Humans of Speedway

Danny King has had a career spanning over 20 years, including becoming British Champion in 2016, beating Bartosz Zmarzlik in a GP, and representing GB in a World Cup. Much of his career has been spent with the Ipswich Witches where he is now Captain, and in 2023 will represent Redcar Bears in the Championship. But he's also ridden for a number of other great names of British Speedway, including Coventry Bees, Sheffield Tigers, Leicester Lions and most recently captaining Poole Pirates to back to back league and cup double titles. Hear about it all in his own words, and before the end he reveals his all time dream line up! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steve Worrall rides for Wolverhampton Wolves in the British Speedway Premiership, and is the 2023 captain of reigning champions the Poole Pirates in the Championship. 2023 sees Steve celebrate his testimonial year, with a early season Champion of Champions meeting at Poole Stadium where the Championship title holders Poole face a Belle Vue Aces side featuring 5 of the 2022 Premiership winning team. Steve of course has ridden for both teams, 7 seasons with the Aces including the last year at the old Kirkmanshulme lane, and the first year at the National Speedway Stadium. He's also won a league and cup treble with Edinburgh Monarchs in 2014, back to back league and cup doubles with the Pirates, as well as time at Swindon Robins, Newcastle Diamonds, and Scunthorpe Scorpions. Steve along with his twin brother Richie started out in motocross, and a passive interest in watching speedway on TV or the occasional GP ended with him giving it a try at Scunthorpe and the rest is history..! Since then he's also represented Great Britain at the Speedway World Cup, and narrowly missed out on claiming a British Championship title in 2017. Steve tells us more about all of that and much more, plus of course letting us in on his dream 1-7 lineup, and other things which would feature in his dream speedway meeting..! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paul Bowen is a well known face around speedway tracks, both from his time as a rider with the Belle Vue Colts, a presenter on BSN, YouTuber, pie supplier and now as someone leading electric speedway into the UK. He's also putting on a demonstration day at Scunthorpe on March 5th where you can have a look at these bikes in action, all for free..! Find out why electric speedway is not something to be feared, why it is NOT coming to take over speedway as we know it, and why actually it could be the thing that helps bring on a whole new generation of riders. We also chat to Paul about his career in the sport, how he went from being a fan watching on TV to ordering a bike on Ebay and very soon finding himself on track..! Plus we have a look at how his dream meeting would look, and who would be in his all time 1-7..! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we head down under to chat with Australian speedway star Justin Sedgmen. In 2023 Sedgy will be lining up in British Speedway's Premiership with newly promoted Leicester Lions, and in the Championship once again with the Birmingham Brummies. Over his career he's raced for some of the most respected teams in the UK including Swindon, Somerset, Sheffield, Glasgow and Edinburgh Monarchs where he won the treble in 2014 and back to back league titles in 2015. Speedway runs deep in the Sedgmen family and you'll also discover why they're responsible some giving speedway at least 2 of the sport's all time greats..! Plus Sedgy names his dream team, and dream track before the end too. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Rowe is one of the voices of Eurosport's speedway TV coverage working as a reporter on the British Premiership matches, and as commentator for the SEC series. You might also know him as a voice on Talksport as a voice of their football coverage during the season. He's also a journalist for the Speedway Star, head of the British Speedway official press office and a stadium announcer at for Birmingham Brummies. In fact in 2022 Dave was present at 88 different speedway meetings across the UK & Europe, and that's before the other matches he saw on TV. In his spare time, Dave is part of the campaign group aiming to save speedway at Coventry's Brandon Stadium. A 6 year fight against developers looking to turn one of speedway's historic venues into a housing estate. They received a major boost to their dream of seeing speedway return to Brandon, and we discuss the scale of the task up to now. As well as chatting about Dave's career, his travels around Europe, and life as a man behind the mic, we also take a look at who would make it into Dave's all time speedway team! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode not just 1, but 2 guests..! Berwick Bandits Team Manager and Co Promoter Gary Flint, and his son, British U21 & U19 Champion, Leon Flint. 