Canadian Star Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 (edited) We have all seen over the years some bad accidents,sometimes an innocent looking fall can see serious injury, othertimes we have seen horrendous crashes where the rider(s) have gone over the fence and literally got up and walked away. Tell me about your memories of riders in both these circumstances, but please no mention of fatal accidents. My own personal memory is of seeing Sebastien Ullamek in one of the grand prix a few years back completely demolishing the fence, eventually walking back to the pits and getting on his other bike,coming out and winning the re-run. What are your memories ? Edited July 16, 2004 by Canadian Star Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hebbs Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 One that sticks in my mind was at Eastbourne many moons ago a Canterbury rider, (Graham Banks, or Graham Miles?) went wide and hit the fence a glancing blow. A bit of wire must have hooked around the chin strap of his helmet and he was pulled off his bike leaving his hat hanging on the fence. It looked at first like his head had come off, but he got up stretched his neck from side to side, collected his hat and walked back to the pits! Â He must have been the only Canterbury rider to get a standing ovation from the Eagles fans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 I remember a horrendous crash between Bob Kilby and Ivan Mauger at Swindon on the pits bend. I'm not sure what injuries they suffered now, but Ivan was excluded and Killer was unable to come out in the re-run. Â More recently was Andre Compton's crash at Sheffield when he broke his ankle. He slid off his bike and was run into by James Birkenshaw. It was one of those where the whole crowd gives out a gasp and falls silent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nevs Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 A number at Exeter (not because of the track I hasten to say)...  Mark Simmonds flying over the fence,over the crowd!!,over the first bend banking and landing in the lane behind a load of houses.I believe it was Bob and Mike Coles that helped get him back with help from ladders??Broken Pelvis and reruns battery on camera packing up so never to be seen (Thank goodness)...Horrendous.  Also Andy Sell skimming across the top of the steel fence on his stomach...Ouch  Robert Nagy taking a huge one on the fourth bend.  Mark Lemon and Pete Jeffery becoming entangled rather nastily on entrance to third bend.  An away reserve (cant remember who it was now) going ovet the fence in the middle of third and 4th bend smashing through the two metre wooden exclusion fence.  Bruce Cribbs bike flying over the fence (Had never seen such a thing before)   Richard R Knight on second bend head butting the track backwards after flipping over.   Richard Greens bike going out of control on its back wheeland chasing anything and everything that moved after he came off.  Boyce breaking his thigh against the first bend tractor gate.  Graeme Gordon and Kelvin Tatum before first bend resulting in Kelvins thigh being broken.  Its amazing how vivid they all seem and how people remember such things but you never forget them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jotrez Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 When Charlie Ermolenko was riding for Lynn, he had a horrid crash he started wobbling coming down the back straight,lost control and went straight through the fence and landed near the first step, in front of the crowd. I can't remember what injurys he sustained now,but i think that was his last meeting in britian, can anyone confirm/deny that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevePass Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Alan Emmet and one of the Kennet brothers at Hackney, They locked together on the back straight and went full speed through the safety fence on the third bend. Worst I have ever seen and the stadiam just went silent. Â Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 An away reserve (cant remember who it was now) going ovet the fence in the middle of third and 4th bend smashing through the two metre wooden exclusion fence. Danny Bird in 1998? He lead form the tapes but Mark Simmonds tried to pass him, they locked up and went into the fence, Bird flew (no pun intended) over the fence, Simmonds and 2 bikes were sprawled across the track and the Exeter rider had to lay the bike down to avoid them and Scott Swain managed to swerve his way through 3 bikes and 2 rider. Nasty crash. Â Â Nastiest crash I have seen at Newport is Nick Simmons crashing through the 2nd bend fence in a CL double header against Buxton (we had just won the CL title and we were lossing in the KoC first leg), Danny Slater was on track unconsious, one Buxton rider was down there with them somewhere and the other Buxton rider had slid off further around but was able to jump up and run after the bike that was trapped in the fence but still running and stop it. It wa sone of them moment where nobody said a word, everyone was just staring at the ple of bikes and bodies. Nick was lying with half his body on the track, half outside the track and had managed to dislodge a few fence panel (takes some doing at Newport, never bene done since). Danny Slater was taken away in an ambulance and I think he retired from speedway then (he may have done another meeting or two, he still grass tracks though) to join the police force. Nick was down for a long time but did go to hospital, he was released with nothing more than a torn finger nail!!!! Â For such a spectacular (if thats the right word) that reulted in 2 rider being left on the track for about 50 minutes the injuries were incredably tame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KEITH M Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 The one crash I can remember involved two 2nd half riders at Newcastle(Wally Hill and I think Gary Ainslie) they touched coming around the 3rd bend and Wally's bike took off and actually hit the bulbs in the light standard causing a mighty explosion of flashing light. I can't remember how injured the riders were but I think wally broke his ankle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Steve Dixon Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 Ive seen loads(like most of you), but got to say the worst iv'e witnessed was Darren Mallett at Buxton,simply because he hit the fence and flew over it so fiercly I feared the worst for him. He went over there like a rag doll and almost landed on a car bonnett. Hope your'e recovering ok.