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Great Races That People Remember While Watching Speedway?

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Wondered what great races stick in the mind of people of there own particular favourites? my five favourites of all time are 1.Ray Wilson v Martin Ashby run off 1975 British Final terrific race Ashby so fair both great riders.2.1973 England v Sweden at sheffield last race P.Collins E.Boocock Michanek T.Jansson never tire of watching that race. 3.Briggs coming from the back in 1969 world final to beat Mckinlay and Moore 4.Christer Loftqvist breaking the Swindon track record 1973 test match the Abbey was my regular track.5.Tommy Jansson 1976 beating Martin Ashby for the Golden helmet.terrific memories.

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1969...I think...Briggs Swindon v. Ashby Exeter(having been loaned out from the Robins).Neck and neck for 4 laps, Ashby won by tyre width. 2007.. Harris beating Hancock Crump Adams in final to win British Grand Prix. 2007...Swindon needing 5-1 to win at Coventry in heat 15...Adams away leaving Nicholls and Schlein for dead. Chrzanowski rounds both for Swindon to win, sending Swindon fans wild.

2009...60th.Anniversary meeting at Blunsdon, Adams blasts through from back on bend 2 to shred opposition and win final, sending Swindon fans wild ...again!

Loads of others over the years.

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Not really a race as such, but i remember when i was a kid wishing that Sam would miss the gate at wolves so that he'd have to come from the back, he used to do it all on the back straight on first lap almost every week in one of his races

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Not really a race as such, but i remember when i was a kid wishing that Sam would miss the gate at wolves so that he'd have to come from the back, he used to do it all on the back straight on first lap almost every week in one of his races

He did indeed. I've seen him at Wolves go from last to first, totally overshoot the next corner, back to last and through to first again. Very entertaining but you have to wonder how someone of his calibre could make so many gaffs. This was around the time he became World Champion too.

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He did indeed. I've seen him at Wolves go from last to first, totally overshoot the next corner, back to last and through to first again. Very entertaining but you have to wonder how someone of his calibre could make so many gaffs. This was around the time he became World Champion too.

 

it was. there was always entertainment with Sam during those years

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most of the racing done by harris and kasperzak in the final at poole last year. esp after watching Bridgers bike ride over harris and watching harris run back to the pits in agony and jump back on his bike to win the race.

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The greatest race that i ever saw was the run-off for the KO Cup at the old Belle Vue in 1973. Peter Collins had top scored for Belle Vue with 10 and Anders Michanek, if my memory serves me, had 12 for Reading. With the aggregate scores level after the two meetings both riders had a run off for the cup. Peter Collins had a broken hand, and had both the clutch and throttle on the right hand side of his handlebars. Anders Michanek was riding Bernie Leigh's bike, so both riders had their own disadvantages.

What followed was the greatest four laps that i have ever seen! Both riders passed each other going into and coming out of every bend for the full four laps and neither one got anymore than a bike length in front of the other. Going into the last bend michanek took the lead and seemed to be blocking Collins on the exit of the pits bend, but Collins cut back and beat him on the line by a wheel, and no more!!!

 

Other good races were some of the ones between Peter Craven and Ove Fundin, Peter Craven and Barry Briggs, Jim Airey and Soren Sjosten always had belters at Sheffield. Sverre Harrfeldt and Dave Younghusband had a titanic battle at Halifax in the late sixtes with both riders passing and repassing for four laps and as they came down the home straight it looked like Harrefeldt had won it, but this being Halifax the refferee gave it to Younghusband! :wink:

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The mists of time have clouded my memory over such races (although I recall an amazing duel between Gordon Kennett & Kelly Moran in the second half at Eastbourne way back in 1982) but what I can say is that they still happen occasionally.

 

The best one I have seen this season (and possibly at any time in many years watching the sport) was heat 11, Plymouth v Redcar 22/07/11.

 

Hughes, Wells, Tomicek and Kus.

 

The thing with this race was that all four riders were involved and all were in each position (1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th) at least once (and quite possibly twice) during the race as there was an astonishing series of moves and passess that started on the first turn and ended on the last. It truly was astonishing stuff and, sadly, all too rare these days.

