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graham

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Posts posted by graham

    HEAVY METAL

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    I’ve enjoyed reading the book, but feel I need to correct a few inaccuracies in it.

    On P50 it mentions building a new car at Farlinge Road garage. Stuart’s garage was actually on Ramsey Street, Falinge Road (note spelling) was where he lived.

    On P91 it refers to Willie Harrison buying the last pallet of Dunlop RS5 tyres in the country. This can’t be correct as we were buying Dunlop RS5 tyres in the late 70’s and early 80’s.

    P100 It states Stu smith debuted Gertie on Boxing Day 1974, it was actually Boxing Day 1973 (Stock Car Magazine April 1974)

    P108 Stuart took the Dodo to the opening Hednesford meeting, but found problems so raced Gertie at the meeting (I think gearbox issues). (See May Stock Car Monthly P17) The Dodo made its first racing appearance at Bradford the following Wednesday. (See May Stock Car Monthly P10)

    P113 Stuart took the Dodo to Bristol then raced Gertie at Belle Vue. I know this as my Dad and I took Gertie to Belle Vue for the meeting.

    P122 The Coventry semi final, won by John Goodhall was on August 7th, not July 31st, this was the Nelson semi.

    P175 when Frankie Wainman states “Brian Powles threw the race away as one of his Yankee cars was coming round the inside kerb, minding his own business and Powlesy climbed all over him and flattened a tyre. The Yank did nothing wrong, if Powlesy had slowed down a bit it was his race.” From my memory the Yank came off the centre green and deliberately drove into Brian’s inside front tyre, causing the puncture. Can anyone remember this?

    P197 refers to Mike Parker taking over the Rochdale track and the track deteriorating. In fact, after Belle Vue stopped running Speedway they then carried on with Friday night meetings the following year. This is what ruined the track initially as they didn’t maintain it after stopping the Speedway.

    P203 Refers to Willie choosing a Dunlop 800 on the inside with an 890 on the outside for the 1982 World Final, implying it was an inspired choice. In fact, many drivers had been using that combination at Belle Vue during the previous season, I know we did.

    P223 In the Dash for the Cash Mick Stecko didn’t tangle with Mike Close. Mike had already passed him, but tangled with another driver as he came to start his last lap. This left Mick in the lead until Smithy passed him on the last bend.

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    Skegness - 10th/11th October 2020

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    8 hours ago, Rod Matthew said:

    I thought exactly the same, as soon as i saw the list.
    Thought Catherine's first meeting might have been used a bit more on the publicity side of things

    Don't think it is her first meeting. Didn't she race at the Birmingham Gala meeting last year in the under 25's race?

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    On This Day - 25th April 1959 - the grading system

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    8 hours ago, chairmanphil said:

    the grading system was a great thing when introduced..but drivers started to take advantage of it by winning a  few finals then retiring for a few months  and being downgraded each month then doing it all over again  it really annoyed me blatant cheating I called it ... then you couldn't be downgraded unless you did a certain amount of meetings  and one of the drivers concerned  decided to retire.. now  undergraded drivers are winning finals with good quality cars  not quite the same but  a driver who wins a final should be upgraded for the next meeting especially with  2 day meetings..my opinion i'm sure others will have something to say about this point

    I know when I first started watching it was interesting to see some drivers start the new season late on a regular basis, drop a grade the following month then win several races including finals. I do agree that current drivers who win a final should move up a grade next meeting. Perhaps not red top to Superstar, unless they had previously held Superstar for at least 6 meetings.

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    Stuart Smith Book "Overalls Off"

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    I really enjoyed reading Stu Milnes book, Overalls Off and finding some information about Stu Smith that I didn’t know. However I’d like to make a correction and add a few stories.

     When Stu did the Bristol/Belle Vue double, Easter 1976 he raced the Dodo at Bristol and Gertie at Belle Vue. I know this because my Dad and I took Gertie to Belle Vue for Stuart. I was reminded recently that I had problems starting the engine to get the car off the trailer until I realised the petrol tap was turned off. My Dad also took Gertie to Nelson later in the season when it was the Long Eaton meeting in the afternoon in case we got damage, on that occasion Stuart raced the Dodo at both meetings.

