"We went quite a few times back then, joining the big crowds on the back straight to watch the Falcons take on teams including riders such as Peter Collins and Ole Olsen for the Belle Vue Aces, the Coventry Bees and the White City Rebels. By now it had been redeveloped and renamed the London Stadium. Very family friendly sport Speedway. Alan, no place for Ole Olsen? My aunt was the nurse and receptionist for the track doctor (Dr Peter Kenyon Snr) whose practice was in Chace Avenue and we were given complimentary stand tickets, thus starting the addiction which has never gone away. Dont be late. Moderator, : Joined Apr 2010 Total posts:4157. Keep up with all of the latest local news with our daily newsletter, John Reason at his Binley Industrial Estate haulage company headquarters when he became a Coventry City FC director in December 1985. Then he had the gall to say 'I win the race, it makes my score look better' and that goes for all his ex team so called mates. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. This is your first visit to my website today, thank you! FISCHER, Edward (USA)..Sep 8, 1912Vailsburg Motordrome, Newark, NJ, USA (B-R). The County Ground Stadium was a unique arena of a bravery and dirt which was home to the city's speedway team. He was killed on his debutracing on the Isle of Man. 503. A speedway rider doesnt need to train a great deal but they need to be physically fit. These riders invariably participated in both disciplines, as well as road-racing. Coventry Bees were a motorcycle speedway team that existed from 1929 to 2018. Coventry-kid John was also a legendary rider with the Coventry Bees speedway team and represented England in the sport. David Fielding (driver) in action. From the left, Richard Wolff, (Y), Kevin Doolan (Exeter guest rider) (B) and Andrew Appleton (G) DATE 10/08/53 Coventry Speedway Midlands Riders Final 1953 Condition V Good,cfld,lcr,sc,very very tiny ni at top edge, Click Abbreviations Key DATE 10/08/53 Coventry Speedway Midlands Riders Final 1953 Condition V Good,cfl. [3] In 1962 he scored 177 points from 34 matches for the Potters, and improved further in 1963, scoring 141 points in his first 12 matches and winning all five races to win the Gerry Hussey Memorial Trophy at Rye House, breaking the track record during the meeting. Attempts to revive the club have so far come to nothing. VARMUZA, J (Czech Republic).July 18, 1937..Olomouc, Czech Republic Another 14-year old, Varmuza was killed when rider Palousek crashed into spectators. Five-year-old Davis was one of at least seven spectators burned to death after Odin JOHNSON's fatal accident. Whilst great riders like Barry Briggs, Peter Craven, Ronnie Moore, Bruce Penhall, Erik Gundersen, Tony Rickardsson and others, could always, we believed be beaten, but over certain periods there were riders who were very special. That takes skill. The stadium first hosted speedway in 1928 and was also home to stock car racing from the 1950s. Greg Hancock - the nicest guy ever to win championships. Date revealed when Nuneaton's desperately-needed new secondary school will open, It has been revealed in a planning application, Huge amounts of fines given by drivers caught out by three speed limits on M6 Junction, data reveals, Drivers on the M6 should be on alert about the variable speed limits that are in place, 'Nightmare' West Midlands millionaire defies court orders to flatten huge man cave, Neighbours say Graham Wildin is causing 'parking mayhem' out of frustration over his legal battle, Three sets of HS2 roadworks starting in Warwickshire this week, A section of the A429 Coventry Road near Kenilworth will close, 60 people forced to wait more than 12 hours in A&E in Coventry in one month, Ambulance services locally also missed their targets, Nuneaton's new Liverpool GPO-style Food Hall set for green light, So are proposals for new apartments on the Larry Grayson development, Fillongley witches festival returning on coronation weekend with celebration of King Charles, Organisers are planning a special ritual of friendship and family in a nod to the coronation of the new monarch, Michelin star chef Glynn Purnell tells us what to expect from his new caf & bistro in Coventry, Glynn also hopes to open a fine-dining restaurant at Charterhouse within the next 18 months. He was articulate in his second language, more so than many riders were in their first. The promotion closed after one season so Pratt moved to the Bradford Dukes as team manager. Arthur Forrest - The most immaculately turned out rider I ever saw (and good with it!). Brandon Stadium, for so long a mecca of speedway, is now derelict and vandalized. Odin JOHNSON crashed into a light-pole while Board Racing. There then developed an arm-wrestling match between Ole/Ochiltree and the SCB. Read More The current promoters are the Spedeworth organisation. The sparks ignited Johnson's fuel tank, which caused a large fire. Alan. There's probably no better symbol of Speedway's decline. Now that's SPEEDWAY!!!! ROBIN ADLINGTON (New Zealand) 1974 GEORGE ALLBROOK (England) 1929-1930 BILL ALLEN (England) 1931 Ole! 1 photo. 