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Golden Helmet Memories

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Like so many here my memories as a Dons fan are of Tommy Jansson winning against Martin Ashby who was a real favourite of mina at the time.He also went on to help us out so often he was almost a Dons rider after Tommy lost his life.Great riders both.The races against Jessup to defend the helmet as well.

 

Then my only other real memory was my only visit to Cradley Heath.I went especially for the races between Erik + Hans,as it was the golden helmet and then Cradley v Oxford.Erik won in the helmet match races and then went on to have a terrible meeting for him.Only got about 6 points and i think Oxford might have won.Was worth the money travelling up from London though

I also was there at Swindon to see Tommy and martin race in the helmet remember Tommy in these black with gold star leathers. Then Martin took some beating at the abbey.I wish there was some footage of Michael lee destroying Kenny Carter at the shay was also a masive michael fan.

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I seem to remember when the helmet was raced for after each meeting that the hoder was participating in, Ole Olsen made it his own personal property in the early seventies when he went somthing like 19 or 20 match races undefeated in 1970 or 71. He did it again in 1973 when he went about 15 or 16 match races undefeated until Reidar Eide beat him one night.

Later on in the decade Peter Collins made the helmet his own by going almost TWO full seasons undefeated. He won the helmet late in the 1977 season, went the entire 1978 season unbeaten and then went through to the end of the 1979 season before Phil Crump beat him 2-1 at Hyde Road and then took the helmet off him by winning at the Abbey Stadium. Phil Crump was flying that night at Belle Vue, after losing the first race Crumpy then won the next two races and then went through the league meeting with a 15pt maximum in a 39-39 draw.

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I seem to remember when the helmet was raced for after each meeting that the hoder was participating in, Ole Olsen made it his own personal property in the early seventies when he went somthing like 19 or 20 match races undefeated in 1970 or 71. He did it again in 1973 when he went about 15 or 16 match races undefeated until Reidar Eide beat him one night.

Later on in the decade Peter Collins made the helmet his own by going almost TWO full seasons undefeated. He won the helmet late in the 1977 season, went the entire 1978 season unbeaten and then went through to the end of the 1979 season before Phil Crump beat him 2-1 at Hyde Road and then took the helmet off him by winning at the Abbey Stadium. Phil Crump was flying that night at Belle Vue, after losing the first race Crumpy then won the next two races and then went through the league meeting with a 15pt maximum in a 39-39 draw.

 

I seem to remember my brother telling me about The Abbey duel...16-17000 there, :blink: they had to shut the gates...the good old days :approve:

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I remember travelling up to Halifax in April for a match against Cradley.

 

Before the main meeting, Kenny Carter was due to ride Michael Lee in the Golden Helemet and 20 minutes before the start a massive snow storm arrived and dump a load of snow on the stadium.

 

The only time I've ever been snowed off!

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I remember travelling up to Halifax in April for a match against Cradley.

 

Before the main meeting, Kenny Carter was due to ride Michael Lee in the Golden Helemet and 20 minutes before the start a massive snow storm arrived and dump a load of snow on the stadium.

 

The only time I've ever been snowed off!

 

I remember Belle Vue vs Sheffield being snowed off in April!!! that would of been around 1978 or 79.

Saw a few Golden Helmet race's at the Shay. I remember Peter Collins beating Ian Cartwright 2-0 and breaking Eric Boococks track record in the process. I also remember Kenny Carter and Gorden Kennett ride in the slowest race i ever saw, both riders suffering from spluttering engines in the third race between the two of them, Carter winning 2-1. And the one everyone seems to talk about, when Michael Lee beat Kenny Carter 2-0. He won both races by half a lap, broke the track record and then beat Carter again (twice i think) in the league meeting. Lee was on fire that night and his only defeat came from John Louis. If i remember rightly, Michael Lee's average around Halifax was about 03:50! :shock: which makes the result al the more spectacular.

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I remember Belle Vue vs Sheffield being snowed off in April!!! that would of been around 1978 or 79.

