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ISSUE 92 (MAY - JUNE, 2019)
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SON OF MY FATHER: CHRIS & JOHN LOUIS
RICHARD BOTT talks to two of England's finest, both Ipswich legends, World Final medallists and the first father-and-son duo to be crowned British Champion.
Chris Louis told Backtrack: "From a rider-adrenaline point of view, there is nothing like waking up on the morning of a one-off World Final knowing that if it all goes right that day, you will be World Champion at the end of it."
“The British Final was as big as anything. There was nothing like travelling from Ipswich to Coventry passing loads of cars with Witches colours. Maybe it's because I have retired from racing that it doesn't seem to be the same these days."
BACKCHAT Q&A with Martin Rogers
The second in our new series where readers fire questions at our lead columnist. As one of the most respected promoters and administrators of the Backtrack era, no-one is better qualified to discuss the burning issues of the 70s and 80s. This time, MR responds to the controversy surrounding the 1984 Sunday People race-fixing 'scandal'; he has some colourful comments on King's Lynn's shift from their traditional gold and green; and debates the merits of women riders and their possible future role.
BROTHERS IN ARMS - Exclusive interviews
PHIL CHARD talks family pride to Peter Collins and Alan and Andy Grahame about making brotherly history on the international stage.
THAT WAS THE YEAR: 1986
In the last of our season-by-season reviews, ANDREW SKEELS rewinds 33 years to a period when Denmark and Oxford dominated and the sport was stunned by a terrible tragedy.
BRETT SAUNDERS - exclusive interview
The former Berwick and Edinburgh star candidly reveals to MARTIN NEAL how battling back from a stroke pushed him to the brink of despair.
WEYMOUTH: 50 Memorable Moments
Despite Weymouth's turbulent history and five different nicknames, ROB PEASLEY recalls highs as well as lows on the south coast, where Tony Lomas, Martin Yeates, Brian Woodward, Danny Kennedy, Simon Wigg and Simon Cross were all stars .
THE WRITE STUFF - RICHARD CLARK (part 2)
In this concluding part of his in-depth interview with the longest-serving Speedway Star editor, TONY McDONALD finds out (amid the obligatory beers and curry) more about this popular character with many friends in high places.
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
DOUG NICOLSON looks at venues that might have been worthy additions to the sport in the Backtrack era but, for whatever reason, never became speedway homes.
WORLD LONGTRACK FINALS of the 80s
In part two of our review of speedway's 'bigger brother', ROB PEASLEY looks back to the 80s, when two English speedway stars added their names to the illustrious roll of honour.
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ISSUE 93 (JULY - AUGUST, 2019)
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SON OF MY FATHER: TROY & COLIN PRATT
Next year, on July 14, 2020, it will be the 50th anniversary of speedway's darkest hour. A minibus, carrying the members of the West Ham team home from a representative meeting in Amsterdam, crashed at Lokeren, Belgium, resulting in the deaths of four young riders, the team's manager and the driver. Among the survivors was a seriously-injured Colin Pratt, who had top-scored in the Amsterdam meeting with a 15-point maximum. But he never raced again. RICHARD BOTT interviews the former England team manager and, firstly, his son, Troy, who spent most of his career with Arena-Essex and featured in the BBC soap Eastenders . . .
ARENA-ESSEX: 50 Memorable Moments
British speedway lost yet another long-established venue last year following the closure of Arena-Essex/Lakeside after 35 years in operation. ROB PEASLEY looks back at Hammers' highs and lows, featuring the likes of Bob Humphreys, Alan Sage, Martin Goodwin, Neil Middleditch, Andrew Silver, Bo Petersen, Brian Karger, Alan Miogridge, Troy Pratt, Paul Hurry, Mark Loram, Lee Richardson, etc.
ANDY CAMPBELL - Exclusive interview
Born and raised near Surrey, Andy Campbell made his league debut for Glasgow but his nomadic career took him to Reading, Poole, Exeter, Belle Vue, King's Lynn and Wimbledon before he bowed out back in the far north at Berwick. ANDREW SKEELS caught up with a genuine nice guy.
BIG NIGHTS: Daily Express Spring Classic
In the first of a new series, PHIL CHARD reviews some of British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. We start with the early season Wimbledon biggie that ran for nine seasons before ending in controversy, attracted the backing of a national newspaper and ITV coverage viewed by millions.
