billywamill Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 (edited) One from recent memory is Nicki Pedersen in the Danish Final at Holsted about 4 years back.Mucked the first turn right up and almost came to a standstill.Then over the next few laps took(i think) Bjarne and Kenneth Bjerre,but Hans looked to have got the Final in the bag.Somehow Nicki managed to make up about 8 metres or so and take Hans before the last bend...Nicki when he was really flying Also remember a great race from Mirko Wolter at Güstrow when he made a similar balls up and was almost down to about 5kmh on the turn,but kept control and came round one or two riders Only passed four riders having messed up ? Not bad, but not in the class of this man : Greatest racer the sport has seen. Edited October 10, 2011 by billywamill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 10, 2011 Report Share Posted October 10, 2011 Only passed four riders having messed up ? Not bad, but not in the class of this man : Greatest racer the sport has seen. Yes,even the great Egon Müller rated that as the best speedway race ever.But i wasn't there to see it,so chose races i have witnessed in person Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Wilko Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 Wondered what great races stick in the mind of people of there own particular favourites? my five favourites of all time are 1.Ray Wilson v Martin Ashby run off 1975 British Final terrific race Ashby so fair both great riders.2.1973 England v Sweden at sheffield last race P.Collins E.Boocock Michanek T.Jansson never tire of watching that race. 3.Briggs coming from the back in 1969 world final to beat Mckinlay and Moore 4.Christer Loftqvist breaking the Swindon track record 1973 test match the Abbey was my regular track.5.Tommy Jansson 1976 beating Martin Ashby for the Golden helmet.terrific memories. Certainly agree with your No. 5, however my nomination is not a great race as such in that it was one of those speedway "from the gate" processions where in the words of Nigel Pearson "if you're new to speedway..................." and you saw the race you'd probably not go again. Heat 1 of the 1st (Wimbledon) leg of the 1970 Knockout Cup Final v Belle Vue - Winner Trevor Hedge. The "race" though was for 2nd place. Slim Jim Tebby plonked himself in second place and for 4 laps lead (no, toyed with!) x times world champion Ivan Mauger - the 5-1 was a sensational (and inspirational) start to the 2 legged final and was perhaps the race that won it for The Dons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 (edited) The PC v Mich KO Cup final classic of '73, Loramski's thriller with Chris Louis at Brandon in '97 and Jan O's Guld Barre epic in '90 have already been covered earlier in this thread, so how about.... 1977 Hackney v Exeter Thommo goes round the outside of BOTH the team-riding pair of Autrey and Mauger from Exeter to win the race and hand the league title to White City. 1971-73 Most Bengt Jansson races at The Wick Banger goes in wide on turn three and pulls his trademark cutback to the line to pass bewildered opponent in the last 5 yards. 1974 World Team Cup Final Wroclaw holds its breath as three riders - Plech, Jessup and Lofqvist - pass and re-pass each other in a four-lap epic that ends with DJ snatching it by inches after a beautifully executed last bend pass round the outside, while Plechy tries to dump Christer on the centre green - he didn't know which way to look! 1975 British Final PC passing Simmo to win. 1979 BLRC John Louis, the oldest rider in the field, flies round the boards and withstands a desperate last bend lunge up the inside from Bruce Penhall to win the title. 1981 World Final BP v Ole Olsen & BP v Tommy Knudsen - both races won by inches on the line. 1982 World Final Heat 4 - Les Collins wheel to wheel all the way with Bruce Penhall and Les re-passes BP on the outside to hold on for the win that should have set him up for the world title. 1982 World Final Heat 14 BP v KC. It's all been said. 1985 World Final @ Odsal Erik G going round two Americans to win a vital race, though perhaps they could have made it harder for him. 1990 World Final @ Odsal Shawn Moran outwitting Per Jonsson to nip back under him coming off turn two in their first battle of the night. A few there to be going on with. The thing is, these are ones we tend to remember most and with such great affection because they were all televised. How about all those great races that were not captured on film and therefore only those who were present can talk about. That's why I like Andy Wilko's memory of 'Slim' Jim's exploits to hold off Ivan. Edited October 12, 2011 by tmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted October 12, 2011 Report Share Posted October 12, 2011 World Games 1985, Wimbledon. John Cook v Alan Grahame. John Cook made