2023 sees Leon take the proud role of captaining his hometown side under his Dad's leadership, whilst also taking the rising star position at Premiership side Wolves. We chat about the upcoming season an also a little about how the speedway life came their way. Gary is also himself a former rider who plied his trade mainly in the old conference league, but we'll also find out why speedway wasn't a forgone profession for Leon. Also discover why a modern day speedway hero is to thank for setting Leon off on his course to speedway stardom. The 2022 British Grand Prix in Cardiff saw the proudest moments for both Gary & Leon, and hear the story of how it felt to be heading to the tapes to line up next to Zmarzlik & Woffinden in his first ever GP race..! Plus we will discover who would make Gary & Leon's all time dream team as they create their dream speedway meeting's before the end of the podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam Roynon has ridden some some of the biggest clubs in British Speedway over his 20 year career, including the Coventry Bees, Sheffield Tigers, Workington Comets and Rye House Rockets to name a few. A hugely popular and talented rider, he won the Premier League title with Rye House in 2007 racing as a young reserve alongside Tai Woffinden. He got to race alongside his idol Gary Havelock with Redcar, and won the Premiership Pairs title in Somerset with Workington. He has however suffered some devastating injuries some of which included a broken neck and took him to the brink of losing his life, but amazed doctors by not only making a recovery but also getting back on a bike to still be racing today..! In 2022 he took to the mic as a commentator with BSN winning over a new following as he brought his wealth of knowledge and experience in speedway to a new audience. We also find out who makes it into Adam's dreamteam line up, his favourite track and much more! Listen and don't forget to subscribe for more episodes as they arrive! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Peter Collins MBE is without doubt one of the most successful British riders of all time, and a Belle Vue Aces legend. He's finally put together his autobiography called Keeping It On The Tyres, and recently at his book launch at Longsight Sports on Social Club on Kirkmanshulme Lane, I managed to get some time with him beside his world title winning bike..! His book is over 500 pages and documents everything you could ever want to know, and you can get hold of it at retro-speedway.com An overnight sensation when he burst onto the Cheshire grasstrack scene as a 16-year-old, Mancunian PC quickly shot to speedway fame, too, as a Rochdale rookie in the early 70s and became the most famous graduate of the Belle Vue training school. His 16 loyal seasons with Belle Vue – the local club he supported from the age of eight when he dreamed of emulating his boyhood hero Peter Craven – brought him the highest league and cup honours and, thanks to his trademark thrilling bursts from the back, a permanent place among the pantheon of Aces and England greats. He was beyond compare, the supreme racer who took the breath away, admired by fans and TV audiences worldwide. No other rider in the history of speedway has dominated the front and back pages of top-selling English tabloid newspapers as Peter did the day after his biggest triumph in front of a capacity 120,000 crowd at Katowice, Poland in 1976. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Stuart Robson hails from a real speedway family, his dad being a rider in the 70s and his brother also taking up the sport, it is perhaps little surprise that Stuart followed in their footsteps. Growing up in Sunderland, his first experience of racing was via the grass track scene, but later moving into speedway with Newcastle Diamonds, and then later the Coventry Bees. Indeed Stuart spent multiple seasons and eras at those 2 clubs in particular, but also with spells at Middlesborugh, Hull, Rye House, Lakeside and latterly Redcar. And it will be at Redcar where the Stuart Robson Farewell meeting takes place on April 1st 2022, featuring a top class line up for a meeting delayed 2 years by the pandemic..! Find out more about this event, and Stuart's career as a whole in this episode of Humans of Speedway! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Katie Gordon is a rising star in British Speedway, and aiming to be the first finale rider to race in one of the top 3 leagues in British Speedway. Currently racing for Redcar Cubs at youth level, she's already beating many of the boys, and is proving that speedway is not all about strength, but also skill and mental attitude. Speedway is a male dominated sport, and she reveals some of the obstacles and stereotypes she's had to face on her journey, but the tide is starting to turn. Denmark led by Hans Nelson have recently named a female in their national U23s side, and so is it a matter of time before we see more females taking on the men on the shale? