Byrd McKinney had a brief spell with Wimbledon in 1937. I believe he also raced
in the UK in
1936 as a member of Putt Mossman's teams. In Britain, McKinney does not rate
alongside his
more famous fellow countrymen, but it seems he built a good reputation in the
USA. Here is
some information passed on my an American contact:
"McKinney was third at the very first USA National Championship in 1934 for what
they then
called night speedway. For some reason what we call speedway today was spun off
by itself
or at least was identified as a special form of dirt track racing. This was
probably due to what
was happening in the rest of the world. ?
"Class "C" (or flat-track) didn't exist in the early days and only spotty in the
run up to WW2.
After the war it took over and Class "A" which once was everything, sidecars
included, all but
died. ?
"In 1934,  the USA Nats were held at the Los Angeles Coliseum and McKinney came
third
behind winner Cordy Milne and Lammy Lamoreaux. He was third again the next year
at
Fresno State College Speedway. Cordy Milne won it and brother Jack tied with
Miny Waln for
second, McKinney tied with Pete Coleman for third. I don't have any run-off info
so presume
these were the final results. ?
"McKinney also won the 100 mile Ascot race in 1934. Speedway bikes ran longer
races with
bigger tanks, mounted the usual way like a regular bike, on top of the diamond."
When speedway revived after WW2 in California, McKinney came back for several
seasons and
was again a leading rider in California. McKinney is featured several times in
the PHOTO
section under pre-1939 veterans.

The yahoo system of replies is:

  when you have read your message, click on reply button at bottom left, then
start your reply
AT THE TOP of the message your are replying to.

However, an easier and cleaner way to send a reply is to POST it speparately as
an original
message, but remember to key in the title of the message that you are replying.

Keep the debate material coming - and take a look into PHOTOS. At this count,
there are 40
in various albums. Just click on an album, it will show more photos.

Again, for newcomers, remember that by clicking twice on a thumbnail photo that
it will
enlarge.

Alternatively, top left in the open photo there are medium and large threads.
Click on these.

Let's hope this information is clear enough!

Keep posting!

speedstox12, moderator

FANCY THAT!
BY JOHN HYAM

MANUEL TRUJILLO, billed in Britain between 1936 and 1938 as a Mexican,
Argentinean and
a Brazilian, was in fact a Texan. He started racing in California in 1935
alongside Jack and
Cordy Milne and Wilbur lamoreux. He last raced in Britain in 1951 as a member of
the
American touring team.

AMERICAN rider Billy Gray, who appeared as Doris Day's younger brother in the
1951 film
`On Moonlight Bay' and later in `The Day The Earth Stood Still', followed this
with
appearances as Bud Anderson in the TV series `Father Knows Best.' After ending
his acting
career, he spent the years between 1970 and 1993 racing on South Californian
speedway
tracks.

ALVIN `SPIKE' RHIANDO, the pre-war midget car ace, tried speedway at Dagenham
and Rye
House in 1937 and 1938. He also raced on bikes at Yarmouth in 1933.

SLIDER SHUTTLEWORTH, who rode at Leicester Super in the late 1920s, used to
carry a
small sachet of red dye beneath his crash helmet. When he crashed, Slider would
burst the
sachet to give the impression he had suffered a head injury.

FORMER Southampton, West Ham, Rye House, New Cross and Wolverhampton racer Jim
Chalkley appeared as an extra in early 1984 editions of `EastEnders.'

THE British career of Australian rider Owen Gyles ended on his debut at Bradford
in 1948.
He reared on the starting gate sustaining a serious neck injury which forced him
into
retirement.

Bill Billman rode at Norwich in the 1950s. He also built a midget car. Did he
race this. Any
more details on him please?

