Speedway

[thesecondlaw]

Does anyone on answerbank follow speedway? I used to do a bit (not very good) back in the day. I used to go to Wimbledon when they had a team, but mainly follow the GP series from the comfort of my armchair now.

[Stephen_G]

Queenofmean is a follower of Berwick Bandits, and I'm a (VERY) lax follower of the Redcar Bears. I used to go to Cleveland Park to watch the Teesside Tigers / Middlesbrough Tigers / Middlesbrough Bears until 1990-ish, although I'm yet to visit the South Tees Motorsports Park track.

Next on my list is a weekend in Cardiff and the British GP.

[thesecondlaw]

I've been to a few GP at Cardiff (great atmosphere), before that Coventry and Hackney. I don't go often now, as all local teams have disappeared. There used to be tracks at Wimbledon, West Ham, Wembley, Hackney and White City when I was growing up. I'd love to visit Poland for a GP.

[Slapshot]

From afar really but heavily involved in other aspects of other motorcycle sports... trials/Enduro/Motocross.... tried Speedway once in Glasgow many many years ago just didn't have as much appeal as other forms of bike sport... good fun to watch though

[joeluke]

As a youngster in the 70's I used to watch Barrow Bombers. They used to race at Holker Street (home of Barrow AFC). The track was around the perimeter of the football pitch (each corner section of the pitch was removable)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrow_Bombers

[New Judge]

Your question jogged my memory.

In 1972 I was unfortunate enough to spend a number of days in hospital having my tonsils removed (not to be recommended when you reach adulthood). I was in a ward with mainly children. I saw three lots come and go because I was quite poorly for a few days. However, also in my ward for some of that time was a chap called Garry Middleton. He was an Australian speedway rider who had come to the UK to ply his trade. We shared a few laughs and cheered each other up ( I believe Garry was in for some throat problem as well).

I don't know if this was your time in the sport, thesecondlaw. Just looking him up I note that Garry rode for both Wimbledon Dons and Hackney Hawks . I wasn't into speedway but Garry told me quite a bit about his sport (mainly in a very croaky voice as neither of us could speak all that well at the time!). I also note sadly that he died in 1994 aged just 46:

http://uk.ask.com/wiki/Garry_Middleton?lang=en

[retrocop]

I used to go to White City,Wimbledon and Exeter.Oh the smell of Castrol R

[New Judge]

Do they still make Castrol R, retro?

I used to run a scooter (Lambretta SX200, modified by Arthur Francis of Watford to 225cc, 12v lighting, etc.) and for that fine machine I mixed my own two stroke fuel as far as possible. (I always belived they used reclaimed sump oil in the two stroke dispensers in petrol stations). I always added a dash of Castrol R. (Not too much for two reasons: 1. It cost an arm and a leg and 2. it had quite a nasty effect on oil seals). I only added it for the smell !!!

[lankeela]

As a youngster I spent holidays in Norfolk and was taken to Kings Lynn back in the days of Bettsy and Simmo - then White City got their own team and being involved with greyhounds there I soon became a regular. The Rebels were very successful winning the league and I managed to get some friends involved which ended up with us becoming fervent fans and travelling all over the country and going to Sweden for the World Final. My friend (who originally introduced me to it) now has a son riding for Kings Lynn but I haven't been to a meeting for many years. I do miss the smell and the excitement but not coming home covered in the red shale dust!

[retrocop]

NJ
I looked on E Bay not too long ago and saw it was still available.As you say at a price!!! I just mixed it in my 2 stroke Bantam D1 for the smell until it became silly money.Being a vegetable oil it was the death knell of an engine if it was accidentlly mixed with mineral oil.
Bet you had a Wal Phillips injector on you're Lambretta.I put one on the BSA. Not a lot of difference. :-(

[retrocop]

lankeela
God. I forgot that dust.It was like being pebble dashed.Amazing we saw any of the laps with that lot in your eyes.Amazing I still have reasonably good eye sight at my age as well. :-)

[New Judge]

Yes I did try a Wal Phillips "Fuel Injector", retro. (In reality not an injector at all, but just a glorified choke tube). I kept it for about three months. Performance improvement: none or negligable; Fuel consumption: don't ask!

[retrocop]

NJ
With you there on both counts. :-)

[thesecondlaw]

NJ, when I said I wasn't very good, I meant it. I rode in a few 'second half' races at Wimbledon ( i.e. not in the team itself) in 1973 and 74. I didn't have the bottle to throw the bike around like a madman. I remember Garry Middleton. I think he was at Hackney at this time. It's probably as well for you that he had a bad throat, as I seem to recall that he could talk the hind legs off a donkey!! Sad he died so young.