedwaylife: Sideways Quotes, Bouquet of Shale, BSPA, BSPA competition, Tweets & Comments
Posted in Archive of Blog |
After all the hype and what feels like the relentless season long cheerleading opinion from the notionally ‘independent’ in the media, the 2011 Speedway Grand Prix series attendance figures throw into yet sharper relief the ongoing credibility crisis with paying customers that organisers BSI/IMG continue to fail to acknowledge, resolve or address. Instead they...
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Tags: Average Speedway Grand Prix Attendance Figures, BSI, BSI Chief Executive Paul Bellamy, BSI/IMG, Bydgoszcz, Cardiff, Cardiff SGP, Gorzow, Marian Rose Motoarena, Paul Bellamy, Prague, SGP, Speedway Grand Prix attendance figures, Speedway Grand Prix series, Terenzano, Torun, Vojens, Welsh Government
Posted in Archive of Blog |
After a catastrophic plunge in popularity in 2010, the ‘new look’ Elite League of 2011 – where BARB figures are available – attracted an average Sky Sports Speedway audience of 80,611 viewers (5,870 viewers a week up on previous year). Hopefully, though it’s on a low previous year base figure, this 7.8% increase represents...
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Tags: BARB, British Speedway Forum, BSF, Chris Holder, dead cat bounce, Elite League, Emil Sayfutdinov, Flagrag, Hans Andersen, Kelvin Tatum, Nicki Pedersen, Nigel Pearson, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Elite League, Sky Sports Speedway, Speedway Grand Prix
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The shock news that kindly dedicated speedway enthusiast Maurice Gordon has sadly passed away (aged only 62) is difficult to comprehend. With an accent almost as exotic – to English ears – as the pronunciation of his name, Maurice could regularly be seen in his natural habitat at a speedway meeting (whether at his...
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Tags: Berwick anorak, Berwick Speedway, cricket jumper, Danny Bird, David Nimmo, Derek Nimmo, Dick Barrie, Edinburgh anorak, Edinburgh Monarchs, Edinburgh speedway, George Wilson, Glasgow speedway, Jim Brykajlo, Matthew Platten, Maurice Gordon, Newcastle anorak, Newcastle Speedway, Peebles Rovers, Premier Trophy, Redcar Speedway Peebles, Scoreboard Charlie
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The charming and modest Neil Street has sadly passed away. Sincere condolences to all his family and friends. Neil inspired and cared for so many speedway riders over the years but, more than that, he made people feel special. Neil also inspired as a man – genuine, compassionate and modestly humble. Most of all,...
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Tags: 4-valve engine, Australia, Conference League, Craig Boyce, cross between Gandalf and Yoda, Dakota North, Exeter, Exeter Falcons, Exeter speedway, Gandalf, Jason, Mrs Morgan, Mrs Weekes, Neil Street, Neil Street Conversion, Neil Street RIP, Neil ‘Bill’ Street, Newport, Newport speedway, Newport Wasps, Phil Crump, Premier League, Speedway Grand Prix, Yoda
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The Polish Ekstraliga in 2012 will operate a rule to limit each team to only one Speedway Grand Prix rider per team. Therefore, any rider offered a wild card for the 2012 Speedway Grand Prix should – for financial reasons – turn down the opportunity to ride in the SGP series. If, indeed, career...
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Tags: 2012 Speedway Grand Prix, 2012 Speedway Grand Prix series wild card, Bomber Harris, BSI, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Darcy Ward, Ektraliga, Fredrik Lindgren, Greg Hancock, Hans Andersen, Jason Crump, Nicki Pedersen, Nigel Pearson, Paul Burbidge, Polish Ekstraliga, Polish speedway, Red Bull, Robert Maxwell Theory of Banking, Ryan Sullivan, SGP prize money, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Star, speedway wild card, Tomasz Gollob, wild card
Posted in Archive of Blog |
“the Sultan of Cheese always delivers” NME “gives his bow a string” Q “there’s nothing else like this” Melody Maker “watch out Tony” Smash Hits
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Tags: Elite League, Elite League play-offs, I make me feel brand new, I put a spell on me, King's Lynn speedway, King's Lynn Stars, Media Answers, Mike Bennett, Mike Bennett sings, Mike Bennett Speedway, Mike Bennett speedway presenter, never gonna give me up, Norfolk Arena, Norfolk Arena centre green, Nothing compares to me, Saddlebow Road, Speedway Play-offs, Stuck in the middle with me
Posted in Archive of Blog |
BSI just announced a change to the start time of the 2012 FIM British Speedway Grand Prix at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on August 25th 2012 from 5pm to 6pm apparently completely forgetting that Paul Bellamy hailed their decision to adopt an earlier (5pm) start time as a sign of how fan friendly BSI are...
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Tags: 2012 Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, 2012 FIM British Speedway Grand Prix, BARB, BSI, BSI/IMG, Cardiff Millennium Stadium, Cardiff SGP, Cardiff SGP August 25th 2012, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix start time, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix television viewing figures, hotel prices in Cardiff, Paul Bellamy, SGP, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Speedway, Speedway Star
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Following on from the unexpected but fabulous – some would say iconic – redesign of the SGP World Championship Trophy, further brilliant eye catching news and an exclusive photograph reaches this blog about the pending launch of a NEW SPEEDWAY WORLD TEAM CUP trophy!!! The draft unreleased statement we received have reads: “A lot...
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Tags: Event 2 Norfolk Arena, Gorzow, King's Lynn, New SGP World Championship Trophy, New Speedway World Cup Trophy, SGP World Championship Trophy, Speedway World Cup, Speedway World Cup 2011
Posted in Archive of Blog |
In a wide ranging interview to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Cardiff Speedway grand Prix, BSI Managing Director Paul Bellamy spoke enthusiastically about ensuring that the raceday experience of the fans got emulated that of important sports events elsewhere. Rarely prone to understatement, Bellamy lauded the innovation of Fan Zone as giving fans...
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Tags: Alan Carter, BSI Managing Director Paul Bellamy, Cardiff City Council, Cardiff Rugby club, Cardiff SGP, Cardiff SGP 2011, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Cardiff Speedway Merchandise and Memorabilia Fayre, Chris Harris, Chris Harris autograph session, Chris Holder, Chris Holder autograph session, Dudley Heathens, fan zone, grid Girls, Kelvin the Robot, Millennium Stadium, Scott Nicholls, Scott Nicholls autograph session, SGP Cardiff, Shawn Moran, Shawn Moran signing session, Speedway Collectors Fayre, Speedway Fan Zone, Speedway Grand Prix, The Magoos, Thomasz Gollob autograph session, Titan the Robot, Tomasz Gollob, Vintage speedway bikes, Visit Wales
Posted in Archive of Blog |
We’ve waited many years for the Sky Sports Speedway publicity department to stir themselves enough to explore synergies with other Rupert Murdoch owned News International sister companies and persuade them to properly cover speedway. It would also be lovely to find decent column inches on British speedway in the sports pages of the News...
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Tags: BSI, BSPA, BSPA press releases, Cardiff Grand Prix, Dear Deidre, Deidre's photo casebook, News International, News of the World, Sky Sports Speedway, Sky Sports Speedway publicity department, Sunday Times, The Sun, The Times, Vic Rigby
Posted in Archive of Blog |
With the 2011 Speedway Grand Prix series about to flare back into life this weekend in Leszno, BSI ramped up the excitement still further with a series of thrilling announcements. Hot on the heels of an email that contained such awesomely important SGP & SWC news that its subject header had to be typed...
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Tags: 2011 Speedway Grand Prix series, British Speedway, BSI, BSI Speedway managing director, BSI Speedway managing director Paul Bellamy, BSI/IMG, BSI/IMG SGP series, BSPA, Cardiff SGP, Cardiff SGP 2011, Cardiff SPG title sponsor, Castle Cover, Digg Deep, Doodson, Gorzow, Hemel, Hemel Hempstead, John Postlethwaite, Kelvin Tatum, Leszno, Neil Machin, NEW SGP WEBSITE, NEW SPEEDWAY GP OFFICIAL APP NOW AVAILABLE, new speedway website, Nicola Sands, Paul Bellamy, Poole speedway, Poole sponsor Castle Cover, SGP official merchandise, SGP title sponsor, SGP title sponsorship, SGP Website, speedway grand prix press accreditation, Speedway Grand Prix series, Speedway Star, Speedway World Cup, Speedway World Cup 2011, TK Maxx, Torun, Torun (“city of sport”), “better experience”
Posted in Archive of Blog |
I missed the first few minutes of the first Sky Sports speedway broadcast of the 2011 season. Since the last time I looked they call it the ‘Sky Sports Elite League’, I expected Nigel Pearson and Kelvin Tatum to provide a clear explanation of what was going on with Coventry and Peterborough now the...
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Tags: Alan Partridge, Ales Dryml, Belle Vue Speedway, Ben Barker, Birmingham Brummies, Birmingham Speedway, British Speedway, Charlie Webster, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Chris Louis, Coventry, Daniel Nermark, Danny King, Darcy Ward, Davey Watt, Davey Watt’s hair, Denis Andersson, Hair Restoration Black Rock, Jason Doyle, Jim Lawrence, Kelvin Tatum, Kevin Wolbert, King’s Lynn speedway, Krzysztof Kasprzak, larrikin, Lionel Logue, Man at C&A, Nigel Pearson, Perry Barr, Perry Barr stadium, Peterborough, Sam Ermolenko, Sky News iPad, Sky Sports 3D, Sky Sports Elite League’, Sky Sports graphics department, Sky Sports Speedway, Sky Sports speedway 2011, Sky Sports speedway 2011 season, speedway referee Jim Lawrence, War of the Worlds, ‘Allo! ‘Allo!
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The charming speedway showman and gentleman Ian Thomas has passed depriving us all of his wit, love of life, people, honest opinions and his skills as a close-up magician. Genuinely a privilege to have met Ian and briefly known him. A unique man. Rest in Peace! With a larger-than-life personality, quick wit, insight and...
