Post by ovaltrack on Jul 12, 2018 13:11:16 GMT 1
'MIDGET' GIANT-PERRY BARR STAR TONIGHT?
Sports Argus 3 November 1951
BIRMINGHAM speedway chief, Mr. Les Marshall, expects a crowd of near record proportions at Perry Barr tonight when he stages the first midget car racing in the city since 1938. Two pre-war stars, Spike Rhiando and Squib Burton will be competing but the outstanding driver is likely to be Wilf Davis who is over 6ft 4in and who drives a specially built car, writes Maurice Woodbine.
Rhiando has made a big name for himself driving Cooper Midgets at Silverstone and other venues while Burton is the Leicester Speedway manager.
Other drivers taking part are Dave Hughes, Arch Hanscombe, Bob Syvier, Jimmy James, Ronnie Major, Ted Taylor, Roy Pulford, Walt Terry and Jim Martin.
Tonight’s events consist of a 12-heat individual championship, a six-lap handicap and an eight-lap handicap between the eight highest points scorers.
The cars used will be Skirrow Specials, twin engined with a total of 996cc. They are single geared and four-wheel driven.
I expect the times of the events to be slightly slower than for Speedway although the cars hold the bends extremely well. On the straights there is a tendency for the front wheels to lift, causing a certain amount of “snaking”.
In addition to the cars, Mr Marshall includes four races for motor-cycle combinations, which he feels will prove a great attraction. There will be two races in a clock-wise direction, for it is the normal practice to have the side cars on the outside , but there will also be two events raced anti-clockwise. These will naturally power slower, but are likely to provide more thrills. The riders will be Bill Boddice, Ralph Pennant, Fred Garrington and Rex Cheney.
Mr Marshall hopes that if tonight’s sidecar events prove successful the Australian experts will pay a visit to this country next year. Tonight’s meeting starts at the usual Speedway time at 6.30pm.
Ad from Birmingham Daily Gazette - Saturday 3 November 1951
Birmingham Daily Gazette, Monday 5 November 1951
Stars alter names to beat midget cars ban
SPEEDWAY riders, annoyed by a new ruling of their association stating that they must not take part in midget car meetings, are driving in races under assumed names. The name " Jimmy James," winner of the Midland Midget Car Championship at Perry Barr Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday, cloaked the identity of a well-known Midland Speedway rider. He scored 11 points out of a possible 12. Midland riders now " resting" in the speedway close season may be given further chances to "change their identity" this winter, when Mr. Les Marshall, who promotes Birmingham speedway meetings in the summer, extends his experiment in midget car racing and organises regular team meetings in Birmingham. The league, which may be formed before speedway returns in April, would include Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester. Speedway riders. said Mr. Marshall last night, would be ideal drivers in the midget car teams. "I think the sport has a great future," he told the Birmingham Gazette, "and although the meeting on Saturday was not altogether a success we learned a lot. "Bad weather turned the track into a quagmire, drivers couldn't see because of the mud on their goggles and speeds were kept down to 40 mph. In organised team riding we shall have six drivers, competing in pairs, in each heat. "With the cars spaced out. there would be less mud and higher speeds. Team racing provides more skilful racing and more thrills, and I am sure that the sport will catch the public's fancy." Despite the mild reception given by the crowd of 23,000 to Saturday's meeting-the first of its kind held in the city-Mr. Marshall hopes that speedway promoters in neighbouring Midland cities will co-operate in forming an unofficial inter-city league. Mud-spattered but happy, Roy Pulford, holding the detachable steering wheel, climbs out of his midget car after winning one of the races at Perry Barr Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday night.
Rugeley Times, 10 November 1951
Twenty eight year old Jimmy James won the Midland Midget Car championship at the first such meeting staged in the city for thirteen years, on Saturday at the Perry Barr speedway track. Although there were four men in each heat the racing could not compare with a normal speedway meeting. Times were much slower, as the Promoter, Mr. Les Marshall said the drivers did not get a fair trial because after continuous rain the track was in a terrible condition.
Six and then eight cars took part in handicap events in the second half of the programme. These were interspersed with motor cycle combination events. The two favourites for the meeting, Spike Rhiando, who made a big name for himself by driving Cooper midgets at Silverstone, and Squib Burton, who is the Leicester speedway manager, were troubled both by track, conditions and engine failures. Although the meeting was a novelty, the fans numbering over 20,000 went home appearing to be rather disappointed. On more than occasion cynical cheers broke out.
