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Best Visiting Rider At Your Track


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Mirac you would have to say was thrown into a higher standard than Lee was he was some rider.In my lifetime Lee/Ward are the most talented younger riders i ever saw ride Screen and Loram would get a mention to.

Arthur Forrest was 17 when he completed his first season for Halifax in Division 3 of the National League with a league average of 9.06 in 1949. The following season he moved into Division 2 and upped his average to 11.00.

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Arthur Forrest was 17 when he completed his first season for Halifax in Division 3 of the National League with a league average of 9.06 in 1949. The following season he moved into Division 2 and upped his average to 11.00.

E.Boocock when he moved up in 65 was it? was he just a six pointer then? he really improved at a fast rate.
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E.Boocock when he moved up in 65 was it? was he just a six pointer then? he really improved at a fast rate.

Eric averaged 8.50 in the Provincial League for Middlesbrough in 1963 and 1964. When the British League was formed in 1965 he was one of the big success stories, increasing his league average to 9.44.

 

I almost overlooked the achievement of Brian Crutcher, who was 16 when he joined Poole in 1951 and averaged 9.52 in the National League Division 3. He reached the World Final the following year.

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Eric averaged 8.50 in the Provincial League for Middlesbrough in 1963 and 1964. When the British League was formed in 1965 he was one of the big success stories, increasing his league average to 9.44.

 

I almost overlooked the achievement of Brian Crutcher, who was 16 when he joined Poole in 1951 and averaged 9.52 in the National League Division 3. He reached the World Final the following year.

Charlie Monk was a an interesting rider for me a top boy in mid sixties won the Wills International was it? unluckily never reached a world final.Never ever see him ride but my uncle really rated him how good was Billy Bales BL.?
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Before 1983, Hackney was no less safe than, for example, Leicester, Coventry, Sheffield, Swindon, Wolverhampton (albeit a slower track).

 

And it was no more dangerous than those track with solid fences, especially the faster ones - inc Exeter, Halifax, King's Lynn, Belle Vue (where there was more space to take evasive action).

 

And then there was Bristol and Newport...

 

The collapsible fences at Wimbledon and Ipswich looked safest, generally speaking.

The fatality records of Hackney and King's Lynn would suggest they were more dangerous than most. Edited by frigbo
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Charlie Monk was a an interesting rider for me a top boy in mid sixties won the Wills International was it? unluckily never reached a world final.Never ever see him ride but my uncle really rated him how good was Billy Bales BL.?

Charlie was certainly at his best in the mid 1960s and fully deserved his Internationale win, scoring 13, being beaten only by Gote Nordin and Barry Briggs. Barry had machine problems and failed to score in his first two rides before ending with three race wins. A remarkable feature of Charlie's win at Wimbledon on the evening of 7th June was that he had ridden for Glasgow at Exeter earlier the same day, scoring 14 points. It must have been a hectic 175 mile journey from the County Ground to Plough Lane in those pre-motorway days.

 

Billy Bales was 18 when he joined Yarmouth and was an instant success, averaging a fraction under 7 in his first league season in Division 3 in 1948. In 1949 he sensationally upped his average to 10.60. After moving to Norwich he continued to be a consistent heat leader, generally providing good support to Aub Lawson and Ove Fundin.

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Have been doing my research pictures (ect) memorabilia on about 100 riders to be going along with.Have picked out five that i have started with Gooch,Harrfeldt, Forrest,Roccio,Bradshaw (West Ham RIP).Roccio, Forrest(who i would loved to have seen) Bradshaw are three of those that i never see ride be great to here everyones respected views.😀

Edited by Sidney the robin
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Have been doing my research pictures (ect) memorabilia on about 100 riders to be going along with.Have picked out five that i have started with Gooch,Harrfeldt, Forrest,Roccio,Bradshaw (West Ham RIP).Roccio, Forrest(who i would loved to have seen) Bradshaw are three of those that i never see ride be great to here everyones respected views.

