My mom is from England! We live in America! She took me back several times ! But went to Bellevue speedway at 11 ! That was life changing! Still follow it till today! Im 60 now ! Mom is 90 ! Thanks mom ❤😊😊😊
Nice upload Firestarter, For me the 70's and 80's were the best. My parents owned a large guest house in those days. We regularly accomodated George Hunter, Neil Collins, Chris Turner, Ivan Blacka, all the Havelock family prior to Gary being champ. Phil Crump, Neil Street. Also Tai Woffendens dad.The list was endless. This was in a posh area of Edinburgh but they all got great deals after a match at Edinburgh's Powderhall on a Friday night. and home cooked food. I remember setting up Scalextric tracks for them at home over a weekend and showing them the ropes. Ha Ha. Stevie in Scotland.
Ex Liverpool (Sydney) Speedway fan now living in Scotland: some observations of the British scene. OK, the glory days are over, but Speedway is not over. I am optimistic about British Speedway. BUT, “out of sight, out of mind”. There needs to be a secondary feed from the Discovery+ deal; perhaps a one hour package on free-to-air TV. Rugby Union pays for it, so they get on various platforms. FIM needs to have a marketing Manager in GB. So, then there can be a separation of operations to marketing. Get those 30 second tick-tok clips with action and “cool” music. C’mon…Speedway, you can do this! It has the “product”, the people, the structure. Lets use this “capital” to not only preserve Speedway, but promote and increase interest. Think about it…Speedway has excitement, structure, history, commitment by good people. Tapes up….surely?
Here in the US speedway is non-existent for the most part, though some of the sport's greatest champions are from here...I depend entirely on FIM using youtube to see the GPs/SON, etc, and this season was absolutely amazing. I wish I'd been born in England for a lot of reasons, but to be there for the best of British speedway would be a top reason. I'd pay teams to watch a stream of races with announcers and some production value the way I do F1. Hell yes I'd watch live races from Ipswich, Kings Lynn, and others. Take my money! The tech is available.
Followed Speedway as a kid used to go to Crayford and Hackney in the 70's with my dad and brother, the world finals at Wembley . Used to go to lakeside in the 90's now and again but thats gone now to . Such a shame how its gone from the 2nd biggest spectator sport in the UK to virtually non existent now , whilst in poland its still huge thanks to their promoters building purpose built stadiums and having more TV time .
Good old Buster, Chapman. ! I was a massive King’s Lynn stars, fan as a Lad in the 70s My personal favourite was the legend, Terry Betts The stars had so many great riders, malcolm Simmons, Dave Jessup . And of course, the world champion Michael Lee , great memories
I've been to 2 Speed way Grand Prix in Australia, One at Stadium Australia in Sydney and Melbourne VIC at Docklands Stadium, unreal, Gladiatorial combat with motorcycles as choice of weapon. I come from one of the first speedway areas in Australia, West Maitland had a race very early.
Liked and Suscribed!,.. I've been a fan of Speedway Motorcycle Racing since the 1970's. I raced myself on the California circut in the 1990's,... Upon my retirement from the workforce in 2022 I plan to try racing again at the age of 62. I wish Speedway was a Big in the U S A as it is in England and the EU,....I'm a fan of the Ipswich WITCHES!,... Go Witches!,, and Greetings to everyone from Reno, Nevada U S A
@@davidvanbrunt4233 I raced at Costa Mesa..... The OXLEY's own the most Historic Exciting track....Besides "Rad Brad", Lot's of Famous Riders are allways around!.. I've practiced at Ken Malies as well.... Bakersfield, San Bernardino, Victorville, Industry, Perris, & Auburn up North. Lot's of Great Tracks going on!... I hope to ride them all. ... HARLAN BAST was riding deep into his late 60's...If He can do it, We can do it!...Go see Bill Cody if you need to get a bike!....I hope to see you there and Race against you!.. lol.. Oss
Great to see this docu. Lovely to see the early stages of the transformation of Saddlebow, been there on those fabulous world cup nights last decade. Kings Lynn a fantastic track to watch racing! Just hope the sport in this country can survive as the words on the film turned out to be very prophetic. Ive said goodbye to two of my local teams in recent years Rye House and Lakeside, just hope things to be turned around. Need a Barry Hearn type figure who can think outside the box and find an angle to revive things.
