Isn’t it time you bought the unique ‘The Year of the [Blunsdon] Blog’ book?

£9.99 (plus postage)in book form though, for the technologically gifted, £7.50 as a download
243 pages
400 photographs
Wonderful insight
Absolutely nothing else like it on the market

Click here to buy it

The introduction reads like this:

Tina Turner famously asked “what’s love got to do with it?” Now that you have this book in your hands you have a real treat in store and you’ll find that love is indeed one of the key ingredients when it comes to successful track curation. Well, along with skill, dedication, tenacity and humour – qualities that you’ll find time and again in spades throughout these pages.

Speedway everywhere in the UK is founded upon a willing band of volunteers who are prepared to turn out every week and give their dedication/time to their club. Contrary to popular belief (and not that it’s a competition among the various volunteers), track staff don’t just turn up on the day but at Swindon Robins speedway work throughout the week – and during the close season – to ensure that the track surface and its environs are all that they could be as well as properly safe for our handlebar heroes to thrill everyone weekly on the shale.

The cast of characters assembled here are portrayed honestly and in all their glory. You’ll get to see a unique behind-the-scenes view of a year at Swindon speedway club from the perspective of the Blunsdon track staff as well as share in the triumphs, travails and snafus that make up all and any curatorial season.

The rich cast of characters are portrayed honestly and in all their glory. Those featured include the taciturn Gerald Richter (all South African wit, liaison person with demanding Swindon team manager ‘Rosco’ and the esteemed leader of the Blunsdon crew); the inimitable Punch (stars heavily throughout, including his birthday party and the candles that wouldn’t blow out, the wading around in ankle-deep water on turn 1 when the floods came, the obsessive driver of the JCB with no power steering and no brakes); Roy Hicks (the only person to drive a tractor whilst wearing a full face mask and a snorkel); young Adam Laws; the lovely Shirl (the dispenser of tea, coffee and words of encouragement); Alan and Dave (the Da Vinci boys, merrily splashing paint over all and sundry); Keith Johnson (a real gentleman – always a kind word and a smile, even in the worst possible conditions); Ernie Poole (allowed to come out and play with permission from his loving wife Rita); Brian “No Problem” Cox (an artisan of the highest order),; “Stanley Potter and the Tapes of Wrath” (Stan Potter, the start marshal); along with the dedicated author of the blog and now this book – Graham Cooke – an ex school teacher, computer whiz and potter now, justifiably, infamous for his abysmal tractor driving. Oh, and his leadership of the Swindon Track Staff Operatic Chorus.

Never again will you take the dedication and work of the track staff at your club for granted. So next time you go to a meeting take the time to consider the fact that the spectacle you get to see doesn’t happen by accident, but through the collective efforts of many people including these artisans of the shale.

Most of all, sit back and enjoy a unique account of rollercoaster season at Swindon speedway in the hands of your conscientious guide and host, Graham Cooke!

Jeff Scott
Brighton
27th October 2007