that meeting, as he did many others. I can remember going to Ipswich in 1985 v Oxford on a fairly wet night. Only one race stands out from that night; John Cook v Hans Nielsen. Cook, as ever was trying everything he could to pass Nielsen, maybe too hard for his own good if anything. On a difficult muddy track, he was all over Nielsen, mostly on one wheel and as they came to the apex of the final bend, Cook found himself sideways on his back wheel and somehow managed to ride it out from the apex to the chequered flag almost vertical the whole time. He didn't win the race but he put on a show no other rider could and his antics in that race alone made the trip worthwhile. And just to add effect to proceedings, as he went back to the pits, the cold, wet "mud" plastered on his hot engine caused steam to billow from his bike. Fantastic stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 World Games 1985, Wimbledon. John Cook v Alan Grahame. John Cook made that meeting, as he did many others. Remember it well, very wet track, you're right about Cook making the meeting, he wore an old baggy pair of overalls over his leathers, assuming he hadn't just forgotten his leathers and booorowed the overalls from track staff. He was just about the only one that seemed to fancy racing other than the Grahame brothers. I had that meeting on video tape for years, was it not on Channel 4? World Games, have often wondered who it was that got speedway in the frame, anyone know how it came about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted October 13, 2011 Report Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) 1974 World Team Cup Final Wroclaw holds its breath as three riders - Plech, Jessup and Lofqvist - pass and re-pass each other in a four-lap epic that ends with DJ snatching it by inches after a beautifully executed last bend pass round the outside, while Plechy tries to dump Christer on the centre green - he didn't know which way to look! http://www.youtube.com/user/Grachan#p/u/26/spjW95dYAQQ Another good one from the 1973 World Team Cup. You'd never guess who turned out the winner if you tried to after a couple of laps. http://www.youtube.com/user/Grachan#p/u/20/5LDH5QO47BA Edited October 13, 2011 by Grachan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted October 14, 2011 Report Share Posted October 14, 2011 http://www.youtube.c.../26/spjW95dYAQQ Another good one from the 1973 World Team Cup. You'd never guess who turned out the winner if you tried to after a couple of laps. http://www.youtube.c.../20/5LDH5QO47BA That first one, enthralling race, one of those that makes you lean over in the chair as they round the final bends, or is it just me? Thanks for the link, I'm going to have a look at some more on your channel, thanks for taking the time to load them up, 73 World Team Cup will do if there are any more, great Swedish team I recall, including one of my own favourites Soren Sjosten, were there any Swedes back then who couldn't be described a stylish, now there's a question. Olle Nygren perhaps.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted October 19, 2011 Report Share Posted October 19, 2011 (edited) Another good one from the 1973 World Team Cup. You'd never guess who turned out the winner if you tried to after a couple of laps. http://www.youtube.com/user/Grachan#p/u/20/5LDH5QO47BA Not so much a 'great race' as three riders who made basic mistakes by riding the wrong line at different stages of the race. Paznikov looked like he was on his way to Wembley tube station off the fourth bend, and where on earth did Persson come from? Agree, though, picking the winner after the first bend would have been difficult! Edited October 19, 2011 by tmc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted November 9, 2011 Report Share Posted November 9, 2011 Many of the older readers will remember the “Big Five” of the 60’s being 5 world class riders who seemed to be in a class of their own. Incredibly in the 1962 world final 4 of these riders met in heat 6 with Ronnie Moore being the odd man out. Barry Briggs won from Peter Craven (it was his only defeat and he became World champion that night) with Björn Knutsson third and the great Ove Fundin last. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Saint Posted November 11, 2011 Report Share Posted November 11, 2011 Many of the older readers will remember the “Big Five” of the 60’s being 5 world class riders who seemed to be in a class of their own. Incredibly in the 1962 world final 4 of these riders met in heat 6 with Ronnie Moore being the odd man out. Barry Briggs won from Peter Craven (it was his only defeat and he became World champion that night) with Björn Knutsson third and the great Ove Fundin last. Almost any race involving two or more of those was an excellent race Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parsloes 1928 nearly Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Surprised no-one's mentioned PC (the second PC this is!) and his incredible performance at the White City in the 1977 Inter-continental Final. No rider has ever been greater at his peak than Peter was then... What a tragedy that days later a drain cover smashed up his leg and denied him a second World title... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PolarBjerre Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 A race between Hans Andersen and Nicki Pedersen in an Italian GP when both were in their prime a few years back, passing and re-passing every lap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ImpartialOne Posted November 21, 2011 Report Share Posted November 21, 2011 I still chuckle at the title of this thread Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted November 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2011 Make fun, you are good at that.Wont be reading anymore of your posts you talk a good game but no substance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveG Posted May 11, 2012 Report Share Posted May 11, 2012 The best 2 races I have ever seen for what can only be described as audacity was Wimbledon vs Belle Vue . They are worthy of note as they involve the great Peter Collins and Wimbledons long serving steady Roger Johns. Roger managed to gate even worse than Collins in 2 races they meet in that night but passed PC on the last bend on both yes both ocassions. What is most memorable is the noise after the second event and that he had ridden wider even than Collins both times. Chunky can probably tell you when this was as unfortunately I cant anymore! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted May 12, 2012 Report Share Posted May 12, 2012 (edited) Surprised no-one's mentioned PC (the second PC this is!) and his incredible performance at the White City in the 1977 Inter-continental Final. No rider has ever been greater at his peak than Peter was then... What a tragedy that days later a drain cover smashed up his leg and denied him a second World title... Yes indeed. The pass on Jessup and Davis was something else, went into the bend not really looking a massive threat to pass either of them and came into the straight in front of them both, right the way around the outside. With having PC and Mort and the perfect stage for them to perform in Hyde Road we were certainly spoiled at Belle Vue in the 15 years prior to its demise Watch it here Edited May 12, 2012 by oldace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
english roundabout Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Ashby wilson british final 75. Ashby stalks wilson for 3 laps before edging in front on the last bend. World cup willy swoops around the outside...crash has his opportunity to gently move out to block wilson`s run, but martin was always the perfect gentleman both on and off the track...wilson wins by the width of a tyre. Long long trip back to wiltshire that night as crash only makes the world final as a reserve.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted June 16, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Ashby wilson british final 75. Ashby stalks wilson for 3 laps before edging in front on the last bend. World cup willy swoops around the outside...crash has his opportunity to gently move out to block wilson`s run, but martin was always the perfect gentleman both on and off the track...wilson wins by the width of a tyre. Long long trip back to wiltshire that night as crash only makes the world final as a reserve.. Ashby wilson british final 75. Ashby stalks wilson for 3 laps before edging in front on the last bend. World cup willy swoops around the outside...crash has his opportunity to gently move out to block wilson`s run, but martin was always the perfect gentleman both on and off the track...wilson wins by the width of a tyre. Long long trip back to wiltshire that night as crash only makes the world final as a reserve.. Went also ER was funny really but i was a big Wilson fan also was so weird.The Wilson exclusion should of cost him but really Martins mistake was when he gated Ray and tiger Louis went too wide and Louis drove him out.I know Martins record dosent show it think he won the Superama 2nd in the BLRC but he really was class.Been blessed at the Abbey Briggo Ashby Crump Adams Autrey (1 season only) not a bad lot eh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
english roundabout Posted June 16, 2012 Report Share Posted June 16, 2012 Think I went to the elrc at bellevue when crash was second. Was that 75 as well? Think I was still at school but went on the swindon supporters coach. Seem to recall it being packed to the rafters that night. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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