    When is Stuart Smith’s, 390, birthday? In the book it says August   . Yet in the Coventry World final programme from 2016 it he says he raced his first Mini Stox meeting a few days after his birthday in September.

     

    I remember helping to prepare the Derek Coleman car for Stuart to race during the White City World Final meeting. Stuart had decided to lend the Dodo to Harry Van de Spuij as he wanted to give him a chance to use a decent car in the Final and had felt embarrassed seeing Harry driving the Coleman car. We spent the day prior to leaving for White City getting the car ready, sorting out the brakes etc.

    During the 1975 season we had taken the engine out of Gertie for some maintenance, I went down one afternoon and Stuart had taken the cylinder heads off and was scraping the carbon off with a chisel, he then put the heads back on using the same head gaskets as before.

    One night at Nelson meeting we bent the back axle, so returned to the garage to do the repairs ready for the next day. The axle was cut, straightened and then re-welded. However when we had finished Stuart decided he wanted to check it was ok, this was about 2:00am. We opened the garage doors onto Ramsey Street and Stuart gave the car a quick blast down the road and back. On his return we quickly closed the doors and turned all the lights off, sure enough a few minutes later a Police car turned up. We sat in the darkness and waited for them to go before we could leave.

    On my first visit to Brands Hatch, during the 1975 season, we arrived at the track as dawn was breaking having travelled through the night. I was amazed when Stuart got out an old mattress, put it under the coach and went to sleep. After another visit to Brands Hatch I remember stopping at a Pub in London, along with John Hillam and possibly Harry Smith, we finally got back to Rochdale about 5:00am, just in time for me to start work at 6:00am. This was in the days before the M25, when we travelled through London and Blackfriars Tunnel, Stuart always enjoyed his Jellied Eels on these visits.

    Coming home from Brafield one day, with Stuart driving, he realised we were in the wrong lane for joining the M6, however this didn’t deter him as we joined the M6, along with a few cars who hadn’t planned to do so.

    Going to the opening Hartlepool meeting we reached the outskirts of Hartlepool with no idea of where the track was, however Stuart spotted the Brian Powles coach in front so said, ”Follow him, he’ll know where to go.” Fortunately he did.

    Before selling vans Stuart used to sell second hand cars. One day a lady came looking, and found a car she liked apart from the colour. Stuart told her that he had a car of the same make and model coming in later in the week but in the colour she wanted. When she had gone the car was brought into the garage and resprayed. When she came later in the week she happily bought the car.

    Stuart had the words “The Living Legend” on the Dodo. One of his fans came up to us at a meeting and quite seriously asked, “What is a Leg End?”

    I can remember the incident on page 90 as I was on the bus that night when Hillary clipped the arm of the man. I seem to remember it was as we left the track and it was a group of supporters making a noise, cheering and jeering, when one stuck his arm out to thumb a lift.

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    Belle Vue - Sunday 10th November 2019

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    Looks promising for "Belle Vue's Helter Skelter" event!....some of you may remember the old 'Vue and their last races of a meeting being called "Helter Skelter" for any car fit to run!

     

    Let's go for it and make it memorable. :yahoo: :clap:

    i think that before the Grand National races were introduced all the last race were called the Helter Skelter

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    Belle Vue - Sunday 30th June 2019

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    Startrax haven't updated the booking list since Monday.

     

    C'mon team Startrax - Surely there must be some additions . For instance, John Lund, who has attended 3 Belle Vue meetings this year.

    I'd imagine that after the recent poor weather he'll be busy on the farm, either hay making or silage

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    Northampton - Saturday 1st June 2019

    in Essential Information

    Posted

    Start times are a definite factor for declining crowds and probably drivers too. A long time ago now, I used to work 6 hours on a Saturday, then set off at 3.30pm and get to Coventry in plenty of time for the 7.15pm start. The earlier and earlier start times just mean less and less time in which to get there.

    Perhaps some of the earlier start times, particularly in summer, let the meeting finish without the need to use the floodlights, so saving money :whistling:

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