RIVALS: Mildenhall v Rye House
In the first of a regular new series revisiting club rivalries, ROB PEASLEY reflects on classic matches between two of the National League's fiercest opponents, including that epic 1979 title decider.
BUSMAN'S HOLIDAYS
DOUG NICOLSON recalls the times when riders and supporters booked a week's summer holiday and set off to the other end of the country on a speedway tour. A time when clubs routinely embraced gruelling fixture schedules.
ON TWO MINUTES . . . with MARK CARLSON
The Australian reflects on his UK career with Oxford and Milton Keynes and MARTIN NEAL finds out what he's been up to since he returned Down Under.
THE WRITE STUFF - Andrew Edwards
TONY McDONALD catches up with the man whose weekly speedway column for Motor Cycle News reached many thousands more readers than any other throughout speedway's last golden era.
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ISSUE 94 (SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2019)
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GARY GUGLIELMI - exclusive interview Almost 35 years after his racing career was abruptly ended by a harsh ban and he was sentenced to prison in his native Sydney, former Australia, Coventry and Boston star Gary Guglielmi bears his heart and soul in a riveting new eight-page interview with TONY McDONALD.
For the first time, we're bringing you the Full Gaz . . .
'Googy' on . . .
* His ill-fated plan to smuggle drugs concealed in his speedway bike * Serving nine months in prison * Billy Sanders, his World Pairs partner * 21 years' of marriage to Judy Sanders * The massive impact and guilt of a double family suicide * Finding solace in faith and religion * Ole Olsen * Fighting Kelvin Mullarkey * His 'Gary Williams' nom de plume at Coatbridge * Exclusive never before seen family pictures * Plus much more.
BIG NIGHTS: Golden Hammer Continuing his review of some of the most popular domestic individual meetings, PHIL CHARD heads for Cradley Heath to reminisce about the Golden Hammer, the annual classic that was the 1977 brainchild of go-ahead Heathens boss Dan McCormick.
RIVALS: Ipswich v King's Lynn Continuing our new series revisiting club rivalries, ROB PEASLEY reviews classic matches between fierce East Anglian top flight opponents Ipswich and King's Lynn, featuring legendary skippers John Louis and Terry Betts, plus Billy Sanders, Tony Davey, Kevin Jolly, Dennis Sigalos, Michael Lee, Dave Jessup, Richard Hellsen, Mel Taylor and many others.
SON OF MY FATHER: NEIL & KEN MIDDLEDITCH The Middleditches are part of the rich fabric of Poole Speedway. RICHARD BOTT catches up with 50s legend Ken Middleditch - but first a new interview with his son Neil, who has done and seen it all in a riding and management career spanning almost six decades at Wimborne Road.
BACKCHAT with MARTIN ROGERS The column where readers fire questions at our lead columnist. As one of the most respected promoters and administrators of the Backtrack era, no-one is better qualified to respond to the burning issues of the 70s and 80s, This time Martin responds to John Berry's suitability as the BSPA's Director of Operations, discusses the merits of various referees, and considers whether promoters have been negligent in their contractual dealings with riders.
SCOTT LAMB - exclusive interview A wholehearted trier, modest Scott Lamb admits to ANDREW SKEELS that he probably partied too much in his racing days with Edinburgh, Newcastle and Berwick and never set out to become World Champion.
GLASGOW: 50 Memorable Moments DOUG NICOLSON navigates through his local club's turbulent history and multiple homes. There are honourable mentions for Tigers legends Tommy Miller, Charlie Monk, Jim McMillan, the Beatons, Steve Lawson, Kenny McKinna, Robert Nagy, etc.
STOKE CHOKER Stoke's Loomer Road is the latest in a long line of speedway venues to fall victim to developers. We list all 89 British league tracks lost to the sport over the past 70 years.
Plus: Obits on Clive Featherby and Ian MacDonald.
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ISSUE 95 (NOVEMBER - DECEMBER, 2019)
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ANDERS MICHANEK: Life & Times In the first of a regular new series of in-depth, seven-page timeline profiles, ROB PEASLEY chronicles the illustrious career of the 1974 World Champion and former Sweden, Leicester, Newcastle and Reading No.1.