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Neil Vatcher has spent his entire life involved in speedway, as a mechanic, team manager, and now overseeing the development of the next generation of stars. Some of the names who have come through the GB Youth system include Robert Lambert, Tom Brennan, Dan Bewley, Jordan Palin and Adam Ellis to name just a few, all overseen by Neil. We'll find out some of the levels of dedication required to make it to the top, the importance of family in the sport, plus take a look at Neil's other roles. He's not just the man in charge of the stars of tomorrow. He's also the boss of the referees, and in charge of the rule book..! Plus we'll find out about Neil's dream team and more too… Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Josh Auty raises the curtain on the British Speedway season in 2022 with his testimonial meeting on March the 19th at Scunthorpe. In his career he has raced for some of British Speedway's best knows teams including Coventry Bees, Sheffield Tigers, Leicester Lions, and Birmingham Brummies, whom he returns to this year. He's best known for racing with Scunthorpe Scorpions who he spend 9 seasons with, and before that learned his speedway craft there as a youngster. Find out about his career which has included appearances at the British Speedway GP in Cardiff, and winning the Queensland solo title in Australia! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we speak with one of the longest serving referees in British Speedway, and Chairman of the Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund, Paul Ackroyd. Paul began as a fan, but eventually found his way into the referee's box, where he enjoyed a career spanning 28 years, and in the time from the early 80's to the noughties he's ruled over pretty much every name you can think of in that era. He's also taken charge of some of the biggest fixtures in British Speedway including 3 British Finals and some international test matches. He's now the chairman on the World's only charity dedicated to helping injured speedway riders, The Speedway Ben Fund. British Speedway is the only league in the world to be able to offer help to rider injured in professional competition, and the support is crucial to those who find themselves injured. The Ben Fund Bonanza meeting is back on the calendar for March 27th at Peterborough, and in this episode we find out more about the meeting, and reveal some more names joining the line up..! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lewis Kerr has entertained speedway fans all over the country, racing for numerous teams during his career, but 1 side has remained a constant, his local team Kings Lynn Stars. 2022 marks his testimonial year with the club, and his big day will be one of the first meetings of the new season, on the 20th of March.In this episode Lewi will tell us more about what we can expect from the event which will be a 4 team tournament, the line up so far and also revealing the names of the 4 teams.We also look back on is career, making the move from Motocross, becoming a Newcastle hero, and looking ahead to 2022 with Kings Lynn & Redcar.Plus he describes how his dream speedway meeting would look before the end too in out Speedway Paradise feature! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tom Brennan is the 2021 British Under 21 Champion, and a WORLD CHAMPION as part of the GB team which claimed gold in the 2021 Speedway of Nations in Manchester, ending a 32 year wait for a British team world title.He also races in the Premiership for the Belle Vue Aces, and in the Championship for Glasgow Tigers, and he reveals some of the reasons why he's chosen to be a part of those clubs. We also hear more about the work behind the scenes to take the next generation of British Speedway riders to the very top of the sport, and much more besides! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we speak to another rising star of British Speedway, Jordan Jenkins. Last year he became a National League Champion with Mildenhall, and in 2022 he'll look to retain that title as he captains Oxford Chargers. He's also racing in the Championship once again with Redcar Bears, and will be heading to Poland to race in the U24 Ekstraliga with Czestochowa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we chat to rising star Jordan Palin, who despite being only 17 years old and originally not even knowing what speedway was, has found a natural talent on a speedway bike which has seen him already become a British Junior champion and a Premiership Champion with Peterborough.But for Jordan this is just the start, and his sights are firmly fixed right at the very top of world speedway. It's the first time we've had a guest on this podcast series whose career lays ahead of them, and the aim is to give you a bit of an insight into the sheer amount of work and dedication which goes on behind the scenes which many never see.Not only are we speaking to Jordan, but also his mum Becky who explains how the whole family work to support him in his racing, and what it's like as a parent to watch your son racing..In the final section Jordan reveals what his dream meeting would look like, his favourite track, all time team and a few tricks of the trade thrown in for good measure.We hope you enjoy listening, and of course if you do please feel free to leave a review on whichever podcast app you use..! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode we look back on the Humans of Speedway class of 2021, and bring you 5 mins or so of each guest from this year, including:Jeremy DoncasterGraham CookeChris MortonDennis McClearyPaco CastagnaNicolai KlindtMitchell DaveyPaul AckroydAidan CollinsChris LouisDavid HoweIan Stavros SlaterMike TaylorPhil LanningAdam EllisPlus details of the first guest of 2022!

