Sheffield Speedway Tigers

[zepstox]

I only went once, remember a rider called Jersey Joe Wojopowitch (Sp), anybody remember him? (Would have been in early 1950's. I think)

Not sure about this one regarding speedway. There was a Polish WW2 fighter ace called Jerzy Wojtowicz who raced stockcars in 1954-5. Whether he raced speedway before that I'm unsure. He went on to work at Firth Browns for a while and as far as I am aware is still alive and living in Australia.

This was all many years before my time, I just know a bit about stockcar racing that's all LOL.

My speedway era was 1969 to mid 80's, the first team I saw was Jim Airey, Bob Paulson, Bengt Larsson, John Dews, Arnie Haley, Alan Jay & Brian Maxted or something similar. I used to sit with Jim Airey round the back of the 4th bend watching him cut his tyres during my school holidays, talking away to him. He was my hero but such a nice guy as well. Then came Bob Valentine and Reg Wilson, my fellow Grenosidian, he used to do his bikes in a barn adjacent to the Cow and Calf, the noise was immense when he fired them up.

I went earlier this year for the first time since the mid 80's, the riders are quicker probably better machinery but the racing wasn't as competitive or didn't seem so.

We used to alternate between Halifax and Belle Vue on Saturday nights for an extra fix, Belle Vue was a special place to watch speedway, Ivan Mauger was head and shoulders above anyone else for years until Olsson and Michanek came along. I remember the GoKart track at BV zoo park, it had a sign, No Stockcar Fans but us speedway fans were just as bad.

[terminator]

Wilf jay.my dad was his trailer mate, one morning just going into Derby, very foggy ,wilf said to dad keep your eyes open Eric, at that point dad said bus,too late, they saw the workers running up the bus as the lorry entered the rear end ,not funny at the time ,no one was hurt only the cab, they had to take it to the ERF works to have the cab repaired ,

Do,s this name mean anything to you or family (Jim Addison)