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Tags: A66, Andy Povey, Armathwaite Hall country house, Belle Vue Aces, Belle Vue Speedway, Berwick, Bill Crompton, Bill Maynard, Birmingham, Blondini, British ice speedway, Bryan Robson, BSPA, BSPA shared event, BUPA, Carl Stonehewer, Carrow Road, Chairman of the British Speedway Promoters’ Association, Chesterfield Hospital, Chris Gay, Chris Morton, Chuck Berry, close-up magician, Colin Meredith, Comets club promoter Ian Thomas, Concrete for Breakfast, Coventry Bees, Coventry Speedway, Craig Branney, Cumbria, Dan Limburger, Daniel Nermark, Darcy Ward, Dave Fairbrother, Dave Hoggart, Derren Brown, Derwent Park Stadium, Dot Thomas, Eastbourne Eagles, Eastbourne Eagles 2005 season, Eastbourne Eagles Clerk of the Course Malcolm Cole, Edinburgh Monarchs, Edinburgh speedway, Eskdale, Evel Knievel, Glasgow Tigers, going commando, Graham Drury, Harry Pearson, Henry la Mothe, Ian Thomas autobiography, illusionist Derren Brown, India, IT degree at the Lakes College, Jason Crump, Jason Lyons, Jesper P Jensen, Jim Bowen, Jim Lawrence, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Screen, Jools Holland, Keith Denham, Kelvin Tatum, Ken Dodd, Kenneth Bjerre, King’s Lynn speedway, Lake District, Lakes College, Lakeside Hammers, Lakeside Speedway, Malcolm Cole, Maryport, Maryport Blues Festival, Matt Ford, Max Bygraves, Mayhem and Worse, Mike Ashley, Mildenhall speedway, Miss Cumbria, Miss Cumbria 2008, Miss England, Miss World beauty contest, Moss Bay Metals, Mr Woo, MRI, Natasha Cooper, Neil Machin, Neil Middleditch, Nigel Pearson, Norwich City, Olympics, Orchard Road, Orchard Road Singapore, Pele, Peter Toogood, Peterborough Panthers, Peterborough Panthers speedway, Poole co-promoter Matt Ford, Poole Pirates, Poole speedway, Premier League Four Team Championship, Quantum of Shale Methanol and Mayhem, Redcar Bears, Redcar speedway, Ronaldinho, Russell ‘Rusty’ Harrison, Rusty Harrison, Savile Row suit, SCB Official Chris Gay, Shale Trek, Sheffield speedway, Sheffield Tigers, Sheffield United, Shifting Shale, Showered in Shale, Singapore, Sky speedway, Sky Sports Speedway, Somerset Rebels, Speedway Star, Status Quo, Stoney, Stuttgart, Sunderland AFC, Super7even, Telford indoor ice speedway, Terry Russell, The Ian Thomas Organisation, Thurrock, Tomas Topinka, Tony Jackson, Tony Mole, Tony Steele, Ty Proctor, UK’s premier Blues event, Ulrich Ostergaard, Vat man, Wheels and Deals, When Eagles Dared, Whitehaven, wife Dot Thomas, Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton Speedway, Workington, Workington Comets, Workington promoter Ian Thomas, World Keepy-Uppy Champion, Wulfsport, Y-fronts
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Sadly Joyce Blythe has been taken from us. She passed away on Sunday morning January 31st 2011 and will be sadly missed but fondly remembered. Joyce was a really nice, genuine lady with a passion for people. In the Coventry trackshop, Joyce was part of a team, one half of a dynamic duo with...
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Tags: Alf Weedon, Avtar Sandhu, Coventry Bees, Coventry Bees memorabilia, Coventry Speedway, Coventry trackshop, Coventry ‘Bee’ logo, Dave Rattenberry, devoted husband Malcolm, great loss to speedway, Hazel Billingsley, Jodie Lowry, Joyce Blythe, limited edition Bees Diamond Jubilee badges, Malcolm Blythe, Mr Sandhu, oil painting of Scott Nicholls, public face of the club, Russell Lowry, Scott Nicholls, Shale Trek, Shifting Shale
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Rider 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 Total Jason Crump $64,750 $81,400 $60,850 $73,400 $101,600 $67,700 $449,700 Andreas Jonsson $43,650 $55,000 $143,350 $51,960 $58,550 $55,350 $407,860 Nicki Pedersen $51,900 $59,950 $88,150 $83,100 $54,650 $53,300 $391,050 Tomasz Gollob $44,550 $48,900 $61,050 $75,000 $72,650 $84,800 $386,950 Greg Hancock $45,650 $61,750 $59,750 $69,400 $60,200 $54,750 $351,500 Hans...
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Tags: Adrian Miedzinski, Adrian Rymel, Ales Dryml, Andreas Jonsson, Antonio Lindback, Billy Forsberg, Bjarne Pedersen, BSI, BSI Speedway - An IMG Company, BSI/IMG, Charles McKay, Chris Harris, Chris Holder Piotr Protasiewicz, Davey Watt Lubos Tomicek, David Howe, Edward Kennett, Emil Sayfutdinov, FIM SGP, FIM Speedway Grand Prix, Fredrik Lindgren, Greg Hancock, Grigorijs Laguta Jurica Pavlic, Grigory Laguta, Grzegorz Walasek Lukas Dryml, Hans Andersen, Janus Kolodziej, Jaroslaw Hampel, Jason Crump, Jonas Davidson, Josef Franc, Kai Laukkanen, Kenneth Bjerre, Krzysztof Buczkowski, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Lee Richardson, Leigh Adams, Leon Madsen, Ludvig Lingren, Maciej Janowski, Magnus Zetterstrom, Maksims Bogdanovs, Martin Smolinski, Matej Ferjan Kasts Poudzuks, Matej Kus Guglielmo Franchetti, Matej Zagar, Mattia Carpanese, Morten Risager, Nicki Pedersen, Nicolai Klindt, Niels K Iversen, Paul Bellamy, Peter Karlsson, Peter Ljung, Roman Povazhny, Runa Holta, Ryan Sullivan, Scott Nicholls, Sebastian Ulamek, SGP Rider earnings, SGP rider earnings 2005-2010, Simon Stead David Norris, Speedway Grand Prix pay 2005-2010, speedway grand prix prize money, Speedway Grand Prix rider pay rates, Speedway Grand Prix series, Stefan Andersson, Tai Woffinden, Thomas Gapinski, Thomas H Jonasson, Tomasz Chrzanowski, Tomasz Gollob, Tony Rickardsson, Wieslaw Jagus
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Not to be confused with the excellent blog with same name, Ray Lambert’s recently published Keep Turning Left is an affectionate romp down memory lane. It’s a bargain priced must for any self-respecting speedway fans’ bookshelf. The book is a compulsively readable treasure trove of facts, photographs, stories, tables, letters, quirky observations, transfer fees,...
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Tags: 2009 Speedway World Cup race off, 350cc Bultaco trials bike, Alf Weedon, Alun Rossiter, Arthur Browning, Belle Vue, Belle Vue Speedway, Bill Bowles, Bjarne Pedersen, Bob Garret, Bultaco, Bultaco trials bike, Canterbury speedway, Crayford speedway, Dave Jessup, David Gagen, Denis Parker, dirt bike racing, Ernie Roccio, Firs track, foot forward racing style, Foxhall Heath Ipswich, Fred Monkford, George Barclay, ginger hair, Graham Miles, green Mercedes, Gresham’s Lament, Guy Allott, Ipswich Speedway, Jack Parker, Jan Staechmann, Jim Lawrence, Jock Sweet, John Jackson, Johnnie Hoskins, July 22nd 1952, Keep Turning Left, Keep Turning Left blog, Keep Turning Left book, Keith Evans, Kelvin Malarkey, Ken Sharples, Leszno, Leszno Poland, Mitch Shirra, motorcycle racing, New Cross, New Cross speedway, Nicky Allot, Nigel Boocock, nitro, Norman Flurry, Norwich speedway, Owlerton Stadium Sheffield, Paddy Mills, Phil Collins, Phil White, Quibell Park Scunthorpe, Radio Rentals, Radio Rentals in King’s Lynn, Ray Lambert, RAYL Publishing, Reading Racers, Reading Speedway, Referee Bill Bowles, Referee Jim Lawrence, Rob Mouncer, Ron Johnson, Ronnie Russel, Rosco, Rye House, Rye House speedway, Scunthorpe Speedway, speedway, speedway museum, speedway poetry, speedway starting gate, speedway transfer fees, Swindon, Swindon Speedway, tall speedway riders, Terry Russell, Tommy Price, Tony Svab, Vaclav Verner, Watling Tyre Services, Watling Tyre Services Gravesend, West Ham, West Ham speedway, Wimbledon, Wimbledon speedway
Posted in Archive of Blog |
After (allegedly) the most exciting Speedway Grand Prix series since the dawn of time, the ‘high’ quality of the racing product appears to have little impact at the turnstiles. A quick glance at the official F.I.M. figures for each venue recently published in Polish magazine Tygodnik Zuzlowy reveals that overall attendances remain more or...
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Tags: 2010 SGP, Andrzej Grodzki, BSI, Bydgoszcz Speedway Grand Prix, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Copenhagen Speedway Grand Prix, Darcy Ward, FIM, FIM CCP, FIM CCP (Track Racing Committee), Gorican Speedway Grand Prix, Gothenburg Speedway Grand Prix, Leszno Speedway Grand Prix, Malilla Speedway Grand Prix, Paul Bellamy, Paul Burbidge, Peter Oakes, Prague Speedway Grand Prix, SGP, SGP attendance figures, speedway attendances, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway grand prix 2010, Speedway Grand Prix attendance figures, Speedway Star, Terenzano Speedway Grand Prix, Tomasz Gollob, Torun Speedway Grand Prix, Tygodnik Zuzlowy, Vojens Speedway Grand Prix
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Tomasz Gollob $84,800 Jaroslaw Hampel $67,700 Jason Crump $67,700 Rune Holta $59,500 Kenneth Bjerre $57,200 Chris Harris $57,150 Andreas Jonsson $55,350 Greg Hancock $54,750 Nicki Pedersen $53,300 Chris Holder $52,600 Hans Andersen $48,450 Fredrik Lindgren $48,000 Magnus Zetterstrom $44,500 Tai Woffinden $39,750 Emil Sayfutdinov $18,700 Davey Watt $14,100 Piotr Protasiewicz $10,150 Janusz Kolodzirej $6,900...