14 of 314 Sun 3rd Jul 2011 2:34pm. A couple of photos of Exeter and Australia's Roy Eather. On board the worlds last surviving turntable ferry. B-R : Board Racing (a forerunner of speedway in the US). In 1984 I moved away from Coventry. The machines themselves were low-saddled and always seemed on. Those riders marked "**". Remember my old man taking my brother and I up to Brandon in the 70's. MALEK, Vlastimil (Czech Republic).June 22, 1958.Podebrady, Czech Republic Just 14 years of age, spectator Vlastimil was killed when Josef Ruzicka's machine went into the crowd. I remember going to a British Final and we were season ticket holders and had to stand in front of the Main Stand. 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Phone: Call Retro Speedway on 01708 734 502. He added Brandon's demise had been "another nail in the coffin" of speedway, which has seen other tracks close in recent years. These speedway riders are made of tough stuff. He said: I stood down for personal reasons. 6 Was Coventry ever the capital of England? The thrill and the noise was intoxicating. [3] A broken wrist sustained at Swindon brought his debut season to an early end. He had been racing since 1948, an amazing career of over 25 years at top level Speedway. With brakeless abandon the riders threw their machines around the track, striking elegant and contorted poses as they slid around the bend, always on the point of glory or disaster. In the early 70's Nigel Boocock ("Little Boy Blue") was still Number One rider at Brandon. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. The heady days for the sport could not last forever. Mr Reason said: We had been riding on this hill and we loved it when it was wet and slippy and I could ride round there and do exactly what they did on the speedway, so I borrowed some leathers and a crash hat and went and had a go. Exeter's Falcons have been grounded since 2005 when the rugby club sold the stadium and moved to the newly built Sandy Park. 122 of 311 Wed 2nd Jul 2014 9:58pm. Looking back now it all seems very kitsch. In cases where the passing occurred at a later date, the date of the original crash is indicated after the location. HOW TO ORDER. Les, also a local lad was extremely popular. Can you imagine Wayne Rooney being allowed to play for Barcelona and Inter Milan - as well as Man U? EISSES, Gerrit (Netherlands)..Oct 11, 1925Sappemeer, Netherlands (G-T). Please consider making a donation to the SRBF via their website : www.srbf.co.uk LEGEND A-R : Auto Race (Japanese speedway) B-R : Board Racing (a forerunner of speedway in the US) CGH : Czech Golden Helmet F-T : Flat Track Racing Mr Reasons son Robert told CoventryLive of a comical moment in the wake of that famous FA Cup win. Not the best team of all-time, but one to pay money to watch every week What endeared him particularly to the fans was that he was adept at team-riding. Barnett was one of six spectators who were killed in the crash that claimed the lives ofriders Eddie HASHA and John ALBRIGHT. This was ominously blank. BUKAT, Herbert (Germany)..Aug 1, 1933.Grunewald Stadion, Berlin, Germany. BELL, William (Australia)Feb 9, 1929Melbourne Motordrome, VIC, Australia (Z-B). He was a great ambassador not just for Coventry but for Speedway in general. The Rick Miller testimonial was another favourite, a great day out. I was born in Birmingham and the Brummies were my team from 1949. ", Ole Olsen and Coventry Bees : The Glory Days. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. 