Adam Ellis realised a dream in 2021 becoming the British Speedway Champion, and adding his name to a trophy adorned with the greats of the sport. But whilst he hails from a British family he grew up in France and developed his skills on the French grasstrack circuit. He has risen through the British youth system though, going from the British Youth Championships, to the National League, Championship League, and already being a double Premiership title winner with Swindon.He's also part of the GB Speedway Team, and in this episode he shares some of his aims for 2022 and beyond..!

Phil Lanning is a multi award winning journalist and sports publicist, during his career he has written for The Sun newspaper for over 25 years, as well as writing leading articles for the Speedway Star, and working directly alongside names such as Tai Woffinden, Jason Crump and Gary Havelock in managing their PR and publicity coverage.He's also the youngest son of legendary commentator Dave Lanning, the voice the vast majority of speedway fans will have grown up with, and so it's little surprise that Phil continues his dad's work reporting on and promoting the sports of Speedway and Darts.We'll get to know a little more about what it was like growing up in a family so dedicated to speedway and surrounded by well known names. From watching racing on Neil Middleditch's shoulders to Bruce Penhall lending his jacket. We'll also look at how tough it is for speedway to make an impression in the national press, and how today's young riders can make themselves stars.Plus Phil will also be describing his own dream speedway meeting before the end too.

Mike Taylor is the man behind the mic on commentaries and coverage provided by BBC WM. He's a speedway fan at heart too having followed the sport as a young Brummies fan watching Hans Nielsen racing around the old Perry Barr in the early 80's..!

Ian Slater in speedway circles is simply known as Stavros! He's worked as a spannerman to many well known names in British speedway including Bobby Ott, Niklas Klingberg, Ricky Ashworth, Kyle Howarth and Leon Flint. But he's particularly known for working alongside Carl Stonehewer, being his best mate and mechanic through his time at Workington, and getting a place in the Speedway GP series despite only riding in the second division..!Some fantastic stories, dodging flying helmets in the pit, struggling to keep up with Swedes drinking schedules, and being stuck on Mont Blanc with Stoney.Plus his all time dream meeting and team revealed!AND FREE BEER! Claim a free case of craft beer from our friends at Beer 52, and just for Humans of Speedway listeners you can get another 2 beers free..! 10 top craft beers, you only pay the postage of £5.95..! https://www.beer52.com/speedway

David Howe has ridden for many of British Speedway's best knows clubs, along some some of the best known names of the era. He's a former British Under 21 champion, Elite League Winner, and has appeared in world speedway's showpiece event the Speedway GP in Cardiff, including in 2007, the last time a Brit won the fixture.Since finishing his racing career he know works as a speedway mechanic and currently works with Wolves and Leicester's Ryan Douglas, and he explains some of the work required between meeting to make sure the bikes are ready to go.David also chooses his dream meeting in Speedway Paradise too, although, controversially doubling up may be required..!

My guest in this episode is Chris Louis. As the son of one of the best known riders of the 1970s, former British Champion and World number 3 John Tiger Louis, the sport was always going to be in his blood.And Chris very much followed in his dad's footsteps by himself becoming British Champion and reaching number 3 in the world.He was also captain of what many believe to be British Speedway best ever team, Ipswich side of 1998. A team which featured Tomaz Gollob and world champion of that year Tony Rickardsson. They went on to claim an unprecedented league and cup treble.He rode in the Speedway Grand Prix series from its early days including being part of the very first Cardiff GP.Since his riding days his involvement with the Witches has continued as team manager, and now co-promotor of the team.Chris is also now at the top table of the sport in the UK as a director of British Speedway Promoters Ltd.And as well as getting to know more about Chris's career, we'll also discover what his dream meeting would look like, and who would make his dream team..!


