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Post by Hodgy on Oct 25, 2021 18:16:55 GMT
Went to this meeting as on my doorstep and love anything Speedway related. So many races that run without any delay. One in one out. Excellent continuity. You can predict the outcome easily but a nice afternoon for a Tenner. I just can’t understand the point of Sidecars - what point do they serve?
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Post by admin on Oct 25, 2021 20:06:23 GMT
Went to this meeting as on my doorstep and love anything Speedway related. So many races that run without any delay. One in one out. Excellent continuity. You can predict the outcome easily but a nice afternoon for a Tenner. I just can’t understand the point of Sidecars - what point do they serve? Never really thought about it apart from I can't see the point of being a passenger. It's on par with a rally co driver (the most pointless being the co driver in the FI safety car). Also not the most healthy of professions just hanging on for grim death. Each to their own though: |
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Post by Hodgy on Oct 26, 2021 10:29:46 GMT
Went to this meeting as on my doorstep and love anything Speedway related. So many races that run without any delay. One in one out. Excellent continuity. You can predict the outcome easily but a nice afternoon for a Tenner. I just can’t understand the point of Sidecars - what point do they serve? Never really thought about it apart from I can't see the point of being a passenger. It's on par with a rally co driver (the most pointless being the co driver in the FI safety car). Also not the most healthy of professions just hanging on for grim death. Each to their own though: Some will say the passenger has a vital role ensuring the weight distribution or the sidecar would flip over. Still seems pointless to me. I’ve seen them go round the Showground a few times. Very noisy machines and looks very dangerous on a shale track with a fence. Sadly it was a Sidecar crash that resulted in Alan Graham’s death recently. He was still competing at 67 years old. |
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Post by admin on Oct 26, 2021 11:47:53 GMT
Never really thought about it apart from I can't see the point of being a passenger. It's on par with a rally co driver (the most pointless being the co driver in the FI safety car). Also not the most healthy of professions just hanging on for grim death. Each to their own though: Some will say the passenger has a vital role ensuring the weight distribution or the sidecar would flip over. Still seems pointless to me. I’ve seen them go round the Showground a few times. Very noisy machines and looks very dangerous on a shale track with a fence. Sadly it was a Sidecar crash that resulted in Alan Graham’s death recently. He was still competing at 67 years old. And they'd be right. At the end of the day it's a skill and mastery of physics. I would guess that when the dust has settled it's the driver who gets the plaudits? I don't follow it so may be wrong but that's my perception. I recall seeing them at the EoES and elsewhere. Indeed very noisy. Would go down very well with our EoES neighbours  Was that the speedway Alan Graham who used to ride for Panthers at one time? |
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Post by Bigcatdiary on Oct 26, 2021 15:10:58 GMT
Some will say the passenger has a vital role ensuring the weight distribution or the sidecar would flip over. Still seems pointless to me. I’ve seen them go round the Showground a few times. Very noisy machines and looks very dangerous on a shale track with a fence. Sadly it was a Sidecar crash that resulted in Alan Graham’s death recently. He was still competing at 67 years old. And they'd be right. At the end of the day it's a skill and mastery of physics. I would guess that when the dust has settled it's the driver who gets the plaudits? I don't follow it so may be wrong but that's my perception. I recall seeing them at the EoES and elsewhere. Indeed very noisy. Would go down very well with our EoES neighbours Was that the speedway Alan Graham who used to ride for Panthers at one time? Yes it was |
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Post by Hodgy on Oct 26, 2021 19:25:13 GMT
Certainly was, part of the Alan and Andy Graham speedway era. In addition the even younger brother John. Alan and Andy for some reason never made the Speedway highlights, they deserved, but could match anyone on their day. As they proved becoming British Champions. Alan was a reserve at a World Final having two rides gaining 5 pts. I don’t understand why they never hit the headlines but on their day they could beat anyone.
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Post by admin on Oct 26, 2021 22:27:05 GMT
And they'd be right. At the end of the day it's a skill and mastery of physics. I would guess that when the dust has settled it's the driver who gets the plaudits? I don't follow it so may be wrong but that's my perception. I recall seeing them at the EoES and elsewhere. Indeed very noisy. Would go down very well with our EoES neighbours Was that the speedway Alan Graham who used to ride for Panthers at one time? Yes it was Oh that's sad, didn't know that. |
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Post by Hodgy on Oct 27, 2021 9:53:13 GMT
Oh that's sad, didn't know that. Very sad indeed. Alan lost his life doing what he loved at 67. Recall he was also battling Hodgkin’s disease during his Speedway career. |
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Post by admin on Nov 5, 2021 10:25:06 GMT
Never really thought about it apart from I can't see the point of being a passenger. It's on par with a rally co driver (the most pointless being the co driver in the FI safety car). Also not the most healthy of professions just hanging on for grim death. Each to their own though: Some will say the passenger has a vital role ensuring the weight distribution or the sidecar would flip over. Still seems pointless to me. I’ve seen them go round the Showground a few times. Very noisy machines and looks very dangerous on a shale track with a fence. Sadly it was a Sidecar crash that resulted in Alan Graham’s death recently. He was still competing at 67 years old. Must be his funeral today? Cradley Heathens@HeathensSpeed 9:01 am · 5 Nov 2021Today we remember Big Al as he makes his final journey. A true Heathens legend and a really great man. Rest easy, Big Al, you’ll NEVER be forgotten.
Found the paper article: Cradley Heathens mourn loss of legendary rider Alan Grahame - By Matt Maher, Published: Oct 5, 2021 expressandstarGrahame passed away on Sunday at the age of 67 from injuries sustained in an accident while racing sidecars. Affectionately known as Big Al, Grahame made more than 700 appearances for the Heathens and was part of the team which won national titles in 1981 and 1983. Born in Kingstanding, he began his speedway career with Birmingham and also raced for Stoke, Oxford and Hull during a celebrated career. But it was with Cradley he enjoyed his biggest success, racing for 13 straight years for the club between 1978 and 1991 and also making a brief return two years later. A winner of the individual Golden Hammer meeting, Grahame even raced on while battling Hodgkin’s disease in 1986. News of his death, announced on the club’s social media channels just 24 hours after the passing of another club legend, Colin Pratt, prompted hundreds of tributes from fans. Wolves owner Chris Van Straaten, meanwhile, has paid his own personal tribute to Pratt, who died on Saturday morning aged 82. Pratt rode for, managed and promoted the Heathens and was described by Van Straaten as a “giant” of the speedway. He said: “This is the end of an era, it truly is, the sport in the West Midlands has lost a giant. The memories of my battles with Colin will never fade, the Dudley-Wolves trophy meetings, the league and cup battles, he thrived on the rivalry and we have missed that greatly. “I had huge respect and admiration for Colin and he was so passionate about everything he did. But away from the heat of the battle, he was also a kind hearted man who was always good company.”  Troy Pratt, Andy Grahame, Colin Pratt, Billy Hamill Alan Grahame and Greg Hancock (Photo: Jonathan Hipkiss) |
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Post by admin on Jan 13, 2022 21:20:45 GMT
Some will say the passenger has a vital role ensuring the weight distribution or the sidecar would flip over. Still seems pointless to me. I’ve seen them go round the Showground a few times. Very noisy machines and looks very dangerous on a shale track with a fence. - bugger that for a game of soldiers. |
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