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There was a GP race at Bydgoszcz between Hamill, Hancock, Adams and Gollob in 2001 that was pretty amazing. All 4 riders had led the race by the end of the first lap.

 

The chopping and changing continued until Hancock stole second from Adams on the final bend, with Hancock getting away with momentarlit putting both wheels on the centre green.

 

Otherwise Joe Cook (Oxford) v Craig Branney (Newcastle) in 2003, a race at Cowley in which the lead changed 10 times. Branney stole the verdict at the death.

 

Also an ice race at Assen in 1998, where Fadeev did 4th to 1st to 4th to 1st!!

 

All the best

Rob

Edited by lucifer sam

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Jan.O Pedersen - so many times.

 

In a 1980s meeting at Monmore Green - trying to split the team riding of Sam Ermolenko and Jan Staechman for four laps and then in one move on the final bend going outside one and inside the other. Incredible.

 

Another 1980s meeting this time against Oxford. Hans Nielsen dropped just ONE point that year away from home - when Jan.O raced him for almost 4 laps and finally flew round the outside on the final bend and pipping him on the line. The crowd went mental.

 

1990, again at Monmore Green - Jimmy Nilsen gating ahead of Jan.O and Simon Cross. Crossi managing to get past at the end of the 3rd lap, then Jan.O blasting around them both, again on the last bend, to complete a 15 pt max and draw the meeting.

 

Wolves fans reminisce about Ermolenko at Monmore Green, but the truth was he couldn't cope with Gundersen and Pedersen. He wasn't in the same class.

 

A challenge match at the start of 1992 at Swindon. Missing the gate against Leigh Adams and Jimmy Nilsen - both virtually unbeatable at Blunsdon at the time - then reeling them in one lap at at time to complete a 15 pt max. Stunning.

 

So many more - the greatest racer the sport has ever seen.

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The greatest race that i ever saw was the run-off for the KO Cup at the old Belle Vue in 1973. Peter Collins had top scored for Belle Vue with 10 and Anders Michanek, if my memory serves me, had 12 for Reading. With the aggregate scores level after the two meetings both riders had a run off for the cup. Peter Collins had a broken hand, and had both the clutch and throttle on the right hand side of his handlebars. Anders Michanek was riding Bernie Leigh's bike, so both riders had their own disadvantages.

What followed was the greatest four laps that i have ever seen! Both riders passed each other going into and coming out of every bend for the full four laps and neither one got anymore than a bike length in front of the other. Going into the last bend michanek took the lead and seemed to be blocking Collins on the exit of the pits bend, but Collins cut back and beat him on the line by a wheel, and no more!!!

 

Other good races were some of the ones between Peter Craven and Ove Fundin, Peter Craven and Barry Briggs, Jim Airey and Soren Sjosten always had belters at Sheffield. Sverre Harrfeldt and Dave Younghusband had a titanic battle at Halifax in the late sixtes with both riders passing and repassing for four laps and as they came down the home straight it looked like Harrefeldt had won it, but this being Halifax the refferee gave it to Younghusband! :wink:

 

The Collins/Michanek classic is the one for me too, absolutely fantastic race, can remember the noise from the crowd increasing with each lap, complete pandemonium by the time they came to the line, as you say Chad it was very close but PC had the momentum having lined him up when exiting the pits bend.

 

It's clear from your posts that you were watching speedway a good few years before me, did any other riders use those sort of lines before PC, the opther PC perhaps? I had seen Mauger, Sjosten, Pusey et al for a few years by the time Peter Collins started out but I had never seen riders use the lines that he developed, the way he used to often go right to the apex of the pits bend to create such a long straight run to the line. Would be interested to know if it was PC that pioneered that or not, I've read and heard enough about Peter Craven to know that he was really really special, the title 'Wizard of Balance' says it all. I have read how he was considered ahead of his time in terms of riding style, the pictures I have seen of him riding have always reminded me of Soren Sjosten in style, both diminutive, arms always at full stretch, I imagine a steel shoe would have lasted a long time for either of them.

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