How Good Was Vic Huxley?

[stratton]

Been doing my research and memorabilia, and Vic Huxley seemed a star who isnt mentioned much.How good was he? had a great career also i think he was good at grasstrack as well anybody have any imformation.

[speedyguy]

Been doing my research and memorabilia, and Vic Huxley seemed a star who isnt mentioned much.How good was he? had a great career also i think he was good at grasstrack as well anybody have any imformation.

 

The records for the era when Vic Huxley raced the 1920s into the mid-1930s indicate him as an all-time great for that period. But the sport technically, racing styles, the tracks and equipment-wise for that time is so different to what we now have it is impossible to compare Huxley with the top men of present times.

[chunky]

The records for the era when Vic Huxley raced the 1920s into the mid-1930s indicate him as an all-time great for that period. But the sport technically, racing styles, the tracks and equipment-wise for that time is so different to what we now have it is impossible to compare Huxley with the top men of present times.

 

Regardless, I'd say that for a spell, he was the best rider in the world.

 

Steve

[speedyguy]

Regardless, I'd say that for a spell, he was the best rider in the world. Steve

 

He was quite probably in his own era. That I don't dispute but how do you eventually evaluate him with the many developments in the sport from when he was racing to what we have now?

Edited March 22, 2012 by speedyguy

[chunky]

Speedyguy, you are constantly referring to the different eras. As a matter of interest, into how many eras (with dates) would you separate the sport?

 

Steve

[speedyguy]

Speedyguy, you are constantly referring to the different eras. As a matter of interest, into how many eras (with dates) would you separate the sport?

 

Steve

 

That's a good question:

1928-1932.

1932-39.

1946-50.

1951-1969.

1970-1994.

1995 to date.

Please don't ask me to qualify them but your own research will show you various major changes took place in these periods. A quick one 1928-32 to standardisation of racing bikes fulffiled. Or from 1951 the eventual end for deep cinder tracks and disappearance of the legtrail riders.

Have fun yourself going in depth in the periods I give.

Sadly, these days I no longer have the will or interest to make lengthy obesrvations about these periods. And I have no doubt there are historians already preparing to debunk what my opinions.

I admire and respect Vic Huxley as a speedway legend but he was in at speedway's beginings, and carved his name as a legtrailer, competed on deep cinder tracks with a bike that would be far from competitive on today's tracks against say Greg Hancock for example. But apart from in our imagination there is no way we can ever match them. Of course one can also theorise this with a reversal of that hypothetical race and most likely get a different result.

Edited March 22, 2012 by speedyguy

[chunky]

That's a good question:

1928-1932.

1932-39.

1946-50.

1851-1969.

1970-1994.

1995 to date.

Please don't ask me to qualify them but your own research will show you various major changes took place in these periods. A quick one 1928-32 to standardisation of racing bikes fulffiled. Or from 1951 the eventual end for deep cinder tracks and disappearance of the legtrail riders.

 

That's fine, and I understand your reasons for the above categorisations - although I believe that should be 1951, and not 1851...

 

What intrigues me is that you have listed 1970-1994. I personally would have inserted a cutoff at 1976-77, with the advent of the four-valve engine, but again, that is just my opinion.

 

My next question here is that, do you think it is acceptable/possible to compare riders from one era to riders from the following, or indeed preceding era? Gundersen and Rickardsson, for example?

 

Steve

Edited March 22, 2012 by chunky

[stratton]

That's fine, and I understand your reasons for the above categorisations - although I believe that should be 1951, and not 1851...

 

What intrigues me is that you have listed 1970-1994. I personally would have inserted a cutoff at 1976-77, with the advent of the four-valve engone, but again, that is just my opinion.

 

My next question here is that, do you think it is acceptable/possible to compare riders from one era to riders from the following, or indeed preceding era? Gundersen and Rickardsson, for example?

 

Steve

With progress as it is do you think we will soon judge riders in decade,s rather than era,s?We used to (say from Briggoes first title until Streeeties invention 1956 - 74/75.)You wouldnt do that now would you,? say Collins until Loram the sport has changed alot even in that short space of time.

[Split]

I seem to remember seeing a stat (can't remember where but probably in an old Speedway Star) that race for race Vic Huxley was the most successful rider of all time.

Edited March 28, 2012 by Split