"The modern incarnation of British speedway betrayed its first major crack when Wembley, the traditional home of world finals and flagship venue for the sport, was no longer available. The 1981 Bruce Penhall Final of sainted memory was the beginning of the end of life as we knew it, not that it was realised at the time. But that's 45 years ago, for goodness sake. The Grand Prix happened. Poland happened. While it's pleasant to dip back into Memory Lane and relive great times and historic occasions, today's promoters face a quite different reality." Former Leicester, King's Lynn and Peterborough promoter Martin Rogers offers his successors words of encouragement...
DUAL ROLE FOR SIMON
"Speedway nowadays isn't March to October, like it was when I was a kid. I broke my wrist once at Plymouth, I think it was on October 14, so there were 17 days of the season left and I had 14 meetings in those 17 days. That was play-offs, cup finals, individuals, everything. Now I don't do 14 meetings in three months, and some teams are done at the end of August." Simon Lambert will compete in the NDL with King's Lynn this year and says the speedway rider's life has changed significantly since he began racing...
OLD AND NEW
"I got quite a surprise it was a 42-point limit. I expected it to go up, it always does. When it goes down, it goes back up the following season but I was expecting 40 or 41, not as high as 42. It's a strong National League this year, as strong as it has been, and that does help the younger riders, it brings them on a bit quicker." King's Lynn Young Stars team manager Jason Pipe insists NDL rule changes are for the best...
ALSO IN THIS WEEK'S MAGAZINE
USA Super Prix: report and pictures from Bakersfield • Off the Beaten Track • Track Review: Belle Vue • Official Line: Kevin Hawkins • My Year: Hans Nielsen 1986 • Sixty Seconds: Lewis Kerr.
