The main problem with Speedway is it's boring. Get to the first corner in front and don't fall off and you've won. Then it just turns into a procession.

Great vid thank you.

A really good video that needs to be watched and taken notice of by those running our beloved sport before it risks disappearing into oblivion. Some fantastic and obvious ideas that could elevate and bring the sport into modern times. Just like you and many others alike I have so many wonderful memories of growing up at speedway meetings with my father and how his love for the sport was passed down to me, we really need to capitalise on similar situations before it is too late. Well done Martin for putting so much sincere heart and effort into this and all your fantastic videos. My thanks and regards to you and your family.

Anyone with JAP on their hat must be worth watching,great.Pete sampson was a rider i watched when he was a member of the Newcastle Diamonds in the 1960,s.Keep up the good work..

Nice job I will have to visit when I get back to the UK and see the bike and exhibition for my son Lee Richardson

Thank you so much for this. I missed the event so to find this on KZfaq eases a painful memory for me. My avatar shows why. I went to the reopening in 1964 and attended the last Hammers and Bombers meetings. My Dad was born in Custom House in 1921 and loved his speedway. Oh and I bought that Reg Luckhurst record and the follow up. Brilliant effort mate.

Only went to West Ham once as I was a Canterbury supporter. I remember (I think) that Martyn Piddock, who was a bit of a cult hero at Canterbury, had some rides for West Ham before he was tragically killed in a road accident in Holland. On the day I visited, I managed to fit in 3 meetings on one bank holiday. Went to Rayleigh in the morning to watch Canterbury in a challenge match, then went across to West Ham in the afternoon, and finally back to Canterbury in the evening for the return leg against the Rockets. Was a big Reg Luckhurst fan as he was a Kent resident and his boys had run outs at Canterbury. Great memories of speedway when they put dirt on the tracks ! !

Brilliant film , great to see that the old riders are still around , west ham was a little bit before my time but was great to see a pic on your film of my Dads cousin Les mcgillvary in one of action shots when he rode for Hackney back in the 60's , i used to go to Hackney and Crayford in the 70's with my dad , then the Arena a few years later to watch the hammers , such a terrible shame it closed , and like you said , it could have still been going today as they've done sweet f a to that land !

Great video. Well researched and considered. However, I think the problem with British league speedway is the combination of it being a team sport and having so few teams. So, I’m a wolves fan. I used to live in Wolverhampton and as such I used to attend every Monday night and get to as many away matches as possible. I was invested emotionally in the team, just like everyone else. Now I live in Oxfordshire. Since leaving Wolverhampton I have attended maybe a dozen matches over the past 10 years. I’ve also been to a few Oxford matches since they reopened. Essentially league speedway has lost me, not because it’s done anything wrong but because I don’t have that emotional investment in it anymore since leaving my teams home town. What going to Oxford speedway demonstrated to me was that without that emotional investment it’s actually (and I’m sorry to say this) pretty dull. I didn’t care about it so it was all uninteresting to me. Now I’m a petrol head. A motocrosser, an F1 fan, a MotoGP fan. I love it all but league speedway as a spectacle is just poor entertainment these days unless you have that investment in it. Speedway GP is different. It’s about the individual and the desire for each of those riders to be world champion is so great that the spectacle of it is on a different level. Fans are naturally tapped into the value of that title and what it means to the riders. Even if you don’t have a favourite rider you quickly become invested in it. League speedway is on a lose lose. It’s losing tracks which means it’s losing those invested fans and I just don’t think you will get people attending just to ‘watch some speedway’.

another top film Well done and thanks Hearing the news about Eastbourne the other day being finished was a massive kick in the guts Excuse I can't deal with no speedway We watched the last match Who would have thought it Thanks for all you do Pete Eastbourne

thanks for this

So I have just been introduced to this sport at the age of 42 through my son. Now I have been to several meetings, the support from other riders, instructors and parents has been overwhelming. The sport is certainly not dead, it's just evolving.

13:50 that is my bike (and 4 Helmets 🔴🔵⚪️🟡 ) at the East of England Showground for MCN Festival of Motorcycling promoting Peterborough Panthers with the Supporters club stand, such a shame 2023 will be the last year for Panthers and the MCN show at the Showground 😿

Beautiful emotional video, so many great riders from the past congregated together.

You're trying to put Humpty together again. Besides, this has all been tried over and over.

Sadly it's just looking out of date and just not good value, particularly when you only get 15 minutes of actual racing. It's just not seen as good value night out anymore. Back in the day, yes, we had shorter matches but we got a second half and junior races too. Often there was other enertainments too. I recall Swindon having the Red Devils skydivers one time way back in the early '80's. It seemed to be a far more professional show back in the day too. It's all just barely above amateur nowadays. All the daft rules and regulations haven't helped. It's sad but I think the wheel has turned and speedway is now on the way out.

