waiheke1 Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I agree with your point, but in 81 most would have stil rated hans and eric ahead of knudsen. But equally many would have tipped carter to be world champ before any of the danes. tatum I dont think was ever really considered a future world champ, and the same could be said of handberg, louis and arguably even king. but go back 5 years, who would have tipped tai to become world champ before emil and darcy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 I agree with your point, but in 81 most would have stil rated hans and eric ahead of knudsen. But equally many would have tipped carter to be world champ before any of the danes. Hans, certainly. The guy looked like a future World Champion from the moment he arrived, and it seemed to take an eternity for him to actually achieve that. People were, at one time, thinking of him as one of the best riders never to win a world title before he finally achieved it. Erik, for me, kind of snuck in there a bit unexepected just as it seemed like Hans' time had arrived. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Not sure I agree grachan. Up to 80 hans was clearly ahead. but eric was far better than hans in 81 and arguably 82 as well. 83 hans probably regained the lead, and was certainly one of the favourites for that final. But eric won the blrc that year, and you had to be quality to do that - id day they were the top two riders in the world. 84 the favourite was prob Shaun moran followed by hans then eric. a long winded way of me saying I think both were picked as potential future world champs, though I doubt anyone foresaw how dominant they woulf be, albeit helped by thelloss to the sport of penhall sigalos lee carter and the lifestyle choices of the morans. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Not sure I agree grachan. Up to 80 hans was clearly ahead. but eric was far better than hans in 81 and arguably 82 as well. 83 hans probably regained the lead, and was certainly one of the favourites for that final. But eric won the blrc that year, and you had to be quality to do that - id day they were the top two riders in the world. 84 the favourite was prob Shaun moran followed by hans then eric. a long winded way of me saying I think both were picked as potential future world champs, though I doubt anyone foresaw how dominant they woulf be, albeit helped by thelloss to the sport of penhall sigalos lee carter and the lifestyle choices of the morans. Maybe I overlooked and under estimated Erik slightly in his early career then, but that's how it seemed to me. When Erik became World Champion first time it was a surprise to me as it really seemed to be Hans' time in 1984. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g13webb Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 When you start talking about all-time GREATS, I think we need a starting point of qualification of those riders who have won the WORLD CROWN at least a min of 3 occasions. This would eliminate quite a few GOOD riders. It is not my intention to rubbish the achievements of riders like Lee, Collins, Muller, Loram etc. but when considering the mantel of 'All time Greats', It is my opinion you need to have been successful over a longer period of time........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BWitcher Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Where does Buzz Burrows fit in? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Where does Buzz Burrows fit in? He has to be in the top three. All the best Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillipsr Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Where does Buzz Burrows fit in? The most natrually talented rider to ever put on leathers. He would of won at least 15 world titles if he wasnt riding a lawnmower 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 The most natrually talented rider to ever put on leathers. He would of won at least 15 world titles if he wasnt riding a lawnmower ....and towing a caravan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 18, 2015 Report Share Posted February 18, 2015 Maybe I overlooked and under estimated Erik slightly in his early career then, but that's how it seemed to me. When Erik became World Champion first time it was a surprise to me as it really seemed to be Hans' time in 1984.I'd also add that my view is perhaps somewhat colored by watching mostly at hyde rd, where eric was the most feared visiting rider (bar kc). Hans really only became dominant around hyde rd a little later, around the time he waa dominant on each and every track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 This thread has veered wildly off course. It's a while since anyone commented on Greg Hancock!. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 When you start talking about all-time GREATS, I think we need a starting point of qualification of those riders who have won the WORLD CROWN at least a min of 3 occasions. This would eliminate quite a few GOOD riders. It is not my intention to rubbish the achievements of riders like Lee, Collins, Muller, Loram etc. but when considering the mantel of 'All time Greats', It is my opinion you need to have been successful over a longer period of time........ can u categorically state that hancock, pedersen and gundersen were better/greater thsn moore, craven, penhall and collins? I certainly don't think it's clear cut, and think the term "all time great" certainly applies to more than the ten riders you are trying to iimit it to.Conversely, if you are talking about "THE greatEST" then I would actually limit discussion to the five riders who have won 4+ titles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratton Posted February 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 can u categorically state that hancock, pedersen and gundersen were better/greater thsn moore, craven, penhall and collins? I certainly don't think it's clear cut, and think the term "all time great" certainly applies to more than the ten riders you are trying to iimit it to.Conversely, if you are talking about "THE greatEST" then I would actually limit discussion to the five riders who have won 4+ titles.