We were treated to a very informative talk about the dangerous but highly entertaining sport of Speedway and its evolution in this country, and especially in Hull, by Alan Beadle with help from his wife Michelle.
The title “Give us a “V”’ refers not to V for Victory, which all riders strived to attain in the four bike, four lap race around the track, but the V as the first letter of the Hull Speedway team’s title Hull Vikings.
Alan explained that one of Hull’s first speedway names was Hull Angels, and this was before the notorious Hells Angels were named in America.
Hull has had a number of Speedway venues in its lifetime, which sadly is no more, including White City, Boulevard and New Craven Park.
The legend, the late and great Ivan Mauger, was Hull’s best known and remembered speedway star, joining the Hull Vikings in 1978 and winning his last and record sixth world title in 1979.
Speedway is still entertaining crowds up and down the country and in other countries like Poland and Sweden, where it is very popular. Sponsorship by many companies, like most other sports prop up the sport financially.
Thank you Alan and Michelle for this talk and we hope, as does Alan, that at some time in the future, this most thrilling speed event ever can return to Hull. Summary by Ian Pearson
https://hullcivicsoc.info/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Give-us-a-V-by-Alan-Beadle-10-Mar-25.pdf