Take me back

[Motu]

Yes he did...he was from Otahuhu,

Yeah,I remember him,that was my neck of the woods too.I really wanted to buy a Velo he had in there once,but I talked myself out of it.

[Laava]

Yes he did...he was from Otahuhu, said his mate owned a car yard there and they used to use some big ole' Yank tank (his words) for the weekend trips to Palmy.Yeah only four laps Motu but that smell.....! not everyones buzz i fucken' exciting for a young fulla.

Yep, you're right! That smell! Had the 1st ever world speedway event here at the stock car track last summer. Awesome! Hope they do a repeat this summer. The racing quads are entertaining as well.

the Maori dude that used to present "after school"?

I bet you know all the hand movements! [and some other hand movements!]

[Maha]

the Maori dude that used to present "after school"?

Keep the perks till after work?.....

I bet you know all the hand movements! [and some other hand movements!]

Know him before you judge him....oh thats right you do know him....

[eliot-ness]

I used to watch speedway from about 12yrs old, early 1950s Our farm was about 5miles from the Odsal Stadium track and we could hear the bikes plainly from there. The favourite place fot kids to watch from was on the bends where we were showered with cinders as the bikes came round. If we were lucky we'd grab a pair of plastic gogles that were thrown away at the end of each race. Those were the days when JAP engines ruled, Jawa came later. The Odsal team was managed by a flamboyant Kiwi called Johny Hoskins, he always wore a top hat and tails. English speedway was run on the lines of soccer and rugby, two leagues, and matches were home or away consecutively so all teams had to travel the length and breadth of the country. Early riders I remember were Alec Statham, Arthur Forrest, Bill Kitchen, the first of the knee sliders and Ossie Rosenfeldt. Briggs, Moore and Mauger came later, I remember the early days of their racing but by 1960 the Odsal team had disbanded through lack of a suitable track. When I arrived in NZ we lived in Grey Lynn for a while, a short walk from Western Springs so I was able to take the kids there for a Saturday night out. Great to relive the old days and the kids loved it. As Motu said some great riders visited and it was good to see some of the local talent beat them occasionally.

[Conquiztador]

Sadly the NZ speedway tracks are now set up for cars. They use a terracotta type of clay that does not suit bikes. Either too sticky or too slippery. But the reson they lay it is on request of the big HP cars. Their tyres cost a fortune and it does not wear them down.

Also to ride when there is stock cars and streetstocks.. The track get filled with holes and ruts.

But sadly it is cars that bring in the crowds and the $$'s so...

That is what happened to Western Springs, Meeanee and many others. So the only solution is bike tracks. Some of the car tracks have smaller "Bull rings" inside for the bikes. But the bikes end up too far away from the spectators. Sausage and drink time...

Rosebank in Auckland is the only bike dedicated track I know about that is used on regular basis.

The smell of burning methanol and Castrol R...

- Petrol is for washing parts
- Alcohol is for drinking
- Methanol is for racing

[Maha]

Rosebank in Auckland is the only bike dedicated track I know about that is used on regular basis.

Went there a couple of years ago......had an awesome day, small track but hell yeah the smell/dust in your eyes....

[McDuck]

Was working for a bloke today (out at Algies Bay) and noticed a photograph on his wall. I was black and white, three guys in leathers and and Speedway Bibs. His name is Bob Anderson, and he raced Speedway here and in England in the 60's...He and his mates boycotted Western Springs (cos' of some money thing) and used to travel down to Palmerston North to race, leaving Auckland at 9pm friday night, arriving in Taupo at 1am. Then onto Palmmy Saturday....race that night, get on the piss and drive back Sunday. When i was growing up in Palmerston North, my ole' man took me to the Speedway in the early 70's...got to see four of the then top riders in the world, race together and they were...Ivan Mauger/Barry Briggs/Olly Olsen/Ove' Funden.......two kiwis and two Swedes...Bob raced in the days of Ronnie Moore ....the photo on the wall was when he was in England racing in the Oxford colours...that didnt mean much to me but hell, when were talking it sure took me back a long way...

u must be oooollllllllldddddddd

[eliot-ness]

For those who have never seen speedway here's a couple of pics from the (very) old days. One from 1929 before Johny Hoskins made the sport popular worldwide and the other showing just how far sideways you could get on an Excelsior framed JAP in 1946. Can anyone name the two bikes in the other pic, note the gear shift on the tank. These were modified twin cylinder road bikes. Edit for previous post. I said Hoskins was a kiwi. He was in fact an Australian.

[kevfromcoro]

Bob Anderson...can remeber the shop..down the bottom of Otahuhu
Remeber Western Webbs..Station Rd......quite popular with us guys back then.
Also Whites in New market.
And Forbes and Davies down town
Len Perry this side of New Market.
Couple in Onehunga too.
Those were the days....Triumphs ,BSAs. old Matchys.pissing oil all over the driveway
And your mum having a blue fit evertime you went for a ride

[Mikkel]

got to see four of the then top riders in the world, race together and they were...Ivan Mauger/Barry Briggs/Olly Olsen/Ove' Funden.......two kiwis and two Swedes

Are you 100% sure that you're not talking about the DANISH speedway world champ Ole Olsen who won the championships '71, '75 and '78?

Denmark!=Sweden

Back in the good old days Sweden was a part of Denmark - but the opposite has never been the case.

[Bass]

You must spread some reputaion around before giving it to Maha Man again.

Cool thread Mark.

I remember all the big names and watched them race - mostly at the Templeton track just south of Christchurch. I still marvel at the skills I saw displayed.
I also remember Ronnie Moore touring all the A&P shows, doing a "wall of death" act in the sideshow area.

We are showing our age here mate, but fuck 'em, cos I think that's kinda cool too.

[kevfromcoro]

Ronnie More..did the the wall of death at the easter show yrs ago...
Now i do feel old

[Mikkel]

I haven't seen a wall of death for a decade or so... Do they still do them? Crazy stuff really!

[Conquiztador]

I haven't seen a wall of death for a decade or so... Do they still do them? Crazy stuff really!

Another speedway rider: Chris Martin from Auckland, took over the running of it and did some of the shows around NZ a few years back. Not sure if the wall is still up and running? I remember that it started to get a fraction old and worn.

[pritch]

My first visits to speedway were at Aranui (?) in Christchurch in the early 50s. Ronnie Moore was a regular in his northern off-season.

Next speedway would've been Western Springs 1959, Don't remember anything about the speedway at all. I was at high school , and there were all these girls walking around...

Later, the Waiwhakaiho speedway in New Plymouth; immediate post-school days. Don't remember too much of that either, similar to the Springs. Most of the creative effort of the guys seemed to be applied to getting in without paying.

Somewhere in the house I may still have some period MotorCycle magazines with world Championship results (Moore 1959?).