Retro Speedway: Speedway in the 70s REVIEWS

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Speedway in the 70s REVIEWS

WHAT THEY SAY ABOUT OUR SPEEDWAY IN THE 70s DVD . . .

SPEEDWAY'S golden era? Well, that's a debate that could probably fill up all those rained-off nights we've been cursed with in 2012.

Some are bound to opt for the pioneering Thirties/Forties.

Some will plump for the days when 60,000-odd would flock to Wembley for a Fifties league match.

Some would swing with the Sixties.

Elbowing their way in with a persuasive argument backed by a new DVD of four hours-plus fabulous footage come the Seventies.

Our friends at Retro Speedway have turned their attention to that decade with their 'Speedway In The 70s' collection, touching a staggering amount of bases as they guide you headlong through all the action, personalities and stories.

"We couldn't have ridden at a better time," says Malcolm Simmons, and it's hard to argue with him as this fascinating double disc set unfolds.

Simmo's just one of a multitude of star names from that time that Retro have managed to track down, either in person or via recorded interviews, to make this the most rounded picture you're ever likely to get.

Come on chaps, it's time to grow that hair on the bonce and across the top lip, ladies into those floral print smocks, both clamber on to your platforms, and let's take a trip back in time...

Producer Tony McDonald tackles it on a year-by-year basis, so we're up and running with Wembley re-opening its doors to league speedway in 1970, and Dave Jessup looking back on his fractious relationship with a certain Ove Fundin in the Lions team.

While there's a treasure trove-ful of footage from all the big meetings of the time, there's also some incredible homegrown stuff from shaky video cameras the length and breadth of Britain (and beyond).

Here's the list of tracks Retro proudly boast of on the back cover - Belle Vue (Hyde Road), Birmingham Boston, Bradford, Bristol, Canterbury, Coventry, Cradley Heath, Crewe, Eastbourne, Ellesmere Port, Exeter, Gothenburg, Hackney, Halifax, Hull, Ipswich, Iwade, Katowice, King's Lynn, Leicester, Long Eaton, Mildenhall, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Newport, Norden, Oxford, Peterborough, Rayleigh, Romford, Rye House, Scunthorpe, Sheffield, Stoke, Sunderland, Wembley, West Ham, White City, Wimbledon, Wolverhampton, Workington.

Yes, some of it is certainly grainy, but, hell, history's pretty grainy!

Colin Pratt recalls the appalling tragedy of Lokeren, which cost him his career, but cost Phil Bishop, Peter Bradshaw, Martyn Piddock, Gary Everett, Malcolm Carmichael and driver Henrikus Rommoes their lives.

There's an extremely rare glimpse of Ivan Mauger winning what he still considers to be the hardest speedway meeting of all time, the 1970 World Final at Wroclaw.

Barry Thomas looks back at his British Junior Championship victory and the helping hand he got from 'Cas the Gas' Middledton.

Ole Olsen admits his 1971 World Final win at Ullevi came 'maybe too early', while World Cup Willy himself, Ray Wilson looks back at what he describes as "the pinnacle of my career".

Ivan recalls a falling out with Charles Ochiltree over a sponsored body colour: "They didn't like change, but a lot of promoters today don't like change," he says.

You can watch a fond farewell to West Ham, and hear Ivan recall when he went into promotion with Peter Oakes and Wally Mawdsley at Barrow and how George Best did a runner on the six-time World Champion as they travelled together with the soccer superstar due to be the top attraction for Barrow's opener - "he was a bit of a Kelly Moran," says Ivan of Best.

There's the drama of Ole Olsen's opening ride at the 1972 Wembley World Final and Barry Briggs' awful pile-up, and Tony Clarke owning up to what happened to those missing Russian bikes.

Scott Autrey thanks Ivan for 'ruining my life' by persuading him to come over from the USA and race for Exeter in 1973 rather than pursue a career as a surfer.

Anders Michanek talks at length about THAT infamous Wembley run-off with Peter Collins, but if he thinks he's hard done by, wait until you watch Zenon Plech's altercation at Katowice in the '73 World Final.

"The craziest piece of regulation in World Championship racing," is how voice-of-the-time Dave Lanning describes it. Watch and you have to agree.

Zenon himself talks about missing out on that other famous run-off, but pays tribute to the oft-overlooked Jerzy Szczakiel.

And all that's just disc one!

The 1974 British Final decider leads us neatly into disc two, and not very far away is what must surely be one of Jessup's greatest ever rides during the World Cup Final at Katowice - "a sensational four laps of speedway" says Uncle Lanning, and he's not wrong. (A fourth to first from Peter Collins ain't too shabby, either!).

Michael Lee talks about his debut 1975 season, Phil Crump lets us in on the four-valve's gestation, and you can wonder again at the British Final run-off between Ray Wilson and Marin Ashby, while John Louis recalls being snubbed by 'Crash' at the same meeting.

As 1976 dawns, Chris Morton recalls the stormy Australian tour by the Lions, and Gordon Kennett talks about moving to the wide open spaces of London's White City.

Ole gives you all the inside gen on his move from Wolverhampton to Coventry that nearly didn't come off, and there's an ultra-rare interview with Tommy Jansson after winning the Golden Helmet, plus some poignant footage of the late, great Tommy messing about in the back garden of tuner Phil Pratt.

As for PC's battle with Tiger Louis and Simmo in the '76 World Final, well, purists could probably watch that all day. And it's still great to hear PC's own take on it, all these years down the line.

Aussie John Boulger looks back at the Roos knocking England out of the World Cup and on to their triumph at White City, and with '77 in our sights, Michael Lee looks back at his England debut and giving Mighty Mich a hard time.

John Davis talks about his love/hate relationship with England team boss John Berry, you can hear Billy Sanders talking about his Spring Classic victory.

Terry Betts looks back at his ill-fated move to Reading, Kelly Moran talks about his debut campaign on these shores, Les Rumsey recalls his Canterbury rivalry with Steve Koppe, and watch again what Simmo to this day calls "the biggest con in speedway" at the 1979 World Pairs Final in Vojens.

Briggo fondly recalls New Zealand's World Team Cup win at White City, Ivan looks back at missing out on yet another league title with Hull and there's footage of the big National League decider between Mildenhall and Rye House.

It all flies by in a whirl of dust, bikes, colours and nostalgia. And you'll love living it all over again.

What producer Tony Mac hoped to do was 'capture the essence' of speedway's Seventies and, to his credit, when you finish watching this, you'll glance out your window expecting to see rubbish piled up in the three-day week streets. Or look down and swear you're wearing flares!

Richard Clark, Editor, Speedway Star (w/e July 21, 2012)

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COMMENTS ON FACEBOOK . . .

Well done, memories a plenty, great and interesting interviews and racing. Oh yes, and good photographs also. A GREAT addition to any collection, even for young 'uns to see how it was back then.
Doug Booth

Fantastic DVD, once again thanks for the memories!
Craig McCurdy

Excellent DVD - worth every penny.
Steve Wilkes

Just finished viewing this. Some great memories.

Ken Burnett

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