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Tags: Adrian Miedzinski, Andrea Maida, Andreas Jonsson, Antonio Lindback, Artur Mroczka, BSI/IMG, Charles McKay, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Damian Balinski, Davey Watt, Dennis Andersson, Emil Sayfutdinov, Fredrik Lindgren, Greg Hancock, Janusz Kolodziej, Jaroslaw Hampel, Jason Crump, Joszef Tabaka, Kenneth Bjerre, Leon Madsen, Linus Sundstrom, Lubos Tomicek, Ludvig Lindgren, Macjej Janowski, Magnus Zetterstrom, Matej Kus, Matijan Duh, Mattia Carpenese, Mattia Cavicchoi, Nicki Pedersen, Nicolai Klindt, Patrick Hougaard, Piotr Protasiewicz, Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Scott Nicholls, Simon Gustafsson, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway grand prix 2010, Speedway Grand Prix rider earnings, Speedway Grand Prix rider earnings 2010, speedway rider earnings, Tai Woffinden, Thomas H Jonasson, Zdenek Simota
Posted in Archive of Blog |
SHALE TREK Review by Paul Burbidge, Speedway Star 20th November 2010 WHEN it comes to writing about the shale sport, Jeff Scott has established himself as speedway’s literary equivalent to Sky Sports camera-come-mascot Moley. He is the man with a different angle on proceedings – an angle or viewpoint which is not always aired...
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Tags: British speedway's voice of the people, Cardiff SGP, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Elite League play-offs, Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen Speedway Grand Prix, Jason Crump, Jeremy Clarkson, Malilla, Marian Rose Motoarena, Moley, Neil Machin, Paul Burbidge, Piers Morgan, Piers Moron, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Star, Stoke Talke Travelodge, Swingers party, Talke Travelodge, Torun, Travelodges, typical year in British Speedway
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Weymouth speedway average crowd 2008 = 380 2009 = 320 (down 16%) 2010 = c.244 (down 23%) Last season Weymouth Wildcats Chairman Phil Bartlett outlined his own ‘revolutionary’ proposal to restore profitability at the club, “If I had my way I’d lock up the pits gate...
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Tags: Lee Smart, Phil Bartlett, Radipole Lane, Shale Trek, Wessex Stadium, Weymouth speedway, Weymouth Wildcats, Weymouth Wildcats Chairman, Weymouth Wildcats Speedway
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Judged by the industry standard of the minute-by-minute statistical sampling method employed by Broadcasters Audience Research Board, Elite League speedway shown on Sky Sports during 2010 continued the decline in its popularity started the previous season. BARB counts the average number of people watching any television programme throughout its duration (excluding advertising breaks) –...
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Tags: BARB, Broadcasters Audience Research Board, BSPA, Charles McKay, Jonathan Sim, Kelvin Tatum, Nigel Pearson, Sky speedway viewing figures, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Speedway, speedway viewing figures
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Tags: Alan Dick, Backtrack, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Chris Harris, Craig Saul, David Norris, Harold Davies, Ivan Mauger, Johnny Barber, Kevin Long, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Martin Dadswell, Michael Lee, Michael Max, Nick Barber, Nigel Pearson, Northside speedway, Oxford Speedway Supporters Club, Re-Run Videos, Rob Peasley, Shale Britannia, Sky Sports Speedway, Speedway Britannia, speedway photographs, Steve Girdwood, Stewart Dickson, Wolverhampton Library
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Eastbourne’s modest and friendly Start Marshal Alan Rolfe bowed out of direct raceday involvement at Arlington in typically understated manner – opting to get on with his job rather than seek the limelight. Race night just won’t seem the same without Alan’s neatly dressed professionalism. Always unflappable, prior to any race Alan combined the...
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Tags: Alan Rolfe, Arlington, Bob Dugard, Eastboure Start Marshal, Eastbourne Eagles, Eastbourne Eagles Presenter, Eastbourne Eagles Start Marshal, Eastbourne presenter, Edward Kennett, Kath Rolfe, Kevin Coombes, Lee Richardson, Lewis Bridger, Roy Prodger, start marshal, stockcars, White City
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Unusually, the permanent wildcards selected for the 2011 Speedway Grand Prix actually look surprisingly sensible choices. This hasn’t always been the case and the performance record of those permanent wildcards selected by the powers that be has often been spotty. Much more significantly, their performances have been historically worse than those riders who qualified...
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Tags: 2008 Speedway Grand Final, Andreas Jonsson, Antonio Lindback, Bjarne Pedersen, BSI, BSI Speedway, BSI Speedway SGP, BSI/IMG, Charles McKay, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Emil Sajfutdinov, FIM, Fredrik Lindgren, Grzegorz Walasek, Hans Andersen, IMG, Jarek Hampel, Jurica Pavlic, Kenneth Bjerre, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Lukas Dryml, Magnus Zetterstrom, Niels-Kristian Iversen, permanent speedway wildcard, permanent speedway wildcards, permanent wildcard, permanent wildcards, Philip Rising, Rune Holta, Scott Nicholls, Sebastian Ulamek, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Grand Prix series, Speedway Qualifier, Speedway Star, Tai Woffinden, Wieslaw Jagus
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The last Speedway Grand Prix of the 2010 season finds Nigel and Kelvin trackside for Sky Sports at Bydgoszcz. As usual the excessive number of rounds of the SGP format ensures – like so many years previously – that there is absolutely no mystery about who will be world champion well before the so-called...
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Tags: Andreas Jonsson, BSI, BSI/IMG, Bydgoszcz, Chris Holder, Chris Louis, Garry Havelock, GP Qualifiers, Hans Andersen, Havvy, Janusz Kolodziej, Jarek Hampel, Jason Crump, Keith Huewin, Kelvin Tatum, Kenneth Bjerre, Nicki Pedersen, Nigel Pearosn, Polonia Stadium, Sam Ermolenko, SGP, Shawn Moran, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Speedway, Speedway GP Qualifier, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Grand Prix series, speedway grand prix wildcard, Steve Brandon, Tomas Gollob, Tony Millard, Tony Rickardsson, Yul Brynner, ZKS Polonia Stadium
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Ford Madox Ford famously said, “Open the book to page ninety-nine, and the quality of the whole will be revealed to you” See below if reading these snippets from my books published from 2006 to 2010 prompts you want to buy any… Shale Trek (2010) p.99 Comment and the recent outcry over allegations about...
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Tags: Andy Griggs, Anne Hollingsworth, Barry Bazza Preston, Chloe Preston, Chris Durno, Chris Van Straaten, Concrete for Breakfast, Daryl Clark, Dave Dowling, Dave Rattenberry, Ford Madox Ford, Glyn Taylor, Hans Andersen, Ian Thomas, Jayne Moss, John Hazelden, Johnny Barber, Julie Harrowven, Kenny Smith, Laurence Sterne, Lynn Wright, Margaret Vardy, Matt Ford, Nigel Pearson, Page 99, Page 99 Test, Paul Grizzly Adams, Peter Adams, Peter Yorke, Quantum of Shale, Richard Frost, Rob Godfrey, Shale Trek, Shifting Shale, Showered in Shale, speedway author Jeff Scott, Steve Chilton, Steve Williams, Ted Midgley, When Eagles Dared, Wulfsport
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The recent tenth staging of the Grand Prix at Cardiff prompted BSI/IMG head honcho and ‘visionary thinker’ Paul Bellamy to ruminate in self-congratulatory (beyond parody) fashion about the reasons behind its continued ‘success’. He also provided some thoughts on the likely future development of the Speedway Grand Prix series. The calibre and implications of...
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Tags: 2011 Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Barry Briggs, batman, Bellamyworld, British Speedway, BSI, BSI management, BSI MD, BSI Reading, BSI/IMG, BSI/Reading, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, fan zone, Gelsenkirchen, Gorican, Holy Cow! Holy Cow Batman!, IMG, Kryton, Leigh Adams, Metro Centre, moto-cross, Ole Olsen, parallel universe, Paul Bellamy, Red Dwarf, SGP, SGP logo, shale, Speedway Grand Prix, speedway World Champion, unicorns, Vojens
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Speedway. First out of the gate wins. God, I hate that cliché. It’s true you don’t get much overtaking when you set four, brakeless, methanol-burning 500cc race bikes off around a 350 metre oval dirt track, but when someone does manage it you just want to punch the air and scream yyyyyesssss with excitement...
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Tags: aroma of methanol, Belle Vue Speedway, Blunsdon, Bob Kilby, British Speedway, Buxton speedway, drift cars, first out of the gate wins, Gary Pinchin, gladatorial warfare, honesty, Jeff Scott, Martin Ashby, Motorcycle News, motorcycle sport, oval dirt track, political correctness, Quantum of Shale, shale dust, Shale Trek, speedway history, speedway rulebook, stock cars, Stoke Speedway, Swindon Robins, Talke Travelodge, tell it like it is, UK speedway tracks, working man's sport
Posted in Archive of Blog |
“For my own part I am fast coming to the conclusion that the only way to reinvigorate speedway in this country is to undertake an independent review that allows for the views of not just Promoters but riders and fans as to what does and doesn’t work in this Sport. Promoters don’t hold all...