Hi ........... The 3-way events at Norwich took place on 10/8/1957.
The races were staged with time handicap starts. 4 Heats were run
In the first heat the Midget was on Scratch, the S/car on 4 secs and
the bike on 16secs.
In heat 2 the S/car was on 2 secs and the bike on 14 secs
In heat 3 the S/car was on scratch, the Midget on 2 secs and the
bike on 14 secs
This was also the case for heat 4
Unfortunately the Sidecar boys were further handicapped by having to
go round the same way as Speedway bikes.
Tommy Foster (a 1st & a 2nd) and Dave Hughes (a 2nd) drove 1,000cc
Skirrows and Bob Knight (a 2nd) drove the Norwich Ford 10 Special.
The Sidecars were Bank-wheel 500cc and all 4 riders came last in the
heats (Geoff Baker, Harold Hill, [who passed away relatively
recently], John Lidgate and Geoff Lucy)
The Speedway Riders were Barry East, Al Sparrey and Keith Veal who
won heats and Derek Strutt who came 2nd behind Foster.
On 20/7/1957 Harold Hill (S/car) beat Bill Billman (Ford Special) in
a special challenge match race#
On 18/4/1959 we had a Cavalcade of Speed Event at the Firs and on
that occasion an Ordsall Motors "Parker 500" car driven by Mike
Parker beat Harold Hill (500 S/car) in a challenge race. On that
night we also had a Hulme 500, a Camel 500 and an Australian 500
(this was driven by Bill Billman's son). Ron Lea, who had appeared
at Norwich pre-war also appeared that night.
I trust this is of some use to you.

Bryan Tungate



--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "speedstox12"
<speedstox12@...> wrote:
>
> Hi Bryan Tungate:
>
> The midgets used at Belle Vue post-war, from around 1956-61, with
Bruce Blood &
> Co as
> drivers were not Eltos. These were midgets running with rear-
fitted 500cc JAP
> speedway
> bike engines. Mike Parker drove and promoted these cars until he
hit on the idea
> in the
> 1960s to organise the Provincial Speedway League.
>
> I am certain that Eltos did not race after the end of WW2, but
certainly the
> Skirrows were
> active until at least 1959. Post-war, from about 1951, Dave Hughes
from
> Northampton,
> owned and maintained the cars and just booked drivers to race them.
>
> Those three-way events at Norwich involving sidecars-speedway
bikes-midgets look
> novel.
> How were the races staged?
>

   A pair of Belle Vue's Eltos ran once during WW2 (1943 I think) at B.V. and once in 1947 also at B.V. 1974 was a match race between Acorn Dabson and Charlie Pashley. Charlie also raced at one meeting somewhere around the Northampton area (not Brafield) at about that time. Times like this I wish I was older.

Hi Brian Tungate:

The midgets used at Belle Vue post-war, from around 1956-61, with Bruce Blood & Co as
drivers were not Eltos. These were midgets running with rear-fitted 500cc JAP speedway
bike engines. Mike Parker drove and promoted these cars until he hit on the idea in the
1960s to organise the Provincial Speedway League.

I am certain that Eltos did not race after the end of WW2, but certainly the Skirrows were
active until at least 1959. Post-war, from about 1951, Dave Hughes from Northampton,
owned and maintained the cars and just booked drivers to race them.

Those three-way events at Norwich involving sidecars-speedway bikes-midgets look novel.
How were the races staged?

--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "michael955262"
<mikekemp.stars@...> wrote:
>
> Veteran Riders pre 1939 Album -- I have just posted the photo
Hackney
> 1939 -- From the left Frank Hodgson with the walking stick, Fred
Evans
> and Bluey Wilkinson Who is the rider looking up !!!


Just a guess - Archie Windmill?
If it was a team match it ought to be Tiger Hart, I thought he took
over as captain of Hackney for part of the 1939 season
>

Hi Bryan Tungate:

The midgets used at Belle Vue post-war, from around 1956-61, with Bruce Blood &
Co as
drivers were not Eltos. These were midgets running with rear-fitted 500cc JAP
speedway
bike engines. Mike Parker drove and promoted these cars until he hit on the idea
in the
1960s to organise the Provincial Speedway League.

I am certain that Eltos did not race after the end of WW2, but certainly the
Skirrows were
active until at least 1959. Post-war, from about 1951, Dave Hughes from
Northampton,
owned and maintained the cars and just booked drivers to race them.

Those three-way events at Norwich involving sidecars-speedway bikes-midgets look
novel.
How were the races staged?

