Former speedway rider Peter Sampson, who rode for Swindon and Hackney, owns the Park complex. It is about 10 miles from High Beech in Epping Forest, which is generally accepted as the site of the first ‘dirt-track’ event as speedway was initially known.
This year, the temperature was mild and the sun shone on the various stands and displays that indulged the day’s nostalgia for what was once Britain’s second-biggest spectator sport. The Veteran Cycle Speedway Riders’ Association had a display that recalled some of the speedway stars began their careers with pedal power. Every hour, on the hour, a selection of bikes were fired up to remind everyone of those pre-enviro-centric days when open pipes were the order of the night.
‘Man with the mike’ Craig Saul persuades former riders to the stage to share their reminiscences. This year’s guest of honour was Terry Betts, who rode for King’s Lynn from 1965 until 1978 and was recently voted the team’s most popular rider of all time.