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Tags: amalgamation of 1965, Colin Pratt, consultation, future of speedway, Jon Cook, Lakeside, Lakeside Hammers, Lakeside Speedway, race times, Sky TV contract, speedway engine tuning
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The catastrophic 2009 loss of 104,000 Sky Sports Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix speedway viewers – or a reduction in the British television audience of 39% – should, surely, give even the most complacent ‘businessman’ pause for thought about the format and ongoing appeal of this event? Luckily, the Managing Director of BSI/IMG speedway franchise,...
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Tags: architect, BARB, BSI, BSI Speedway, BSI Speedway - An IMG Company, Cardiff GP, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, collapse in audience, Elite League, IMG Speedway, Inception, jump the shark, jumping the shark, Kelvin Tatum, Millenium Stadium, Paul Bellamy, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Speedway, Sky+, Speedway Grand Prix, Sunday Times, unsubstantiated numbers, watered down
Posted in Archive of Blog |
In Monty Python’s Life of Brian, there’s the wonderful moment where the question ‘what have the Romans ever done for us?’ gets asked (answer: quite a lot). Some speedway fans have had the temerity to wonder similarly – what exactly have Sky Sports done for British speedway (with their regular coverage of the sport)?...
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Tags: BARB, Broadcasters Audience Research Board, Charles McKay, Dave Pavitt, David Barnes, Life of Brian, Monty Python, Neil Machin, new speedway fan, Nigel Pearson, Semi-professional speedway, Shale Trek, Sky speedway viewing figures, Sky Sports British speedway viewing figures
Posted in Archive of Blog |
You know 10 years ago you couldn’t find a book on speedway for love nor money. Today it’s all totally different. But while autobiographies, biographies and re-runs of famous riders no longer with us, continue to flood the market, Jeff Scott’s look at the world of speedway has few equals. Why? Because he tells...
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Tags: bright points of speedway, fans' language, few equals, Ipswich Evening Star, Mike Bacon, Shale Trek, tells it as it is, track to track
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Jem takes it in his stride and, after some prompting, he explains something about his many years’ involvement with Weymouth speedway. “I first went in 1974 and I’ve always been involved at the track. I’ve been a raker, a pusher, I spannered for Ian Humphreys, I used to put out the fence for the...
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Tags: Blunsdon Blog, builder, Craig Boyce, dedication, excess hair gel, financial responsibility, gentleman caller, hand out leaflets, Ian Humphreys, Jem Dicken, kick boards, Martin Yeates, Phil Bartlett, pick up the rubbish, pusher, Radipole Lane, raker, spannered, sunglasses indoors, team manager, three hours every night, track curator, unpaid work, volunteer, Weymouth programme, Weymouth speedway, Weymouth Wildcats
Posted in Archive of Blog |
To enter the BSPA website competition to win one of the three signed copies of Shale Trek, click on the contact button above* and answer the following question: Name the riders who won the 2009 National League Best Pairs Championship? Please provide your name and address along with your answer. * Please DON’T submit...
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Tags: BSPA, competition, National League Best Pairs Championship, Shale Trek
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Who are the all time Top 10 riders at your club? The new British Speedway Directory & Track Guide tries to answer that question for every existing speedway team. Fans, promoters, officials, historians and members of the speedway media were quizzed and they came up with some surprising often-controversial answers! To enter the competition...
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Tags: speedway directory, speedway historian, speedway track guide, Top 10 riders
Posted in Archive of Blog |
My trip to the Isle of Wight on Tuesday night was spoilt by news of the shock death of the lovely Eileen Shepherd. There was a tribute in the programme that read: Eileen Shepherd 20th June 1931 – 14th April 2010 Please join with us this evening in remembering one of our ever-present founder...
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Tags: Albert Shepherd, Dave Pavitt, Eileen Shepherd, Isle of Wight Speedway, Jack Parker, Original shareholders, Silent killer, St. Mary's Hospital
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Mentions of the wonder of HD are strangely kept to a minimum during the Coventry versus Poole meeting televised live on Sky Sports from Brandon Stadium. In terms of exciting racing and/or passing after the first bend (in any race), there were very few moments where viewers would benefit from the additional focus of...
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Tags: Alun Rossiter, Ben Barker, Bomber Harris, Brandon Stadium, Charlie Webster, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Christian Hefenbrock, Coventry Bees, Davey Watt, Edward Kennett, Elite League, HD, HD speedway broadcast, Josh Auty, Kelvin Tatum, Leszno, Moley, Nigel Pearson, Poole Pirates, Rory Schlein, Rosco, rubbernecker, Sam Ermolenko, SGP, Sky Sports Speedway, Speedway in HD, Steel Shoe
Posted in Archive of Blog |
People say that the sports programming shown exclusively on Sky Sports has historically been the real engine of subscriber and revenue growth for the Rupert Murdoch owned Sky satellite channel. Premiership football has definitely driven many people to sign up with Sky Sports who otherwise wouldn’t have done so and, if its boosters and/or...
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Tags: 10 commandments, 3D glasses, Aaron Summers, Birmingham Brummies, Birmingham Speedway, BSI, BSI/IMG, Charlie Webster, Chris Louis, cliched, Graham Drury, high definition, IMG, John Sampford, Johno, Justin Sedgmen, Len Silver, Linus Sundstrom, London Marathon, Nigel Pearson, pants are on fire, Premier League, reverse Viagra, Rye House Rockets, Rye House speedway, satellite television, Shakespeare, Sky Sports, slasher 'B' movie, Steve Johnston, sub-optimal, televised Premier League, track
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Attendance figures for the 2008 and 2009 Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) series have finally been released from where they’d been held in a file marked ‘Top Secret’ inside the BSI/IMG bunker located on the outskirts of London. A quick first glance indicates that the SGP World Championship outlook remains cloudy and its popularity with...
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Tags: 413 extra people, attendance figures, BSI/IMG, Bydgoszcz, Cardiff, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, complementary giveaways, decline, FIM, Gazeta Lubuska, Gelsenkirchen, gesture of goodwill, Gorzow, gratis, IMG Speedway, mismangement of German GP, new attendance record, Parken, Paul Bellamy, Philip Rising, pledge, reputation of the series, Roman Chyla, SGP Press Officer, Speedway Grand Prix, stinking fish, suspiciously rounded, tv money, under licence
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Tags: Berwick bandits, Buxton Hitmen, cash only, Chris Geer, Chris Holder, Coventry Bees, deckchairs, Eastbourne Eagles, Edinburgh Monarchs, Glasgow Tigers, Ipswich Witches, Isle of Wight Islanders, Iwade, Lakeside Hammers, Mark Lemon's bike, Mildenhall Tigers, Newcastle Diamonds, Peterborough Panthers, Plymouth Devils, Redcar Bears, Rye House, shale deflector, Sittingbourne Speedway, speedway tyres, Stoke Potters, Swindon Robins
Posted in Archive of Blog |
A single random image has been chosen from every speedway event I attended in 2009 (every British speedway track was visited).
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Tags: Arlington Stadium, badges, BBC Midlands, Belle Vue Aces, British Sports Book Awards, Bryn Williams, Cardiff GP, Dave Haddon, Di Phillips, Ian Winter, John Hazelden, Judith Rourke, Karen Hazelden, Keith Fletcher, lap dancers, local media personality, locked out at Stoke speedway, memorabilia, Mick Gregory, Millenium Stadium, Monmore Green, National Sporting Club, Newport Wasps, PL Pairs, pom poms, Poole Pirates, press and practice, rained off, Rob Lyon, Roy Prodger, Scunthorpe Scorpions, Simon Wigg, Somerset Rebels, spares van, speedway and grasstrack fayre, speedway museum, start line girls, track walk, trophies, Welsh Open, Weymouth Wildcats, Wimbourne Road, Wolverhampton Speedway
Posted in Archive of Blog |
“Finally, an honorary mention for Jeff Scott’s Quantum of Shale: More Tales from the Shale (Methanol, £20). Scott writes extensively (one might even say obssessively…) on Speedway and Quantum is of his usual high standard. Needless to say if mud and noisy bikes don’t interest you then neither will this, but if they do,...
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Tags: Giles Richards, Observer newspaper, obsessive, Quantum of Shale, Snake Richards
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The fastidious Charles McKay has now collated the cumulative Speedway Grand Prix prize money totals earned by each rider during the recently completed 2009 season. They make pitiful reading for many riders concerned and also their accountants (but do accord with the derisory levels set by the FIM rules and regulations). Based on these...
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Tags: Andreas Jonsson, Antonio Lindback, British Speedway, Charles McKay, Chris Harris, dimished top tier racing product, Elite League fixtures, Emil Sayfutdinov, feudal, FIM rules & regulations, forelock, Fredrik Lindgren, grace and favour selection, Greg Hancock, Grezegorz Walasek, Hans Andersen, IMG Speedway, Jason Crump, Kenneth Bjerre, Leigh Adams, narrow commercial interests, Neils K Iversen, Nicki Pedersen, pitiful, POlish league, rip off, Rune Holta, scandal, Scott Nicholls, Sebastian Ulamek, selective rider absenteeism, Sophie Blake, Speedway Grand Prix prize monet, Swedish league, Tomasz Gollob
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Congratulations to the Edinburgh Monarchs for triumphing through the Premier League Play Offs for the second successive season to again take part in the promotion/relegation meetings that could potentially see them join the upper tier of British Speedway. They certainly look to have put together at team that, on its present top-notch form, could...
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Tags: Andrew Tully, charade, demotion, eastbourne, Edinburgh, ill conceived, increased Sky payments, Jonathan Sim, Kalle Katajisto, Kevin Wolbert, Kirkmanshulme Lane, Lakeside, Matthew Wethers, Matty Wethers, Monarchs, Premier League Play Offs, relegation, Ronnie Trotter, Ryan Fisher, satellite television bounty, Scotswaste Arena, Smallmead, Wolverhampton
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Far more relevant to the future of the Elite League level of the sport and its overall reputation than the Internet debate over the post Heat 15 goings on at Arlington last night*, Matt Ford’s interval comments appear to have attracted little consideration or attention. In a wide-ranging chat with Kevin Coombes, Poole Promoter...