Ian Brannan is joined by guest host, Sheffield, Scunthorpe,Team GB AND British Final star Adam Ellis!Talking about last weekend's FIM European pairs, the trials of the international speedway rider, the French speedway scene, and his hopes for individual success in 2021.Plus, we have a show packed with interviews:Wolves: Nick Morris & Peter AdamsBelle Vue: Dan Bewley & Mark Lemon, Jack Parkinson BlackburnIpswich: Drew KempSheffield: Simon SteadPeterborough: Rob LyonLeicester: Hans AndersenPoole: Steve WorrallBirmingham: David MasonEastbourne: Trevor Geer and Will Pottinger

Aidan Collins was born into speedway, it's hard not to be when you're the son of British Speedway legend Les Collins. Following a speedway a flat track career of his own, Aidan now gives fans a motorcycle enthusiasts the chance to ride speedway. Joining him at the Buxton Circuit are his dad Les, the former world number 2, and another ex rider Adam Allott, who also has strong family connections to the sport. Also on hand on the day was ex 2 x British Champion & U21 World Champion Joe Screen.I was invited to head up to the Peak District, get kitted out and try speedway for real..!For more info go to rideandskidit.com

In this episode we look at the work of the world's only charity dedicated to helping injured speedway riders. The Speedway Riders Benevolent Fund.If you'd like to donate, TEXT SRBF to 70085 to give £5. WE'RE ALL EXCITED TO SEE BRITISH SPEEDWAY GETTING BACK UNDERWAY AGAIN, THE SPEED AND THE DANGER ARE SOME OF THE ASPECTS THAT MAKE THE SPORT SO THRILLIING TO WATCH. 500CC BIKES WITH NO BREAKS HURTLING AT 70MPH INTO A CORNER IS A FANTASTIC SPECTACLE. BUT WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SPEEDWAY GOES WRONG?RIDERS KNOW FULL WELL THE RISKS THEY TAKING IN THEIR CAREERS AND FOR OUR ENJOYMENT. ACCIDENTS WILL ALWAYS HAPPEN AND THANKS TO BETTER SAFETY EQUIPMENT FOR RIDERS, AND AIRFENCES, THESE ARE OFTEN RELATIVELY MINOR. HOWEVER UNFORTUNATELY HEADING INTO THIS SEASON THERE WILL BE SOME RIDERS WHO DON'T KNOW IT YET, BUT WILL FIND THEMSELVES INJURED AND SIDELINED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. NO SPEEDWAY MEANS NO PAY. RIDERS USUALLY GET PAID PER APPEARANCES AND PER POINT - HOWEVER FOR RIDERS IN BRITISH SPEEDWAY'S LEAGUES WE HAVE THE WORLDS ONLY CHARITY FOR INJURED SPEEDWAY RIDERS. THE SPEEDWAY RIDERS BENEVOLENT FUND, OR THE BEN FUND FOR SHORT, EXISTS SOLELY TO OFER SUPPORT AND SSISTANCE TO SPEEDWAY RIDERS WHO HAVE BEEN SEVERELY INJURED WHILST RIDING FOR BRITISH BASED TEAMS.SOMETIMES THE SUPPORT CAN BE SHORT TERMS, BUT AS WE KNOW ALL TOO WELL LIVES CAN BE CHANGED PERMANENTLY AS A RESULT OF INJURIES GAINED IN THE SPORT. AND SOMETIMES THESE INJURIES OR OTHER HEALTH ISSUES CAN EVEN PRESENT THEMSELVES LONG AFTER A RIDER HAS RETIRED.IN THIS EPISODE WE ARE GOING TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE BEN FUND. WE'LL SPEAK TO RIDER MITCHELL DAVEY, WHOSE LIFE WAS CHANGED IN A SPLIT SECOND WHEN HE WAS CRITICALLY INJURED WHILE RACING FOR BIRMINGHAM BRUMMIES 3 YEARS AGO, THE BEN FUND SPRANG INTO ACTION AND TOOK AWAY SOME OF THE IMMEDIATE FINANCIAL WORRIES AND HELPED HIS RECOVERY. MITCH IS REPAYING THAT SUPPORT WITH A CHARITY BIKE RIDE LATER THIS YEAR WHICH WE'LL ALSO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT.AND WE'LL SPEAK WITH THE CHAIRMAN OF THE BENEVOLENT FUND PAUL ACKROYD. A FORMER FIM REFEREE WHO NOW OVERSEES THE CHARITY, AND ENSURING THOSE WHO NEED IT GET THE RIGHT SUPPORT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.PLUS WE'LL SPEAK WITH A FAN DOING HIS BIT TO RAISE AWARENESS AND FUNDS FOR THE CHARITY. RODDY MCDOUGALL IS A FORMER TV JOURNALIST AND EXECUTIVE, AND WAS ONCE THE HEAD OF NEWS AT GMTV. HE'S WRITTEN A BOOK CALLED NO BREAKS - ABOUT THE SPORT, CHARTING THE LAST 12 MONTHS WHEN VERY LITTLE HAPPENED AND EXPLORING HOW SPEEDWAY CAN MAKE IT BIG AGAIN. WITH ALL OF HIS ROYALTIES GOING TO THE BENEVOLENT FUND…