Veteran Riders pre 1939 Album -- I have just posted the photo Hackney
1939 -- From the left Frank Hodgson with the walking stick, Fred Evans
and Bluey Wilkinson Who is the rider looking up !!!

--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, Rod Pashley <rodpashley@...>
wrote:
>
> I dont know any more than that. I have an uncle, who as a young man,
accompanied my Dad to Belle Vue when he (Dad) was racing. He tells me
that E.O.Spence (Then B.V. Manager.) was organizing the USA trip, for
his own drivers. It might be worth mentioning that Belle Vue Speedway
owned all but one of the Elto engined cars that they used there, it
might have made it easier to organize such a trip. The cars lay rotting
under one of the B V grandstands until early in the nineteen seventies,
then just dissapeared without trace.....
> Hope I've got all my spelling right fo you, Cliff
>
> speedstox12 speedstox12@... wrote:
>
> I have not heard about a proposed 1939 tour by British midget car
drivers to the
> USA, but
> have read in Derek Bridgett's excellent book "Midget Car Speedway" of
a proposed
> tour to
> Australia for the 1939-40 Australian season.
>
> Two drivers named for the tour were Harry Skirrow and Hal Palfreyman.
From my
> knowldge, I
> also think Walter Mackereth and former speedway rider Frank Chiswell
were named
> for the
> squad.
>
> There was an Australian tour in 1935-36 by three English drivers, Jean
Reville,
> Bud Stanley
> and Ralph Secretan. They even raced in test matches against the
Aussies.
>
> --- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "Rod Pashley" rodpashley@
wrote:
> >
> > That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
> > planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
> > political climate in Europe.
> >
> > Rod Pashley, Cheadle.
> >
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Rod Pashley,
> Cheadle UK
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Mail is the world's favourite email. Don't settle for less,
sign up for your freeaccount today.



I thought that in the mid to late 50's Belle Vue used the Elto cars in
second half racing with Doc Garth, Bruce Blood & Co driving. A number of
Skirrow cars were raced here at Norwich in those days in "mixed
meetings".  On one occasion a series of 4 challenge races were run
between Midgets v Sidecars v Speedway Riders
>

Rosie Roussel raced with an American midget car team in London at Charlton,
Walthamstow
and Stamford Bridge in May 1948. He has just died at his home in Bakersfield,
California.
Roise was in his early eighties when he died.
He is a message passed on to me by an Australian colleague Garry Baker, in news
passed on
to him earlier this week by Rosie's daughter Renee:

"IT IS WITH MUCH REGRET AND A HEAVY HEART THAT I MUST INFORM YOU THAT DAD
LOST
HIS BATTLE WITH HIS FAILING HEALTH AND PASSED AWAY WEDNESDAY EVENING AT
8:57PM.
DAD PUT UP A GALLANT FIGHT AND I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT WEDNESDAY MORNING, I
SHAVED MY FATHER FOR THE FIRST AND LAST TIME AND FED HIM WHAT LITTLE
NOURISHMENT HE WAS WILLING TO TAKE. I CANT BEGIN TO TELL YOU I DON'T KNOW
WHAT I
WILL DO WITHOUT HIM, BUT HEARING FROM THOSE HIS LIFE TOUCHED WILL BE A GREAT
COMFORT TO ME IN THE COMING WEEKS. I AM PLANNING A MEMORIAL SERVICE TO BE
HELD
IN BAKERSFIELD WITHIN THE NEXT WEEK OR SO. AN OBITUARY WILL BE PUBLISHED IN THE
BAKERSFIELD CALIFORNIAN (www.bakersfield.com) WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS
WHICH SHOULD HAVE THE SERVICE INFORMATION. AGAIN, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO THE
MANY
PEOPLE WHO TOOK TIME TO VISIT WITH DAD IN THE LAST YEAR, EITHER IN PERSON OR BY
EMAIL, WHEN HIS CAPACITY TO TRAVEL BECAME LIMITED. WITH MUCH GRATITUDE,RENEE
ROUSSEL."

