Post by Administrator on Aug 6, 2010 15:45:42 GMT
Look what’s in the latest issue (No.39) of BACKTRACK...
BEST OF BRITISH – The 70s
The 1970s was generally an outstanding period of unprecedented success for British speedway, featuring as it did six World Team Cup victories for GB or England teams, four World Pairs wins and, of course, Peter Collins’ individual World Championship in 1976.
But it wasn’t just in the international arena where the Brits flourished like never before. In the domestic British League there was no shortage of very talented riders challenging, and at times toppling, the overseas giants led by Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen and Anders Michanek.
So who were the top Brits from this glorious decade and how would you rank them now? It’s a tough task, but Backtrack’s John Berry has never ducked a challenge.
We asked JB to list, in order, his best 20 UK riders from the 70s, disregarding all performances before and after the cut-off dates. The term ‘best’ takes into account club and personal achievements from 1970 until 1979 inclusive.
See how many of his choices you agree with...
MICHAEL LEE – Exclusive interview
Shocking, hard-hitting and revealing . . . just some of the superlatives used to describe Retro Speedway’s latest book. Backtrack’s Tony McDonald, author of Michael Lee: Back From The Brink, provides a glimpse into the 336 pages and get’s the former World Champion’s reaction to a warts and all story that has the makings of a best-seller.
WORLD FINAL FLASHPOINTS – Wembley, 1975
Continuing our series where we recall a crucial moment in World Final history, Peter Collins recalls the race in 1975 when his title chances literally went up in a cloud of dust.
TIM SWALES – Meet the Boss
In the first of a new series in which we catch up with a former promoter, Martin Neal visited the home of Tim Swales, for so long the driving force behind Middlesbrough and long-time chairman of the BSPA.
BRUCE PENHALL COLUMN
Our American columnist and former double World Champion bemoans the lack of characters in speedway today and suggests this is one of the reason why the sport is now struggling to survive both here in the UK and his homeland. As Penhall points out, 10 of the British League tracks who were running when he arrived here in 1978 are now defunct.
Bruce also talks about one of his regrets in speedway and reacts to receiving a copy of former rival Mike Lee’s new book – and why he rated Lee a more difficult opponent than either Ivan Mauger or Ole Olsen.
SIMMO’S COLUMN
AS Great Britain prepares for another daunting World Cup bid, our other columnist questions whether today’s riders have the same pride in riding for their country as he and his England team-mates did in the 70s and 80s.
Simmo also continues his analysis of speedway engines of the past by running the rule over the Weslake that took the sport by storm in the mid-70s.
IVAN MAUGER – book extract
IN the days before points limits governed team strengths, the BSPA favoured a system of rider control in its bid to balance team strengths – and its biggest ‘fall guy’ of all was Ivan Mauger.
But as Ivan tells in this excerpt from his autobiography The Will To Win, in double-quick time he went from being ‘the rider Belle Vue had to lose to the rider Exeter had to have’.
His stunning switch to the Falcons after the start of the 1973 season paved the way to five years of unprecedented success and excitement at the County Ground.
ROLAND DANNO – Exclusive interview
He spent only two seasons in England in the late 80s with Hackney and then Belle Vue, but Roland Danno showed lots of promise and a bright future was predicted for him. Sadly, his career literally came crashing down in 1989 but, as Martin Neal reports, the Swede is still making a big success of his life.
PETER SCHROECK – Exclusive interview
Peter Schroeck made history as the first foreigner to compete in the National League. But as we discover, it was an uncomfortable time for Rye House’s young German trailblazer.
RADFORD’S TRAVELS
The intrepid Bob concludes his journeys back in time with a look back at the following venues: Terenzano, Vargarna, Vetlanda, Ventura, Vojens, Wembley, West Ham, Weymouth, White City, Wimbledon, Wolverhampton and Workington.
UNSUNG RIDERS
Learn more about Former Wolves rider Lars Munkedal and early 70s Cradley Heath hopeful Richard Eslick.
IAN HUMPHREYS Q&A
The former Weymouth, Arena Essex and Exeter rider recalls the highs and lows of his National League career.
A TO Z OF INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Start of a regular new feature where we take a slightly cynical and, at times, irreverent look back at the men of influence and other things of interest from the Backtrack era. In this issue we cover A and B, which means mentions for: Peter Adams, Americans, Jan Andersson, announcers, anoraks, Arlington Academy, Martin Ashby, Australia, Scott Autrey, badges, Stuart Bamforth, George Barclay, Dick Barrie, Mick Bell, Belle Vue (Hyde Road), John Berry, Terry Betts, Dr Carlo Biagi, BLRC, the Boococks, Eric Boothroyd, Dick Bracher, Bradford, Barry Briggs, British Final, British League, British Lions and the BSPA.
1980 GRAND SLAM ANNIVERSARY - World Championship: the individual
In the second of our three-part series looking back at England’s unique Grand Slam achievement in 1980, Richard Bott recalls the highlight of Michael Lee’s racing career.
MIKHAIL STAROSTIN – Exclusive interview
A rare insight from Vitek Formanek into the life and times of Russia’s top rider from the late 70s and early 80s, including his special memories from his appearance in the 1982 World Final in Los Angeles.
