Cycle Shorts

Cycle Shorts is devoted to those snippets of news and one liners that other web-site don't carry. Small, sharp and very skimpy - Cycle Shorts will take it down!

The Generation Game

The famous Wheeler dynasty earned a new recruit when cycle speedway legend Colin Wheeler introduced his three-year-old grandson, Sonny, to the shale for the first time. Sonny Wheeler is certainly a name to look out for in the future - he's already spinning the rear wheel at the gate to clear the tyre!

Remarkable Mackie
The remarkable Chic Mackie, still a enthusiastic as ever at 72, is still one of the sport's great entertainers. During the interval between racing at the recent vet finals, he entertained the appreciative crowd by riding facing his rear wheel. Seems he's still a spring CHICken.

Stars Stars Stars For Stars
The race to capture Norwich's best Premier League riders may be over before it's begun. The usually reliable cycle speedway grapevive suggests that Ian and Lee Grange, together with Leigh Cossey, will join Sheffield Stars next season. A formal announcment is expected over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Breaking News - Official Return
News has reached spokesman-online that one of cycle speedway's most colourful characters may be about to officially return to the sport. We are checking out the facts and will bring further news as the story unfolds.

Young Lions Take to the Track

A new generation of cycle speedway stars are taking to the track at Hellingly. Following in the tyre-tracks of father Martin Hollebon, are Rebeccca, aged 8, and Ben, aged 6. They are the latest axdditons to the remarkable Hollebon dynasty, arguably cycle speedway's the best known family, headed by stalwart George and sons Martin and Neil.

Giving Tyres the Brush-Off

We know cycle speedway riders all use wire brushes to clean their tyres before races. But one of our readers has come up with a novel idea, a new theme on an old concept.

"I have been using a stripbrush which I find lots easier to use" Filton flyer John-Paul Marks told spokesman. "You don't have to tip your bike upside down, get the seat scratched and wet even. All you do is when you go back into pits area, you spin your wheel over the brush."

Clanfield Back in the Groove
Richard Clanfield continues to make steady progress with his rehab at Poole. After regularly attending matches at Harbourside over the last two or three months, he took charge of the club senior training session on 19th August with around 20 riders in action including Gav Wheeler, Greg Gluchowski, Artur Poprawski, Pete Young and Aaron Lowey who is back in training in readiness for the 2011 season! The gruelling 90 minute workout was reckoned to be one of the hardest of the year, so maybe Rich will be invited back again soon!

Hellingly Attract Speedway Star

Hellingly Lions have attracted top Australian and Eastbourne Eagles speedway captain Cameron Woodward. Cameron took to the track for a quick spin after the Lions had recently beaten Exeter Aces 91-88. Cameron also visited the Lower Dicker track for the training session on Wednesday. Could he feature in the team soon . Watch this space !!!!!!

Another One Bites the Dust
The seemingly unstoppable wave of cancelled matches shows no sign of abating after two of the country's biggest and best known clubs called off today's (Sunday 8 August) big Midlands League clash. Sheffield Stars were due to entertain newly crowned Club champions Wednesfield Aces but the match was called off late last night.

Pits Upgrade for Finals Weekend
Hull's preparations are well in hand for the clubs hosting of the under-10s and women's finals over the August Bank Holiday weekend. A new pits fence is now in place and work commenced this week on constructing new pits area seating for riders which should be ready for the finals.

Norwich Legend Watches Cycle Speedway
One of the country's best-known footballers took in a Premier cycle speedway match on Sunday. Norwich legend Darren Huckerby was walking his dog in Eaton Park when he stopped to watch the first half of the match between Norwich Stars and Wednesfield Aces.

The former Norwich forward retired from the game after suffering a hip injury while playing in America. Huckerby, still revered at Carrow Road after a five-year spell with the Canaries which saw 46 goals and promotion to the Premier League.

Indoor Dates Confirmed
British Cycling has confirmed that this year's national indoor championships will take place at Fit City, Eccles on the weekend of 4th and 5th December. Entries close on 4 November.