Hope I've got all my spelling right fo you, Cliff

speedstox12 <speedstox12@...> wrote:

I have not heard about a proposed 1939 tour by British midget car drivers to the
USA, but
have read in Derek Bridgett's excellent book "Midget Car Speedway" of a proposed
tour to
Australia for the 1939-40 Australian season.

Two drivers named for the tour were Harry Skirrow and Hal Palfreyman. From my
knowldge, I
also think Walter Mackereth and former speedway rider Frank Chiswell were named
for the
squad.

There was an Australian tour in 1935-36 by three English drivers, Jean Reville,
Bud Stanley
and Ralph Secretan. They even raced in test matches against the Aussies.

--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "Rod Pashley" <rodpashley@...> wrote:
>
> That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
> planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
> political climate in Europe.
>
> Rod Pashley, Cheadle.
>

Message #24 of 26 < Prev | Next >
Wimbledon speedway had links with American speedway riders since the early
1930s, when Ray Tauser from Portland, Oregon raced with distinction for them.
After that,
Miny Waln and Byrd McKinney briefly raced for the Dons in 1937.

Then later in 1937 came the legendary Wilbur Lamoreaux, one of the sport's
all-time greats.
He was later joined by New Yorker Benny Kaufmann - who talked as fast as he
could race!
Benny was a real speedy guy who was also at Southampton in 1939.

Another familiar figure around Plough Lane in the late 1930s was the dapper
little Texan with
the Spanish-sounding name Manuel Trujillo, who is still regarded as one of
speedway's most
spectacular ever riders. And, unlike his fellow North Americans who pioneered
the now
conventional foot-forward style, Trujillo leg-trailed more spectacularly than
anyone else.

A great favourite in the early 1950s was Ernie Roccio, who sadly lost his life
in a 1952
accident at West Ham.

Following mentions of 'world championships' in France, my records show these
winners:

1929 - Charles Bellisent (France)
1930 - Charles Bellisent (France)
1931 - Billy Lamont (Australia)
1932 - (three championships staged) - Vic Huxley (Australia), Jack Parker
(England), Bluey
Wilkinson (Australia).
1933 - Calude Rye (England)
1934 - (two championships staged) - Fernand Meynier (France), Jean Landru
(France)
1935 - Billy Lamont (Australia)
1936 - Charles 'Pee Wee' Cullum (USA)
1937 - Martin Schneewiss (Austria)

The championships held at the Buffalo Stadium in Paris were known as the 'Dirt
Track World
Championship' and the 'Dirt Track Championship Grand Prix'. Guess it is a matter
of
translation of the title?

I have not heard about a proposed 1939 tour by British midget car drivers to the
USA, but
have read in Derek Bridgett's excellent book "Midget Car Speedway" of a proposed
tour to
Australia for the 1939-40 Australian season.

Two drivers named for the tour were Harry Skirrow and Hal Palfreyman. From my
knowldge, I
also think Walter Mackereth and former speedway rider Frank Chiswell were named
for the
squad.

There was an Australian tour in 1935-36 by three English drivers, Jean Reville,
Bud Stanley
and Ralph Secretan. They even raced in test matches against the Aussies.


--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "Rod Pashley" <rodpashley@...> wrote:
>
>    That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
> planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
> political climate in Europe.
>
> Rod Pashley, Cheadle.
>

Famous Belle Vue, Norwich and Australian international speedway rider Max
Grosskretuz was
also involved in the initial development of midget car racing at Belle Vue circa
1934.

Max too part in a project to build an ultra-fast midget car fitted with front
and rear engines. I
don't think this ever got beyond the testing stage. I have seen photos of Max in
the car in
Belle Vue bulletin-programmes of that period.

Considering it's less than a week since we started, things are moving fairly
well. However, we
do need themes on the basis of what the site is designed for.

It's not a debating arena to attack other members. Just stay on the topic
outlined please.
There are other sites designed for this - if people here chose to remain
anonymous, that is
their perogative.

The photo albums are moving fairly well. In the pre-1939 speedwar  rider album,
michael955262 has sent two delightful photos in relation to the Chiswell
brothers, Jack and
Frank. I especially like the 1929 shot of Jack riding at High Beech. Michael
promises to submit
some more photos in time.