Danish international speedway rider Nicolai Klindt links up with us from his base in Poland to talk about the early days of his career through to the present day. We'll hear how riding alongside triple world champ Jason Crump, and riding in Poland against the worlds best transformed his ability. He's also ridden for a number of British clubs, but find out why he almost retired from the sport in 2013.And he shares his aims for the upcoming 2021 season and has his eye on one meeting in particular..Plus his dream meeting shared in our speedway paradise section too..!

Paco Castagna has one of the most famous surnames in speedway. The son of Armando is already 2x Italian Champion and hope to add further silverware to his cabinet, and firmly has his eyes on speedway's greatest prizes. Growing up around some of speedways iconic names, he knows exactly what is required to make it to the top, and in this episode you'll hear just how much determination he has to succeed.Paco also describes his dream speedway meeting, and it does come with a twist!

You could call him Mr Berwick, but Dennis McCleary has dedicated over 50 years to helping run Berwick Bandits, beginning in 1969 and still going. He started as announcer and his voice is still keeping the Shielfield crowds informed in 2021, he's also been programme editor, co promoter, team manager, time keeper, in fact most jobs other than actually riding the bikes..!During that time hundreds of riders have come and gone, countless managers, and numerous promoters, but Dennis has been a constant rock who has witnessed the entire journey..In addition during the 1970's he became a qualified referee and ruled over some of speedway's biggest names of the era. In 2012 he became a co promoter and helped bring some of speedway's stars of the modern era to his corner of Northumberland when the track became licensed for FIM events.And in 2012 he was invited to be the official timekeeper at the British Speedway GP in Cardiff, Its a true life of speedway and he's here to tell us about it in his own words...

Chris Morton MBE is a true speedway legend, with a racing career spanning the decades the majority of which wearing the iconic Belle Vue Aces race jacket. He appeared in 7 World Finals, won the World Pairs title alongside his great friend Peter Collins, and was British Champion in 1983. In this episode take a journey through his illustrious career from the very beginnings learning his craft at Peter Collins' parents farm, through to beating the best of all time in front of a packed Wembley stadium.Chris's other legacy is in the form of the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester, and a new home for his beloved Aces. Discover how this dream was born the very moment Hyde Road closed down in 1987 and despite many battles and obstacles, almost 30 years later it became a reality.And as in every episode he creates his dream meeting in Speedway Paradise, discover who makes Chris Morton's all time team, although, he's kinda already lived the conversation about dream tracks in real life..!

FIM Speedway GP Race Director Phil Morris describes how his dream meeting would look, who would make his all time team, and which rule he would fix once and for all..!