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vog Posted July 16, 2004 Report Share Posted July 16, 2004 hmmm,have seen a few bad ones.danny giffard against kings lynn is probably the worst,him somersaulting over the fence and breaking both ankles,but i have seen one where a rider(cannot remember name) slid off the bike on the 2nd bend,and his bike kept going before ploughing into the 3rd bend.also,chris harris(i think) hitting a rut going into the 3rd bend and his bike sailing over the fence and him jumping off and breaking his wrist,i think,when he hit the fence Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashie Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 I have seen many bad crashes with riders walking away, but the strangest was down at Exeter. Â Carl Blackbird for Long Eaton in the last race of one match if I recall correctly, might even of been a last heat decider, not sure now. Â But he went into the last bend leading when suddenly his handlebar just gave way or snapped and down he went. Â Very strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Goddard Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 Worst I've actually seen was Jason Bunyan and Sam Ermolenko going right through the first bend fence (and greyhound rails) and almost into the pits at Monmore. The slow motion replay (it was on Sky) showed that if Sam had been another few inches to the left his head would have been hacked off by a fence post. A very lucky escape for both riders. Â I have the Danny Bird/Mark Simmonds crash from Exeter on video, and that's probably the worst I've seen anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn1972 Posted July 17, 2004 Report Share Posted July 17, 2004 A few I remember specifically - at Ipswich in (I think) 1990 - Robbie Fuller's tear-offs coming unrolled and getting caught round the chain. The bike stopped dead in the middle of the back straight and Robbie flew through the air, over the fence, and landed on the stock-car track on the third bend. Was stretchered off but emerged from the first aid room on foot later just a bit bruised, then went out clubbing afterwards! Another involving Robbie was at Peterborough in (again, I think!) 1992. He came off and hit the safety fence with such force that he punched a hole through it. Scary. Also Sam ermolenko demolishing about ten panels of safety fence at Foxhall! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceadon Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 I have never seen a really bad crash - and hope I never do - but every account I have ever heard says that the worst one was at Hackney in 1979 when Vic Harding was killed and Steve Weatherley crippled for life. Â It's one of the reasons (along with Denny Pyeatt being killed there in 1982) that I never rated Hackney, although I saw some fine meetings there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn1972 Posted July 19, 2004 Report Share Posted July 19, 2004 (edited) So, let me get this right. First you ignore the request at the start of this thread for no mention of fatal crashes...then you make mention of a crash which you've not seen, then you say that because of this crash (which you didn't see, let's not forget) you never rated Hackney! Sorry - the reason you "never rated Hackney" is that your Wombles got trounced there once too often! To say you don't or didn't like a track because of an incident that happened there that you "heard about" is, in my opinion, ludicrous! Quite frankly, If we all disliked tracks which have seen serious or fatal crashes none of us would be seeing much speedway! Â (Ahh......1988 KoC final, 2nd leg - those were the days!) Edited July 19, 2004 by Robyn1972 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceadon Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Firstly, my apologies to everyone for not reading the initial thread correctly. Being reminded of fatal accidents is never pleasant and I should have known better. Â As to my friend from Hackney, I did see some good meetings at Hackney (particularly if Barry Thomas was riding) although alas I wasn't present for what I still believe to be the biggest away win in British League history: Â Hackney 22 Wimbledon 56 (May 1979, if I recall correctly) Â I bet you were waiting for that one........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Don't wish to go off topic but as you already have: Swindon 21 Oxford 56 is one louder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 (edited) Got to agree that the Danny Bird / Mark Simmonds crash was horrendous looking as was the sight of Simmo sailing through the air and landing in someone's back garden behind the first bend at the County ground. Â Also remember a second half crash at Hackney that saw Lee Pavitt (son of current IOW co-promoter Dave) fly through the air with the greatest of ease clearing the six foot high safety fence and nigh on landing on the dog track exiting the second bend at Waterden Road. Edited July 20, 2004 by Bryn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spin king Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Cannot remember the year but remember Reg Wilson and Gary Gugliemi going through the fence on the third turn at Sheffield in the old second half meeting. I f I remember Reg walk away with bruising, but Gugliemi broke his arm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tigerblade Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 (edited) Cannot remember the year but remember Reg Wilson and Gary Gugliemi going through the fence on the third turn at Sheffield in the old second half meeting.  I f I remember Reg walk away with bruising, but Gugliemi broke his arm. 1982 - how either of them wasn't injured further still amazes me to this day.  We've had a few shockers - Carl Blackbird/Simon Green in 1991 and Roman Matousek/Robert Nagy in 1996 are both notorious. Edited July 20, 2004 by Tigerblade Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.