"15 year old Olly Allen, is one of speedway's future stars" Oh my this is old. He's now retired (and joint Team GB Manager). That said, you see a young Scott Nicholls riding for Ipswich in this video, and he's still going!
In Australia, the beginning of the end was mandatory mufflers and dirt deflectors. The roar of the motors and the rooster tails behind them was a big part of the visceral experience that makes Speedway solos so exciting. Without that the crowds dwindled and the sponsors followed them off to other sports. Like always, when the bureaucrats get involved, the end is nigh.
In my honest opinion the formation of the grand prix series and sky sports broadcasting speedway created a massive decline in attendances. Scrap both of the aforementioned and you might get more fans through the turnstiles
Didn't think much of the documentary. Thought even less of the guy who thinks Speedway is boring because he's watched it on telly. Live Speedway is nothing like whatever they show on TV, which has never really caught the excitement of the the live event. Even when Dave Lanning used to commentate, the camera just followed whoever was leading, which was often not where the real action was. Ove Fundin is one of the true greats of the sport. I'm not sure if he was the best ever but he must rank in anybody's top three (for my money, the other two would be Mauger and Briggs but maybe that's obvious, with Ole Olsen bubbling under).
The councils are building on industrial sites in Swindon, it seems they don't want ppl to go out, the 80s you could go to watch your football club on a Saturday afternoon. Speedway after tea
Now 2021 December, Getting better but crowds are still to small and the teams need to own the stadiums, until then it is on is way to be a loser. Fans can't afford the up keep of others stadiums. Promoters of speedway are only promoters of themselves and have been since the seventies. Speedway don't owe todays promoters it's the other way around.
What they don't talk about was WHY it disappeared of the telly, the infamous match fixings, and the penhall Carter debacle. Funny thing is , soccer is the biggest sport in the world and it's full of cheats....I'm glad I saw speedway in the 70s....only hope one day it will be back at that level again
Several people have said that speedway isn't on TV but it is, it's on euro sport every week in the season, I watched the panthers win the title, the last time they won it i was there!
@@sambrooks7862 not really a national sport, just not commercial like Football Darts & Snooker have tournaments live on the screens GP racing & F1 Motorsport is more dangerous, just so sad to see all the stadiums fall over the years
@@sambrooks7862 It is on TV but these days it is limited to niche subscription sports channels like Eurosport and Premier Sports (although some is on their free sister channel Freesports), so the general public aren't going to see it on any free mainstream channels.
A couple of suggestions; stop the buggerising around at the starting tapes. Keep the 'gardening' times to a minimum. People pay & expect to see a full field of riders taking parts in the events. To help with this, stop disqualifying riders for starting infringements. Instead, deduct points from their overall tally's. Look at 'handicap' starts; nothing new with this I know but, events with perhaps six riders would be more spectacular. I appreciate that it would be potentially more dangerous too. A departure from what is/has been considered normal is urgently called for. It is obvious that the current system is failing. What does the polish league do differently?
The trouble is that people like Keith Chapman that are/were prepared to put their hand in their pocket and run speedway clubs are not the people to do it. It needs to be more professional and more marketing driven. Chapman's pathetic reaction at the end of that match (and other subsequent things he's done over the years like shouting obscenities over the PA system) don't help the sports reputation do they. Just because he can afford to play speedway and he has a passion doesn't mean he's the right person to do it. Sadly.
Can't all the speedway clubs chip in to make a weekly speedway hour on TV. Cover matches around the uk. If the following gets larger. Then more or bigger coverage. I have spoken to youngsters who don't know what speedway is
The oversize engine protest is always mad to me. 'Yeah, they're running 600 cc bikes!' It's not the engine capacity, it's how well the power is put down, via gearing and engine prep.
No one knows what speedway is here in the states. We still have Costa Mesa and Industry Hills here in Southern California. That's it as far as I know. I quit following the sport on the late 1970s. Too many tracks closed.
Mine too mate. Kent Kings........... We had a great track with good support. As I understand it, the stadium owners doubled the rent, which made it impossible to continue.