Another chance to listen to 1992 World Champion Gary Havelock describe how his dream meeting might look..! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Graham Cooke is a long standing member of the Swindon Robins and Cardiff SGP track staff, as well as Swindon assistant clerk of the course, writer, and a driving force behind the UK Rune Holta fan club..!In this episode you'll discover some of the secrets and mysteries of the dark arts of track preparation, what it's like standing in an empty Millennium Stadium, and the hazards to being in the middle of 2 fighting GP stars..!  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jeremy Doncaster is a 3x World Finalist, GB World Team Cup winner in 1989 and regarded as one of the best all round speedway riders of his generation. He was a long time star of his hometown club Ipswich, as well as also being involved with one of the best British League teams of all time, Reading 1992.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Over more than 20 years Shane became a legend with a number of British speedway clubs including Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Glasgow, Peterborough, before ending his career at Sheffield. A real character of the sport he entertained on the track as well as off, and he recalls some of his favourite stories and creates his dream speedway meeting..Who will be in Shane's all time 1-7, where would the event be held, and on which racing track? Find out the answers to all these questions in an entertaining chat with Shane Parker.   ©️ ianbrannan.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From being of the most successful riders of his generation, including 2 British speedway championships and 3 World Longtrack crowns, to being one of the voices of the sport on TV for over 20 years. Kelvin Tatum has competed at the very highest levels of world speedway, captained his country, ridden alongside some of the greats of the sport and now he's sharing these stories in his new autobiography, "Tales From The Top Drawer". In this podcast Kelvin talks us through his career, and just some of the stories from his new book including:*His time in the successful Coventry team of the 80s*Riding in 3 World Finals in 1985, individual at Bradford, and the World Pairs alongside Kenny Carter*Joining an all star Berwick team which didn't end well..*Bradford and his love for Odsal*Becoming King of LongtrackAnd Kelvin reveals what his dream meeting would look like, his all time track, 1-7, and the rules he would change in Speedway Paradise.Listen now, for tales out of the top drawer..!    ©️ ianbrannan.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A regular feature of Humans of Speedway, our Speedway Paradise feature asks guests to create their dream speedway meeting, including designing their perfect stadium and their all time 1-7..Neil Machin is one of Britain's most prolific Speedway Promoters, running speedway clubs for over 28 years, largely the force behind Sheffield Speedway and more recently at Leicester. ©️ ianbrannan.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scott Mitchell is a life long speedway fan and a huge supporter of the Poole Pirates, and his day job is split between being a farmer, and a professional Darts player where in 2015 he scaled the heights of the sport to become the BDO World Darts Champion.We'll find out more about his rise to the top of world darts despite only finding his way into the sport  in his late 30s, and how his success at the oche has led to a secret career working alongside some of TV & Film's household names..!Plus he'll be putting together his Speedway Paradise, building his own dream meeting before the end too.. Don't forget you can follow Humans of Speedway on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on future episodes too..!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A regular feature of Humans of Speedway, our Speedway Paradise feature asks guests to create their dream speedway meeting, including designing their perfect stadium and their all time 1-7..Peter Oakes, an award winning Fleet Street journalist in his day job but also went way beyond just reporting on speedway. He became firmly a part of it, working on PR for clubs, becoming a promoter, a team manager, and the personal manager & best friend of one of the sports greatest ever riders Ivan Mauger. Find out who makes Peter's all time team, where the meeting would be help and who the opposition would be..! Some fantastic stories ahead so relax and enjoy!    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1992 World Champion, Bradford Dukes and Great Britain living legend Gary Havelock talks about his early beginnings in speedway, following in his father's footsteps, and realising his dream of becoming champion of the world... A must not miss episode..!  ©️ ianbrannan.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Helen Charlesworth is a lifelong speedway supporter, starting out in her native Newcastle before heading a long way south to Plymouth, where she has contributed to both teams programmes on a regular basis, including an Emil Sayfutdinov exclusive!Did you know Jason Doyle features as a lead character in a novel..? Well he does and Helen wrote the book, find out about how she came to write 2 speedway novels, featuring riders you will know..!And how about an actual real life ghost story? Helen described details of a ghostly event which occurred at a track, and was witnessed by numerous people..!Plus we have speedway paradise, and it's a battle of the eras with a team featuring riders from pre war to the present day.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode we meet Ipswich centre green legend Kev Long, who has spent 20 years entertaining crowds at Foxhall, plus Mildenhall for a few years too. His first season on the mic was in 1998, a year which the Ipswich team went down in speedway folklore. In this episode Kev relives the rhyming rider intros for that 98 team (no air horns allowed), talks being drenched by Shane Parker, and how he thought he'd died and Gove to heaven only to find it was Richie Worrall with a fire extinguisher.. AND, a preview of the rhyming intro he has ready for Jason Crump at the British Final..!Plus his dream meeting is assembled on speedway paradise, and much more too..!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Roy Clarke is a well known voice at speedway tracks in the North East as centregreen host at Redcar and Newcastle. But did you know he used to be a rider, a much sought after speedway mechanic and someone who shared their house with various riders from overseas too? This episode also takes a close look at mental health in speedway, particularly from a rider point of view. Roy suffered himself overcoming mental obstacles when he got on a bike, and the pressures riders are under to perform is discussed. It's a subject very close to Roy's heart, he was already a campaigner for better help for speedway riders before the death of friend Danny Ayers.Roy also puts together his Speedway paradise, there's laughs along the way, listen now..!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

