speedyguy Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Just picked up on the French topic so forgive me if I have missed something. I remember Ray Liston who tried to get into English Speedway in the 60s but didn't really do any good, but I am sure he was involved to a greater extent riding in France. Anyone sort me out on this one? Ray Liston was an Australian. Records credit him as the 1961 French champion - possibly an ongoing points series event similar to the Speedway GP rounds. Gosh - France again ahead of the rest of the world? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Ray Liston was an Australian. Records credit him as the 1961 French champion - possibly an ongoing points series event similar to the Speedway GP rounds. Gosh - France again ahead of the rest of the world? So Speedway in France was still relatively thriving into the 1960s.. When did it decline to the position I'm more familar with: ie of there being scarcely any!!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Yes,interesting.Especially to attract an Aussie or two?What venues were hosting speedway in 60s France and when did the capital last host speedway? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Yes,interesting.Especially to attract an Aussie or two?What venues were hosting speedway in 60s France and when did the capital last host speedway? My data indicates that the Buffalo Stadium in Paris last staged speedway in 1948. After that, Arthur Westwood promoted some meetings in Marseilles during 1949 and 1950s when his riders included the Australian Bill Harris who was fairly well known at that time in both NL2 and NL3 racing in UK. Westwood also he used the South Africans Buddy Fuller, Doug Serrurier and Fred Wills, and I'm certain that England's Reg Duval was also briefly linked with the Westwood regime, which also went over the border into Antwerp in Belgium for a few meetings. The French tracks from about 1953 to the late 1960s were at various velodromes with athletics tracks, mainly in Normandy, and the meetings were promoted by Victor Boston. He used the stadiums on a circus-basis with a couple of meetings at each every summer. A well known name in the group for about 10 seasons was the former West Ham, Southampton and Liverpool rider George Bason. Another regular was Jean Landru who was competing in the French-staged world championships as far back as 1930. The main French riders in the 1960s besides Landru were Pierre and Charles Bellisent, Claude Boston, Roger Begasse and Jean du Bardine while Fernand Meynier also rode for the group in the early part of the 1950s. The French championships of the 1950s and 1960s were decided on total points scored by riders during the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Some great info coming out in this thread.Keep it coming.We should start on that other much neglected country Holland next maybe or as you mentioned Belgium, Benelux Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Further research this morning shows that there were four French riders at the New Cross meeting as the heat details below confirm: the other two were ??? Berthet and Francois Hofecker. It seems quite possible that it was JEAN Berthet. Apparently a versatile motorcyclist, he was predominantly known as a grass-tracker. He was killed on September 19, 1948, in practice at the Velodrome de Plan-les-Ouartes in Geneva. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Some great info coming out in this thread.Keep it coming.We should start on that other much neglected country Holland next maybe or as you mentioned Belgium, Benelux Quite a lot of Speedway activity these days in the Netherlands, Steve. And spreading into the rest of Benelux too.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 France staged its last version of the World Championship in 1937, when the title was won by Martin Scheinweiss (Austria). The previous season it had been won by Charles 'Pee Wee' Cullum (USA). Schneeweiss, actually. A very famous name in Austrian motorcycling, he was killed at Graz on October 4, 1947. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Schneeweiss, actually. A very famous name in Austrian motorcycling, he was killed at Graz on October 4, 1947. Steve Some info on Schneeweiss and other old Austrian riders on a very interesting site about motorcycle racing of all types in Austria.Some of it in english M.Schneeweiss Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Some info on Schneeweiss and other old Austrian riders on a very interesting site about motorcycle racing of all types in Austria.Some of it in english M.Schneeweiss Interesting site. I don't see Otto Holoubek listed! He rode for Ipswich - EXTREMELY briefly - in the late 1950s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 Quite a lot of Speedway activity these days in the Netherlands, Steve. And spreading into the rest of Benelux too.. There was league racing in Holland just after the war ended, from about 1949 until 1952. They even sent a test team to South Africa in the 1950s. The sport was very strong and well organised for some years. The Dutch even sent a team to ride in a testimonial meeting for England rider Jack Ladd (Tamworth) in 1947. They paid their own exes to Tamworth as a donation for Ladd who died in a crash at Alkmaar earlier that year. For P1928 - he was wll known in the Dagenham-Romford area at one time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmartin Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 This really is a 'SUPER' Thread - I am learning loads more than I ever knew about European Speedway. I am filled with admiration for some of you guys with your records and everything. Thank you for sharing - it's GREAT. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 This really is a 'SUPER' Thread - I am learning loads more than I ever knew about European Speedway. I am filled with admiration for some of you guys with your records and everything. Thank you for sharing - it's GREAT. As you say Ian...: a little 'gem' here in the middle of the BSF and in the dead of winter! Maximum respect to all those contributing... I'm just listening and learning!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 (edited) As you say Ian...: a little 'gem' here in the middle of the BSF and in the dead of winter! Maximum respect to all those contributing... I'm just listening and learning!! There's still a bit more about France t/c. Holland and Belgium early post-war are also interesting - and what about early 1948 action in Madrid, Spain? Meanwhile, before I return to France - on July 27 1948, Dutch riders Jan Bosman and Henk Stemen (senior) rode in the Olympiad at West Ham. There was a run-off between two Harringay riders for the title, Vic Duggan beating fellow Australian Frank Dolan. Edited December 17, 2009 by speedyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted December 17, 2009 Report Share Posted December 17, 2009 There's still a bit more about France t/c. Holland and Belgium early post-war are also interesting - and what about early 1948 action in Madrid, Spain? Meanwhile, before I return to France - on July 27 1948, Dutch riders Jan Bosman and Henk Stemen (senior) rode in the Olympiad at West Ham. There was a run-off between two Harringay riders for the title, Vic Duggan beating fellow Australian Frank Dolan. And good to see West Ham getting a mention again! Considering the thread's title!! What was that about Jack Ladd and Dagenham before, speedy..?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedyguy Posted December 18, 2009 Report Share Posted December 18, 2009 (edited) What was that about Jack Ladd and Dagenham before, speedy..?? P1928: Jack Ladd was a pre-war grass track rider who may have also raced speedway at Dagenham before WW2. In 1947 he joined Tamworth in NNL3 and also rode in Holland that year until his fatal accident. Here is some information I have managed to find elsewhere. I hope this helps you - Jack Ladd lived in either Dagenham or Romford.: http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ms&n=4412 Jack Ladd Death date: 30.Aug.1947 Role: rider Circuit: Sportpark Alkmaar Jack Ladd Complete name: Jack Ladd Birth date: ??.???.???? Birth Place: unknown, unknown Death date: 30.Aug.1947 Death Place: unknown, Netherlands Nationality: United Kingdom Gender: male Age at death: ?? Event date: 30.Aug.1947 Series: unknown Race: unknown Event type: race Country: Netherlands Venue: Sportpark Alkmaar Variant: dirt speedway (1946-c. 1965) Role: rider Vehicle type: motorcycle Vehicle sub-type: speedway Vehicle brand/model: unknown Vehicle number: ?? Notes: Jack Ladd, the English dirttrack rider from London was killed on Saturday 30 August 1947 after he had crashed and had been run over by two other competitors Iesberts and Budi on the speedway track of Alkmaar, in the Netherlands. He died when the races were finished the same day. Sources: * Magazine Motor, issue 36 of 05 September 1947. [L] * E-mail by Herman Looman, dated 19 April 2006, citing [L]. Edited December 18, 2009 by speedyguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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