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Golden Helmet Mystery


iris123

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Jansson beat Jessup 2.1 (he had a ef) in the helmet then went on to score 15 points and win the Marlboro Southern Championship.His last meeting as mentioned was at Halifax i can remember being at school and hearing about his death a real shock it was even in the national papers.

I was getting ready to go to school that Friday morning, when the papers were delivered. I picked up the Mirror, and saw the headline on the front page - "Speed Star Killed". It was all over the back page. I will never forget that day...

Tommy did win in 1975.In 1976 Martin Ashby won.Both managed to go thrugh the meeting unbeaten.I think it was a good way to finish that sad season with Martin winning seeing as he was almost a Wimbledon rider the amount of meetings he did for us after Tommys tragic death

I was at the Laurels that night; it was the last time I saw Tommy. I didn't go to Plough Lane at all in early '76, and my first meeting back was the challenge against Swindon the week after the tragedy. I know some people drifted away from speedway as a result of losing Tommy, but it actually got me going again. Not sure why, but it could have been the fact that I was devastated at not having seen him since the previous season, and felt guilty and/or disloyal.

 

Steve

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I was getting ready to go to school that Friday morning, when the papers were delivered. I picked up the Mirror, and saw the headline on the front page - "Speed Star Killed". It was all over the back page. I will never forget that day...

I was at the Laurels that night; it was the last time I saw Tommy. I didn't go to Plough Lane at all in early '76, and my first meeting back was the challenge against Swindon the week after the tragedy. I know some people drifted away from speedway as a result of losing Tommy, but it actually got me going again. Not sure why, but it could have been the fact that I was devastated at not having seen him since the previous season, and felt guilty and/or disloyal.

 

Steve

I attended the opening meeting at White City in 1976 and saw Tommy ride in two tremendous races with Gordon Kennett. Livened up what was a rather mediocre meeting but in hindsight rather poignant.

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I prefered the monthly nominated best of 3 at each riders home track plus a decider on a neutral track if needed I saw a Decider in 65 at Newport between Barry Briggs and Charlie Monk , they got rides in the second half as well, Because the Golden Helmet was before the match, as far as I can remember it was Briggs 2-0

I think I must have been Dreaming or in a parallel world cos Briggs and monk never rode a golden helmet race at Newport ( old age don't come on its own )

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Am sure I read somewhere that Ivor was sadly never the same rider after that clash.

 

Ivor Brown was the rider that Ivan Mauger later admitted he had a hatred for during their clashes in the old Provincial League.

 

Cant remember what year I first saw the Golden Helmet races at Hyde Road, maybe late fifties when I was 12-13 but defo remember those in the 60's, especially Craven v Fundin, and what cracking races they were. Two completely different riding styles, yet so much trust between them to be able to ride so close at the speeds they were doing. Amazing.

 

One such challenge involving the two aforementioned riders took place at Cowley in 1963 (deciding leg?) in which Peter recorded a race time of 63 seconds which remained the track record until, I believe, 1973 when the track was shortened (354 yards to 350 yards)

Edited by steve roberts
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