Best Visiting Rider At Your Track

[frigbo 524]

 

Before 1983, Hackney was no less safe than, for example, Leicester, Coventry, Sheffield, Swindon, Wolverhampton (albeit a slower track).

 

And it was no more dangerous than those track with solid fences, especially the faster ones - inc Exeter, Halifax, King's Lynn, Belle Vue (where there was more space to take evasive action).

 

And then there was Bristol and Newport...

 

The collapsible fences at Wimbledon and Ipswich looked safest, generally speaking.

The fatality records of Hackney and King's Lynn would suggest they were more dangerous than most. Edited June 23, 2016 by frigbo

[BL65 658]

Charlie Monk was a an interesting rider for me a top boy in mid sixties won the Wills International was it? unluckily never reached a world final.Never ever see him ride but my uncle really rated him how good was Billy Bales BL.?

Charlie was certainly at his best in the mid 1960s and fully deserved his Internationale win, scoring 13, being beaten only by Gote Nordin and Barry Briggs. Barry had machine problems and failed to score in his first two rides before ending with three race wins. A remarkable feature of Charlie's win at Wimbledon on the evening of 7th June was that he had ridden for Glasgow at Exeter earlier the same day, scoring 14 points. It must have been a hectic 175 mile journey from the County Ground to Plough Lane in those pre-motorway days.

 

Billy Bales was 18 when he joined Yarmouth and was an instant success, averaging a fraction under 7 in his first league season in Division 3 in 1948. In 1949 he sensationally upped his average to 10.60. After moving to Norwich he continued to be a consistent heat leader, generally providing good support to Aub Lawson and Ove Fundin.

[sharpandroid 88]

Brady Kurtz was impressive round Scunthorpe 2015.

I imagine all the recent riders will be disregarded by the rose tinted spectacle wearers of "the good old days", what about now folks?

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Have been doing my research pictures (ect) memorabilia on about 100 riders to be going along with.Have picked out five that i have started with Gooch,Harrfeldt, Forrest,Roccio,Bradshaw (West Ham RIP).Roccio, Forrest(who i would loved to have seen) Bradshaw are three of those that i never see ride be great to here everyones respected views.😀

Edited June 23, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[BL65 658]

Have been doing my research pictures (ect) memorabilia on about 100 riders to be going along with.Have picked out five that i have started with Gooch,Harrfeldt, Forrest,Roccio,Bradshaw (West Ham RIP).Roccio, Forrest(who i would loved to have seen) Bradshaw are three of those that i never see ride be great to here everyones respected views.

I remember seeing a dreadful crash involving Sverre Harrfeldt on the first bend at Wolverhampton in the 1966 Champion of Champions Trophy. In the aftermath of a collision, which I think involved at least three riders, Sverre's course took him into and over the fence, reaching a considerable height before bouncing off the wheel of the tractor as he came back to earth. I haven't checked my programme, but I believe that he won the re-run!

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

I remember seeing a dreadful crash involving Sverre Harrfeldt on the first bend at Wolverhampton in the 1966 Champion of Champions Trophy. In the aftermath of a collision, which I think involved at least three riders, Sverre's course took him into and over the fence, reaching a considerable height before bouncing off the wheel of the tractor as he came back to earth. I haven't checked my programme, but I believe that he won the re-run!

He was a top Notcher BL so unlucky with injury Sverre and Knutsson are two who often get forgotten both great riders.

[norbold 7,184]

He was a top Notcher BL so unlucky with injury Sverre and Knutsson are two who often get forgotten both great riders.

Not forgotten by us West Ham fans, Sidney!

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Ronnie Moore was 17 when he completed his first season in the top division of the National League with an average of 7.23. He improved on this to achieve 9.95 in 1951 and 11.27 in 1952.

 

Lee's league average in his first season, in the lower league, was 9.13. In his second and third seasons, in the British League, he achieved 7.53 and 10.64.

BL i thought Lee averaged 7.43 for Lynn in his double up year in 75 with Boston then averaged 9.43 as a fulltime Star aged 17 in 1976.

Not forgotten by us West Ham fans, Sidney!

And Stanley Stevens beat Sir Briggo😀 Edited June 23, 2016 by Sidney the robin

[Triple.H. 1,996]

 

 

 

Now if we were talking about a thread titled 'Visiting Rider Who Hated Your Track', I'd have no hesitation in nominating Bobby Schwartz at Hackney

 

Exeter must have a lengthy list

 

edit

I seem to remember Martin Goodwin saying in an interview that he didn't much like Peterborough but every time I saw him there he was Mr Excitement

Edited June 23, 2016 by Triple.H.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Did super Simmo have a thing about riding Exeter, he had some good meetings there but did not ride there to often sometimes a absentee.

[Tracy Bird 66]

Did super Simmo have a thing about riding Exeter, he had some good meetings there but did not ride there to often sometimes a absentee.

Simmo was good round Exeter when I saw him even beating mauger,but I'm sure it was Bristol and possibly Newport he hated but I think he got a maximum at eastville one night for poole

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Simmo was good round Exeter when I saw him even beating mauger,but I'm sure it was Bristol and possibly Newport he hated but I think he got a maximum at eastville one night for poole

He scored well at Exeter,Bristol,and Newport keep meaning to get his book a great rider sure i heard him say he hated that steel fence at Exeter.?

[TonyMac 720]

He scored well at Exeter,Bristol,and Newport keep meaning to get his book a great rider sure i heard him say he hated that steel fence at Exeter.?

 

Like most visiting riders, Simmo admitted he had a phobia about Exeter, but he conquered that fear when he joined Poole and had very good meetings there for the Pirates.

 

He did hate Bristol and Newport.

 

His book sold out in paperback many years ago but we updated and extended it last year and it can be bought and downloaded from Amazon for just £4.99 if you are a Kindle user...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SIMMO-Whole-Truth-Malcolm-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0149H2FSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466884522&sr=8-1&keywords=Simmo%3A+The+Whole+Truth

Edited June 25, 2016 by tmc

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Like most visiting riders, Simmo admitted he had a phobia about Exeter, but he conquered that fear when he joined Poole and had very good meetings there for the Pirates.

 

He did hate Bristol and Newport.

 

His book sold out in paperback many years ago but we updated and extended it last year and it can be bought and downloaded from Amazon for just £4.99 if you are a Kindle user...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SIMMO-Whole-Truth-Malcolm-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0149H2FSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466884522&sr=8-1&keywords=Simmo%3A+The+Whole+Truth

Thanks TM thought i was going mad i thought i could remember him saying it was a scary track.Endless others have said that too took some guts to ride the County Ground i loved the place do miss going there.

[Red Flag 454]

I remember seeing a dreadful crash involving Sverre Harrfeldt on the first bend at Wolverhampton in the 1966 Champion of Champions Trophy. In the aftermath of a collision, which I think involved at least three riders, Sverre's course took him into and over the fence, reaching a considerable height before bouncing off the wheel of the tractor as he came back to earth. I haven't checked my programme, but I believe that he won the re-run!

if my memory is right the crash was caused by Olle Nygren who was excluded and leant Sverre his bike for the re-run and think your right about him winning the race, hopefully your programme can confirm