Saw a few Golden Helmet race's at the Shay. I remember Peter Collins beating Ian Cartwright 2-0 and breaking Eric Boococks track record in the process. I also remember Kenny Carter and Gorden Kennett ride in the slowest race i ever saw, both riders suffering from spluttering engines in the third race between the two of them, Carter winning 2-1. And the one everyone seems to talk about, when Michael Lee beat Kenny Carter 2-0. He won both races by half a lap, broke the track record and then beat Carter again (twice i think) in the league meeting. Lee was on fire that night and his only defeat came from John Louis. If i remember rightly, Michael Lee's average around Halifax was about 03:50! :shock: which makes the result al the more spectacular.

I remember going to Poole v Reading 1983 on the wednesday, and Michael Lee was riding against Shawn Moran for the helmet. Lee had a ef while leading and i think Shawn won 2.0.The next night i went to Sheffield and Michael didnt turn up.Michael had been up all night trying to sort his mechanical gremlins out ,didnt succeed.Remember Eric Boocock being very angry that night about Michael,s non arrival.

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Nostalgia a is wonderful thing, but it doesn't always come with accuracy.

 

I remember travelling up to Halifax in April for a match against Cradley.

Before the main meeting, Kenny Carter was due to ride Michael Lee in the Golden Helemet and 20 minutes before the start a massive snow storm arrived and dump a load of snow on the stadium.

The only time I've ever been snowed off!

 

At this particular meeting DENNIS SIGOLOS was the challenger that was due to take on KC that night. Michael Lee didn't get a shot until August.

 

And the one everyone seems to talk about, when Michael Lee beat Kenny Carter 2-0. He won both races by half a lap, broke the track record and then beat Carter again (twice i think) in the league meeting. Lee was on fire that night and his only defeat came from John Louis. If i remember rightly, Michael Lee's average around Halifax was about 03:50! :shock: which makes the result al the more spectacular.

 

The famous Carter v Lee did not precede a League meeting at all. It was on before a completely meaningless 'Calderdale Pair's event where the pairings were just made up of Halifax riders and juniors plus Michael Lee. Lee was partnered with Julian Parr.

Lee was not beaten by anyone that night and I'm afraid John Louis was not even there as he had been transferred to Kings Lynn before the start of the '83 season.

 

And I'm sorry but I don't share this memory of Michael Lee's performances at The Shay. I know I saw him score 13 for Poole in June 1983 and I think it was 17 points for Kings Lynn at The Shay in 1982!. I don't think it's fair to make out he had a poor record at Halifax, at all.

 

My memory of that night was of a poor (by Halifax standards) crowd for a poor meeting ... although when you speak to people so many claim to have been there that I simply don't believe it. Michael Lee was phenominally quick, I mean really really fast. He led all his races from the gate and just went further and further ahead to win by about a third of a lap. I don't think he moved more than an inch away from the white line round any bend and hardly slid the bike at all. His wheels were in line and driving all the way.

It wasn't spectacular just terribly efficient and very fast!

 

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the Carter v Penhall Golden helmet clash at the end of 1981. It was the Sunday night after Carter had won the BLRC; Cradley Heath and Swindon were at The Shay in a Double Header but first on was the Golden helmet. My memory makes this one of the most thrilling Match Races I have ever seen.

Carter had won the first leg at Cradley so would retain the helmet for the winter if he won at home. The crowd was massive - anywhere between Ten and Twelve Thousand at a guess and the tension incredible after the Carter Penhall war had been raging all year.

Penhall gated ahead in all three races. Carter was all over him for four laps but Bruce held on to take the first; in the second Carter smashed his way through on the top bend and Bruce only just kept on, after he had been clouted very hard, to set up the third and decider. In that Bruce again led for the first lap and Kenny stormed through, cleanly, on the inside going into the pits bend - a sort of Gollobesque manouvre - and Bruce couldn't come back.

No that is the night you want video of ... but there is none I'm afraid

Edited by Grand Central

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Nostalgia is wonderful thing, but it doesn't always come with accuracy.

 

 

 

At this particular meeting DENNIS SIGOLOS was the challenger that was due to take on KC that night. Michael Lee didn't get a shot until August.

