A healthy turn out assembled to pay tribute to club legend Mike Broadbank, whose loyalty to the Robins for sixteen successive seasons, spanning 1956-1972, was finally rewarded.
Swindon were led as usual by the mighty Leigh Adams, with Mads Korneliussen being the only other 2006 regular in the line-up. Brian Karger and Shawn McConnell were popular returnees for one night only, while former teamsters from more recent times, Olly Allen and Steve Johnston, also again sported the Robins race-jacket. Completing the side was Steve Masters, who stepped up to fill in for Polish rider Damian Balinski, who had unfortunately suffered concussion in an alarming spill in his homeland the previous weekend.
Australia made for wonderful and apt opposition, given Broady's triumph in the National Championship Down Under at Rockhampton way back on 15 December 1962. Captained by Shane Parker, the rest of the side comprised Jason Doyle, Travis McGowan, Cameron Woodward, Chris Holder, Scunthorpe-born up-and-coming teenager Tai Woffinden and Yorkshireman Richard Hall, who answered a late call to help out on the night.
Watching on from the Legends Lounge were numerous former track aces, who had either ridden with or befriended Broady during his illustrious career in the saddle. In fact, the list of those in attendance read like a veritable Who's Who of Speedway and included Martin and David Ashby, Clive Hitch, Brian Brett, Brian Meredith, Ron Swaine, Ken Middleditch, George White, Ian and Freddie Williams, Peter Sampson, Buster Brown, Ron Taylor, George Barclay, Geoff Bouchard, Mike Keen, Mick Handley, Dingle Brown, Colin Pratt, Glyn Chandler, Cyril Francis, Bert Harkins, Bob Kilby, Norman Strachan and Olle Nygren to name but a few.
So to the racing, and Adams repelled a strong early challenge from Doyle to win the opening heat, with Hall filling third spot to split the points. Another point-share followed in the reserves race, with Holder impressively taking victory from Korneliussen and McConnell. Unfortunately, Woffinden's race lasted barely three laps, before his machine spluttered to a halt and regrettably that was to be the last track action for the youngster. Heat three saw Karger belie his advancing years (he will be 40 next February!) as he jetted from the outside grid for a comfortable success on board a Johno machine. McGowan finished second, but with Allen in third place the Robins moved into a 10-8 lead.
Korneliussen pulled ahead in the first bend shake-up to win heat four, with Holder and Parker packing the minor scoring positions for the Australian side. The veteran and sidecar boys then had a race apiece and by the time the riders emerged for heat five the rain had begun to fall, which would eventually curtail the main event with four races to go. Anyway, the heat saw Allen take the outside route around the car park corner, prior to sailing home ahead of Hall and Doyle.
Adams streaked to victory from gate four in heat six, with the points again shared by Holder and Parker. The Aussies moved into the ascendancy in heat seven as McGowan and Woodward linked together for a 5-1 over Johnston. At the back, McConnell got a special cheer after remarkably falling and remounting in one movement on the opening corner. Swindon's opponents claimed another advantage in the next race after a flying start took Doyle to the flag from Korneliussen, with Holder mopping up the odd-point.
The 1920s Rudge and Douglas machines returned to the track, followed by the sidecar outfits before the main event resumed with heat nine. This saw Karger and Allen register maximum points in slippery conditions to level the scores at 27-27. Adams was a clear winner of a shared heat ten, with Johno taking the next race on a rapidly deteriorating surface. There was some more vintage and sidecar racing, but with the sides locked together at 33-33, those in attendance unfortunately missed out on a gripping climax when a halt was sensibly called to the proceedings. However, it had been a wonderful occasion and one that Broady greatly appreciated.