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Tags: Bob Dugard, BSPA, Eastbourne Eagles, fantastic ideas, Ipswich Witches, Jon Cook, Jonathan Chapman, Kevin Coombes, Matt Ford, Poole Pirates
Posted in Archive of Blog |
If Jeff Scott wrote regularly about football, cricket, horseracing or rugby union, he would almost certainly be a household name. He might even grab a spot on Strictly Come Dancing and would certainly be a regular guest on the sofa of the proliferation of chat shows that litter the TV schedules. But Jeff’s chosen sport...
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Tags: brilliant, BSPA, chocolate coated barbs, compulsive, Coventry City FC, Coventry Sports Connexion Centre, discreet revelations, High Beech, household name, Jimmy Hill, Kidlington, lyrical, Neil Machin, Peter Oakes, Reading Racers, red knickers, Ryton-on-Dunsmore, Sky Blues, some gems, Speedway Star, Strictly Come Dancing, whimsy
Posted in Archive of Blog |
After the borefest of the Latvian GP, it’s hard to get excited about tittletattle in the Star claimed to be “whispers from the corridors of power” that trails notionally ‘exciting’ news that the SGP might expand into Russia in 2010 and, in as yet unspecified years ahead, to “India, Asia & Australasia”. All these...
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Tags: borefest, BSI, BSI management, BSI/IMG, Daugavpils, Glyn Taylor, Golden Boy of the SGP, Hamar GP, Holta effect, IMG Speedway, indifference, jingism, Kleenex Play, Latvian GP, Paul Bellamy, Poor pedigree, reverse Midas touch, SGP brand
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The charming and friendly Irene Best has sadly passed away. Proud to be from Newcastle and even prouder of Newcastle Speedway, Irene typified the warm welcome you receive in the speedway office portacabin at Newcastle Stadium (aka Brough Park). Even more importantly, her love and dedication to the sport typifies the unassuming modesty of...
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Tags: Anders Michanek, Andrew Dalby, Bjarne Pedersen, Brough Park, Diamonds, George English, Irene Best, Ivan Mauger, Joe Owen, Johnny Hoskins, Ken Le Breton, Kenneth Bjerre, Kenny Carter, Newcastle Speedway, Newcastle Stadium, Nicki Pedersen, Ole Olsen, Robbie Best, Sunderland fans, the White Ghost, Tom Owen, track manager, world champions, World Team Cup
Posted in Archive of Blog |
For those of us outside the charmed circle of speedway bigwigs and journalists who receive press releases from the BSI Press Office, we have to suffice with the thin informational pickings provided by the cleans whiter than white SGP website. Occasionally the SGP Press Officer, Philip Rising, selectively responds to real or imagined comments...
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Tags: bad for speedway, BSI, BSI management, BSI Press Office, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, contempt for fans, contempt for public, contempt for riders, contempt for safety, Czech GP, dangerous track, deep ruts, Derbyshire shale, flagship event, flagship signature event, Greg Hancock, Hans Andersen, Jaroslaw Hampel, Jason Crump, Krzysztof Kasprzak, lack of excitement, lack of overtaking, Leigh Adams, Nicki Pederesen, Paul Bellamy, penny wise but pound foolish, Philip Rising, rougher, rubbish, rutty, Scott Nicholls, SGP Press Officer, Tomasz Gollob, track is terrible, worst track
Posted in Archive of Blog |
From Scunthorpe Press Release 13th July 2009 Kenneth Ian Smith 1954-2009 R.I.P. After a near three-year battle against throat cancer, Kenny Smith, the Scorpions’ Team Manager, died on Monday morning at 6.15 a.m. at his home in Yarm. Over recent weeks his condition had deteriorated but after being told he only had days to...
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Tags: adrenaline, Ashley Johnson, battle, brave, Byron Bekker, cancer, Charles Wright, Concrete for Breakfast, Conference League, courage, Dave Croucher, Dave Mullett, David Howe, David Nix, David Nix memorial meeting, devastated, Doncaster, Eddie Wright Raceway, George English, good man, grasstrack, great loss, honour, Josh Auty, Julie Harrowven, Kenny Smith, lovely man, Mad Wellie, Malcolm Holloway, Multiple Sclerosis Society, Neil Machin, Newcastle Gems, Quantum of Shale, Reading Racers, Reading Speedway, Rob Godfrey, Scunny, Scunthorpe promoter, Scunthorpe Scorpions, Scunthorpe Speedway, Smallmead, Tai Woffinden, touched the hearts, Woodlands Crematorium, World Final
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Riders and some pundits have rightly complained that the Speedway Grand Prix series organisers (“BSI – an IMG Company”) wish to stage the various meetings on sub standard tracks that sometimes verge on the dangerous. There have been some real shockers, so thank goodness last night that round four of the Speedway Grand Prix...
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Tags: BSI, BSI Speedway, Crown Jewels, dull, dullness, Grzegorz Walasek, IMG, IMG Speedway, Jason Crump, Kenneth Bjerre, Kevin Phillips lookalike, manfully labouring, Mayor of Leszno, Nicki Pedersen, Ole Olsen, Speedway Grand Prix, start girls, track preparation, Zen Groundhog Day
Posted in Archive of Blog |
It’s not that long ago that the tablets came down from the 2007 BSPA Annual Conference mountain. We then learnt that the Elite League promoters were to self administer some tough tasting medicine to address both team strength inequality but also build a more viable long term future for the upper tier of British...
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Tags: 2007 BSPA Annual Conference, 2008 BSPA Annual Conference, Belle Vue Speedway, bigger picture, Billy Hamill, Blunsdon, Bomber Harris, Chris Harris, Chris Van Straaten, Coventry Speedway, dilution, eastbourne Speedway, Elite League meetings, GP riders, Greg Hancock, imbalance, Ipswich Speedway, Jason Crump, Lakeside Speedway, Matej Zagar, Matt Ford, Peter Toogood, Poole, Premier League, reduced points limit, Scott Nicholls, speedway promoters, Speedway Star, Swindon Speedway, Wolverhampton Speedway
Posted in Archive of Blog |
A snippet about entertainment at Cardiff that appeared in the lengthy coverage of the Prague Grand Prix (the first of the 2009 series) in this week’s Speedway Star inadvertently yet again reveals the desperation of the cost-cutting measures that BSI Speedway appear keen to undertake. Arguably, it also signals they have already planned for...
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Tags: Alan Partridge, atonal music, Belinda Carlisle, Bonnie Tyler, BSI, BSI cost cutting, BSI Reading, BSI Speedway, Cardiff Grand Prix, Chas & Dave, cheesy, Edwin Starr, garish, Guantanamo Bay, IMG, IMG Speedway, John Postlethwaite, karaoke, Kevin Coombes, McDonald Brothers, Millenium Stadium, Nobby Hall, Oxford Speedway, Paul Bellamy, poor surface, predictable format, Queen tribute band, Radio GaGa, Ray Quinn, Shifting Shale, Smallmead, Speedway Riders Benevolence Fund, Speedway Star, Stas in their Eyes, Tony Christie, Tony Hadley
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The new series of the Speedway Grand Prix is about to get underway but, arguably, finds the glamour of its start marred by cost-cutting, secrecy and prevarication. Sadly, the fanfare over the arrival of a new website for the Speedway Grand Prix fails to paper over the vexatious issues and unanswered questions that still...
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Tags: 2009 SGP, BSI, BSI Speedway, BSI Speedway - An IMG Company, BSI/IMG, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Copenhagen Speedway Grand Prix, derisory, Emil Sayfutdinov, F.I.M, FIM, five year trend of decline, Gelsenkichen, Gelsenkirchen fiasco, German 70s porn aesthetic, Gothenburg Speedway Grand Prix, IMG, IMG Speedway, lip service, monopoly, Paul Bellamy, Philip Rising, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Grand Prix series, Speedway Star, suspicious crowd figures, swept under carpet, unanswered questions, unpublished figures, unpublished investigation
Posted in Archive of Blog |
It was only last year that the Speedway Grand Prix ‘organisers’ boasted on their website about the ludicrous concept of the Super Prix events. It was another of those new fangled revolutions that nobody had asked for or could really see the point of, despite hollow protestations that this “finale” would add to the...
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Tags: 83% prize money cut, BSI Speedway, BSI Speedway - An IMG Company, FIM, Gelsenkirchen fiasco, pitiful official F.I.M Placing Prize money, Speedway Grand Prix organisers, speedway grand prix prize money, speedway rider earnings, Super Prix
Posted in Archive of Blog |
In a glittering awards ceremony held at the swanky Park Lane Hotel, Piccadilly, the great and good of the sports and publishing worlds collided at the annual British Sports Book of the Year (2009) Awards. Gaby Logan along with a huge variety of sportsmen and sporting men provided additional glamour. These included Bob Willis,...