BIG NIGHTS: Midland Riders' Championship PHIL CHARD continues to review some of British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he heads back to the Midlands at a time when speedway was flourishing at Coventry, Cradley Heath, Leicester, Oxford, Swindon and Wolverhampton, with Birmingham joining the fray from 1976. Past winners of the MRC in the Backtrack era include: Barry Briggs, Ole Olsen, John Boulger, Dave Jessup, Hans Nielsen, Scott Autrey, Erik Gundersen, Lance King and Tommy Knudsen.
MARATHON MEN DOUG NICOLSON looks at the gruelling test of both man and machine that was the British League's Rider Replacement scheme in 1976, when Halifax's flying Dutchman became the first rider to score a seven-ride, 21-point maximum. Other notable endurance experts during that sweltering summer were Finn Thomsen (Wolves), Reg Wilson (Sheffield), Joe Owen (Newcastle) and Bruce Cribb (Cradley). In-depth analysis has unearthed fascinating facts from a time when one or two teams even used 'Double R/R' and some riders rode in eight of 13 heats!
TRACK RIVALS: Coventry v Cradley Heath Reviewing club rivalries, ROB PEASLEY recalls classic matches between two Midlands giants. With quotes from Bees' Mick Bell and Heathens' Alan Grahame, match winners included Dave Shields, Sam Nikolajsen, John Jorgensen, plus 1988 cup hero 'Big Al' himself, while there was trouble afoot for Bruce Penhall and Kelvin Tatum.
BACKCHAT MARTIN ROGERS answers readers' questions on . . . track standards and curators; riders who didn't live up to their early potential; whether the speedway authorities did enough to preserve Wembley as a World Final venue; and the drugs culture that entered British speedway in the 80s.
TED HUBBARD: Exclusive interview Former Canterbury and Rye House star Ted Hubbard, who passed away recently, gave this last, candid in-depth interview to TONY McDONALD. 'Hurricane' also talks about his two spells with Hackney at opposite ends of his successful career, plus the tragic loss of his good friend Graham Banks.
COATBRIDGE: 50 Memorable Moments DOUG NICOLSON recalls much-missed Coatbridge, where the excellent steeply-banked track became home to Scotland's two premier teams from different eras. Featured riders include Doug Templeton, Reidar Eide, Bernt Persson, Bert Harkins, Jim McMillan, Bobby Beaton, Egon Muller, Ettienne Olivier, Mitch Shirra, Brian Collins and Mick McKeon.
Whatever happened to . . . MARK BALDWIN? The former Mildenhall, Milton Keynes and Wimbledon trier explains to MARTIN NEAL why he quit at the age of just 24, in 1986.
THE WRITE STUFF In a rare interview, Speedway Star editor ANDREW SKEELS, universally known as 'Scun', re-traces his path from Scunthorpe to the top job on the sport's leading magazine.
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ISSUE 96 (JANUARY - FEBRUARY, 2020)
SUBSCRIBE TO BACKTRACK ONLINE JEREMY DONCASTER: Life & Times Continuing our new series of in-depth timeline profiles, ROB PEASLEY chronicles the career of the former England, Ipswich and Reading No.1 who successfully made the leap from grasstrack to top flight British League racing in the early 80s.
RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY Is there another summertime spectator sport in Britain more susceptible to the weather than speedway? In this comprehensive and revealing study, DOUG NICOLSON examines the costly issue of rain-offs during the Backtrack era, from 1970 to 1989. Which clubs had the most/least postponements? What were the wettest/driest months and seasons? Which unlucky club endured 12 meetings in one summer? And which lucky venue went four consecutive years without a single wash-out? All these questions and many more are answered in this fascinating, in-depth analysis. BIG NIGHTS: Golden Gauntlets PHIL CHARD continues to review some of British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he is back in Leicester to re-visit the annual Blackbird Road classic. Past winners of the 11 Golden Gauntlets, introduced in 1972, include hat-trick hero Scott Autrey, plus Ole Olsen, Anders Michanek, John Boulger, John Louis, Peter Collins, Phil Crump, Tommy Knudsen and Kenny Carter. TRACK RIVALRIES: Hackney v Wimbledon Reviewing club rivalries, ROB PEASLEY recalls classic matches between London's last two teams. With quotes from Dons' Terry Mussett and Kestrels' Paul Whittaker, match winners and other key men included Ronnie Moore, Jim Tebby, Gary Everett, Garry Middleton, Trevor Hedge, Tommy Jansson, Bo Petersen, Zenon Plech. And from the National Leaghue era, Trevor Banks, Paul Bosley, Mike Ferreira, Jamie Luckhurst, Andy Galvin, Todd Wiltshire, Kevin Jolly, Garry Rolls.
