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Post by braveheart on Oct 19, 2008 8:24:28 GMT
Don't worry Wacks. I will too be emotional. Been going to Smallmead on and off for eight years now.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2008 17:44:56 GMT
Had a text from Wackie saying she was already welling up only a few minutes in to the meeting  It's gonna be a right emotional night for many. |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 19, 2008 23:28:39 GMT
I managed to hold it all in right until the end ML, but must admit I shed a tear or two as I said goodbye to a few people & walked out of Smallmead for the very last time. Personally thought it was a good meeting with the best result any of us Racers fans could have hoped for. Ulrich has at times singled handedly kept many meetings (fairly) respectable for us this year, never letting us down or shying away from meetings. Shame we've only seen him in Reading colours for a year. Fantastic to see some of the old legends there tonight and also that so many fans from all over the country made the effort to give Smallmead a fitting farewell. Lovely to meet up with Braveheart again and to meet Kev H - sorry I missed you Genghis, but I did look for you, honest! I'll hold you to that beer Kev if Racers are back on track again.  That Dave Mullet still didn't look 'alf bad on a bike either did he. |
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Post by Genghis on Oct 20, 2008 11:50:16 GMT
It was sad to go to the rubbish tip for a final time last night - I've got some fond memories of the 80-odd meetings I've seen there.
The meeting dragged on for ages (around 4 hours), but it was still quite sad when the meeting reached his conclusion - and there were a lot of subdued Racers fans walking out of the stadium which wasn't nice to see.
Mads Korneliussen looked like the likely winner, until sending a typically all-action Jordan Frampton flying in the semi-final. That opened it up for Ostergaard.
I hope the Racers do return in 2010 - although I still wonder where the finance to bulid a new stadium is going to come from in a recession.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2008 16:11:56 GMT
Meeting may have dragged on for you Genghis, but for us Racers fans it ended all too quickly.  Racing actually started about 6:20pm and with 23 heats of speedway, 5 vintage men in black races plus the sidecars in between the meeting flowed continuously without any long breaks where there was no on track action. It was great to be able to chat to some of my old hero's again and to find them in such good spirits. I was saddend to see Bernie Leigh looking not in the best of health though, he was my first Racers hero. Think Mich was a bit bemused when I asked if I could take a picture of him which would make my Mum's day. He duly obliged with a big smile and a wink of those still piercing blue eyes. Jan Andersson looked overwhelmed with the requests for autographs he was asked to sign as did many of the other old favourites who instead of hiding away in the VIP area spent most of the night chatting with fans & other past ridings in the public bar. Was lovely to see one of our favourite guest riders Garry Stead there too, looking happy & well. I'm always astonished to find riders who have been left paralysed by the sport still so enthusiastic about it. He looked to be having a whale of a time last night as did all the guests who attended. A fitting end of the eveing saw Dave Mullet the rider who raced in most meetings for the club over the past 40 years and who was also the clubs top points scorer complete the final laps at Smallmead. I swear even after 7 years out of the saddle, he'd still be quicker out of the gate than most of our line up were this season.  A short video clip with interviews with Tim Sugar & Anders is available to view on the Evening Post website. link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1435443169/bctid1867274630 |
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Post by Genghis on Oct 20, 2008 18:17:00 GMT
A fitting end of the eveing saw Dave Mullet the rider who raced in most meetings for the club over the past 40 years and who was also the clubs top points scorer complete the final laps at Smallmead. Wacks - I was expecting the mystery rider to be the great Anders Michanek or maybe Jan Andersson. I was quite disappointed when it turned out to be only Dave "knock 'em off" Mullett  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2008 18:48:12 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2008 18:59:29 GMT
I'll hold you to that beer Kev if Racers are back on track again. That Dave Mullet still didn't look 'alf bad on a bike either did he. I'm looking forward to buying it Wacks, the person I was speaking to seemed confident The Racers will be back!! That Dave Mullett certainly didn't look 'alf bad......but I guess that his apprenticeship at Canterbury stood him in good stead. Well, it certainly was an emotional night, and I'm not a Reading regular, although I've seen some great meetings there over the years. Over four hours of non-stop entertainment and nostalgia made the evening one to remember for ever. Seeing Anders Michanek reminded me of the first time I saw him ride......at Hackney in 1975 (from memory) when he scored a faultless maximum.......something else I'll remember for ever. Really, really sorry to see The Racers go, but they did themselves and their fans proud with this meeting and the only way to top that will be a full house at the new stadium with Per Jonsson cutting the tapes.......and me buying Wacks that beer. Oh, one last thing.............did they HAVE to play 'Seasons In The Sun' as we were all making our way back to the car park? |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2008 20:42:21 GMT
A fitting end of the eveing saw Dave Mullet the rider who raced in most meetings for the club over the past 40 years and who was also the clubs top points scorer complete the final laps at Smallmead. Wacks - I was expecting the mystery rider to be the great Anders Michanek or maybe Jan Andersson. I was quite disappointed when it turned out to be only Dave "knock 'em off" Mullett Rob, I'm not going to raise to the bait I'm afraid. TBH I'm really not in the mood. |
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Post by Genghis on Oct 20, 2008 21:31:44 GMT
Wacks - I was expecting the mystery rider to be the great Anders Michanek or maybe Jan Andersson. I was quite disappointed when it turned out to be only Dave "knock 'em off" Mullett Rob, I'm not going to raise to the bait I'm afraid. TBH I'm really not in the mood. Wacks - sorry, probably not the best time to discuss the talent or otherwise of Dave Mullett. Tell you what, when you re-open in 2010, I'll buy you a beer as well. |
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Post by braveheart on Oct 20, 2008 22:04:50 GMT
Lovely to see so many faces last night, I haven't seen for years. Hopefully they will be back in 2010. Glad I found you, Wacks. Great entertainment. I don't think Reading Speedway could have done anymore, although I did miss Rory the Lion. Great to see my heros when I first started watching speedway, Jan Andersson and John Davis. The Monday Monday song was a must and was pleased to hear it but Seasons in the Sun was a bit sad whilst leaving. I am going to miss that place. |
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Post by nobbyclark on Oct 21, 2008 13:54:16 GMT
Just watched the Video Clips - looks like a fitting way to end an era of 40 years at Smallmead... Look forward to see them back in 2010.. Have to say isn't Mick Napier that guy Lou in little Britain who pushes the hapless Andy around in his Wheelchair!  |
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2008 13:56:13 GMT
Just watched the Video Clips - looks like a fitting way to end an era of 40 years at Smallmead... Look forward to see them back in 2010.. Have to say isn't Mick Napier that guy Lou in little Britain who pushes the hapless Andy around in his Wheelchair! ;D |
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That Dave Mullet still didn't look 'alf bad on a bike either did he. 