2023 BBC. Perhaps not an entirely fair racing tactic. Ole was a great ambassador for this team is his time here. Mr Reason died on June 7 and his funeral took place at Rainsbrook Crematorium on July 7. Five riders and officials died. In his first full-time run at the World Championship, he finished in 9th place with 91 points scored. It is not yet known if developers Brandon Estates, who own the land, will appeal the decision. It was an arrangement that suited both sports. The Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund exists as a charity in order to assist these individuals in their times of need. These speedway riders are made of tough stuff. John Harrhy got back to riding after a year out, but this accident proved that there are fewer more precarious ways of earning a living than speedway riding. Switzerland, Vlodrome de Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, Switzerland, Melbourne Motordrome, VIC, Australia (Z-B), Picton Junction, WA, Australia (Air crash), Great Hucklow, Derbyshire, England (Gliding accident), Thebarton Oval, Adelaide, SA, Australia (Feb 1, 1923), Wandamere Motordrome, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA (B-R), Rowley Park, Adelaide, SA, Australia (Nov 3), Springfield, MA, USA (Mar 10, 1912 L.A. Motordrome), Offerton Farm, Hindlip, Worcestershire (G-T), Riverview Motordrome, Chicago, IL, USA (B-R), Copthorne, Sussex, England (Testing G/T sidecar), Pretoria, South Africa (Accident at home), Springbrook Park, South Bend, IN, USA (F-T), Taree, NSW, Australia (Dirt-track racing), Vailsburg Motordrome, Newark, NJ, USA (B-R), Littledean, Gloucs, England (Jun 6) (G-T), Rowley Park, Adelaide, SA, Australia (Midget cars) (Mar 6), Ascot Park, Gardena, CA, USA (F-T) (May 1), Sydney Sportsground, NSW, Australia (Jan 5), Melbourne Exhibition Grounds, VIC, Australia, Sydney Royale, NSW, Australia (Dec 22, 1928), Atlanta Motordrome, Atlanta, GA, USA (B-R), Omaha Motordrome, Council Bluffs, IA, USA (B-R), Arunga Park, Alice Springs, NT, Australia, Zementbahn Hamborn, Duisburg, Germany (Z-B), Zementbahn Berlin-Neukoll, Berlin, Germany (Z-B), Thialf Stadion, Herenveen, Netherlands (I-R), Zementbahn Aachener, Aachen, Germany (Z-B), Melbourne Exhibition Ground, VIC, Australia, Bacchus Marsh Speedway, Melbourne, VC, Australia, Indianapolis, IN, US (Car racing Indy 500) (May 30), Baarlo Sportspark, Netherlands (Jun 30) (G-T), Tuileries Mototdrome,Denver, CO, USA (B-R), Varberg, Gothenburg, Sweden (Miltary race), Rowley Park, Adelaide, SA, Australia (Dec 17), Zementbahn Bamberger, Bamberg, Germany (Z-B), Reichselsdorfer Keller, Nrnberg, Germany (Z-B), Zementbahn Hamborn, Duisberg, Germany (Z-B), East Stroudsburg Fairgrounds, PA, USA (F-T) (Jun 7), Bunbury Showground, WA, Australia (Nov 2), Legion Ascot, Lincoln Heights, CA, USA (F-T), Radrennbahn Grneiche, Breslau, Germany (Z-B), Lakewood Speedway, Atlanta, GA, USA (F-T). He looked like a bank-manager but he certainly knew how to run a Speedway track. Step by step directions for your drive or walk. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. 4 Ron Mountford - they say that they had to repaint the kick-boards after each meeting where The Man had left tyre marks in his all-action style The one meeting that has stood out from the rest is definetly the Bees v Vikings title showdown, 1981 that was i think. So Coventry Bees, a team that had been in existence since 1928, dropped out of the league. However, speedway rider Francesca Wright said losing the stadium would be "incredibly sad". Even getting there was an adventure, with Coventry Transport providing a fleet of buses from Wheatley Street, and charging 1s 4 1/2d RETURN - no half fares - because, I believe, the stadium was outside the city boundary and they couldn't charge to come back, starting outside the city. Read about our approach to external linking. Tributes have been paid to former Coventry City FC director and speedway rider John Reason, who has died at the age of 90. Having retired to Majorca Mr Reason and his wife Joan returned to the Midlands in recent years, living next door to their daughter in Dunchurch. I think my dad had forgotten it was there and one day I got a call from him saying weve lost the FA Cup. He went on to become a director of Coventry City FC, a post he held for 18 years. Complimentary beverage is also offered! The track still operates at PR1MO International Raceway, prior to that it was Northampton International Raceway, and originally just Brafield Stadium. From 1947 to 2005 there was a place in Exeter where you could watch the Falcons fly. He also had an eight-year spell as the Great Britain team manager (with Eric Boocock). HEIKKURI (Finland).1956.Oulu, Finland (I-R). They were British League winners in 1974 and Premier League winners in 2000. In cases where the passing occurred at a later date, the date of the original crash is indicated after the location.