 

 

 

The famous Carter v Lee did not precede a League meeting at all. It was on before a completely meaningless 'Calderdale Pair's event where the pairings were just made up of Halifax riders and juniors plus Michael Lee. Lee was partnered with Julian Parr.

Lee was not beaten by anyone that night and I'm afraid John Louis was not even there as he had been transferred to Kings Lynn before the start of the '83 season.

 

My memory of that night was of a poor (by Halifax standards) crowd for a poor meeting ... although when you speak to people so many claim to have been there that I simply don't believe it. Michael Lee was phenominally quick, I mean really really fast. He led all his races from the gate and just went further and further ahead to win by about a third of a lap. I don't think he moved more than an inch away from the white line round any bend and hardly slid the bike at all. His wheels were in line and driving all the way.

It wasn't spectacular just terribly efficient and very fast!

 

I am surprised that no one has mentioned the Carter v Penhall Golden helmet clash at the end of 1981. It was the Sunday night after Carter had won the BLRC; Cradley Heath and Swindon were at The Shay in a Double Header but first on was the Golden helmet. My memory makes this one of the most thrilling Match Races I have ever seen.

Carter had won the first leg at Cradley so would retain the helmet for the winter if he won at home. The crowd was massive - anywhere between Ten and Twelve Thousand at a guess and the tension incredible after the Carter Penhall war had been raging all year.

Penhall gated ahead in all three races. Carter was all over him for four laps but Bruce held on to take the first; in the second Carter smashed his way through on the top bend and Bruce only just kept on, after he had been clouted very hard, to set up the third and decider. In that Bruce again led for the first lap and Kenny stormed through, cleanly, on the inside going into the pits bend - a sort of Gollobesque manouvre - and Bruce couldn't come back.

No that is the night you want video of ... but there is none I'm afraid

Great post have been trying to get the speedway star with all the details in it of that Halifax meeting .With the accurate account of the Lee v Carter helmet clashes with the pairs results as well.I remember it at the time because Lee,s times were mighty fast.Looking back, i think Lee only rode at the shay about 5 times?.

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I found in a old 1985 Halifax v King,s Lynn programme, in which Michael Lee did not ride his career stats at the shay.Eight meeting's his lowest score 2 points his highest score 17 points for an overall career average of 6.91.Anyone who were fans of Lee has to get the Carter DVD,awesome he rode the shay like he rode when he won the long track final.How he never won at Norden god knows but thing's were set up for Egon.Also on this DVD Carter's demolition of Nielsen 2.0 is breathtaking to.

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I have fond memories of Olsen in the early 7os, would ride out of his skin for the golden helment

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The helmet was devalued towards the end, it had lived its life and was just a nonsense that got in the way of some riders, put out in the heat only because they had top scored for their team, gone were the monthly challenges of riders on form. You lost track of who actually held it toward the end of the competition.

 

My memory was of Peter Collins perhaps being the longest-ever holder in the 70s, when you actually felt it a title worthy of holding. He retained it for two years or thereabouts.

 

In 1979, a week before the Polish World Final, PC flew at the Shay and broke Eric Boocock's six year track record. He looked the bizz... but, alas, the bike he used and was set to use in the WF, well, it blew on big day warm-up and PC endured one of his worst finals of the eight (i think it was) he rode.

 

Can't see there being a place for even a monthly Golden Helmet competition in modern day.

Edited by moxey63

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I remember a great race between Bo Petersen and Chris Morton at Waterden road which resulted in possibly the competitions only dead-heat.

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Guest

The 'Golden Helmet" was at its peak when Jack Parker dominated it in the immediate post-war seasons. So much so that the National Press tagged his grip and the accompanying weekly cash award as Parker's Pension. :approve:

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Does anyone remember the drama of the Jack Parker-Graham Warren clash in 1949? That attracted a record crowd of 41,000 to Perry Barr.

Edited by Guest

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Does anyone remember the drama of the Jack Parker-Graham Warren clash in 1949? That attracted a record crowd of 41,000 to Perry Barr.

My father was at that meeting, i have the programme

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