And there is also a small midget car album. This includes two men who featured
in both
formulas on speedway, Stanley 'Acorn' Dobson and Ron Wilson.

There was several world championships run at the Buffalo Stadium in Paris.
Offhand, I
believe one was won by Jean Landru (France) in 1934, but I need to check some
records -
"currently safely put away" in my loft.


--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "rjgarrigan" <rjgarrigan@...> wrote:
>
> --- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "speedstox12"
> <speedstox12@> wrote:
> >
> > FANCY THAT!
> > BY JOHN HYAM
> >
> >
> > THERE was a strict rule at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, France, in
> 1932. Any rider going off
> > the speedway on to the surrounding concrete cycle track would be
> docked one place. In a
> > match race, Frank Arthur (Australia) came first but was relegated
> to second for going off
> > course. Fernand Meynier (France) who finished behind him was
> relegated to third for the
> > same offence. It meant the two riders were awarded placings in a
> race without a winner.
> >
> > AMERICAN rider Charles `Peewee'Cullum (USA) won the French version
> of the World
> > Championship in Paris in 1936 - the same year that Lionel van Praag
> (Australia) won the
> > first offical title at Wembley.
>
> Johnnie Hoskins said that Bluey Wilkinson won a World Championship
> event at the Buffalo Stadium. It would have been in 1932 I suspect.
> Has anyone any knowledge of that event?
>

I believe the 1939 British midget car team tour to Australia included former
Liverpool and
Belle Vue rider Frank Chiswell, and Walter Mackereth. The latter briefly rode
speedway on
northern tracks in the early 1930s. Mackereth possibly raced at Barrow and Belle
Vue at one
time.

--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "Rod Pashley" <rodpashley@...> wrote:
>
>    That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
> planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
> political climate in Europe.
>
> Rod Pashley, Cheadle.
>

----- Original Message -----

From: Rod Pashley

To: oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, August 08, 2007 7:23 AM

Subject: [oldtimespeedway] Did you know...

That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
political climate in Europe.

Rod Pashley, Cheadle.

--- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "speedstox12"
<speedstox12@...> wrote:
>
> FANCY THAT!
> BY JOHN HYAM
>
>
> THERE was a strict rule at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, France, in
1932. Any rider going off
> the speedway on to the surrounding concrete cycle track would be
docked one place. In a
> match race, Frank Arthur (Australia) came first but was relegated
to second for going off
> course. Fernand Meynier (France) who finished behind him was
relegated to third for the
> same offence. It meant the two riders were awarded placings in a
race without a winner.
>
> AMERICAN rider Charles `Peewee'Cullum (USA) won the French version
of the World
> Championship in Paris in 1936 - the same year that Lionel van Praag
(Australia) won the
> first offical title at Wembley.

Johnnie Hoskins said that Bluey Wilkinson won a World Championship
event at the Buffalo Stadium. It would have been in 1932 I suspect.
Has anyone any knowledge of that event?

LOL

You were cancelled Rod? Never mind, you’ll get over it, one day…..;-)

Cliff Manley

3 Collins St

Queanbeyan NSW 2620

Australia

ph +61 2 62978709

mob +61 434837748

---

From: oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com [mailto:oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Rod Pashley
Sent: Wednesday, 8 August 2007 7:24 AM
To: oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [oldtimespeedway] Did you know...

That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
political climate in Europe.

Rod Pashley, Cheadle.

That in 1939, Belle Vue Speedway was in the advanced stages of a
planned Midget Car team to the USA? I was cancelled due to the
political climate in Europe.

Rod Pashley, Cheadle.