The 📺 is very powerful tool, but the viewers must switch on, it needs a new system of every level, GP/Motorsport bikes have got faster It needs to the youngsters to take interest,but it is expensive sport to do, Everybody knows the rules of football, and the players are paid 2 much £, for their efforts Speedway is a family sport, with no idiots fighting rivals fans
Remember watching the club league in Australia on fox sports was great..it's sad to see so many tracks around the world..the biggest problem with speedway like MX are the fee's that they have to pay out too the FIA and stuff like MA over here that right the rule books..I.was brought up in speedway both my uncles.race slides in the 70's and 80's 1 uncle raced in England in the leagues and the other was Aussie champion and my dad raced the car side of things so it hard too see it.like this
I was at kings Lynn when the track was built after Norwich closed and remember Cyril Crane with nephew David riding for Lynn stars I have seen some of the greats riding at Lynn in the 60s
@@sambrooks7862 I spoke to a relative today who lives up near Wisebech,UK It seems kings Lynn track could be gone if the council decides to build new houses on the site😟👎
@@empireman1077 oh dear, I hope not. I live in Norwich now but I'm from wisbech and I work in kings lynn so I'll try to find out more about that. Thanks for the info.
@@empireman1077 This is the first I'm hearing about this! That would be tragic. But the same is currently happening to Peterborough :( It's always a threat. But, King's Lynn's stadium is surrounded by industry. I wouldn't say it's a great place for houses.
My mother used to go to speedway - Wembley Lions I think - in the 1950's taking my eldest brother with her. There was precious little entertainment available to the public back then and things were much more affordable. I went to a couple of World finals and found that it was OK but I didn't bother much afterwards as times change and there is a much wider range of entertainment available these days on TV and on line that can be viewed from your own living room. I get that to actually be there seeing it for real is a different experience, but like drag racing, there is a lot of nothing and just brief periods of interest for spectators..... speedway's demise has been long-drawn-out but is inevitable I am afraid.
@@davidvanbrunt4233 Me too, but sadly it seems a lot of motorsports are slowly dieing a death. A lack of spectators paying 'gate money' is leading to the venues and sports themselves becomming 'unsustainable' in the face of rising costs for all things connected to keeping them going - public liability insurance is one great expense that is killing a lot of things these days.
Yeah Lynn is used for stock cars and music events. Sometimes they have monster truck and drifting events too. But I've mainly only gone for the speedway. Well, as a kid I saw some stock cars and banger racing there I think, and at Mildenhall too.
I’m a fan of most motorsports, especially bikes, but live speedway is bloody hard to beat
Almost impossible
I recently recorded the Sheffield V Bell Vue on the Sky
Bell Vue won 🏆, but both teams were strong & plenty of action on 2 legs 👏
Anyone remember Martin Rogers?
Promoter of both Peterborough and Kings Lynn...and then disappeared!
I certainly remember the name
one bright light OXFORD making a comeback, , sadly not enough
Yeah that was great news! Sadly so many places shutting down though... and then being bulldozed...
My mom is from England! We live in America! She took me back several times ! But went to Bellevue speedway at 11 ! That was life changing! Still follow it till today! Im 60 now ! Mom is 90 ! Thanks mom ❤😊😊😊
Nice upload Firestarter,
For me the 70's and 80's were the best.
My parents owned a large guest house in those days. We regularly accomodated George Hunter, Neil Collins, Chris Turner, Ivan Blacka, all the Havelock family prior to Gary being champ. Phil Crump, Neil Street. Also Tai Woffendens dad.The list was endless. This was in a posh area of Edinburgh but they all got great deals after a match at Edinburgh's Powderhall on a Friday night. and home cooked food. I remember setting up Scalextric tracks for them at home over a weekend and showing them the ropes. Ha Ha.
Stevie in Scotland.
Ex Liverpool (Sydney) Speedway fan now living in Scotland: some observations of the British scene. OK, the glory days are over, but Speedway is not over. I am optimistic about British Speedway. BUT, “out of sight, out of mind”. There needs to be a secondary feed from the Discovery+ deal; perhaps a one hour package on free-to-air TV. Rugby Union pays for it, so they get on various platforms. FIM needs to have a marketing Manager in GB. So, then there can be a separation of operations to marketing. Get those 30 second tick-tok clips with action and “cool” music. C’mon…Speedway, you can do this! It has the “product”, the people, the structure. Lets use this “capital” to not only preserve Speedway, but promote and increase interest. Think about it…Speedway has excitement, structure, history, commitment by good people. Tapes up….surely?
