DVD Review: Great Races of the 80s

There's no doubt that the 1980s were an important era in the history of speedway, with a marked decline in attendances figure throughout the decade and a resultant loss of interest from the mainstream media. Despite this, it was still a decade that saw many real characters producing top quality racing on a weekly basis.

Some of those classic races can be enjoyed once more on Great Races from the 80s, a new double-DVD production from Retro-Speedway.

It runs for nearly four hours and truly covers the whole decade, featuring races from March 1980 right through to October 1989.

The focus is primarily on action from UK tracks, though there are a few races from Europe and further afield included. The producers have cast the net wide, including races from a large number of different tracks and from different levels of competition.

This means that the majority of these races are going to be new to all viewers, this isn't a compilation that relies on highlights from big meetings that have been seen many times before. The home video revolution of the 80s helps with this, offering a wide range of source material to choose from.

There are over 100 races included and every single one is a cracker. Whether it's one that features repeated passing, a cat and mouse chase, or a last-gasp pass, there's a reason it's been included. God knows how many days work went into finding and selecting all of these.

Although the big names of 80s speedway are all included, there are many more races featuring riders who never made it beyond the National League. It's especially interesting to see these guys in action once more.

The same can be said for the tracks they are racing on. Very few of them still remain in use today, so it's nice to see them with packed terraces in happier times.

Fans who followed speedway in the 80s will appreciate the chance to relive some great memories. Those lucky enough to be too young to remember the eighties, will still enjoy the quality of racing on offer.

You can your copy from Retro-Speedway.com, where you will also find a vast range of other speedway DVDs.

Other recent releases include:

The Long-Lost Art of Team Riding

Before Air-Fences 2

Wembley World Finals Plus

This article was first published on 17th December 2023