BACKCHAT MARTIN ROGERS answers readers' questions on . . . riders' averages and whether any of his team members gave their personal figures undue attention; merits of the Anglia and Central Junior League; his England and Rest of the World 'Dream Teams' of the 70s; and the three speedway people (living or deceased) he would invite to dinner.
ALAN SAGE: Exclusive interview By a very fortunate twist of fate, Alan Sage turned down an invite to join West Ham's tour that left six people dead. In this new interview with ANDREW SKEELS, the former Hammer and Crayford star reveals the full story behind his lucky Lokeren escape.
THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: King's Lynn Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and 80s at . . . KING'S LYNN? In this memory-jogger, we list all those budding one-time Saddlebow Road hopefuls, who ranged from a future World Champion to obscure novices, who can at least look back and proclaim: "I had a go!"
Plus . . . brief obits on Roman Matousek, Doug Templeton, Mike Raymond, Darrell Mason and Ken Archer.
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ISSUE 97 (APRIL - MAY, 2020)
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KELLY MORAN: Life & Times It's 10 years since the brilliant natural talent of Kelly Moran said “C'ya†for the final time. ROB PEASLEY looks back at the high and lows of the extraordinary career of The Jelly Man, a hero at all his British tracks - Hull, Birmingham, Eastbourne, Sheffield and Belle Vue (not forgetting Swindon) - due to his spectacular all-action style and engaging personality.
PAUL WOODS - exclusive interview One of the National League's biggest stars in the early 80s with Crayford and later a top flight No.1 with Eastbourne, Paul Woods looks back on his career, which also included spells with Canterbury and King's Lynn, with ANDREW SKEELS in this new four-page interview.
BACKCHAT MARTIN ROGERS answers readers' questions on . . . Leicester's Golden Gauntlets and the private deal he did with three times winner Scott Autrey; the mental effects pressure can have on speedway riders (we list 12 ex-riders from the Backtrack era who took their own lives); and decisions taken by the powers that be which he now has reason to regret. BERT HARKINS - book extract In this edited excerpt from his book, My Crazy Speedway World, globetrotting former Wembley No.1 and Scottish international BERT HARKINS recalls his experience as one of only three foreign imports to compete in the USA's one and only season of league racing in 1976, when he rode for champions Bakersfield Bandits, Mike Bast dominated the US scene and Bruce Penhall was still two years away from amassing European fans.
MAREK CIESLAK - book extract ROMAN CHYLA has translated into English the section from Marek Cieślak's book - Pół Wieku Na Czarno - in which the former Polish star rider and now World Cup-winning national team manager takes a critical look back at his two seasons with British League champions White City.
TRACK RIVALRIES: Middlesbrough/Teesside v Newcastle ROB PEASLEY recalls classic derbies between these former National League champions between 1975 and 1986, with input from Bernie Collier who rode for both North-East powerhouses.
BIG NIGHTS: Scottish Open Championship PHIL CHARD continues to review British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he heads north of the border to review SOC stagings between 1970 and 1989 at Glasgow (Hampden Park and Blantyre 1), Coatbridge and Edinburgh's Powderhall Stadium. Ivan Mauger won the first four SOCs of the 70s, followed by successes for Brian Collins, Peter Collins, Bert Harkins, Wayne Brown, Phil Collins, Mitch Shirra, Jamie Luckhurst, Les Collins, Neville Tatum, Steve Lawson and Todd Wiltshire.
IT'S RAINING AGAIN Following up on his in-depth track-by-track analysis of rained-off meetings in issue 96, DOUG NICOLSON puts on his anorak again to view the 70s and 80s findings in a much broader context. Are there more rain-offs in the modern era?
THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Wimbledon Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and 80s at . . . WIMBLEDON? In this memory-jogger, we list all those budding one-time Plough Lane hopefuls, who can at least look back and proclaim: "I had a go!"
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ISSUE 98 (MAY - JUNE, 2020)
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TERRY BETTS: Life & Times In our opening seven-page special, ROB PEASLEY recalls the many highs and occasional lows in the illustrious career of the universally popular 'Mr King's Lynn Speedway', who outshone every Star that ever graced Saddlebow Road and won World Team Cup and World Pairs gold medals. STEVE McDERMOTT - exclusive interview In a new four-page interview, ANDREW SKEELS catches up with the long-serving former Berwick star and NLRC winner who pays tribute to Jack Millen, the man who laid the foundations for his racing career.