Didn't know about the tragic crash absolute travesty. I still couldn't go to lakeside, but went to Eastbourne.did take my Son to see the Hawks at ,lakeside

Hackney Hawk for ever after my Dad took me in the sixtys

Anything on two wheels get me and we need to keep this heritage as it’s part of our DNA Too survive today everything needs money and hard work no resting on laurels Manufacturers track owners teams online features This is a very exciting sport many a night spent in belle vue Government support council support previous comments about F1 are not helpful but Superbike from grass roots is a good parallel

Like all sports and the beloved speedway is no different number 1 money number 2 money do I need to mention number 3? You mention F1 which I personally have no love for as it involves too many wheels so I will gravitate to Superbikes. Which is always on a knife edge the teams by bikes and sell there backsides for as much sponsorship as possible. Everything you mention is mirrored by British Superbike apart from the tracks which host other events! The biggest problem is the government with no support and no support from local councils Large multipurpose tracks would be a massive help and multimedia solutions which are available today. I forget to mention I live in Manchester and a huge belle vue fan

hi, arena Essex was put out of business buy the council , compulsory purchase !! i watched the hot rod racing there , lost all the stadiums i went to ! ps live in n/w london

Some absolutely brilliant ideas particularly things like digital programs would and are a much needed improvement in this day and age. I'd love to see speedway reinvent themselves. I was a Coventry fan for many years but have since drifted away after the track closed and a few visits to Birmingham and Leicester when the Bees rode there 😢

I lived in custom house and was a speedway fan. Could you please reply.

Fantastic Film.... very nostalgic.

that was a brilliant. “RAMBLE’ ......I remember the names, but after so long I would never have recognised them,.....it seems unlikely right now but I hope the sport survives,...

Great to see Bengt Jansen and Briggo. I remember a heat at the old Belle Vue in 1974 where Peter Collins' handlebars snapped mid race against Jansen - then Jansen lost his footrest. The two of them battled for a couple of thrilling laps before PC (then about 20 years old) came out on top against the older Swedish pro. Great days. Thanks for the video.

I could take the whole family to speedway for less than my seat cost me at Arsenal . You can't go bowling for example without buying drinks and crap at exorbitant prices

Hope you're wrong but suspect you are right. My old side from Hackney are no more but I did go to lakeside to see the colours race again even if it was only kids and took my Son who was about the same age as me when my Dad took me to Waterton Rd. London had so many teams back then and it ain't that long ago. Ps I hate Arsenal's new ground it's just to nice not like going to football but the theatre same as Speedway I suspect. Pps I used to go to Brands Hatch to watch the gp

Meanwhile, in Poland...

Excellent video. I missed it this year but I'll definitely attend next year's. Thank you for putting this together.

Excellent video, British speedway really needs a set standard and direction from the governing body with all involved moving in the same direction. I know funding is tight at some clubs but professionalism needs to be forced into the sport, like you suggest simple stuff like affiliated uniform across tracks for staff, may not seem important but it really makes a difference to the look of the sport to newcomers who are used to seeing it in football for example. Bike outside stadium again excellent idea that doesn’t cost clubs much. I would like to see the league as one large league unless we have clubs re open the premiership doesn’t have enough teams with set days for fixtures say fri and sat were all clubs race and maybe work with polish league so we have more top riders here again.

Brilliant 👏, still believe speedway needs a world speedway authority as British football or European football authority as FIFA or any sport for that matter. All suggestions in this video or clip 🤔 all rain true . Speedway has been stuck in the dark ages with the old forum. Let bring it back out of the dark ages and promote this great sport . These riders work extremely hard for their lively hood . There needs to be new blood from a marketing prospective to inject funds that will pay dividends if done correctly.

I believe as a speedway fan world speedway needs a world 🌎 speedway authority to bring it into a new era. New marketing and sponsorship along with TV broadcasting . Speedway has stalled to some degree and needs a board of young people / entrepreneurs to bring it back . Why can't we have a betting system on each race , 6 riders in each race , smaller tracks to bring back the crowds . Time trials for fastest lap at each track top ten shoot out . Race Friday & Saturday nights more so than during the week . More families would attend and introduce a younger crowd or kids to the sport. Better entertainment in-between races 🏁 👌. Money will follow ...... you need to spend money take make money . This sport cannot rely on a old concepts , bring young entrepreneurs into the equation & bring speedway back .