The also show it live on British Eurosport
I wish we still had speedway bikes in Sydney. Very sad.
The most interesting form of motorcycle racing.
I live in Ohio and used to see speedway ice racing back in the seventies on ABC's Wide World of Sports , man o man that was freakin cool !!!!! 😎👍
Here in the US speedway is non-existent for the most part, though some of the sport's greatest champions are from here...I depend entirely on FIM using youtube to see the GPs/SON, etc, and this season was absolutely amazing. I wish I'd been born in England for a lot of reasons, but to be there for the best of British speedway would be a top reason. I'd pay teams to watch a stream of races with announcers and some production value the way I do F1. Hell yes I'd watch live races from Ipswich, Kings Lynn, and others. Take my money! The tech is available.
Could really be a nation wide sport with good marketing, sadly it's only primarily in California...imo.
@@davidvanbrunt4233 California has allway's been the Leader in everything COOL!,.. To bad the rest of the U S A has'nt caught on yet!
@@DavidLee-no9uc Heck I'm going speedway racing tonight ! 😁😁😀😀🏁🏁🏁
Would have much better without the awfull so called music and hear the bikes!
Followed Speedway as a kid used to go to Crayford and Hackney in the 70's with my dad and brother, the world finals at Wembley . Used to go to lakeside in the 90's now and again but thats gone now to . Such a shame how its gone from the 2nd biggest spectator sport in the UK to virtually non existent now , whilst in poland its still huge thanks to their promoters building purpose built stadiums and having more TV time .
Good old Buster, Chapman. ! I was a massive King’s Lynn stars, fan as a Lad in the 70s My personal favourite was the legend, Terry Betts The stars had so many great riders, malcolm Simmons, Dave Jessup . And of course, the world champion Michael Lee , great memories
I've been to 2 Speed way Grand Prix in Australia, One at Stadium Australia in Sydney and Melbourne VIC at Docklands Stadium, unreal, Gladiatorial combat with motorcycles as choice of weapon. I come from one of the first speedway areas in Australia, West Maitland had a race very early.
I fell in love with speedway when i was 11 years old at Hull's Boulevard Stadium...i am 58 now and still in love with it.
Liked and Suscribed!,.. I've been a fan of Speedway Motorcycle Racing since the 1970's. I raced myself on the California circut in the 1990's,... Upon my retirement from the workforce in 2022 I plan to try racing again at the age of 62. I wish Speedway was a Big in the U S A as it is in England and the EU,....I'm a fan of the Ipswich WITCHES!,... Go Witches!,, and Greetings to everyone from Reno, Nevada U S A
Funny you say that, I'm 56 and want to go speedway racing.....live in so cal also.
@@davidvanbrunt4233 I raced at Costa Mesa..... The OXLEY's own the most Historic Exciting track....Besides "Rad Brad", Lot's of Famous Riders are allways around!.. I've practiced at Ken Malies as well.... Bakersfield, San Bernardino, Victorville, Industry, Perris, & Auburn up North. Lot's of Great Tracks going on!... I hope to ride them all. ... HARLAN BAST was riding deep into his late 60's...If He can do it, We can do it!...Go see Bill Cody if you need to get a bike!....I hope to see you there and Race against you!.. lol.. Oss
Great to see this docu. Lovely to see the early stages of the transformation of Saddlebow, been there on those fabulous world cup nights last decade. Kings Lynn a fantastic track to watch racing! Just hope the sport in this country can survive as the words on the film turned out to be very prophetic. Ive said goodbye to two of my local teams in recent years Rye House and Lakeside, just hope things to be turned around. Need a Barry Hearn type figure who can think outside the box and find an angle to revive things.
Take my son to speedway races, the younger people are who will carry it on.... I hope !!!!
"15 year old Olly Allen, is one of speedway's future stars"
Oh my this is old. He's now retired (and joint Team GB Manager). That said, you see a young Scott Nicholls riding for Ipswich in this video, and he's still going!
