I have in my collection a book "Thrilling the Million" by Tom Stenner first published in 1934 which is a "history" of speedway.

In the 2nd chapter "How it all began" Tom states that speedway started in America as Long Track, one mile ovals but no one had learned to broadside then.

The country claiming the honour of starting speedway as we know it now is South Africa, the first recorded speedway race was held in Pietermaritzburg, Natal as long ago as 1907 !!

The speedway developed once it arrived in Australia and it is true that the first meeting was held as stated in West Maitland N.S.W. in the autumn of 1923.

"the management of the agricultural society, the proprietors of the show ground and running track were at their wits end to make ends meet. It had been a bad season from every point of view. The weather had been atrocious, the show had failed to attract and the various athletic meetings....had taken place in front of only handfuls of spectators.

AS A LAST resort they decided to put on a motorcycle meeting !! The manager was a sturdy self-possessed Australian John S Hoskins by name who later was to become one of the outstanding personalities in speedway racing..Believing that if a job was to be done properly he did it all including riding in the first race ! He of course went only a few yards and then crashed but the meeting went on. The excitement grew with each race and by the end of the meeting the management knew that their problems had been solved "

After this one meeting, speedway took off, and tracks were laid down all over Australia. However these first tracks were made of wooden planks !!

It would a while before cinder tracks came into use and only then did the broadsliding technique become popular after a rider "accidentally" tried it out. Soon everyone was doing it to add to the spectacle.

In 1927 the idea came to England, sold by people who had witnessed this new sport, and a Cambridge undergraduate Mr Lionel Willis was mainly responsible for the introduction of modern speedway to this country. He also emulated Johnny Hoskins by riding in the races and was the first Englishman to do so. By 1928 speedway had become established in England..............................and HOW !!

There are now pages of information in my book relating where the tracks sprung up in England BUT I am now going for tea..........


Does anyone have a copy of this film please http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0024346/ Looks good ""