I remember seeing a dreadful crash involving Sverre Harrfeldt on the first bend at Wolverhampton in the 1966 Champion of Champions Trophy. In the aftermath of a collision, which I think involved at least three riders, Sverre's course took him into and over the fence, reaching a considerable height before bouncing off the wheel of the tractor as he came back to earth. I haven't checked my programme, but I believe that he won the re-run!

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I remember seeing a dreadful crash involving Sverre Harrfeldt on the first bend at Wolverhampton in the 1966 Champion of Champions Trophy. In the aftermath of a collision, which I think involved at least three riders, Sverre's course took him into and over the fence, reaching a considerable height before bouncing off the wheel of the tractor as he came back to earth. I haven't checked my programme, but I believe that he won the re-run!

He was a top Notcher BL so unlucky with injury Sverre and Knutsson are two who often get forgotten both great riders.
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Ronnie Moore was 17 when he completed his first season in the top division of the National League with an average of 7.23. He improved on this to achieve 9.95 in 1951 and 11.27 in 1952.

 

Lee's league average in his first season, in the lower league, was 9.13. In his second and third seasons, in the British League, he achieved 7.53 and 10.64.

BL i thought Lee averaged 7.43 for Lynn in his double up year in 75 with Boston then averaged 9.43 as a fulltime Star aged 17 in 1976.

Not forgotten by us West Ham fans, Sidney!

And Stanley Stevens beat Sir Briggo😀 Edited by Sidney the robin
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Now if we were talking about a thread titled 'Visiting Rider Who Hated Your Track', I'd have no hesitation in nominating Bobby Schwartz at Hackney

 

Exeter must have a lengthy list

 

edit

I seem to remember Martin Goodwin saying in an interview that he didn't much like Peterborough but every time I saw him there he was Mr Excitement

Edited by Triple.H.
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Did super Simmo have a thing about riding Exeter, he had some good meetings there but did not ride there to often sometimes a absentee.

Simmo was good round Exeter when I saw him even beating mauger,but I'm sure it was Bristol and possibly Newport he hated but I think he got a maximum at eastville one night for poole

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Simmo was good round Exeter when I saw him even beating mauger,but I'm sure it was Bristol and possibly Newport he hated but I think he got a maximum at eastville one night for poole

He scored well at Exeter,Bristol,and Newport keep meaning to get his book a great rider sure i heard him say he hated that steel fence at Exeter.?
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He scored well at Exeter,Bristol,and Newport keep meaning to get his book a great rider sure i heard him say he hated that steel fence at Exeter.?

 

Like most visiting riders, Simmo admitted he had a phobia about Exeter, but he conquered that fear when he joined Poole and had very good meetings there for the Pirates.

 

He did hate Bristol and Newport.

 

His book sold out in paperback many years ago but we updated and extended it last year and it can be bought and downloaded from Amazon for just £4.99 if you are a Kindle user...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SIMMO-Whole-Truth-Malcolm-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0149H2FSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466884522&sr=8-1&keywords=Simmo%3A+The+Whole+Truth

Edited by tmc
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Like most visiting riders, Simmo admitted he had a phobia about Exeter, but he conquered that fear when he joined Poole and had very good meetings there for the Pirates.

 

He did hate Bristol and Newport.

 

His book sold out in paperback many years ago but we updated and extended it last year and it can be bought and downloaded from Amazon for just £4.99 if you are a Kindle user...

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/SIMMO-Whole-Truth-Malcolm-Simmons-ebook/dp/B0149H2FSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466884522&sr=8-1&keywords=Simmo%3A+The+Whole+Truth

Thanks TM thought i was going mad i thought i could remember him saying it was a scary track.Endless others have said that too took some guts to ride the County Ground i loved the place do miss going there.
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I remember seeing a dreadful crash involving Sverre Harrfeldt on the first bend at Wolverhampton in the 1966 Champion of Champions Trophy. In the aftermath of a collision, which I think involved at least three riders, Sverre's course took him into and over the fence, reaching a considerable height before bouncing off the wheel of the tractor as he came back to earth. I haven't checked my programme, but I believe that he won the re-run!

if my memory is right the crash was caused by Olle Nygren who was excluded and leant Sverre his bike for the re-run and think your right about him winning the race, hopefully your programme can confirm
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