norbold

I have just received this email. I have never heard of Ronald Crozier Hillary. Can anyone shed any light on him? "Dear Norman, I'm looking to understand more about my grandfather, who is alleged to have ridden speedway for Wembley Lions in the pre-war years. We understand that he lived in London during the 1930s, and believe he was at the opening of the Wembley (Empire) swimming pool next to the stadium in 1934, (and apparently was thrown into the water when it opened), so some time around that era. In family folklore, there may have also been a connection with Belle Vue speedway - but know little more than that. We knew him as Ronald (Ronny or Ron) Crozier Hillary, who hailed from the north east of England, in County Durham. Any help in proving or disproving where and when he rode, would be most helpful."

If it was asked a year ago I would have said yes, but, sadly, the person I knew died last year.....

Going back to 1947.....Vic Duggan won 85 out of 96 races in the National League plus nine second places, recording an average of 11.46. He also won 23 out of 24 races in the London Cup and National Trophy. 12 wins out of 18 in Test matches, scoring a paid 47 out a possible 54. He won the London Riders' Championship with a 15 point maximum. This latter was the climax to a five week period to the end of May when he scored 254 out of a possible 261. This period was followed by winning 55 races out of 59 in June. He also took the Match Race title from the Match Race king, Jack Parker (he of Parker's Pension), successfully defended it against Bill Kitchen before relinquishing it unbeaten. In addition to all of this, he qualified for the British Riders' Championship final with a maximum 60 out of 60 points. It was an incredible year, marred sadly only by his failure to win the British Riders' Championship, falling in his fourth ride and not taking part in his fifth.

Yes, it was Steve Ribbons and David Entwistle who revived the Rye House name over the winter of 1998/9 with the express intention of bringing racing back to Rye House itself. Unfortunately that wasn't possible immediately as the track had been tarmacked over. John Stoneman, who had been elected Chairman of the Supporters' Club approached Len Silver and asked if he'd be prepared to contribute £50 towards reviving the club. Len offered to do more than that and agreed to sponsor the team. He then arranged with his old friend, Dingle Brown, to use Mildenhall as their "home" track. Once they had proved they could run a team, Steve Ribbons approached Rye House stadium itself at the end of the season to discuss the possibility of their return. Len was involved in the discussions and agreed to take over full financial responsibility for the club. Eddie Leslie, who owned Rye House, agreed that speedway could return on the understanding that the club lay the shale surface before every match and lift it after each match. Amazingly, Len agreed to this condition and then spent thousands of pounds renovating the stadium and clearing it all up. Rye House was back in business.

Not really a nomadic team. They were a second Dagenham team that entered the Amateur Dirt Track League in 1938.

Rye House operated every year during the War except 1944.

Good 1. The West Ham v. Wimbledon 1965 Cup Quarter Final Replay. The night Malcolm Simmons became an overnight star…after three years! Best meeting I have ever seen. 2. West Ham winning the League in 1965 at Cradley Heath and the coach journey back to London afterwards! 3. My first meeting on 11 May 1960. New Cross v. Norwich and seeing Ove Fundin and Aub Lawson in full flow, but especially Jimmy Gooch beating Aub! 4. Ove Fundin winning the 1967 World Final. I had gone with a group of friends from college in Norwich, who knew nothing about speedway and, although I didn’t hold out much hope, I persuaded them all to support Mr Norwich. 5. Ove Fundin beating Briggo 2-0 at New Cross in 1960 to win the Golden Helmet, breaking the track record in both races. Bad 1. As everyone says, riders getting killed, especially the couple I actually witnessed 2. New Cross closing down 3. West Ham closing down 4. Having to put up with double points, jokers, silly helmets, etc. 5. The demise of the Golden Helmet in its original form.

A very special happy birthday to Lenny Read. 100 years old today. And still in good health and fighting fit.

Not that close, BOBBATH! Still a long way to go yet.

So Ove Fundin moves into the top 16. R.I.P. George White.

Very sorry to hear that. He was in England's first WTC team in 1960.

I'm not sure it works like that, Grachan. You could say that Rickardsson took Mauger's high standards of professionalism to an even higher level. Would that mean that only riders since Rickardsson's day can be called the greatest ever? You have to look at the conditions in the era of each of the riders and what marks them out during that era. I think the idea that putting a great rider from any era into another era, with all that goes with that era, and they would still rise to the top is almost a truism. Frank Arthur and Vic Huxley were probably the first of the "greats", but they were leg trailers, so if they came back today riding exactly as they did then (and on the machinery they had then) and rode against the likes of Jason Doyle and Greg Hancock, they'd stand no chance. But that's not how you have to make comparisons between eras.

Ove Fundin once told me he thought that Ivan Mauger was responsible for taking all the fun out of speedway!

Having seen them both over many years, I can't agree with the idea that Briggo was a better racer than Fundin. They were equally determined to win at all costs and ruthless, so I don't think there is any difference on that score, but I do think Fundin actually had more control of his bike and had a more astute racing brain than Briggo and that was why, during the time they were both at the top of their game, Fundin had a superior record to Briggo's, both in terms of titles won and in head to head clashes.

Having lived through all their eras and seen them all I would say, 1. Fundin 2. Mauger 3. Briggs 4. Rickardsson 5. Olsen. Though any one of them could beat all of the others and, of course, all of them trail in behind Tom Farndon!

Also Kazimierz Bentke, Coventry 1961.

Also Marian Kaiser for Leicester in 1959 and Stefan Kwoczala for Leicester in 1960.

Incidentally, sales at the end of June had reached 22,011 (and still rising).

Well, if he was the only one, I'd certainly go along with him being the best. Mind you, he was also the worst.

Yes, I was there that night as well (I don't remember seeing you though ). Timo Laine did indeed score two points. He managed to beat Dick Fisher and Neil Mortimer, who finished with zero points.

Actually, falcace, I have to say I am of an age where Antti Pajari and Timo Laine are not obscure to me. They were both good riders and I would probably count them in Finland's top five, though I agree Kai Niemi would be my choice as no.1.

I've got it. Each pair will be on the same bike. Tandem speedway bikes. Sounds good to me!

Apart from Arne Pander and just possibly Charlie Monk, I don't think any of the others you mention would ever have qualified for a Grand Prix series.

Sverre Harrfeldt has by far the best record of any Norwegian rider.

Whatever happened to Bobbi Hunter?