I remember Ivan Mauger very well. I was living in SoCal near Gardena, Calif. Ascot racetrack was located about 30 mins from my apartment. Ascot was the haven for SoCal flat track racers, I was friends with one of the winnest racers at Ascot, Mr. Sammy Tanner the "Flying Flea" Sammy won more than 400 races at the 1/2 mile track.
A group of European speedway racers was invited to the USA to show off their skills. While the American flat trackers would put their left foot down when powering through the left-hand turns, most of the European riders kept their feet on the pegs. This, to me, was magic. I met and talked with many of the speedway riders, but Ivan stood out I had a very good talk with him. Ivan Mauger circled the Ascot 1/2 mile track without putting his foot down or lifting the throttle, I had never seen anything like that in my life.
Thanks for posting and allowing me to remember days past.
Larry