Hot Shoe Posted December 27, 2014 Report Share Posted December 27, 2014 Does anyone remember the Flying Lap that they had at Wembley in the 1970/71 period? Who competed for it and who held the record? Just one bike on that track sounded great as the noise echoed around that enormous stadium. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Yes I remember it. Did'nt they have 1 or 2 laps to get up to speed and then lap 3 they were timed? If I also remember right the programme said that Freddie Williams was the timed record holder and it was his time that they were all trying to beat. Who ended up the record holder I have no idea (or even if it was a real competition or it was just a prgramme filler) maybe someone like Norbold or Bert can supply more information about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickthemuppet Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 I thin you will find that the one lap dash races did not take place in the 1970//1 but back in the 1940/50's There were various second half races which were raced on 4/3/2/1 laps. It was not unusual for the whole of the second half to be raced over three laps Going back to 1947 these were the Wembley track records 4 Laps Clutch start Lionel Van Praag 73.2 secsJuly 15th 1939 42.25 mph 3 Laps Clutch Start Wilbur Lamoreaux 56.2 secs August 4th 1938 41.27mph 2 Lap RollingStart LVP 36.00 secs May 19th 1938 42.95 mph 1 Lap Flying Start Again LVP and WL 17.4 secs 44.44mph Comparing these times with I think is still the Wembley track record of Dave Jessup of 67 seconds set in heat 10 of the 1978 World Championship Final . shows how much faster Speedway had become and is even faster today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 I do remember seeing a couple of the flying lap attempts in the 70/71 seasons (may have been called the One Lap Dash then as well) but as I said above they may have been programme filler races because I dont remember them being run regular just now and again. Comparing these times with I think is still the Wembley track record of Dave Jessup of 67 seconds set in heat 10 of the 1978 World Championship Final . shows how much faster Another thing I have always wondered is were all the tracks that were laid for World Finals etc after 1972 the same size or did they vary each time slightly ? ie track width, length or shape of bends? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 I thin you will find that the one lap dash races did not take place in the 1970//1 but back in the 1940/50's There were various second half races which were raced on 4/3/2/1 laps. It was not unusual for the whole of the second half to be raced over three laps Going back to 1947 these were the Wembley track records 4 Laps Clutch start Lionel Van Praag 73.2 secsJuly 15th 1939 42.25 mph 3 Laps Clutch Start Wilbur Lamoreaux 56.2 secs August 4th 1938 41.27mph 2 Lap RollingStart LVP 36.00 secs May 19th 1938 42.95 mph 1 Lap Flying Start Again LVP and WL 17.4 secs 44.44mph Comparing these times with I think is still the Wembley track record of Dave Jessup of 67 seconds set in heat 10 of the 1978 World Championship Final . shows how much faster Speedway had become and is even faster today Speeds were probably slower in the good old days because the track surfcaes were "good old heavy cinders' not the slick shale of following years that has played a major part in the sport's decline as we now know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Shoe Posted January 1, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 (edited) I thin you will find that the one lap dash races did not take place in the 1970//1 but back in the 1940/50's I was there in 1970/71 and the Flying Lap definitely happened. Only one rider per meeting had a go at it (possibly the meetings top scorer?) and i'm sure that home riders Ove Fundin and Bert Harkins had a go and remember visiting riders like Ole Olsen having a crack at it. Edited January 1, 2015 by Hot Shoe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HenryW Posted January 1, 2015 Report Share Posted January 1, 2015 Comparing these times with I think is still the Wembley track record of Dave Jessup of 67 seconds set in heat 10 of the 1978 World Championship Final . shows how much faster Speedway had become and is even faster today The final Wembley track record is actually 66.8 seconds which was set by Erik Gundersen in heat 6 of the 1981 final. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted January 2, 2015 Report Share Posted January 2, 2015 I remember them taking place, but it all seems like a lifetime ago! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Does anyone remember the Flying Lap that they had at Wembley in the 1970/71 period? Who competed for it and who held the record? Just one bike on that track sounded great as the noise echoed around that enormous stadium. I remember flying lap record attempts at west Ham in the 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 I remember them taking place, but it all seems like a lifetime ago! It was a lifetime ago Cityrebel. 1971 I was 14 and my Saturday consisted of leaving home early to walk to the stadium (I lived at Alperton the bottom end of Wembley) and go to the pit gate to see riders arriving, watch the match and then back to the pit gates again to see the riders loading back up. Next hot foot it down to the Captains Table ( remember "Eat Where the Lions Eat" ) to get a bag of chips and to see the riders again (cars with bikes on the back all parked outside) before walking home eating me chips. Happy Days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 Despite being a dons fan, I was a regular at wembley in 1970/71. We used to visit my nan who lived in notting hill gate on Saturday afternoons and go to the speedway in the evening. The second half races at wembley were the best ever. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WembleyLion Posted January 3, 2015 Report Share Posted January 3, 2015 I first discovered Speedway in 70/71 when I lived in Wembley. My routine was much the same as you tonyd although my connection with Alperton was that I went to school there! I agree with cityrebel about the second halfs at Wembley as they were so much better than anything I ever saw elsewhere. I also well remember the one and two lap flying starts - happy days! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyd Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 Wembley Lion if you went to Alperton High School on Ealing Road next to the station so did I. I was there between 1968 and 1972 After Wembley closed I went to Wimbledon when I could get a lift, but when I got a car I was off everywhere. 1970's a great time for speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 I first discovered Speedway in 70/71 when I lived in Wembley. My routine was much the same as you tonyd although my connection with Alperton was that I went to school there! I agree with cityrebel about the second halfs at Wembley as they were so much better than anything I ever saw elsewhere. I also well remember the one and two lap flying starts - happy days! They would have had to have been extra special to beat the Michanek v Curtis Tilehurst 2nd half races in the early 70`s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 They would have had to have been extra special to beat the Michanek v Curtis Tilehurst 2nd half races in the early 70`s.they were extra special, because they invited top riders like ronnie Moore to compete who weren't even riding in the main match! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WembleyLion Posted January 4, 2015 Report Share Posted January 4, 2015 (edited) Wembley Lion if you went to Alperton High School on Ealing Road next to the station so did I. I was there between 1968 and 1972 After Wembley closed I went to Wimbledon when I could get a lift, but when I got a car I was off everywhere. 1970's a great time for speedway. That is indeed where I went to school tonyd - 1971 to 1974 before moving up to Stanley Ave! Also started doing Wimbledon and Hackney in 1972 and now have visited 136 different tracks in total. Going to Speedway at Wembley certainly set me off on what has become a huge part of my life for 45 years! Edited January 4, 2015 by WembleyLion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hot Shoe Posted January 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2015 They would have had to have been extra special to beat the Michanek v Curtis Tilehurst 2nd half races in the early 70`s. they were extra special, because they invited top riders like ronnie Moore to compete who weren't even riding in the main match! As cityrebel said they were by far the best 2nd Half races anywhere at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midland Red Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 From some Wembley programmes: 1 Aug 1970 Wembley v Exeter Event 2 - Two lap dash match race (rolling start, record 33.4 secs) - Martin Ashby v Reidar Eide Event 4 - - do - - Ole Olsen v Ove Fundin 29 Aug 1970 Wembley v Wolverhampton Event 3 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Bert Harkins 5 Sep 1970 Wembley v Coventry Event 2 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Reidar Eide 9 Sep 1970 Wembley v Halifax Event 2 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Eric Boocock 26 Sep 1970 Wembley v Newcastle Event 2 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Ronnie Moore Sadly, I cannot provide any results, but clearly, after introducing the 2 lap dashes, it was decided to replace them with the one lap dash in (most) meeting second-halves in 1970 - and no-one appears to have lowered Freddie Williams' record Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The White Knight Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 From some Wembley programmes: 1 Aug 1970 Wembley v Exeter Event 2 - Two lap dash match race (rolling start, record 33.4 secs) - Martin Ashby v Reidar Eide Event 4 - - do - - Ole Olsen v Ove Fundin 29 Aug 1970 Wembley v Wolverhampton Event 3 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Bert Harkins 5 Sep 1970 Wembley v Coventry Event 2 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Reidar Eide 9 Sep 1970 Wembley v Halifax Event 2 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Eric Boocock 26 Sep 1970 Wembley v Newcastle Event 2 - "The Cinders" one lap flying start (record 17.0 secs, Freddie Williams, 45.48 mph) - Ronnie Moore Sadly, I cannot provide any results, but clearly, after introducing the 2 lap dashes, it was decided to replace them with the one lap dash in (most) meeting second-halves in 1970 - and no-one appears to have lowered Freddie Williams' record That's good - more than fitting that the Record will stand for all time. A tribute to a great Rider and double World Champion. :approve: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wealdstone Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Certainly do not recall any such races in the seventies, on the question of track records my memory is that times in in the original Wembley era were all in excess of 70 secs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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