What should we talk about today?
The world according to Kirkey
I was surprised, stumped, and a tad star struck when national speedway treasure Scott Nicholls asked me to write his autobiography. We had collaborated earlier on a fun piece for Speedway Star that, amongst other things, focussed upon his trademark shirts – which he introduced to the pundit fold during his showtime on BT Sports … Read more
“Some people are on the pitch; they think it’s all over. It is now!” is one of the most iconic moments of sporting commentary – delivered by the BBC’s Kenneth Wolstenholme at the conclusion of the 1966 FIFA World Cup: objectivity and subjectivity beautifully fused together to capture not only the finality of the game … Read more
The Rule of Three is a writing technique that suggests listing three words, phrases, sentences, images, or ideas in succession to accentuate an idea. Examples include the stirring salute, “Blood, sweat and tears,” and Prime Minister Tony Blair’s oratory, “Our priorities are education, education, education.” The domestic speedway scene may seem somewhat divorced from this … Read more
From on top of the world to dashed Olympic dreams with velocity and veg: learning from success and setback. Wisdom is defined as the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Experience is underpinned by duration and the usual embodiment of this human trait is the quintessential elder, often with wizened features. Perhaps the … Read more
Sliding Through Life – The autobiography of Scott Nicholls written by Ian Kirke. The big launch day at the British Speedway Grand Prix, Principality Stadium, Cardiff, fan zone on Saturday 17th August 2024. Order here. © Ian Kirke 2024 @ianjkirke All non-credited imagery reproduced by kind permission of Emma Ellis.
Scott Nicholls heads back to the Welsh capital for Britain’s biggest indoor motorsport event next Saturday, where he will be in the fanzone on City Hall Lawn from 1pm, signing copies of his brand-new autobiography Sliding Through Life written by Kirkey. It will come as no surprise that one of most viewed moments in Speedway GP history gets a mention. … Read more
Speedway programmes provide an intrinsic link to the observable action and, unlike many other professional sports, they enshrine a detailed and contemporaneous record of the event. But to the well-informed fan, contemporary publications are more than just a racecard. They are an anthology of data, drama, and disclosure. Furthermore, the reach extends to a record … Read more
Manchester – at least in my personal experience – has a reliability and permanency of one facet: rain. And I wasn’t to be disappointed during the qualifying rounds and the Under-21 final of this year’s Speedway of Nations tournament held at the National Speedway Stadium in Belle Vue, Manchester. Thankfully, the proceedings brightened up for … Read more
© Ian Kirke 2024 & all images. @ianjkirke