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Tags: Adam Jennison, Alan Dick, Alf Weedon, Alison Chalmers, Allan Melville, Alun Biggart, Andrew Baker, Andrew Dalby, Andrew Skeels, Andy and Win Povey, Andy Griggs, Andy Higgs, Anita Dennington, Arnie Gibbons, Ashley and Jane Wooller, Barry Wallace, Ben Findon, Bev, Bill Gimbeth, Bill Norris, Billy Jenkins, Birlinn, Black & Blue, Bob and Greg Brimson, Bob Willis, Bob Woolmer's Art & Science of Cricket, Brian Burford, Brian Owen, British Sports Book of the Year Award, Brough Scott, Bryn Williams, Cameron Woodward, Caroline Tattum, Caroline Tidmarsh, Charles Howgego, Charles McKay, Chris Durno, Chris Gay, Chris Geer, Chris Van Straaten, Christopher Hilton, Colin Pratt, Concrete for Breakfast, Cory Gathercole, Craig Saul, Darcia Gingell, Dave and Margaret Rice, Dave Croucher, Dave Fairbrother, Dave Hoggart, Dave Pavitt, Dave Rattenberry, Dave Tattum, Dave Valentine, Dave Wright, David Barnes, David Crane, David Willis, Dennis McCleary, Derek Barclay, Derek Smith, Di Phillips, Dick Barrie, Don't Mention the Score, Dougie Copland, Ed Smith, Edward Kennett, Ella MacDonald, Elvin King, Frank maloney, Gaby Logan, Gareth Rogers, Gary Lough, George and Joan English, George and Linda Barclay, George Grant, Gordie Day, Gordon Pairman, Graeme Bailey, Graham and Denise Drury, Graham Arnold, Graham Cooke, Graham Poll, Headline, Howard Milton, Iain McBride, Ian and Jean Maclean, Ian McMillan, Ian Thomas, James Montague, Jayne Moss, Jim and Steven Brykajlo, Jim Henry, Jo Lawson, Joanna Lunde, John, John Berry, John Campbell, John Hyam, John Louis, John Rich, Johnny, Jon Cook, Jonathan Chapman, Jonathan Sim, Jordan, Joyce and Malcolm Blythe, Julie Martin, Julie Reading, Karen, Karen Chappell, Keith and Cheryl Chapman, Keith Hamblin, Kevin Coombes, Kevin Ling, Laurence Rogers, Lee Maclaughlin, Len and Hazel Silver, Liz Hunt, Lucy Cross, Lynn Hunt, mainstream, Malcolm Wright, Mark and Judy Hazelden, Mark Lawton, Mark Poulton, Mark Sawbridge, Martin Dadswell, Martin Mauger, Martin Neal, Michael Donaghy, Michael Max, Michael Owen, Michael Payne, Mick Fitzgerald, Mick Gregory, Mike and Anita Golding, Mike Bacon, Mike Berry, Mike Hinves, Mike Hunter, Molly and Colin Barber, Neil Dyson, Neil Machin, New Holland, Nick, Nick Ward, Nigel Dean, Nigel Pearson, Nobby Hall, Norman Beeney, Paddy Davitt, Park Lane Hotel, Paul Bailey, Paul Canoville, Paul Hunsdon, Paul Oughton, Paul Watson, Peter Adams, Peter Oakes, Peter Toogood, Peter Waite, Phil Bartlett, Phil Mackie, Phil Spence, Piccadilly, Quercus, Rachael Adams, Ragga, Ray and Mark Blackwell, Richard Bott, Richard Frost, Richard Hollingsworth, Richard Whiteread, Rob Godfrey, Rob Griffin, Rob Peasley, Robert Bamford, Roger Love, Scott Wilson, Shane and Anji Parker, Shaun Tacey, Sheila Le-Sage, Sid Shine, Simon Briggs, Sky Sports, Stefan Usansky, Stephanie Babb, Steve and Debbie Dixon, Steve and Sarah Miles, Steve Chilton, Steve Hilliard, Stuart Towner, Sue Jackson-Scott, Sue Young, Svend Elkjaer, The Accies, The Accies: Cradle of Scottish Rugby, the late Tim Stone, The Reverend Michael Whawell, Tim Durrans, Tim Hamblin, Tim Lang, Tony (Grandad) Thompson, Tony and Susie MacDonald, Tony Jackson, Tony Steele, Trevor Geer, Trevor Swales, Vicky Holtham, Vy Shepherd, Wayne Russell, Wendy Jedrzejakski, When Friday Comes
Posted in Archive of Blog |
They say speedway is a simple sport. Basically, four riders on four bikes racing four laps around an oval track. The dense type and complexity of the 64 page speedway rulebook says otherwise and, though it laudably aims to outlaw cunning and manipulation, each year yet further amendments arrive. Nowadays this rulebook often confuses...
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Tags: Benefit Meeting, British speedway regulations, Clerk of the Course, Environmental mat, Farewell Meeting, Management Committee, mandatory fines, Phone a Friend, rear chain guards, rider, SCB Consultant Administrator, SCB Licence, SCB Medical Advisor, SCB Officer, speedway announcer, Speedway Control Bureau, speedway presenter, speedway regulations, speedway rulebook, Spirograph, start girls, team manager, Testimonial Meeting, Track Staff
Posted in Archive of Blog |
It’s back! Older but wittier and wiser after it’s much needed sabbatical. Though the shale never really left his shoes, Swindon speedway blogsmith Graham Cooke is back at his keyboard to take you behind the scenes to, once again, see the rich tapestry and cast of characters that is the Wonderful World of Track...
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Tags: Blunsdon Blog, Elite League, Graham Cooke, Swindon Speedway, track curation, Wiltshire
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Widely seen as the man with the real brainpower in the team of all talents that makes up the BSI management team, Paul ‘Really Important’ Bellamy (Managing Director BSI) has kindly deigned to be savagely quizzed on the SGP (including the Gelsenkirchen fiasco) in this week’s Speedway Star. Billed on the front cover of...
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Tags: BSI Press Office, complacent management speak, Concrete for Breakfast, Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen fiasco, Gelsenkirchen Speedway Grand Prix, John 'Very Important' Postlethwaite, John Postlethwaite, Managing Director BSI, Managing Director BSI Speedway, Midnight Express, not in front of the children, Ole Olsen, Oxford English Dictionary, Paul 'Really Important' Bellamy, Paul Bellamy, Philip Rising, Poor ticket sales, Speedway Grand Prix staging costs, tv money, TV partners, vaguely honest answers, valuable lessons
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The recently published FIM Speedway World Championship Grand Prix Regulations 2009 make interesting reading (listed as regulation 077). Unluckily for the riders, their pay rates remain frozen for 2009 (just like they did in 2008, 2007, 2006 and 2005). The FIM have again produced an extremely comprehensive 39-page document that covers everything from the...
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Tags: BSI, BSI IMG, FIM, John Postlethwaite, Ole Olsen, Paul Bellamy, pittance, Race Director, selected regulations, Speedway Grand Prix pay rates, Speedway Grand Prix rider pay rates
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Exceptional New Year book offer: Methanol Press SPEEDWAY YEARBOOK 2008 Edited by Robert Bamford 67% off! – was £14.99 now £5.00 272 pages Paperback The indispensable companion for the 2008 season for speedway fans everywhere – edited by respected speedway author and historian, Robert Bamford. It’s comprehensive, definitive and packed with useful information. The...
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Tags: 2008 speedway season, best-selling author, historian, indispensable companion, most published, Rider Index, Robert Bamford, speedway historian, Speedway Yearbook 2008, ultimate speedway resource
Posted in Archive of Blog |
After mismanagement and cost cutting apparently ensured the cancellation of the Gelsenkirchen Grand Prix in October, “Paul Bellamy, Managing Director of BSI (Speedway)” read from a prepared statement in the bored manner of a speaking clock to signal the emotional depth of his frustration at the inconvenience caused to the...
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Tags: British GP, BSI bungling, BSI management team, Cardiff GP, Cardiff Grand Prix, Chief Executive BSI, Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen Speedway Grand Prix, John Postlethwaite, Managing Director of BSI (Speedway), Paul Bellamy, Rob Armstrong, Speedway Star
Posted in Archive of Blog |
My latest book on British Speedway, Concrete for Breakfast, has been short listed in the prestigious category of BEST BIOGRAPHY in the 2009 British Sports Book Awards run by the National Sporting Club. Chosen from a strong field featuring books on boxing, F1, Golf, speedway, cycling and the Olympics, the winner will be announced...
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Tags: Arnie and Jack -Golf’s Greatest Rivalry, Best Biography, Boxing A Cultural History, British Book Awards, Christopher Hilton, Concrete for Breakfast, Ian O’Connor, Janie Hampton, Kasia Boddy, Lies and Handlebar Tape- Jacques Anquetil, Methanol Press, National Sporting Club, Paul Howard, Regga- Clay Regazzoni, Sex, The Austerity Olympics
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The task of any speedway historian isn’t an enviable one – no matter how eventful the subject matter – since there’s only so many ways you can describe a race, a meeting or even a season. This difficulty has been elegantly overcome by Arnie Gibbons in his account of the 40 year history of...
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Tags: Arnie Gibbons, Denny Pyeatt, Geoff Curtis, Huntley & Palmers Recreation Club Gala, Michael Lee, Michael Lee fiasco, Reading, Reading Racers, Reading Speedway, Smallmead, Smallmead Stadium, speedway bribes scandal, Sunday People, Tears and Glory: The Winged Wheel Story
Posted in Archive of Blog |
In a recent post, I may have given the impression that Steve Skerry saw his Speedway from Skezza blog as an online opportunity to blow smoke up the collective bottoms of the BSPA and BSI/IMG (whatever they’re called this week). While his research still remains heavily influenced by and/or dependent upon the Speedway Star,...
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Tags: blow smoke up the collective bottoms, BSI, BSI/IMG, BSPA, Daily Mail, Skezza, Speedway Star, Speedway with Skezza, Steve Skerry, Steve Skerry blog
Posted in Archive of Blog |
My interviews with various people behind the scenes at Eastbourne this past season included the following comment from Kevin Coombes. “I fell into it by accident when car sharing to work I heard that the regular presenter Tom Garnell had went away for two weeks to watch F1 racing. I had my opinions on...
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Tags: Bob Dugard, Dave Norris, Dugard family, Eastbourne Eagles, eastbourne Speedway, Frank Ebdon, Gareth Rogers, Jon Cook, Kevin Coombes, Kit-Kat, Oxford Speedway, Oxspeed, Peter Norris, Reading Speedway, Tom Garnell, Tony Boyce, Under 23 Championship, Wimbledon speedway
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Once again, the end of the 2008 Speedway Grand Prix sees Paul Bellamy, John Postlethwaite and Ole Olsen comfortably ‘earn’ more money than anyone else with some connection to the series. Remember these are the ‘fat cats’ with the business acumen and marketing genius not to be able to manage anything as simple as...