[/quoteI I would say that riders like Olsen, Moore, Craven were all time greats never won the tiltles as they should of but were awesome riders.Collins was a great rider i would say on par with A PEAK Lee level me devils Collins was a beast at Hyde rd a great rider.Nielsen/Gundo were greats and there period was great until i suppose until Erik's crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tocha Posted March 2, 2015 Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 As with so many things our opinions differ. To me Greg represents everything that is good about our sport. Fantastic Ambassador, genuinely nice person and a terrific Sportsman. By far. the best gater in the world, a talented World Class riders who always puts bum on seats wherever he rides. Some of his victories at Cardiff have been unreal. Truly a top world class rider. Now if you cant appreciate that, then I suggest you cant appreciate anything..... Best you go and watch that paint dry....... I echo all you have said. And, as for paint, I have just applied emulsion to my bathroom in a Dulux colour 'Timeless.' How appropriate! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted March 12, 2015 Report Share Posted March 12, 2015 This thread has veered wildly off course. It's a while since anyone commented on Greg Hancock!. The Champion you've never heard of http://www.roadandtrack.com/motorsports/features/a25233/the-american-world-champion-youve-never-heard-of/ A report on the friendlieness and skill that Hancock has.Not quite sure about the bit where England is one of the disputed places where speedway started,but otherwise a good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Strangely, in my opinion, I am still reading anti-Hancock posts on the forum. The man is 45 years old!, still racing at the top level of World speedway and is a 3-time World Champion. What more do people want?. The only man currently riding who matches Greg, again in my opinion is Nicki Pedersen. I don't know if Nicki will still be racing GP's at the age of 45, and if so how many world titles he will have won. However, Greg seems to be a really nice person and a real gentleman. A credit to speedway in other words. Nicki?. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phillipsr Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 All of those things are true and i havent seen anyone disagree that he seems a nice bloke great ambassador etc but imo he is boring to watch. Id much rather watch Nicki ride than i would Greg its that simple for me. I think people will appreciate just what Nicki brings to the GPs when he isnt there. They will be alot poorer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
customhouseregular Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 I used to find Ivan Mauger boring to watch and some people have compared him to Greg. I can't see the similarity personally. Nicki is a character and Lord knows the sport needs characters. He may be more exciting than Greg but is he a better rider?. Greg's GP record would suggest not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 Strangely, in my opinion, I am still reading anti-Hancock posts on the forum. The man is 45 years old!, still racing at the top level of World speedway and is a 3-time World Champion. What more do people want?. The only man currently riding who matches Greg, again in my opinion is Nicki Pedersen. I don't know if Nicki will still be racing GP's at the age of 45, and if so how many world titles he will have won. However, Greg seems to be a really nice person and a real gentleman. A credit to speedway in other words. Nicki?. I don't disagree with you about Greg. But he's utterly boring. A question, there are two speedway tracks next door to each other, one had 4 Nicki Pedersens in a race, one has 4 Greg Hancocks in the race. You can only watch on of them, which will you pick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nw42 Posted May 25, 2015 Report Share Posted May 25, 2015 I used to find Ivan Mauger boring to watch and some people have compared him to Greg. I can't see the similarity personally. Nicki is a character and Lord knows the sport needs characters. He may be more exciting than Greg but is he a better rider?. Greg's GP record would suggest not. It's possibly my comment in another thread you are referring to, it was meant as a defence of Greg in response to some fool having a dig at him. I used the example of Ivan because is at the very top table in terms of the history of the sport, yet like you I never felt the thrill when watching him ride, he was such a perfectionist and was seldom beaten from the gate. Greg displays the same traits in terms of his dedication to succeeding but he also possesses that Californian charisma that most of us speedway followers have grown to love since the mid 70's. When Greg was paired up with Billy H they produced plenty of exciting racing and were great to watch in full flight, just think how long it is since we saw those 2 blasting round Brandon, yet Greg is still doing the business, fair play to him. I hope he can keep injury free and enjoy his riding, he's a good World Champion and seems a thoroughly decent bloke. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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