More Bad News for Bury and the Mann Family
Struggling northern club Bury have been hit a double bodyblow. Star rider Tom Doyle is out injured until late August at the earliest and has had to withdraw from the European championships in Poland next weekend. Meanwhile John Whiting took a very nasty fall at Edinburgh and is not sure if he will ride again this season. And to compound matters, Tony Mann's daughter, Karen, passed awat on Tuesdayevening. Every body in the club and sport in general wish to pass on their condolences to Tony and family.

Stoke Fine Quashed
Stoke Whiterock have been informed that their £25 fine for not sending in paperwork has been quashed - after the forms were found at the BCF headquaters. The forms were sent there by mistake instead to league recorder Brian Buck. It has been stated though, that the forms were sent to the address on the forms.

Kesgrave Breakthrough
Kesgrave won their first ever BY&J regional round on Saturday with a club score of 352, pushing Ipswich into second place with a score of 271.

"Ipswich are rarely, if ever, beaten in a regional round, so we are really pleased with the effort and commitment the riders and parents gave on the day" said Kesgrave's Dave Knight. "Pity the weather was a bit damp though!"

Potters Fine
Stoke CSC have been fined the standard £25 fine "for their failure to despatch scorecharts and feedback forms from their match against Sheffield on April 11th" accordingly to Midland League officials.

Slater Gift
Sandwell youngsters are jumping for joy after one of cycle speedway's best ever prospects has donate a shedload of top quality equipment to the club. Former teenage sensation Darren Slater, who came within a whisker of winning the British individual title a few years back and went on to be a key member of British Cycling's Talent Team, has donated one of his cycle speedway bikes together with several wheels, tyres, inner-tubes, pedals, cogs, forks and so on to the Midland club.

"We would like to say a big thank you to the Slater family" said Sandwell spokesman Pete Dalley. "Darren stated that if it would benefit our youngsters, then he was only too
happy to help - so once again thank you Darren, Dale and Kate" said a delighted Dalley.

Missing Trophies
Organisers of yesterday's British Youth and Junior League regional round at Norwich were left red-faced when the trophies failed to materialise. Instead of crowning their big day by being awarded their prizes, the trophies will now be presented to the Grand Prix winners at the next round at Kesgrave on 8 May.

Cycle Speedway at Major Bike Festival
Spokesman-online understand that cycle speedway will be one of the many cycle sports promoted at the UK's ultimate cycling festival, BikeRadar Live 2010, which takes place on 10th and 11th July at Brands Hatch. We hope to bring you more details shortly. In the meantime click on http://live2010.bikeradar.com/ for more information.

Murphy Hits the Headlines
Edinburgh's favourite son has featured in one of Scotland's best selling newspapers. The Edinburgh Evening News carried a special feature on cycle speedway legend John Murphy. The article featured two excellent photographs, one of which was Johnny wearing his British champion jersey with medal and bike and another of him in action ahead of Derek Garnett back at the Vets 2000. Read the e-news report by clicking on http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/66yearold-cycling-champion-has-no.6219440.jp

Babbling Brook
It's an announcer's nightmare. Would you believe that Leicester have two riders with virtually the same name. Its bad enough having so many Whiteheads. Now the Monarchs have two Josh Brooks! Well nearly! They already had promising Combination rider Josh Brooks on their books. Now they have signed Josh Brooke from Great Blakenham. All very confusing - bound to have even ace annouuncer Rob Sensicall babbling!!!

Ashford Signs for Leicester

As clubs rushed to register riders ahead of the transfer window that closed on 31 March, the biggest news on the transfer front is that Leicester have signed Jason Ashford (pictured) from Great Blakenham, giving them a heat-leader trio of former Great Blakenham riders, Ashford, Adam Peck and Dan Pike with Leon Yelland waiting in the wings, recovering from injury.

And Rudman Joins Horspath
Another last minute transfer was the move of in-form Shaun Rudman from Swindon to Horspath as the Oxford club strengthen their squad for readiness for the defence of their Premier League and British Team champions titles.