>
> --- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "garrag53" <graham.garratt1@> wrote

> >    How sad to here of the death of Igor. I remember the 1964 test series
> > very well. My father and I went to the Wembley match. And if my memory
> > serves me right there was a match at Coventry,witch we missed due  to
> > our car breaking down. Another great rider has gone.
> >
>
> >
> > --- In oldtimespeedway@yahoogroups.com, "speedstox12" <speedstox12@>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > Igor Plechanov, the Russian rider who put his country on the
> > international map, has recently
> > > died.
> > >
> > > He put Russian speedway before they eyes of British supporters when
> > his country raced here
> > > in a test series in 1964.
> > >
> > > Plechanov will be rated as one of speedway's all-time greats. RIP
> >
> >
> >
> >
>

FANCY THAT!
BY JOHN HYAM


THERE was a strict rule at the Buffalo Stadium, Paris, France, in 1932. Any
rider going off
the speedway on to the surrounding concrete cycle track would be docked one
place. In a
match race, Frank Arthur (Australia) came first but was relegated to second for
going off
course. Fernand Meynier (France) who finished behind him was relegated to third
for the
same offence. It meant the two riders were awarded placings in a race without a
winner.

AMERICAN rider Charles `Peewee'Cullum (USA) won the French version of the World
Championship in Paris in 1936 - the same year that Lionel van Praag (Australia)
won the
first offical title at Wembley.

NORWEGIAN Leif `Basse' Hveem is credited as being the first rider to lap a
British track at
more than 50mph. He achieved the feat at West Ham in 1953.

BRITISH riders Wally Lloyd and Wal Morton had spells as rider-manager of the
track at
Belfast, Northern Ireland, in the late 1940s.

A TEAM of Spanish riders raced at Wembley in the early 1930s, while a French 
side
appeared at New Cross in 1935.

This book review appeared in the 'South London Press' Friday August 3 2007:


70 YEARS OF RYE HOUSE SPEEDWAY
Author: Norman Jacobs.
Stadia: £14.99
ISBN 978-0-7524-4162-7

FORGET the title. Rye House was the London area training track for novices. And
it was
responsible for the development of riders who became members of the great
Wimbledon
teams of the 1950s and 1960s.

They include the legendary Ron How who, although originally a member of the
Harringay
team, was a stalwart of the Dons' teams that dominated the National League
championship
in the 1960s.

How went on to become an England international and world finalist, although the
sport's
great crown eluded him. On track, he was a swashbuckling, hard-charging
character. It
was all so different to his off-track life. He had a pub at Great Missenden in
Buckinghamshire and also ran a nearby dairy farm.

Cyril Maidment also cut his racing teeth at Rye House, then became a formidable
Dons
rider for many seasons, and eventually the club's team manager. He had firm
local roots,
and owned a greengrocer's in Mitcham.

Alf Hagon was another Rye House graduate who progress to a Wimbledon career via
Harringay. He wore spectacles, was quiet talking, but a mechanical genius who
still has
technical links with speedway and its associate formulas grass track and
long-track racing.

Another who plied his craft at Rye House before enoying a long stay at Wimbledon
was Jim
Tebby. While not in the same top class as How, Maidment and Hagon, Tebby was a
dedicated journeymen who had a long-stay career with Wimbledon in halcyon times.

Another old-time Dons rider who plied his craft at Rye House was Ron Howes (not
to be
confused with Ron How). Howes had links with Wimbledon in 1938 and 1939, when he
was also a regular in Sunday afternoon meetings at Rye House. Post-war he had
another
spell in Dons colours and into the late 1940s rode for West Ham and Rayleigh.

The origins of Rye House are as a training track from 1934 until the early 1970s
when it
became a successful mainstream league speedway club. Two riders who had post-war
links with Wimbledon, Ken Brett and Phil 'Tiger' Hart raced at Rye House's first
meeting  on
May 27 1934.

This is a thoroughly well researched book with some excellent nostalgic photos.
It is a
fitting testimony to the dedication author Norman Jacobs puts into works of this
kind. The
book is definitive history of a unique track. It has this reviewer's sign of
approval.

John Hyam

Igor Plechanov, the Russian rider who put his country on the international map,
has recently
died.

He put Russian speedway before they eyes of British supporters when his country
raced here
in a test series in 1964.

Plechanov will be rated as one of speedway's all-time greats. RIP.

Does anyone have a photo of the late George Bason? He mainly rode for
Southampton
1947-48 and Liverpool 1949-50. He was however a regular free-lance rider in
France and
Germany, and was still racing in 1967 aged 52 years.