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Tags: Andreas Jonsson, Bjarbe Pedersen, British Speedway, Charles McKay, Chris Harris, Fredrik Lindgren, German GP, Greg Hancock, Hans Andersen, Jason Crump, John Postlethwaite, Krzysztof Kasprzak, Leigh Adams, Lukas Dryml, Nicki Pedersen, Niels Kristien Iversen, Ole Olsen, Paul Bellamy, Rune Holta, Scott Nicholls, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Grand Prix earnings, Swedish GP, Tomas Gollob
Posted in Archive of Blog |
All over the country each speedway club has volunteers who give up many our to the sport and the club that they love. Without this unpaid labour many clubs couldn’t run or function as well as they do. I like to think that my books have given an airing to many of the neglected...
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Tags: 50-50 Club, Adam Skornicki, Aeroflot, Alan Boniface, Alan Rolfe, amatuer speedway, Anders Michanek, Andy Naylor, Arena Essex speedway, Argus, Arlington, Arthur Nutley Memorial Trophy, Ashley Wooller, Aussie Rules Football Umpires Association, Barrie Geer, Barry Briggs, Barry Sheene, Belle Vue Speedway, Best Programme, Bethnal Green, Billy Janniro, Booby Eldridge, Booby Schwartz, Boston speedway, Brian Owen, Brighton Argus, Cameron Woodward, Canterbury speedway, Charles & Di Wedding, Charlie Dugard, Charlotte Hagon, Chris Geer, Chris Louis, Chris Watts, Colin Acyroyd, Concrete for Breakfast, Conference League, Cory Gathercole, Cowbeech, Cradley Heath, Craig Boyce, Crayford speedway, cycle speedway, Czech Golden Helmet, Czech Republic, Darren Standing, Dave Jessup, Dave Kennett, Dave Norris's mechanic, Davey Watt, David Norris, Dean Barker, Dean Standing, Deano, Denis Gizatullin, Dennis Osaac, eastboure eagles supporters club, Eastbourne Eagles, Eastbourne Eagles physiotherapist, Eastbourne Herald, Eastbourne Juniors, eastbourne Speedway, Eastern Bohemia County, Edward Kennett, Eric Richardson, farmer, FIM Referee, Fineprint, Floppy, Golden Snowball, Gprdon Kennett, grassroots speedway, Greenaways, Grezegorz Walasek, Guinness Book of Records, Hackney speedway, Hailsham, head reader, Hellingley Lions, Isle of Man TT, Ivan Mauger, Jane Wooller, Jason Crump, Jason Lyons, Jenni Woodward, John Freemantle, John Strudwick, Kai Niemi, Kath Rolfe, Kelly Moran, Kendall Woodward, Kenneth Bjerre, Kerryn Woodward, Kevin Coombes, Kevin Hollister, Kevin Jolly, Kevin Ling, King's Lynn speedway, KO Cup Final, Lakeside Speedway, Lauren Hinves, Lee Richardson, Leigh Adams, Len Silver, Les Fineing, Lewis Bridger, Long Eaton, Long Eaton speedway, Luke Strudwick, Malcolm Ballard, Margaret Dugard, Mark Bruton, Mark Lemon, Mark Loram, Martin Dadswell, Martin Dugard, Martin Hagon, Matej Zagar, Matt Woodford, Maureen Bruton, Meridian Marquees, Michael Max, Mick Corby, Mick Hinves, Mike Sampson, Mildura, Mildura Motorcycle Club, Mr Arlington Stadium, Newport speedway, Niall Strudwick, Nick walker, Nicki Pedersen, Ole Olsen, Order of Service, paraplegia, Pauk Dugard, Paul Bruton, Pavel Vena, Phil Crump, Phil Wooler, Piotr Protasiewicz, Poland, Polegate, Police escort, Poole speedway, Premier League, Prince Andrew, programme editor, qualified plumber, ray maskall, Rayleigh Rockets, Reg Fox, Renat Gafurov, Rick Miller, Rider of the Week, Rodney Lyons, Roger Bruton, Roger Johns, Roman Povazhny, Romford speedway, Ron Preston, Ronnie Moore, Rosco, Ross Woodward, Royal Hussar Brighton, Rune Holta, Russell lanning, Russian speedway, Russian Speedway League, Ryan Sullivan, Rye House speedway, Rzeszow, Sam Ermolenko, Sarah Ferguson, Scott Nicholls, Scunthorpe Speedway, second halves, Sergei Darkin, Shane Colvin, Sheila Maskall, Sid Shine, sidecar passenger, Sittingbourne Speedway, SK Turbina Balakovo, Sky Sports, sooking, Southern Track Amateur Speedway Club, Stansted Airport, Super Prix, Super Ted, Tamworth, Team GB, Ted Hubbard, Tom Garnell, Tom Hedley, Tomas Gollob, track photographer, Travis McGowan, Trevor Geer, Vic Duggan, Vladivostok, White City, White City speedway, Whitesmith, Workington speedway, World Cup qualifier
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The Daily Mail has wholeheartedly joined the Internet age with various blogs on its website and, quite amazingly, one of these is dedicated to speedway! It’s called Speedway from Skezza with a masthead that features a photograph of a youthful looking member of the newspaper staff. Albeit one with an irksome matey nickname, gel...
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Tags: Antonio Lindback, Bjarne Pedersen, Bomber Harris, BSI Speedway, BSI Speedway - a wholly IMG owned company, BSI Speedway - An IMG Company, Chris Harris, Chris Holder, Daily Mail, Emil Sajfutdinov, FIM, Gelsenkirchen, Glenda Slag, GP Qualifiers, Harris, Holder, Jonathan Green, Kasprzak, Lindback, Nicholls, Pavlic, Pedersen, Philip Rising, Sajfutdinov, Scott Nicholls, SGP brand, SGP series, Skezza, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Star, Speedway with Skezza, Steve Skerry, Steve Skerry blog, Tai Woffinden, Woffinden, young rider development
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Except for Poole fans, the so-called Grand Final second leg was always likely to end in anti-climax. Though the Pirates have lost at home this season, a Lakeside team ravaged by injuries was hardly going to repeat this medicine or thrill first time watchers. Incredibly, only moments into the broadcast Nigel Pearson – probably...
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Tags: Bjarne Pedersen, Chris Louis, Jon Cook, Kelvin Tatum, Leigh Lanham, Magnus Zetterstrom, Matt Ford, Nigel Pearson, Poole Pirates, Poole speedway, Rosco, Sarra Elgan, Stuart Douglas, Terry Russell, Tony Rickardsson, Zorro
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Taken from Holsted Speedway newspage: The charge by the calling off from VM to speedway racing can be risk that run into a tocifret millionbeløb. Gelsenkirchen Earth risk to be vådt , catching decent locates that out to Guds available nature. Wet earth is difficult that do dry , catching decent to cold oktobervejr...
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Tags: BSI, BSI cost cutting, BSI management, BSI Press Office, BSI Speedway, BSI/IMG, Bydgoszcz, Gelsenkichen, Gelsenkirchen fiasco, Gelsenkirchen Speedway Grand Prix, Göteborg, Holsted speedway, John Postlethwaite, Monty Python, Nicki Pedersen, Ole Olsen, Paul Bellamy
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Ignoring that it’s a further embarrassment for the sport in the eyes of the outside world, the cancellation of the final Grand Prix of the 2008 at the “splendidly-appointed Veltins-Arena at Gelsenkirchen” has to raise yet more serious questions about the competence and visionary management of the organisers, BSI Speedway. It must also cast...
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Tags: BSI Speedway, BSI Speedway - a wholly IMG owned company, BSI Speedway - An IMG Company, Bydgoszcz, FIM Jury, Gelsenkirchen Speedway Grand Prix, huge scandal, John Postlethwaite, Nicki Pedersen, Ole Olsen, Paul Bellamy, pitiful performance by BSI, pitiful spectacle, Speedway Star, Ullevi, Veltins-Arena
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The speedway websites that you just have to look at throughout the year are few and far between. While the British Speedway Forum is a guilty pleasure, one must bookmark site is the always informative and wide-ranging speedwayplus. While the other is the Blunsdon Blog written by Swindon track staff member, potter, renowned speedway...
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Tags: Abbey Road Stadium, Blunsdon Blog, British Speedway Forum, Gary Patchett, Graham Cooke, overlooked speedway dramatis personae, Rune Holta, Sarra Elgan, Sebastian Ulamek, speedwayplus, speedwayplus website, Swindon track staff, Terry Russell, Travis McGowan, unsung heroes
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Given that the Speedway Star and the Speedway Grand Prix appear wedded at the hip, it’s astonishing to read some reasonably strong criticism of this event within its pages (both on September 13th as well as the subsequent meeting report on September 20th). Let alone to find that the chief critic is Philip Rising!...
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Tags: Antonio Lindback, BSI, Chris Holder, Emil Sajfutdinov, GP Qualifier, GP Qualifier Final, Grand Prix Race Director, Grand Prix Race Director's Assistant, Hans Andersen, IMG, IMG/BSI, J. Gollob, John Postlethwaite, Jurica Pavlic, Kenneth Bjerre, Lee Richardson, Mark Loram, Matej Zagar, Ole Olsen, Paul Bellamy, Philip Rising, Sawina, SGP, Speedway GP Qualifier, Speedway Grand Prix, Speedway Star, Tai Woffinden, Zielona Gora
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Tonight sees the sudden death stage of the Elite League season with the play off semi finals at Lakeside and Poole. Arguably the spectre of elimination makes this the most exciting part of the finale and, you’d have thought, that this would be a public relations gift for both the BSPA and the Sky...