BACKCHAT MARTIN ROGERS answers readers' questions on . . . his best and worst moments as a promoter, the defunct track he most wishes he could visit, and could National League promoters have done more to block the 'foreign invasion' that began in 1988?
WORLD FINALS by NUMBERS DOUG NICOLSON gets his calculator out again to look back at what factors, if any, contributed to victory beyond pure rider skill and the odd slice of good fortune. His in-depth analysis of all 46 individual World Finals from 1949 to 1994 reveals, among other things, the most and least successful riding numbers on the big night (one number failed to provide any winners)
TRACK RIVALRIES: Oxford v Swindon ROB PEASLEY recalls classic derbies between southern rivals. SWINDON and Oxford had been local rivals right from the very first meeting at Blunsdon in 1949, when Cheetahs had won 45-39. Most of the 13 matches featured here were contested in the late 80s, when the rivalry between the clubs arguably reached new heights. A time when Robins savoured every victory over their all-conquering neighbours.
BIG NIGHTS: Superama PHIL CHARD continues to review British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he's in east London for the Hackney classic that no home star ever had the chance to contest. Past winners (1967-81): Barry Briggs, Anders Michanek, Ronnie Moore, Ray Wilson, Ivan Mauger, John Louis, Martin Ashby, Dave Jessup, Malcolm Simmons, Peter Collins, Ole Olsen and Phil Crump.
SHUTDOWN! DOUG NICOLSON gets all misty-eyed looking at how supporters had to try and cope with the loss of their local track during the 1970-89 Backtrack era. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO . . . Warren Hawkins? The Australian newcomer finished his debut British season for Crewe with an impressive 6.1 average from 23 official second division and KO Cup appearances. But, as MARTIN NEAL explains in this new interview with the Sydneysider, Hawkins never raced in Britain again.
THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Wolverhampton Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and 80s at . . . WOLVERHAMPTON? In this memory-jogger, MARK SAWBRIDGE lists all those budding one-time Monmore Green hopefuls, who can at least look back and proclaim: "I had a go!"
LOST IN TIME How our social media followers on Facebook and Twitter voted when asked to name the one defunct track, above all others, they most wished they had visited but never did.
IN THE ZONE A recent Facebook post by former American No.1 Scott Autrey raised the rarely aired subject of pre-race preparations and, specifically, what goes through a rider's head in those private moments from the time he leaves the pit gate to reaching the starting gate. We invited other ex-racers to share their thoughts on their mindset, habits and possible superstitions, and how they treated track staff on the way to tapes. Respondents include: John Davis, Phil Collins, Graham Tattersall, Karl Fiala, Mike Fullerton, Dave Johnson, Vic Cross, Roger Lambert, Colin Mckee, Mike Caroline, Dag Lovaas, Doug Wyer, Bobby Duncan, Peter Prinsloo.
Plus . . . full-page Belle Vue Hyde Road stadium pic, Notebook, readers' letters, plus obits on George Graham, Eric Linden, Steve Brennan and Gordon Day.
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ISSUE 99 (JULY - AUGUST, 2020)
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LOKEREN 50 years on On the 50th anniversary of speedway's darkest day, we remember members of the West Ham group that lost their lives in the minibus crash near Lokeren, Belgium on July 14, 1970 - Manager PHIL BISHOP, Hammers' PETER BRADSHAW and MARTYN PIDDOCK, Wimbledon's GARY EVERETT and Aussie youngster MALCOLM CARMICHAEL all perished in tragic circumstances, along with the Dutch driver.
Also interviews with three of the survivors - COLIN PRATT, who suffered severe career-ending injuries, plus STAN STEVENS and GARRY HAY. Read how Garry escaped Lokeren with minor cuts and grazes . . . only to be paralysed for life in a track crash in Australia less than six months later.
Cradley Heath star ROY TRIGG recalls sharing his bedroom with his protege Carmichael, while TONY BISHOP relives the day he lost his pioneering father.
IVAN'S YEAR - 1979 (part 1) JOHN DAVIDSON looks back at the year Ivan Mauger defied age and his critics to achieve two of his greatest feats on the world stage. Part one covers the Hull No.1's path to the finals of the individual and team World Championships.
