Terry Hardaker

[rayallen 0]

Now then just seen a forum poster with a mesage backing the inimitable Terence Hardaker for the mic job at the Cardiff GP 2007.

 

You know Terry was a bit of a one off, and I will never forget one of our end of season fire work displays at Odsal. Typically it was persisting down, freezing cold. The fireworks were fizzing and up goes a rocket. Terry's giving it oh ah oh ah and then slots in this classic line ( bear in mind it was the politically correctness of today etc.. )

 

So as the rocket explodes in the dark night sky Terry gives it " eh folks bet you can't get them in your local paki ! - meaning local pakistani newsgent.

 

Innocent yes - classic yes - Terry a legend in his own lunctime at Halifax and Bradford.

 

Not sure what hes up to now adays. Indeed not sure what anyone in these parts is up to. Because we just dont do speedway in West Yorkshire anymore.

 

[Ron Butler 0]

Now then just seen a forum poster with a mesage backing the inimitable Terence Hardaker for the mic job at the Cardiff GP 2007.

 

You know Terry was a bit of a one off, and I will never forget one of our end of season fire work displays at Odsal. Typically it was persisting down, freezing cold. The fireworks were fizzing and up goes a rocket. Terry's giving it oh ah oh ah and then slots in this classic line ( bear in mind it was the politically correctness of today etc.. )

 

So as the rocket explodes in the dark night sky Terry gives it " eh folks bet you can't get them in your local paki ! - meaning local pakistani newsgent.

 

Innocent yes - classic yes - Terry a legend in his own lunctime at Halifax and Bradford.

 

Not sure what hes up to now adays. Indeed not sure what anyone in these parts is up to. Because we just dont do speedway in West Yorkshire anymore.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

He did a stint at Belle Vue a few years ago.  The general consensus of opinion was he nearer a fagend than a legend. 

Edited February 2, 2007 by Ron Butler

[spin king 1,923]

To be honest in this day and age he would notlast two minutes.

[pudding 0]

i remember him at the shay , didnt he nearly get run over

[moxey63 1,785]

Doing his centregreen thingy at Belle Vue one night, he asked Paul Sharples how his grandad (Ken Sharples) was, the Belle Vue youngster replying with "He's dead." Ken was killed in a car accident in the sixties.

 

The place went deadly silent as a tumbleweed blew passed.

Edited February 2, 2007 by moxey63

[rayallen 0]

Yeah, my post was meant tongue in cheek - more leg-end than legend agreed.

 

As TD used to say "give us a D- ! and Thirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrty Pounds !

 

Oh those were the days as they say.

[speedwayondisc 0]

Yeah, my post was meant tongue in cheek - more leg-end than legend agreed.

 

As TD used to say "give us a D- ! and Thirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrty Pounds !

 

Oh those were the days as they say.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Taking your point about Terry on the mike, Ray, Yes he certainly a 'one-off', a professional-amateur who would never make any claim to anything greater.

 

However, being slightly more serious and for peoples information, Terry is a genuinely great guy. His active involvement in Speedway goes back to the very early days of Junior Team racing at The Shay with the 'Shoesmith Junior Dukes'. Terry, with a little help from some other commited people, did ALL the fundraising that started the Juniors off at Halifax, kept them going for the years until they closed and carried doing so for years at Odsal.

 

He has also been the lynchpin of the Veteran Riders Association in the North for around fifteen to twenty years.

 

I will not go into great detail about all the many, and varied, ways in which Terry had helped many people in Northern Speedway circles over the years... but many. many people on the iside and behind the scenes from riders, promotions etc etc would happily eulegise about the man if given the chance.

 

Make jokes, yes, but Terry Hardaker is the sort of person that every Speedway track would be priveldged to have working tirelessly in the background, but very few are that fortunate.

 

PS... I bet you didn't know that while you were mocking his presenting style Terry was a serving magistrate on the Halifax bench!

Edited February 3, 2007 by speedwayondisc

[moxey63 1,785]

No disrespect to Terry, he probably is a great fella, but his presenting style dated back to the 1970s social club era - the Wheeltappers and Shunters club was it?

 

We've formed a commiteeeeeeee.

Edited February 3, 2007 by moxey63