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"Speedway
fans can help celebrate the sport's 80th Anniversary at High Beech on
Sunday 17th February when bikes, body colours and other Speedway
memorabilia goes on show at the Kings Oak Hotel, not too far from the
M25.
'Way back in the mists of time, Speedway was born as 'Dirt Track Racing'
at this historic venue and photographs from those early meetings show
masses of eager spectators packing the outside AND inside of the Dirt
Track and even hanging from the Oak trees which surrounded the venue.
Modern promoters would give their right arms for such crowds. (or
perhaps not, as they would need both arms to carry away the money).
All of the Pioneer riders from those early days have gone to the big
Starting Gate in the sky, but the tradition has been kept alive over the
years with this annual get-together and Collectors' Fair. This year, the
Anniversary is being supported by our good friends at Paradise Wildlife
Park and the Speedway Museum and there will be bikes, (Vintage &
Modern), team body colours, photographs, badges, programmes, videos,
Speedway magazines and plenty to keep the Speedway enthusiast enthralled
on a bright day in February.
You may be lucky and get a whiff of "The Speedway Rider's
Aftershave",..i.e. Castrol 'R', as Terry Stone and his Men in
Black, warm up their Douglas, Rudge & Jap machines. There won't be
any racing, as the track is no longer there, but you can expect to hear
some welcome sounds echoing around Epping Forest, a great pre-season
boost for our sport.
Everything gets underway from 10am onwards on Saturday 17th February and
there will be plenty of ex-riders wandering around, so bring your
autograph books and also check out the Collectors' Fair inside the hotel
and enjoy your day out at High Beech,....See You There!"
Bert Harkins
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