ERIC MONAGHAN - exclusive interview In a new four-page interview, ANDREW SKEELS up with a former National League favourite who was set on a grasstrack career before a chance call changed his life. 'Bootsy' is perhaps best known for his spells in the colours of Ellesmere Port, Mildenhall and Stoke. He also turned out for Sheffield, Leicester, King's Lynn, Halifax, Peterborough and Long Eaton.
WORLD FINALS by NUMBERS DOUG NICOLSON takes another studious look at the figures. This time he examines the comparative values of the four gate positions at all the different World Final venues. Also, birthdays and star signs . . . which days, months and horoscopes have produced the most and least world champions, including the GP era?
TRACK RIVALRIES: Belle Vue v Sheffield With new observations from Aces' Chris Morton and Tigers' Doug Wyer, ROB PEASLEY recalls classic 'War of the Roses' derbies between two long-time northern rivals. Featuring 14 Hyde Road or Owlerton matches from 1970 to 1985.
BIG NIGHTS: Brandonapolis PHIL CHARD continues to review British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings. This time he returns to the midlands for the Coventry classic and the stagings from 1970 until 1985. Winners included: Ole Olsen, Nigel Boocock, Anders Michanek, Ivan Mauger, Phil Crump, Dave Jessup, Mitch Shirra, Bruce Penhall, Tommy Knudsen, Kenny Carter and Hans Nielsen.
THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Oxford Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s and 80s at . . . OXFORD? In this memory-jogger, ROB PEASLEY lists all those budding one-time Sandy Lane hopefuls, including young Simon and Julian Wigg, who can at least look back and proclaim: "I had a go!" SPONSORSHIP From motorhomes, vans and brand new bikes, to potatoes, carrots, fresh fish and lawnmowers, sponsorship came in a great many guises back in the day. We asked ex-riders to recall their best deals, as well as the quirkiest sponsorship they ever received. Charismatic, media-savvy former England star John Davis certainly became a shining example to fellow Brits when it came to attracting and projecting commercial backers, large and small . . . As well as JD, other respondents include: Colin Richardson, Rudy Muts, Gary Guglielmi, Andrew Silver, Jan Staechmann, Karl Fiala, Bert Harkins, Martin McKinna, Roger Lambert, Mick Sheldrick, Ray Griffiths, Lee Coleman, Max Schofield, Paul Evitts and Vic Cross.
Plus . . . full-page West Ham stadium pic, plus obits on Maurice Morley, Wayne Jackson and Steve Millard.
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ISSUE 100 (SEPTEMBER - OCTOBER, 2020)
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The 100th collector's edition of Backtrack is out now and here's a small taste of the feast of nostalgia inside. To subscribe (remember, it's subscription only, no single copy sales), please go to
SIMON WIGG - Life & Times As the 20th anniversary of Wiggy's sad passing approaches, ROB PEASLEY recalls the illustrious career of the colourful former England captain and World No.2 who had personality plus.
ON THE BOSSES - Charles Ochiltree Love them or hate them, the speedway promoters of the Backtrack era included some of the sport's all-time heavyweights as well as a new brigade of youthful innovators. As a member of the BSPA in the 70s and 80s, a longtime management committee member and vice-chairman, MARTIN ROGERS rubbed shoulders - and crossed swords - with all of them. In this, the first of a regular new series, he recalls the impact and influence of the former Coventry supremo. ROY TRIGG - exclusive interview In a new four-page interview, MARTIN NEAL catches up with New Zealand-based former England international and Cradley Heath star Roy Trigg, who ended his UK racing career with Newport in 1974.
IVAN'S YEAR - 1979 (part 2) In the second and final part of his review of Ivan Mauger's incredible 1979 season, JOHN DAVIDSON on why a shock double triumph marked the end of an era.
ALAN WILKINSON - tribute Once awestruck by Wilkie's powerful presence in the Belle Vue engine room, IAN CORCORAN remembers an Aces giant in every sense and explains what drove him to publish courageous Alan's moving autobiography. RON HENDERSON - exclusive interview In a revealing new four-page interview with a key member of Newcastle's all-conquering class of '76, Ron Henderson tells KEITH McGHIE why he only sparkled briefly for Diamonds, talks about the fatal incident that led him to quit racing and the extraordinary diverse career path that followed.
