Speedway's Best Ever Rivalries?

[Grand Central 2,654]

Is it because they are (mostly) outside living memory, so it's really a case of the greatest rider of recent years, which is not the same thing at all as the "greatest of all time".

 

Yes it is.

 

I have never felt able to offer any contribution about the talent, the greatness or any other quality of riders who I have never seen at all.

 

Can you, really, just from the records?

[norbold 7,110]

Yes it is.

 

I have never felt able to offer any contribution about the talent, the greatness or any other quality of riders who I have never seen at all.

 

Can you, really, just from the records?

I'm not saying you can, but neither can you say that only those riding from the 60s onwards are the greatest "ever".

[Split 179]

Sidney, but doesn't that show the strength of character of Nielsen, that he did dare to cross Olsen, and became a World Champion despite Ole Olsen.

 

All the best

Rob

 

Whenever the Great Danes are compared its always Nielsen, Olsen and Gundersen that are mentioned. There was however another truly world class Danish rider, Arne Pander who remains almost forgotten. But for a serious injury early in his career he would surely be alongside his three illustrious countrymen. Although he continued to compete at a fairly high level in the National League back in the 60s he never realised the potential that could have made him Denmarks first world champion. Yes, he was that good!

Edited November 14, 2011 by Split

[lucifer sam 3,953]

Whenever the “Great Danes” are compared it’s always Nielsen, Olsen and Gundersen that are mentioned. There was however another truly world class Danish rider, Arne Pander who remains almost forgotten. But for a serious injury early in his career he would surely be alongside his three illustrious countrymen. Although he continued to compete at a fairly high level in the National League back in the 60’s he never realised the potential that could have made him Denmark’s first world champion. Yes, he was that good!

 

Although I never saw him ride, older Oxford fans have told me plenty of times just how good Arne Pander was. But for that fractured skull in 1960, who knows what he could have achieved.

 

Speedway is a sport with plenty of "what if's". There are so many hard luck stories of might-be world champions. A classic one of recent times is Todd Wiltshire, who was nailed on to become a World Champion but for a smashed thigh. Even then he came back after a 5-year absense and rose back to World No. 8.

 

Anyway, back to the subject of the thread, and some lower league rivalries that sometimes boiled over:

1. Jason Bunyan and Justin Elkins

2. Chris Mills and Tony Dart

 

All the best

Rob

[iris123 20,986]

Whenever the Great Danes are compared its always Nielsen, Olsen and Gundersen that are mentioned. There was however another truly world class Danish rider, Arne Pander who remains almost forgotten. But for a serious injury early in his career he would surely be alongside his three illustrious countrymen. Although he continued to compete at a fairly high level in the National League back in the 60s he never realised the potential that could have made him Denmarks first world champion. Yes, he was that good!

Morian Hansen as well.Not only a great rider,but ALSO a war hero

Edited November 15, 2011 by iris123

[ImpartialOne 160]

Speedway is a sport with plenty of "what if's". There are so many hard luck stories of might-be world champions. A classic one of recent times is Todd Wiltshire, who was nailed on to become a World Champion but for a smashed thigh. Even then he came back after a 5-year absense and rose back to World No. 8.

All the best

Rob

It was a lot more serious than that. To my knowledge he broke his back and pelvis and I believe he was initially told he could risk paralysis if he had another fall which was why he retired. Maybe someone who can recall it clearly could put us right?

[lucifer sam 3,953]

It was a lot more serious than that. To my knowledge he broke his back and pelvis and I believe he was initially told he could risk paralysis if he had another fall which was why he retired. Maybe someone who can recall it clearly could put us right?

 

Sorry, yes it was a smashed pelvis rather than thigh.

 

My point was that it was a remarkable comeback to recover from that and climb back to World No. 8. I'm certain Todd Wiltshire would have been a World Champion but for his accident.

 

All the best

Rob

[ImpartialOne 160]

Sorry, yes it was a smashed pelvis rather than thigh.

 

My point was that it was a remarkable comeback to recover from that and climb back to World No. 8. I'm certain Todd Wiltshire would have been a World Champion but for his accident.

 

All the best

Rob

Almost certainly. He was very impressive when I saw him at various tracks during 1990, the year he reached World No. 3 status and was electric from the starts; one of the best starters I've witnessed in the business. I think he deserved at least one title.

[Halifaxtiger 5,318]

Back on the topic of great rivalries – there was evidently a great deal of bitterness between the Collins brothers (some at least) and Kenny Carter. In his auto-biography, Alan Carter recalls being at a speedway meeting a few years after Kenny’s demise and making a comment along the lines of “Our Kenny sure could blow them away on the racetrack”, to which Neil Collins replied “Yeah, and then he blew himself away!” Ouch!

 

I think it was John Berry who said that the dislike between Carter and the Collins brothers was 'intense'.

 

Peter Collins, certainly, blames Carter for the crash that caused his retirement, while Neil lost several front teeth after Carter decked him - I think with a bike stand.

 

The thing with Carter and Penhall was that there was, in contrast with many of those mentioned, genuine personal dislike which I believe was a result of a track incident way back in 1978.