Plus...your letters and another feast of great pictures from a golden era!
www.retro-speedway.com
BEST OF BRITISH – The 70s
The 1970s was generally an outstanding period of unprecedented success for British speedway, featuring as it did six World Team Cup victories for GB or England teams, four World Pairs wins and, of course, Peter Collins’ individual World Championship in 1976.
But it wasn’t just in the international arena where the Brits flourished like never before. In the domestic British League there was no shortage of very talented riders challenging, and at times toppling, the overseas giants led by Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Ole Olsen and Anders Michanek.
So who were the top Brits from this glorious decade and how would you rank them now? It’s a tough task, but Backtrack’s John Berry has never ducked a challenge.
We asked JB to list, in order, his best 20 UK riders from the 70s, disregarding all performances before and after the cut-off dates. The term ‘best’ takes into account club and personal achievements from 1970 until 1979 inclusive.
See how many of his choices you agree with...
MICHAEL LEE – Exclusive interview
Shocking, hard-hitting and revealing . . . just some of the superlatives used to describe Retro Speedway’s latest book. Backtrack’s Tony McDonald, author of Michael Lee: Back From The Brink, provides a glimpse into the 336 pages and get’s the former World Champion’s reaction to a warts and all story that has the makings of a best-seller.
WORLD FINAL FLASHPOINTS – Wembley, 1975
Continuing our series where we recall a crucial moment in World Final history, Peter Collins recalls the race in 1975 when his title chances literally went up in a cloud of dust.
TIM SWALES – Meet the Boss
In the first of a new series in which we catch up with a former promoter, Martin Neal visited the home of Tim Swales, for so long the driving force behind Middlesbrough and long-time chairman of the BSPA.
BRUCE PENHALL COLUMN
Our American columnist and former double World Champion bemoans the lack of characters in speedway today and suggests this is one of the reason why the sport is now struggling to survive both here in the UK and his homeland. As Penhall points out, 10 of the British League tracks who were running when he arrived here in 1978 are now defunct.
Bruce also talks about one of his regrets in speedway and reacts to receiving a copy of former rival Mike Lee’s new book – and why he rated Lee a more difficult opponent than either Ivan Mauger or Ole Olsen.
SIMMO’S COLUMN
AS Great Britain prepares for another daunting World Cup bid, our other columnist questions whether today’s riders have the same pride in riding for their country as he and his England team-mates did in the 70s and 80s.
Simmo also continues his analysis of speedway engines of the past by running the rule over the Weslake that took the sport by storm in the mid-70s.
IVAN MAUGER – book extract
IN the days before points limits governed team strengths, the BSPA favoured a system of rider control in its bid to balance team strengths – and its biggest ‘fall guy’ of all was Ivan Mauger.
But as Ivan tells in this excerpt from his autobiography The Will To Win, in double-quick time he went from being ‘the rider Belle Vue had to lose to the rider Exeter had to have’.
His stunning switch to the Falcons after the start of the 1973 season paved the way to five years of unprecedented success and excitement at the County Ground.
ROLAND DANNO – Exclusive interview
He spent only two seasons in England in the late 80s with Hackney and then Belle Vue, but Roland Danno showed lots of promise and a bright future was predicted for him. Sadly, his career literally came crashing down in 1989 but, as Martin Neal reports, the Swede is still making a big success of his life.
PETER SCHROECK – Exclusive interview
Peter Schroeck made history as the first foreigner to compete in the National League. But as we discover, it was an uncomfortable time for Rye House’s young German trailblazer.
RADFORD’S TRAVELS
The intrepid Bob concludes his journeys back in time with a look back at the following venues: Terenzano, Vargarna, Vetlanda, Ventura, Vojens, Wembley, West Ham, Weymouth, White City, Wimbledon, Wolverhampton and Workington.
UNSUNG RIDERS
Learn more about Former Wolves rider Lars Munkedal and early 70s Cradley Heath hopeful Richard Eslick.
IAN HUMPHREYS Q&A
The former Weymouth, Arena Essex and Exeter rider recalls the highs and lows of his National League career.
A TO Z OF INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Start of a regular new feature where we take a slightly cynical and, at times, irreverent look back at the men of influence and other things of interest from the Backtrack era. In this issue we cover A and B, which means mentions for: Peter Adams, Americans, Jan Andersson, announcers, anoraks, Arlington Academy, Martin Ashby, Australia, Scott Autrey, badges, Stuart Bamforth, George Barclay, Dick Barrie, Mick Bell, Belle Vue (Hyde Road), John Berry, Terry Betts, Dr Carlo Biagi, BLRC, the Boococks, Eric Boothroyd, Dick Bracher, Bradford, Barry Briggs, British Final, British League, British Lions and the BSPA.
1980 GRAND SLAM ANNIVERSARY - World Championship: the individual
In the second of our three-part series looking back at England’s unique Grand Slam achievement in 1980, Richard Bott recalls the highlight of Michael Lee’s racing career.
MIKHAIL STAROSTIN – Exclusive interview
A rare insight from Vitek Formanek into the life and times of Russia’s top rider from the late 70s and early 80s, including his special memories from his appearance in the 1982 World Final in Los Angeles.
Plus...your letters and another feast of great pictures from a golden era!
www.retro-speedway.com