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Tags: BSPA, BSPA media publicity, Chris Louis, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Star, Elite League, Guardian, Independent, Jason Crump, Jonathan Green, Jonathan Sim, Kelvin Tatum, lack of speedway coverage, Lakeside, Nicki Pedersen, Nigel Pearson, Poole, Radio Times, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Speedway, Sky Sports Speedway publicity department, sonambulent, Speedway Elite League, Speedway Grand Prix, Sun, the thinking man's Jeremy Clarkson, Times
Posted in Archive of Blog |
22nd September The best that Nigel Pearson can come up with to excite the armchair audience with (as we scoff the pizzas he claims as our staple diet during speedway meetings) is the less than thrilling news that “both sides need victory for different reasons”. If all that glitters isn’t gold, then this isn’t...
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Tags: Alun Rossiter, Arlington Stadium, Ben Barker, Carlsberg moment, Chris Harris, Coventry Bees, Elite League speedway, Guy Ritchie, Hans Andersen, James Wright, Jurica Pavlic, Kelvin Tatum, King-Lear-on-Prozac, Mads Korneliussen, Nick Faldo, Nigel Pearson, Peterborough Panthers, Ronnie Allen, Rosco, Sarra Elgan, Seb Alden, Sky Sports Speedway, Swindon Robins, Terry Russell, Tony Millard, Troy Batchelor
Posted in Archive of Blog |
8th September Leading up to the latest televised broadcast, the Sky Sports Speedway publicity office had worked their usual communicational magic to minimise the armchair audience. The Speedway Star told us that we’d get to see the ‘relegation’ clash of the titans that is the Belle Vue versus Wolverhampton meeting from Kirkmanshulme Lane. In...
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Tags: Adam Shields, Belle Vue Speedway, Bjarne Pedersen, Brokeback Mountain, Chris Holder, Chris Louis, Claus Vissing, Dad's Army, Danny King, Davey Watt, East of England Showground, Fraser, Geri Halliwell, Henning Bager, Jim Lynch, Jonathan Green, Karol Zabik, Kelvin Tatum, Kirkmanshulme Lane, Lukas Dryml, Magnus Zetterstrom, Mainwaring, Middlo, Murdoch Empire, Murdoch papers, Neil Middleditch, Nigel Pearson, Peterborough Panthers, Rick Frost, Ryan Sullivan, Sarra Elgan, Sky Sports Speedway, Sky Sports Speedway publicity department, Speedway Plus, The Sun, Tony Millard, Trevor Swailes, Wolverhampton Speedway, Zorro
Posted in Archive of Blog |
The converted window cleaning booth that serves as the Sky speedway commentary booth has certainly been going back to its roots in recent weeks. Recently it has been another week, another meeting staged in the rain for the benefit of Sky television. I always understood that “rider safety” was always the number one priority...
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Tags: Adam Shields, East of England Showground, Jurica Pavlic, Kelvin Tatum, Nigel Pearson, Sky Sports Speedway, Tenacianos, Tony Millard
Posted in Archive of Blog |
‘A masterpiece of observation and writing. I swear his books get better and better’ Peter Oakes/Speedway Star To order your copy, click here
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Tags: Concrete for Breakfast, Peter Oakes, Speedway Star
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An incredible four days after the 2008 Cardiff GP ended, the organisers are so desperate to further swell their coffers that they’re already trying to put their grasping hands inside the British speedway fans less than bulging pockets with a so called ‘special offer’ for next years event! Not yet migrated to the seemingly...
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Tags: BSI, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Charles McKay, John Postlethwaite, misleading advert, Ole Olsen, Paul Bellamy, price increases for Cardiff Speedway grand Prix, Speedway Grand Prix earnings
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2nd June The lure of another visit to Monmore Green Stadium proves irresistible for the Sky Sports cameras, which tonight sees the visit of Swindon. Though, we’re often rightly told that British speedway would be comprehensively up the Swanee River without the oxygen of publicity provided by the glare of the cameras, the Sky...
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Tags: Alun Rossiter, Belinda Carlisle, BSI, Cardiff Grand Prix, Chris Neath, David Howe, Edward Kennett, Elite League, Fredrick Lindgren, Great Britain World Team Cup, iPod generation, Jonathan Green, Kelvin Tatum, Leigh Adams, Mads Korneliussen, Monmore Green Stadium, Nigel Pearson, Paul Carrington, Peter Adams, plenty of speedway talking points, Rosco, Sam Ermolenko, Sarra Elgan, Sebastian Alden, SGP, Sky Sports Speedway, Speedway Grand Prix, Super Sunday, Swindon Robins, Wolverhampton
Posted in Archive of Blog |
For a unique perspective you really can’t find anywhere else about what really goes into making the Cardiff GP the best attended event in British speedway – visit the Blunsdon blog here and read Graham Cooke insightful account. Comes complete with splendid photographs.
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Tags: Blunsdon Blog, Cardiff Speedway Grand Prix, Graham Cooke
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The Times review by Ian McMillan, 28th June 2008 THERE ARE CERTAIN sports that seem to be shaped by their histories and their settings just for the purpose of lyrical description: county cricket, with its long afternoons in the sun, its trundle to the pavilion as the rain threatens, its slowly changing scoreboards and...
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May 19th The post-Jonathan Green era on Sky Sports immediately dawns with a Matrix type moment in the first few seconds of the broadcast when Nigel Pearson brazenly rewrites history with the claim, “Kelvin Tatum alongside me as always!” Clearly for most of the last decade, Nigel has been mostly hidden away unseen in...
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Tags: Ales Dryml, Dan Holt, David Howe, Elite League, Freddie Lindgren, hyperbole, Ipswich Speedway, Ipswich team manager, Jarek Hampel, Jonathan Green, Kelvin Tatum, Leszno Speedway Grand Prix, Monmore Green Stadium, Nicolai Klindt, Niels-Kristian Iversen, Nigel Pearson, Pete Simmons, Peter Adams, Peter Simmons, Piotr Swiderski, Polish speedway leagues, referee Dan Holt, relentless mutual appreciation, repartee, Robert Miskowiak, Sam Ermolenko, Sam ‘I’ll make up a lengthy rhetorical question in an excitable American voice’ Ermolenko, Sarra Elgan, SGP wild card, Sky Sports, snazzy new red multi-purpose (and hydraulic) commentary booth, Speedway Elite League, Swedish speedway leagues, The Matrix, Tony Millard, Wolverhampton Speedway, Wolverhampton speedway team manager Peter Adams
Posted in Archive of Blog |
12th May The last ever live Sky Sports speedway broadcast to feature the legendary presenter Jonathan Green simultaneously showcased his skills along with the grave limitations of his talent, his obsessions (too many to list but invariably an endless loop of discussions about the weather, the track, both teams REALLY wanting to win, the...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
Unless I missed it, without fanfare or ceremony one of the speedway broadcasting greats – Jonathan Green – has slunk away from our screens without the brilliance of his decade of live television work being truly appreciated and acknowledged. Surely this is a crime! With a whimper rather than a bang – after the...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
28th April The Sky cameras have chosen to show a clash of birds when the Swindon Robins take on the Eastbourne Eagles at Blunsdon. It’s a brave choice of fixture given that the Eagles in recent years have rarely performed well in Wiltshire. The Elite League table has an ominous look about it too...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
Tim Stone has sadly been prematurely snatched from his family and friends as well as the speedway community today. What you saw is what you got with Tim. Without his dedication and vision Newport Speedway wouldn’t have survived. Like he helped so many youngsters, Tim quietly and without fuss always helped me too (albeit...
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Tags: Newport speedway, Newport Wasps, Showered in Shale, The Club that Tim Built, Tim Stone, Tim Stone R.I.P.
Posted in Archive of Blog |
If you weren’t a speedway fan and had accidentally tuned into the Panthers versus Eagles meeting from the East of England Showground, you’d have been treated to an evening where the weather and consistency of the dirt on the track almost garnered as much discussion as the racing. Making him sound like a dog...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
What would it be like to live in world without inflation? Strangely enough, the riders who have competed in the Grand Prix series know this feeling well. They’ll know this again this year as the 2008 Grand Prix series starts tomorrow in Slovenia with exactly the same prize money on offer as in 2005!...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
31st March Sky Sports choose to send their cameras to Brandon for the Coventry versus Eastbourne to open another season of live televised speedway coverage. I don’t know what package everyone else subscribes to but mine costs £35 per month and you have to ask does this represent good value or guaranteed entertainment? For...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
…then you might also enjoy my latest photo book Banter & Bustle The Big Issue ,the Daily Telegraph, the Sunderland Echo, salut! Sunderland all liked it! They said: “The ritualistic walk to and from the football ground is the subject of this quirky book of photographs. Filled with mundane images of the back end...
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Posted in Archive of Blog |
An almost immutable law of the Rupert Murdoch Empire is that one part of his media kingdom will invariably but spontaneously chose to promote the products of another, particularly if they hold exclusive rights. For example, it’s not unusual to find The Times, The Sun or the Sunday Times using the Sky Sports invented...
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Tags: Arsenal, Bob Brimson, bollocks, Brandon Stadium, BSI, BSPA, Cardiff, Chelsea, Colin Horton, Coventry, Elite League speedway, geogrphic illiteracy, John Postlethwaite, Jonathan Green, Liverpool, manchester United, Millenium Stadium, Mr Sandhu, national profile, new generation of viewers, News International, Nicki Pedersen, official attendance figures, Peter Toogood, poor grasp of mathematics, Ricky hatton, Rosco, rude health, Rupert Murdoch, Sky magazine, Sky Sports, Sky Sports Match magazine, Stevenage, suspiciously rounded, Swindon, synergy, Terry Russell, the people's motorsport, The Sun, The Times, Twenty-Twenty Cricket
Posted in Archive of Blog |
Robert Bamford’s Yearbook remains an essential purchase..every conceivable fact and figure is coveredAllan Melville, Speedway Plus 14/02/08 The 2008 edition of the Speedway Yearbook has been given a welcome makeover…it’s a good move as the dull-as-ditchwater presentation has been beefed up into an attractive packagePeter Oakes, Speedway Star 16/02/08
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