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norbold

Just One Race (or maybe two!)

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I have been inspired to start this topic by something E.I. Addio wrote and also something I wrote.

E.I. mentioned how well he still remembered two races between Christer Lofqvist and Reidar Eide at West Ham in 1970 and I wrote about a race I saw at Harringay in 1961 in the Provincial Riders' Championship when Trevor Redmond unluckily lost the title in his last race because he threw a chain on the last bend. Because of the drama of the race , I can still remember the race vividly, even though it is now nearly 60 years ago! 

So, I was just wondering if there is one race in particular that people can still remember from years ago. It doesn't necessarily have to be the best race they ever saw (like the one in my case), but just a vivid memory.

Edited by norbold

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Not really that far back.Maybe 8-10 years ago

Danish Final at Holsted and it was the final of the final.Think from memory it was Bjarne Pedersen,Kenneth Bjerre,Hans Andersen and of course Nicki

Now Nicki was the rider I wanted to win and into the first bend it looked like he had it in the bag.Then he lost control,almost totally.He was almost at a standstill as the others left him for dead.At least as someone who wanted him to win it looked like he had no chance.Then he got going and over the next 2 laps passed Bjarne and Bjerre.Still Hans had taken advantage and was quite a way out in front and silver looked the best Nicki could hope for.But it was his home track and his main rival and Nicki just kept going and making up the metres,until on the last lap he did the unthinkable and went past Hans to win the title

Just for the sheer rollercoaster of emotions of thinking he was going to win,then thinking it was all lost,then the slow felling of he is going to make something happen here....it had all a speedway race should have,for me

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One I remember at Wimbledon in the late 70s against Ipswich, in the spell when Anders Michanek was riding for them. Larry Ross got out of the gate, Michanek was all over him and Stefan Salomonsson was the same to Michanek. All 3 riders locked together for the race until Salomonsson got through for a 5-1 on the last lap. Terrific stuff and I can remember old Ken Tozer going mad on the PAat the end.

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Hackney v Exeter 1977 for me. The Falcons needed a last heat 5-1 to grab a draw and Ivan Mauger and Scott Autrey gated and team-rode perfectly with Barry Thomas and Keith White trying desperately to find a way by. Off the final bend Thommo went for a tiny gap between Mauger and the fence and squeezed by to win the race by the width of a tyre.

Probably the most famous race at Hackney and one that I'll never forget...It even had a snippet in the Daily Mirror the following day!

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6 hours ago, Terry said:

Hackney v Exeter 1977 for me. The Falcons needed a last heat 5-1 to grab a draw and Ivan Mauger and Scott Autrey gated and team-rode perfectly with Barry Thomas and Keith White trying desperately to find a way by. Off the final bend Thommo went for a tiny gap between Mauger and the fence and squeezed by to win the race by the width of a tyre.

Probably the most famous race at Hackney and one that I'll never forget...It even had a snippet in the Daily Mirror the following day!

...and didn't we "Rebels' fans appreciate Thommo's efforts!

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Interetsing thread this one. What's developing in to a bore on another thread is the insistance that riders be judged upon how many times he wins a race. Sure winning races is important but it's how those races are won is what many of us remember and judge. Those are the memories I cherish and reflect back on. I particularly recall the classic race between Peter Collins and Gordon Kennett at Hackney...Peter riding the fence and Gordon the white line side by side for four laps which ended up as a dead heat and drawing massive applause from the appreciative fans. Or Gordon splitting the team riding Ole Olsen and Alan Molyneux at Wood Lane and coming thru' fo a tremendous win!

Edited by steve roberts
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Two races that stick out for me  are Rolf Gramstad beating Ivan Mauger in the 1979 Swindon v Hull meeting and Malcolm Holloway beating Shawn Moran and getting a 12 point max in the 1982 Swindon v Sheffield fixture.

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Another race that sticks in my mind was when those two great characters Andy Galvin and Alan Mogridge got a 5-1 over my favourite Dane (after Finn and Bo of course!) Erik Gundersen, in our BL season of 87.

You could  tell that Erik was getting more and more frustrated as they covered just about every inch of the track in what must've been the slowest display of team-riding ever!

I remember on the slow-down lap Erik looking at them and pointing to his head, as if to say "you're crazy!" Though being the decent chap he is, he still shook their hands..which is more than Ole Olsen did when he was twice soundly beaten by a young Dave Morton in 74.

 

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3 hours ago, Sidney the robin said:

Would the Craven v Fundin clashes rank high up what a treat maybe Norbold, Ove Fundin fan , Aces 69 could help.?

 

In the early 60's Craven and Fundin were two of the five riders who were in a league of their own. Björn Knutsson, Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs were the others. They became known as the Big Five and incredibly in the 1962 world final, four of them were drawn together in the same race, in heat 6. Moore was the one who did not ride in that race which was won by Briggs with Craven (who won the title that year) second.

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7 minutes ago, Terry said:

Another race that sticks in my mind was when those two great characters Andy Galvin and Alan Mogridge got a 5-1 over my favourite Dane (after Finn and Bo of course!) Erik Gundersen, in our BL season of 87.

You could  tell that Erik was getting more and more frustrated as they covered just about every inch of the track in what must've been the slowest display of team-riding ever!

I remember on the slow-down lap Erik looking at them and pointing to his head, as if to say "you're crazy!" Though being the decent chap he is, he still shook their hands..which is more than Ole Olsen did when he was twice soundly beaten by a young Dave Morton in 74.

 

Chris Morton's pass of Kenny Carter in the 1983 NLRC at Hyde Rd was a majestic one.

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Just now, Sidney the robin said:

Chris Morton's pass of Kenny Carter in the 1983 NLRC at Hyde Rd was a majestic one.

The Mortons' were great to watch. I appreciate the great stylists like Mauger, Olsen, Simmons, Adams and Woffinden. But I'd rather watch the 'blood and thunder riders' like The Mortons', The Collins', Plech, Thomas, Gollob, Loram and Zmarzlik any day!

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18 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Chris Morton's pass of Kenny Carter in the 1983 NLRC at Hyde Rd was a majestic one.

It was. I was there and it was a glorious sunny rare Friday night meeting at Hyde Road. Great that it was captured for posterity too and with the superb commentary of Dave Lanning :-)

I am a big Mort fan, so this gives me ample opportunity to indulge myself. Oddly enough, the ones most etched in the memory were not so much Mort at his best (as above), but scraping through World Championship rounds. In 86, winning his last race at the Intercontinental at Bradford, making a rare start and hanging on from Pedersen, Thorp and Shirra (?) after an otherwise unconvincing meeting. Also, the 87 British Final, being last away in his final ride and facing elimination but picking off Doncaster and Cross (on the last turn) to sneak through. I think it was the relief and living every second of those races that made them so memorable.

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20 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said:

Jim Tebby beating Ivan Mauger at Wimbledon has to be up there moments like that made speedway special.

And Stan Stevens beating Barry Briggs at West Ham.

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