In Australia, the beginning of the end was mandatory mufflers and dirt deflectors. The roar of the motors and the rooster tails behind them was a big part of the visceral experience that makes Speedway solos so exciting. Without that the crowds dwindled and the sponsors followed them off to other sports. Like always, when the bureaucrats get involved, the end is nigh.
I dunno, I still get a fair amount of stones in my face even with the dirt deflectors!
@@PiousMoltar Get in front, problem solved😃
In my honest opinion the formation of the grand prix series and sky sports broadcasting speedway created a massive decline in attendances. Scrap both of the aforementioned and you might get more fans through the turnstiles
Didn't think much of the documentary. Thought even less of the guy who thinks Speedway is boring because he's watched it on telly. Live Speedway is nothing like whatever they show on TV, which has never really caught the excitement of the the live event. Even when Dave Lanning used to commentate, the camera just followed whoever was leading, which was often not where the real action was. Ove Fundin is one of the true greats of the sport. I'm not sure if he was the best ever but he must rank in anybody's top three (for my money, the other two would be Mauger and Briggs but maybe that's obvious, with Ole Olsen bubbling under).
So many clear insights into the future, it appears no one took notice.
Errr, it's a bit more interesting than tennis.
.....and golf.
Look what Buster Chapman has done with Kings Lynn now it's the best prepped Speedway or Stock Car track in the country
The councils are building on industrial sites in Swindon, it seems they don't want ppl to go out, the 80s you could go to watch your football club on a Saturday afternoon. Speedway after tea
Now 2021 December, Getting better but crowds are still to small and the teams need to own the stadiums, until then it is on is way to be a loser. Fans can't afford the up keep of others stadiums. Promoters of speedway are only promoters of themselves and have been since the seventies. Speedway don't owe todays promoters it's the other way around.
What they don't talk about was WHY it disappeared of the telly, the infamous match fixings, and the penhall Carter debacle. Funny thing is , soccer is the biggest sport in the world and it's full of cheats....I'm glad I saw speedway in the 70s....only hope one day it will be back at that level again
Several people have said that speedway isn't on TV but it is, it's on euro sport every week in the season, I watched the panthers win the title, the last time they won it i was there!
@@sambrooks7862 not really a national sport, just not commercial like Football
Darts & Snooker have tournaments live on the screens
GP racing & F1 Motorsport is more dangerous, just so sad to see all the stadiums fall over the years
@@sambrooks7862 It is on TV but these days it is limited to niche subscription sports channels like Eurosport and Premier Sports (although some is on their free sister channel Freesports), so the general public aren't going to see it on any free mainstream channels.
A couple of suggestions; stop the buggerising around at the starting tapes. Keep the 'gardening' times to a minimum. People pay & expect to see a full field of riders taking parts in the events. To help with this, stop disqualifying riders for starting infringements. Instead, deduct points from their overall tally's. Look at 'handicap' starts; nothing new with this I know but, events with perhaps six riders would be more spectacular. I appreciate that it would be potentially more dangerous too. A departure from what is/has been considered normal is urgently called for. It is obvious that the current system is failing. What does the polish league do differently?
What a depressing programme, most who have watched this video will think better of it.
The trouble is that people like Keith Chapman that are/were prepared to put their hand in their pocket and run speedway clubs are not the people to do it.
It needs to be more professional and more marketing driven.
Chapman's pathetic reaction at the end of that match (and other subsequent things he's done over the years like shouting obscenities over the PA system) don't help the sports reputation do they.
Just because he can afford to play speedway and he has a passion doesn't mean he's the right person to do it. Sadly.
Can't all the speedway clubs chip in to make a weekly speedway hour on TV. Cover matches around the uk. If the following gets larger. Then more or bigger coverage. I have spoken to youngsters who don't know what speedway is
lol that Danny Kelly character... what an utter...
Interesting that the majority of issues highlighted from this documentary we still have in speedway presently. Got to love buster though!
This was of course many years ago! Buster Chapman has made big improvements to the stadium and also runs Stock Cars.
The stadium is better now, that said, seeing it like this is making me nostalgic!
The oversize engine protest is always mad to me. 'Yeah, they're running 600 cc bikes!'
It's not the engine capacity, it's how well the power is put down, via gearing and engine prep.
