Speedcars Aka Midget Cars

[Guest]

I have been formatting a list of London area tracks that have staged speedcars aka midget car racing over the years: not in alphabetical order.

Here is what I have discovered. Any more that should be included - or deleted?
Crystal Palace, Lea Bridge, Hackney,Wimbledon, Walthamstow, Stamford Bridge, Charlton, Barnet, High Beech, Wembley, Rye House, Catford, Arena Essex, Dagenham, Brands Hatch, Harringay, Crayford, West Ham, New Cross, Greenford, Staines, Rayleigh, White City London.

Among speedway riders who have raced the cars are Dickie Case, Cordy Milne, Fay Taylour, Putt Mossman, Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando, Morian Hansen, Percy Brine, Ronnie Moore.

Edited February 7, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

This Link details many of the London speedway tracks that also staged speedcars aka midget cars mainly in the 1930s. Among the drivers one will see references to quite well known speedway riders who also proved their ability on four wheels.

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/board/253/london-midget-car-racing

 

A further interesting item is this reference to a world championship staged at Hackney in 1936 and won by the American speedway star Cordy Milne. Other speedway riders in the meeting included Dickie Case, Morian Hansen and Putt Mossman. The championship, however, is not recognised in the official records for midget car racing.

http://londonspeedways.proboards.com/thread/540/midget-car-world-hackney-1936

Edited January 25, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

At the start of 1934 the speedway team moved across South London to New Cross. The track then saw the start of what is recognised as the beginning of midget car racing in Britain.

One of the four-wheel formula's most successful; drivers was woman motorsport competitor Fay Taylor who had quit speedway several years previous after the ACU banned woman speedway riders.

Alvin 'Spike' Rhiando was another with speedway riding connections who took part in midget car racing. He had previously been a regular in the grass-speedway meetings that had been popular earlier in the 1930s on tracks in the Norwich area.

This is what happened when the midgets arrived at Crystal Palace:

http://palace-motorsport.proboards.com/thread/6/midgets-arrive-1934

Edited January 23, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

Former Sheffield, Wigan, Fleetwood, Rayleigh and Long Eaton rider Percy Brine also raced midget cars. This is Brine at Rye House in 1956. The midget car is a Batson Special. Brine also raced stock cars in the 1950s when he was known as 'Hellcat' Brine. He was a brother of Cyril, Ted and Ron (?) Brine.

 

Edited January 24, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

West Ham rider Howdy Byford tests a midget car - NOT the Atom Car - at Wimbledon in 1956. The car was not a success and never actually appeared in a race.

 

::: Background to the Allard Midget Car/Atom Car and the involvement of Wimbledon Speedway and various speedway personal in regard to the ill-fated venture:

http://midgetcarpanorama.proboards.com/thread/12/allard-midget-cars

Edited January 25, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

‎1956: Cyril Brine (top) at Rayleigh and Ronnie Moore (below) at Wimbledon test the Atom midget car. It had a 500cc JAP Engine.

Edited January 25, 2017 by Guest