TRACK RIVALRIES: Canterbury v Eastbourne With new observations from Gordon and Barney Kennett, ROB PEASLEY recalls classic second-tier derbies between fierce south-east rivals. Featuring 11 Kingsmead or Arlington matches between 1970 and 1987.
BIG NIGHTS: Northern Riders' Championship Continuing to review British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings, this time PHIL CHARD heads back north for some Mauger controversy and allegations of machine tampering in an event previously won by Ivan, Eric Boocock, Jim Airey, Bob Valentine, Peter Collins, Alan Wilkinson, Doug Wyer, Reg Wilson, Kenny Carter, Shawn Moran, Chris Morton and Peter Carr.
THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Swindon Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s at . . . SWINDON? In this memory-jogger, ROB PEASLEY lists all those budding one-time Blunsdon hopefuls, including David Ashby, Geoff Bouchard, Malcolm Holloway and Martin Hewlett, whom we can at least look back and say "they had a go!"
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ISSUE 101 (NOVEMBER - DECEMBER, 2020)
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DAVE JESSUP - Life & Times A World Champion with Team and Pairs gold medals for England, DJ is unquestionably one of the greatest never to win that elusive main individual prize. But, as ROB PEASLEY chronicles, this diminutive racer with the big heart enjoyed a brilliant career that spanned almost 20 years with West Ham, Eastbourne, Wembley, Leicester, Reading, King's Lynn, Wimbledon and Mildenhall before a spell as GB team manager.
ON THE BOSSES - Maurice Littlechild Love them or hate them, the speedway promoters of the Backtrack era included some of the sport's all-time heavyweights as well as a new brigade of youthful innovators. As a member of the BSPA in the 70s and 80s, a longtime management committee member and vice-chairman, MARTIN ROGERS rubbed shoulders - and crossed swords - with all of them.
It's the centenary of Maurice Littlechild's birth and, but for his premature death in 1972, the speedway involvement of MR may well have been very different. In the latest in our new series on the big names with whom he rubbed shoulders, our resident scribe turns the spotlight on one of speedway's all-time great enthusiasts who promoted at King's Lynn and Crewe.
BRITISH MEMORIAL MEETING NEEDED Isn't it time for an annual British memorial meeting to honour all ex-riders with UK track connections who made the ultimate sacrifice? TONY MAC thinks so. See if you agree.
JERZY SZCZAKIEL Jerzy Szczakiel's World Final victory in 1973 sent shock waves through the sport. How could a rider, who wasn't even originally meant to be in the Katowice meeting, possibly beat the defending World Champion Ivan Mauger in the most dramatic circumstances? As a tribute to the Pole who died on September 1, ROMAN CHYLA provides insight and context to his incredible story.
DOUG ADAMS - remembering a top mic-man Once the voice of speedway in Yorkshire and host to the stars, Doug Adams remains fondly remembered 17 years after moving on to that great speedway track in the sky. KEITH McGHIE talks to Dougie's wife Joyce, son Martyn and others who remember a popular, jovial character.
TRACK RIVALRIES: Berwick v Edinburgh With new observations from Brian Collins, who skippered both of the featured teams, ROB PEASLEY reflects on 11 meetings between second tier neighbours on opposite sides of the border.
BIG NIGHTS: Southern Riders' Championship Reviewing British speedway's most prestigious individual meetings, PHIL CHARD returns south for an event that marked tragic Tommy Jansson's first major UK victory. Other SRC winners include Colin Pratt, Terry Betts, John Louis, Jamie Luckhurst, Martin Dugard, Andy Buck, Andy Galvin, Steve Schofield and Brian Karger.
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO . . . John Goodall If things had turned out differently, John Goodall could have been sitting at home in New Zealand polishing a World Team Cup winner's medal. He was on verge of a call up by the Kiwis in 1979 but by the time they roared to glory at White City in September of that year, he'd already returned home. MARTIN NEAL catches up with the former Sunderland, Newport, Bristol and Wolverhampton rider.
THAT NAME RINGS A BELL: Newport Whatever became of them, all the ex-riders who had second-half races, junior matches or interval spins in the 70s at . . . NEWPORT? In this memory-jogger, we list all those budding one-time Somerton Park hopefuls, including Kevin Holden, Mike Sampson, Brian Woodward, Danny Kennedy and the tragic Mike Powell, among the many who 'had a go'.
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