Sports Argus 3 November 1951
BIRMINGHAM speedway chief, Mr. Les Marshall, expects a crowd of near record proportions at Perry Barr tonight when he stages the first midget car racing in the city since 1938. Two pre-war stars, Spike Rhiando and Squib Burton will be competing but the outstanding driver is likely to be Wilf Davis who is over 6ft 4in and who drives a specially built car, writes Maurice Woodbine.
Rhiando has made a big name for himself driving Cooper Midgets at Silverstone and other venues while Burton is the Leicester Speedway manager.
Other drivers taking part are Dave Hughes, Arch Hanscombe, Bob Syvier, Jimmy James, Ronnie Major, Ted Taylor, Roy Pulford, Walt Terry and Jim Martin.
Tonight’s events consist of a 12-heat individual championship, a six-lap handicap and an eight-lap handicap between the eight highest points scorers.
The cars used will be Skirrow Specials, twin engined with a total of 996cc. They are single geared and four-wheel driven.
I expect the times of the events to be slightly slower than for Speedway although the cars hold the bends extremely well. On the straights there is a tendency for the front wheels to lift, causing a certain amount of “snaking”.
In addition to the cars, Mr Marshall includes four races for motor-cycle combinations, which he feels will prove a great attraction. There will be two races in a clock-wise direction, for it is the normal practice to have the side cars on the outside , but there will also be two events raced anti-clockwise. These will naturally power slower, but are likely to provide more thrills. The riders will be Bill Boddice, Ralph Pennant, Fred Garrington and Rex Cheney.
Mr Marshall hopes that if tonight’s sidecar events prove successful the Australian experts will pay a visit to this country next year. Tonight’s meeting starts at the usual Speedway time at 6.30pm.
Ad from Birmingham Daily Gazette - Saturday 3 November 1951
Birmingham Daily Gazette, Monday 5 November 1951
Stars alter names to beat midget cars ban
SPEEDWAY riders, annoyed by a new ruling of their association stating that they must not take part in midget car meetings, are driving in races under assumed names. The name " Jimmy James," winner of the Midland Midget Car Championship at Perry Barr Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday, cloaked the identity of a well-known Midland Speedway rider. He scored 11 points out of a possible 12. Midland riders now " resting" in the speedway close season may be given further chances to "change their identity" this winter, when Mr. Les Marshall, who promotes Birmingham speedway meetings in the summer, extends his experiment in midget car racing and organises regular team meetings in Birmingham. The league, which may be formed before speedway returns in April, would include Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester. Speedway riders. said Mr. Marshall last night, would be ideal drivers in the midget car teams. "I think the sport has a great future," he told the Birmingham Gazette, "and although the meeting on Saturday was not altogether a success we learned a lot. "Bad weather turned the track into a quagmire, drivers couldn't see because of the mud on their goggles and speeds were kept down to 40 mph. In organised team riding we shall have six drivers, competing in pairs, in each heat. "With the cars spaced out. there would be less mud and higher speeds. Team racing provides more skilful racing and more thrills, and I am sure that the sport will catch the public's fancy." Despite the mild reception given by the crowd of 23,000 to Saturday's meeting-the first of its kind held in the city-Mr. Marshall hopes that speedway promoters in neighbouring Midland cities will co-operate in forming an unofficial inter-city league. Mud-spattered but happy, Roy Pulford, holding the detachable steering wheel, climbs out of his midget car after winning one of the races at Perry Barr Stadium, Birmingham, on Saturday night.
Rugeley Times, 10 November 1951
Twenty eight year old Jimmy James won the Midland Midget Car championship at the first such meeting staged in the city for thirteen years, on Saturday at the Perry Barr speedway track. Although there were four men in each heat the racing could not compare with a normal speedway meeting. Times were much slower, as the Promoter, Mr. Les Marshall said the drivers did not get a fair trial because after continuous rain the track was in a terrible condition.
Six and then eight cars took part in handicap events in the second half of the programme. These were interspersed with motor cycle combination events. The two favourites for the meeting, Spike Rhiando, who made a big name for himself by driving Cooper midgets at Silverstone, and Squib Burton, who is the Leicester speedway manager, were troubled both by track, conditions and engine failures. Although the meeting was a novelty, the fans numbering over 20,000 went home appearing to be rather disappointed. On more than occasion cynical cheers broke out.