[Split 179]

Almost certainly. He was very impressive when I saw him at various tracks during 1990, the year he reached World No. 3 status and was electric from the starts; one of the best starters I've witnessed in the business. I think he deserved at least one title.

 

The best gater I ever saw was the under-rated Peter Moore.

[847084 99]

I always found Olsen boring to watch, white line merchant mostly, I know there are a couple of youtube clips of him making passes, before someone posts one to prove me wrong, but it wasn't what he was known for. Nielsen did seem to have a bit more about him in terms of versatility but I can't say he was ever high on my list of riders I would travel to see. Nielsen looked awkward on a bike to me, Olsen did his best work at the gate.

 

I have heard this view before. Olsen did become a very good gater, he had to from 76 when he moved to Brandon!

However from 70-75, especially in the first three years, he was a hopeless starter. His ability to pass however was outstanding. Dig out reports from the 71 world final or the 72 BLRC.

[fatface 2,554]

I have heard this view before. Olsen did become a very good gater, he had to from 76 when he moved to Brandon!

However from 70-75, especially in the first three years, he was a hopeless starter. His ability to pass however was outstanding. Dig out reports from the 71 world final or the 72 BLRC.

Agreed. Credit where credit is due. This is not the greatest quality, but watch Olsen here. Last from the start but with a brilliant last bend move on Mauger in the 71 World Final. Overtaking at its best, against the best in the biggest competition.

 

http://www.youtube.com/user/speedwayondisc#p/u/0/gd1o19GW4WE

[Hawk127 1,359]

Not read through all the pages so sorry if these have already been stated but just a few I can think of

 

Brian Foote / Arthur Price

 

Barney Kennett / Geoff Maloney

 

Rayleigh / Eastbourne

 

Rayleigh / Romford

 

Rayleigh / Canterbury

 

Ted Hubbard / Any opposition

 

Terry Stone / Clean bikes

 

Len Silver / Dave Lanning

 

Johnnie Hoskins / Len Silver

[nw42 2,048]

I have heard this view before. Olsen did become a very good gater, he had to from 76 when he moved to Brandon!

However from 70-75, especially in the first three years, he was a hopeless starter. His ability to pass however was outstanding. Dig out reports from the 71 world final or the 72 BLRC.

 

 

Agreed. Credit where credit is due. This is not the greatest quality, but watch Olsen here. Last from the start but with a brilliant last bend move on Mauger in the 71 World Final. Overtaking at its best, against the best in the biggest competition.

 

http://www.youtube.c...u/0/gd1o19GW4WE

 

Well it's all about opinions and mine is that he wasn't a rider who left the white very often, fair enough though as it's always been the shortest way to the flag, as shown in the clip you offered he could make passes. When I said he did his best work at the gate it was more a reference to his annoying behaviour at the startline. I've seen a better clip than that from a Wembley final, where he cut his way through the field and won. I wouldn't dream of suggesting he isn't one of the greats but to me and my old man he was just a "dirty bugger", maybe that's down to the poor gating you mentioned, in that clip he just barged under Mauger, wouldn't call it a brilliant move, just a typical Olsen pass, just my opinion, he was coming through whether Mauger had pulled towards the line or not, he was lucky not to bring Mauger down.

 

I'm not intentionally blinkered, I just try to call it as I remember it, same as you chaps I suppose, none of us have photographic memories. As for the 71 BLRC, well I saw them all from 68 through to the 80's, funnily enough the one that sticks in my mind the most was the one John Louis won, 79(?), seemed like it rained all night and he revelled in it and showed Penhall the way home.

 

Back on topic, rivalries, Sean Wilson, he was a fiery character, always seemed to be in the thick of things, did he have a main rival?

[Tsunami 10,219]

Well it's all about opinions and mine is that he wasn't a rider who left the white very often, fair enough though as it's always been the shortest way to the flag, as shown in the clip you offered he could make passes. When I said he did his best work at the gate it was more a reference to his annoying behaviour at the startline. I've seen a better clip than that from a Wembley final, where he cut his way through the field and won. I wouldn't dream of suggesting he isn't one of the greats but to me and my old man he was just a "dirty bugger", maybe that's down to the poor gating you mentioned, in that clip he just barged under Mauger, wouldn't call it a brilliant move, just a typical Olsen pass, just my opinion, he was coming through whether Mauger had pulled towards the line or not, he was lucky not to bring Mauger down.

 

I'm not intentionally blinkered, I just try to call it as I remember it, same as you chaps I suppose, none of us have photographic memories. As for the 71 BLRC, well I saw them all from 68 through to the 80's, funnily enough the one that sticks in my mind the most was the one John Louis won, 79(?), seemed like it rained all night and he revelled in it and showed Penhall the way home.

 

Back on topic, rivalries, Sean Wilson, he was a fiery character, always seemed to be in the thick of things, did he have a main rival?

 

Anybody foreign basically. Gave both Bjarne and KB some hard times when we went to Sheffield. Surprised he rode with Kessler with no problems.