No one knows what speedway is here in the states. We still have Costa Mesa and Industry Hills here in Southern California. That's it as far as I know. I quit following the sport on the late 1970s. Too many tracks closed.
The first track is my home track sadly eagles have stopped racing
Mine too mate. Kent Kings...........
We had a great track with good support. As I understand it, the stadium owners doubled the rent, which made it impossible to continue.
The 📺 is very powerful tool, but the viewers must switch on, it needs a new system of every level, GP/Motorsport bikes have got faster
It needs to the youngsters to take interest,but it is expensive sport to do,
Everybody knows the rules of football, and the players are paid 2 much £, for their efforts
Speedway is a family sport, with no idiots fighting rivals fans
WOW!! Lovely BBC movie.. "Żużel w sercu,metanol w żyłach" !!!!!!!!
I'm a fan of King's Lynn and I didn't even recognise it was buster
23:19 I remember this race so well. Truly a legendary race for any King's Lynn fan who was there to see it.
To this day I dont think Buster and john still talk to each other
ive always been a fan of club speedway
I can see when this vid was posted, but when was this BBC documentary produced?
1998
Did the ground at kings Lynn ever get built?
Ground?
@@grahamjordan1040 the night club and club on the ground he was levelling?
@@Scotty-UK the track has many improvements!
@@Scotty-UK loads mate u see in the vid while it was pissing it down buster was walking on pretty much dirt that's all concrete now
The new stadium? Yeah it got built.
Remember watching the club league in Australia on fox sports was great..it's sad to see so many tracks around the world..the biggest problem with speedway like MX are the fee's that they have to pay out too the FIA and stuff like MA over here that right the rule books..I.was brought up in speedway both my uncles.race slides in the 70's and 80's 1 uncle raced in England in the leagues and the other was Aussie champion and my dad raced the car side of things so it hard too see it.like this
FIM, not FIA, that's cars :)
I was at kings Lynn when the track was built after Norwich closed and remember Cyril Crane with nephew David riding for Lynn stars I have seen some of the greats riding at Lynn in the 60s
Terry Betts
@@sambrooks7862 I spoke to a relative today who lives up near Wisebech,UK
It seems kings Lynn track could be gone if the council decides to build new houses on the site😟👎
@@empireman1077 oh dear, I hope not. I live in Norwich now but I'm from wisbech and I work in kings lynn so I'll try to find out more about that. Thanks for the info.
@@sambrooks7862 no worries, m8
Wisebech, is a really nice part of Cambridgeshire 👍
@@empireman1077 This is the first I'm hearing about this! That would be tragic. But the same is currently happening to Peterborough :(
It's always a threat. But, King's Lynn's stadium is surrounded by industry. I wouldn't say it's a great place for houses.
Love it but how old? 20 yrs
1997
My mother used to go to speedway - Wembley Lions I think - in the 1950's taking my eldest brother with her. There was precious little entertainment available to the public back then and things were much more affordable.
I went to a couple of World finals and found that it was OK but I didn't bother much afterwards as times change and there is a much wider range of entertainment available these days on TV and on line that can be viewed from your own living room. I get that to actually be there seeing it for real is a different experience, but like drag racing, there is a lot of nothing and just brief periods of interest for spectators..... speedway's demise has been long-drawn-out but is inevitable I am afraid.
Sure hope your WRONG !!!
@@davidvanbrunt4233 Me too, but sadly it seems a lot of motorsports are slowly dieing a death. A lack of spectators paying 'gate money' is leading to the venues and sports themselves becomming 'unsustainable' in the face of rising costs for all things connected to keeping them going - public liability insurance is one great expense that is killing a lot of things these days.
@@thakery5720 yep, I live in So Cal, one track can't get put 500 in the stands, 90 away they get 5000 every Race.... SMH
Awesome!!!
Can the tracks be used for other purposes? Eg kart racing or music events.
Some are also used or stock. cars
Yeah Lynn is used for stock cars and music events. Sometimes they have monster truck and drifting events too. But I've mainly only gone for the speedway. Well, as a kid I saw some stock cars and banger racing there I think, and at Mildenhall too.
Hackney once held a Motorhead concert, not sure what was louder, 4 bikes or Lemmy and Co