Celticman

I have been away for many rears. I was only revived from cryo-suspended animation two weeks ago. Is Aub Lawson still the World Champion?

When I started going to Wimbledon in the mid fifties there were no leg trailers in the National League. I remember one week they arranged for Howdy Byford to do a four lap demo by himself with an older style bike. It was awesome and the crowd stood and gave him a great round of applause as he flashed across the finish line on his back wheel. Howdy was a great character as noted elsewhere.

I would say that it is not an either or. Both are easily in the top 30. Take these two and add 28 !!!

Ronnie Moore always had a whiter than white scarf

Arne rode for Oxford from 1959 to 1968 and had great success despite serious injuries. He lived in England until his death at 83

I think he had a race accident in 1964 and died in 1965 without regaining consciousness. I saw him race at Wimbledon for, I think, Swindon

I saw Cyril Brine often. He almost always partnered Ronnie Moore who almost always protected Cyril during the race from opponents overtaking. I remember nights where Cyril scored maximum points of 15 and Ronnie 12 points coming second in all 5 races as he took a line that made it difficult for the opposition to do anything about it. Ronnie was the ultimate team rider. Cyril was involved in a terrible accident with Ron Johnson...…….. The racing career of New Cross speedway star Ron Johnson ended in a terrifying Catherine Wheel of bikes and limbs in the dirt of Wimbledon on August 1, 1949. It was to be another 11 years before Johnno - by then 52 years old - would accept that it was all over. When the accident happened, in heat seven of the second-leg of a London Cup tie, Johnson was at his peak and very much the idol of the Old Kent Road --his home fans at New Cross in south-east London. At the time of the crash, Johnson was following his New Cross partner Cyril Roger for a 5-1 heat win. But Roger faltered in front of him and Johnson fell. As he rose to his feet his Wimbledon opponent Cyril Brine ran him down, fracturing his skull. Later, Johnson said that his life was saved by the low protection his helmet gave the back of his neck. "Otherwise, I would have been killed," he said.

Takes me a while to get to things LOL I have lived in Canada since 1966 but I have great memories of Speedway up until then, especially about Wimbledon. Best wishes with your health.

I saw Tadeusz Teodorowicz and Marian Kaiser race at Wimbledon. Teo died in a racing accident, sadly

When I was around supporting Wimbledon Bob Andrews was not a 10 yarder. The Dons Peter Moore was a 10 yarder though

I saw Ronnie numerous times being a Wimbledon supporter. Ronnie seemed to be able to hug the white line better than any other rider, making it very difficult to pass him. He seemed to be glued to that white line. I also remember he seemed to always have a bright white scarf when he rode. I was at Wembley in 1959 when Ronnie won the World Championship beating Fundin and Briggs.

Peter Craven also set the Wimbledon track record at some point. I wonder how many records he set before his demise in 1963?

Hard to believe that it has been 55 years since the amazing Peter Craven died. I saw him race several times at Wimbledon and went up to Manchester to watch him race for Belle Vue against our Wimbledon Dons. He was a tiny man who had a unique style and rode with fire in his heart. RIP. He was a great challenge for the Dons top riders at the time, Ronnie Moore, Peter Moore and Ron How.

Good point. Briggo was amazing and had a spectacular career. I think Knutson is unfairly overlooked to some degree because of his brief career, retiring at 28. He might have had more success internationally vs. domestic (not to belittle the latter)

I lived within walking distance of the old Wimbledon Plough Lane track in the late fifties and early sixties. I was there the night that Peter Craven beat our home team hero Ronnie Moore in the Golden helmet match race. He set a new track record of 63.8 which beat the old record by quite a bit. Peter was an amazing rider and represented Belle Vue. So tragic that he died in a racing event. In those days Peter, Ronnie and Ove Fundin were very dominating.