I miss the bees very much but I still travel an hour and a half to Peterborough every week to watch it, and I will be travelling to Cardiff to watch the grand prix. I feel like as an 18 year old, I should embrace a sport that my grandad raced and watched, my uncle raced, watched, and was apart of the ambulance response team in, and when my grandad passed away all of the former bees team were there in the procession in jackets and yellow ties. From the age of 6, he took me to brandon stadium every week. RIP grandad and RIP the Coventry Bees 🐝❤

Well done mate! I can only hope that the promoters & the governing body are listening too. A couple of 'other' ideas; something needs to be done about streamlining any restarts. Riders should roll straight up to the start line & not buggerise around with fuel, chain adjusting etc. Also, the starts need looking at. Nobody want's to see a race that only has three riders let alone two. Too much is lost in starting tape infringements etc. Maybe, the teams could loose points instead of loosing a rider. Also, am thinking that the bikes have suffered no real changes in years, I appreciate they are more powerful but, am thinking that more robust frames & decent suspension would be the go. Am NOT suggesting that they need brakes or gears but decent/modern suspension may also help with making the bikes handle 'ruts' etc. Another thing to consider is that the riders be increased to perhaps six per event ; or more. I appreciate that this may well make the racing more dangerous but, the AMA 1/2 & 1 mile events manage let alone motocross

Good luck on your tour and thank you for you videos! Sadly in my country Speedway is at the brink of extinction despite we held many great races and still have some international races but we haven't got enough riders. I'm from Miskolc, Hungary. Lived in the neighbourhood of the Speedway Arena of Miskolc. In fact, my windows looked at the track and as a child I watched many races from the window back in the eighties and early nineties. Then the racing died but later revived in 2004. We had beautiful 10 years. Riders like Tony Rickardsson, Billy Hamill, Ermolenko, Hancock, Sullivan, Pedersen, Kolodziej raced on that track, our team raced in the polish 2nd leauge, then later in the 1st league then.... all of a sudden everything was gone again. The track closed and the riders scattered around in Hungary joined other smaller hungarian teams or they just simply put down their helmets. It was a huge loss and I am still missing the live action racing. Experiencing a track's demise twice in a lifetime is almost heartbreaking. You in GB should really stand up for Speedway, Your country gave many great riders and champions to this sport, your league is still a big thing worldwide, but I was so saddened when I heard that many clubs, like Reading and Coventry disapeared... and now the Monarhcs. Don't let this sport die out! I agree with every word you said in this video. Speedway IS the greatest sport on Earth. Sorry for you Dad and thank you for this touching, emotional video. I'll definitely follow you around the UK via youtube!

Darts certainly managed it to.

My son and me appreciated this behind the scenes look at the BFB👍 Poignant as to such a worthy cause.

Superb

What a fantastic video mate, well done

I started following the glasgow tigers a couple of yrs ago. I find it value for money and admire the set up , I have took my Mrs and daughter and they also have enjoyed it. The owners and workers done a good job with the Tigers and its family orientated , you can get a drink, food, watch entertainment, they have a announcer , big screens and most importantly the racing , it's a good night out . That said knowing some of the other teams setup, I think I would maybe go occasionally but doubt I could ever convince the Mrs and wee yin, that standing in some dingy old gray hound stadium is value for money !! I was a pissed of last yr when the tigers could have win the championship if the stars aligned and we couldn't even watch the meet on TV. The Tigers have "tiger tv" were u can pay yo watch the speedway at Ashfield, other teams are amature hr compared to the glasgow tigers !

Do you think that the British speedway should blend the two division into two the championship and premiership and have one big league as it seems like the most of the championship riders are doubling up the premiership now days I would say to stop all the doubling up I don't mind the doubling up but I just think that it's better to have one league, you pick one team in the big league to ride for then that's it for the season as well as riding in Sweden and Poland of course

RIP Barry & Jill. Your kids are an amazing representation of you. Long live speedway

We are going to London in June, is there a club anywhere close to go to a meet?

I remember when I was younger watching Weymouth wildcats. Going with my dad it was so fun The team folded 11 years ago I went to the old track it's still there overgrown it's such a shame The wildcats did reform a couple of years ago but they don't have a permanent track and they haven't actually played in Weymouth and the team haven't played since 2019 because of the pandemic. I'm currently at the university of Sussex and one of the things I look forward to was watching the Eastbourne eagles. But then I found out that leave taken a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic it is a shame.

Love the video I don't want to see speedway died in this country Looking forward to the next chapter

Beautiful emotional story 🙏 As with the Paradise Wildlife vlog u should be marketing guy for speedway because the vlogs you do are so on point & you have the 'voice' for commentary. Excellent mate 👍 My tours av started,, been to Leicester a few times as it's my local to Long Eaton but follow the Pirates ☠️ I will be at Oxford 🐆 April 20th & Plymouth ⚔️ May 3rd. Safe journey, enjoy 👍

RIP Nigel Pearson

If you are going to do a speedway tour to showcase the sport and put it in a video, why not visit all the sites of the defunct tracks and clubs we have lost (picking a random number out of the air) over the last 30 years or so and highlight how many clubs have gone due to greedy developers and stadium owners that have done their part to decimate the sport, making speedway less local but regional with many areas not being represented at all - such as Wales, London etc having no tracks.

I knew I’d seen you somewhere before, you rode for Peterborough Thundercats in the Anglian Junior League, 2012