FIM Race Director for the Speedway GP and Speedway of Nations series, Phil Morris is the man responsible for ensuring the action on the track of the Speedway's greatest stage runs like clockwork. But with a career as a rider spanning almost 20 years as well as time in management, he's seen the sport from many different angles & has a few insights into how the sport could progress in future.Of course Phil also describes how his dream meeting would look, including his all time 1-7.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

British speedway referee Chris Durno has presided over domestic and international speedway events for nearly 20 years, and not just regular speedway, but also long track and ice speedway meeting too. In this episode we find out more detail about the journey potential referees go on before they finally earn their stripes, or in actual fact, their carb checking tool..! We also discover the most difficult decisions a ref has to make, some of the more unusual reasons a rider might be excluded, plus the perils of watching over ice speedway north or the arctic circle.Plus Chris also designs his dream speedway meeting in Speedway Paradise... But who will he choose as his referee?!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

While there's nothing happening at the track this year, there is plenty of speedway content to listen to in this series.Here's a quick way to get a flavour of the first 6 episodes of Humans Of Speedway, featuring:Scott NichollsNigel PearsonJeff ScottNeil MachinPeter OakesShane ParkerYou can listen to the full episodes wherever you listen to your podcasts, and don't forget to follow us on social media @speedwayhumans on Twitter, and on Facebook, just search for Humans Of Speedway to get all the latest updates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Shane Parker left Australia in his early 20's to fulfil his ambition of making it big in speedway. Over more than 20 years Shane became a legend with a number of clubs including Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Glasgow, Peterborough, before ending his career at Sheffield. A real character of the sport he entertained on the track as well as off, and he recalls some of his favourite stories..!Hear the amazing story of how Shane discovered his biological father, and how his wife and daughter saved his life last year after a suffering a cardiac arrest.Plus as always there's another round of Speedway Paradise where he chooses his all time team, his favourite track, changes some rules, and as ever tells is as it is..!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest in this episode has been described by others to me, as possibly the most influential man in British Speedway over the years. This is the story of Peter Oakes, an award winning Fleet Street journalist in his day job but also went way beyond just reporting on speedway. He became firmly a part of it, working on PR for clubs, becoming a promoter, a team manager, and the personal manager & best friend of one of the sports greatest ever riders Ivan Mauger. Before the end of the show Peter is going to harness all of that knowledge to create his Speedway Paradise, his all time team, at the all time venue, and some tweaks to the rule book as well.. There's so many great stories all the way through so settle yourself in as we welcome to Humans of Speedway, Peter Oakes..! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neil Machin is one of Britain's most prolific Speedway Promoters, running speedway clubs for over 28 years, largely the force behind Sheffield Speedway and more recently at Leicester.Over 90 minutes he talks to Ian Brannan about his first visit to watch speedway, striking up a friendship with Rob Woffinden ( & latterly becoming Tai's Godparent) taking over a broke Sheffield and turning them into league champions, giving Tai Woffinden his first pro meeting on his 16th birthday, and much more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.