Do you remember the days when speedway riders wore black leathers, rode chrome-plated JAP engined bikes and had names like Tich, Sid and Bert?  Have you ever looked at old speedway newsreels or thumbed through a dog-eared copy of a speedway magazine and wondered “what was it like in the old days?” 

If you remember those days or just want to know what it was like before laydowns, green helmet colours and kevlars, then come and see ‘Blast From The Past’ when they visit a track near you.

‘Blast From The Past’ was started by Colin Smith in the early 1990’s after a request to show modern day supporters what speedway was like in the 1950’s and 1960’s. The riders comprise of ex-professionals and enthusiasts, and over the years they have appeared at most speedway tracks from Cornwall to Scotland.  The format of the racing ranges from individual riders battling it out in the body colours of often long forgotten teams, to four man per team challenge matches and beyond.

The machines ridden are all powered by the famous J.A.P (J.A. Prestwich) speedway engine and housed in many different types of frame including Erskine, Excelsior and Rotrax. The J.A.P speedway engine was manufactured at the company’s large factory in Tottenham North London, together with other engines for a wide range of uses from stationery engines to light aircraft. The J.A.P engine dominated the sport for nearly forty years and was a true testament to British engineering.

The dedication to reliving this era is funded by the riders themselves, who maintain their machines, pay their own travelling expenses and take time off from work to do what they love best - which is riding vintage speedway.

The riders hope you will come to see them when they visit your local track.  They look forward to meeting you, answering your questions and sharing with you on track some of speedway’s history.

‘Blast From The Past’ - bringing the spectacle, sound and smell of vintage speedway to life.