Who's who of Speedway past

[VMX247]

And what became of the young fellow Michael Lee.....

A new book on the shelves --Michael Lee"Back from the Brink" by Tony McDonald
Well done to Michael for fighting off the bad stuff. 

purchased from www.retro-speedway,com
or
Retro Speedway ML Book
103 douglas Rd
Hornchurch,Essex,RM11
1AW England

ps: see retro is in   

[KB171]

Brooklyn Speedway late 60's John Dewhurst on the right,not sure of the others,

[VMX247]

Went out to a Christmas work party and got talking to a Clayton Isbel last night.
Amazing who you can end up talking too. 
Turns out he raced solo's between 79 and 85 hanging out with the likes of Ivan Mauger and crew.
Does anyone have any info on Clayton ,maybe in a program or such.?
cheers Alison

[TC91]

Hey Hoony
What year was it that we rode at Bathurst? I can recall riding the longtrack on the Sat night and vintage mx on the Sun. If that is the one you are after I have a dvd and a video.
I will be back in Vic in about a week and can get it for you then.
Tony

[firko]

What year was it that we rode at Bathurst

Tony was it the same year Eddie Warren and Shawn Giles had their huge duel?
If so, I've got video of the vintage motocross (supercross) somewhere. Pelle Granquist won it from Kevin Flood on my Maico and Aldo on my other Maico so I rememeber it well. I rode my Champion Honda and bent the swingarm in practice on one of the huge jumps.

[TC91]

Yes it was, I didnt get to watch the duel as I was in that final but down the other end. Was one of your Maico's a 501? I recall chasing some guy on who was riding this wickedly powerfull Maico and every time I drew beside him he would hold his line and run me off the track!!  That film would make a good xmas gift seeing as I am now officially a member of the esteemed Firkin racing squad dont you think.

[Hoony]

Hey Hoony
What year was it that we rode at Bathurst? I can recall riding the longtrack on the Sat night and vintage mx on the Sun. If that is the one you are after I have a dvd and a video.
I will be back in Vic in about a week and can get it for you then.
Tony

Hi ya Tony,

we both rode in 1990 and i returned again for 1991 (not sure if you did).
from memory i gave you a 1990 event DVD that i transferred from VHS at Classic Dirt 4 at Broadford, so i think that is what you have.

I am after the 1991 event as i have misplaced or lost my VHS copy of that event, i think Kelvin Tatum was the main event winner.

ALSO it it exists i would love a copy of the first event in 1989 with Simon Wigg the Victor.

What are you doing in NT ?

[firko]

Yes it was, I didnt get to watch the duel as I was in that final but down the other end. Was one of your Maico's a 501? I recall chasing some guy on who was riding this wickedly powerfull Maico and every time I drew beside him he would hold his line and run me off the track!!  That film would make a good xmas gift seeing as I am now officially a member of the esteemed Firkin racing squad dont you think.

That would have been Laurie Alderton on my 350 or Kevin Flood on my 440....the 350 was actually a much quicker bike than that 440. I've never bothered with a 501, they're nothing special. Tony, you're on for that video once I convert it to DVD......and find it!

[xl59]

hey guys a bit off the track i know. but if you know anyone who is interested i have a large range of speedway world magazines from 1950 onwards and an official speedway program from 1949 newcastle speedway. am wanting to sell them as a job lot. if you could let me know if you know of anyone interested that would be great.
cheers greg

[colmoody]

Howdy xl59, The stuff you have for sale may be of interest to a guy by the name of Brian Darby whom runs Brian Darby's Vintage Speedway web site.

For those that have'nt seen it, it is well worth taking a look at. Fantastic take on the history and detail on Australian Speedway (car, bike and sidecar)

I sort of gather that he does it as a labour of love and if that's the case not sure if he is into paying for stuff.

[TC91]

Hey Hoony,
as the saying goes  "I owe I owe its off to work I go"
I didnt go back in to Bathurst in 91 but I still have the 90 dvd

Tony

[Curly3]

A bit of history from Speedways past.
Legend has it that Lionel Van Praag the winner of the first World Championship hel in 1936 was actually riding a Biggun.
Australian Speedway historian Steve Magro relayed this story recently on a worldwide speedway history chat group and was persecuted relentlessly.
The story is that legendary engine builder, Charlie Ogden and a few others lifted Lionels winning bike over the fence, through the granstand and out of Wembly Stadium before it could be measured.
I'm sure in those days Lionel wouldn't have been the only one bending the rules.
Charlies workshop was not far from where I grew up in Campsie Syd.
My father was a good friend of Charlies and we were regullarly at his workshop and my eldest brother Carl remembers this story coming from Charlie himself.

[ianaust]

Hey Steve,  Trev got those before Charlie died and that was his first real big one, most of them had 84S pistons in their 4Bs but you would already know this

[Curly3]

I didn't know that Ian but it doesn't come as a surprise.
Happy new year to you.

[jimg1au]

one of my 4bs had an 84s piston in it.then i got an 84s much nicer to ride.used to road race a 84s in a bsa frame in pre 62 classic road racing.one meeting got knocked back as they said i had the wrong colour no plates should of been green not yellow.i told them it was a short stroke engine but they had no idea at all