Guest Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 (edited) Ray Cresp is the only Australian speedway motor cycling rider to compete in Formula 1 car racing. This was in December 1962 in South Africa driving a Cooper-Alfa Romeo. Contesting two Formula 1 GPs at Kyalam (won by Jim Clarke) and at Natal (won by Trevor Taylor). This race claimed the life of Rhodesian driver Gary Hocking in practice. Can any Poster give a recap on the several British speedway clubs Ray Cresp rode for? His first UK club was Wembley in 1956, a season in which he also had a column in SPEEDWY STAR. Edited May 2, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 Eastbourne (1956)Wembley (1956)Oxford (1957)Ipswich (1958, 1960-1962)Poole (1959)Norwich (1962)St Austell (1963)West Ham (1964)Long Eaton (1965, 1966) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 Ray Cresp is the only Australian speedway motor cycling rider to compete in Formula 1 car racing. This was in December 1962 in South Africa driving a Cooper-Alfa Romeo. Contesting two Formula 1 GPs at Kyalam (won by Jim Clarke) and at Natal (won by Trevor Taylor). This race claimed the life of Rhodesian driver Gary Hocking in practice. Can any Poster give a recap on the several British speedway clubs Ray Cresp rode for? His first UK club was Wembley in 1956, a season in which he also had a column in SPEEDWY STAR. While Ray Cresp may be the only Australian speedway rider to drive in F1, there was plenty of other speedway interest in these events. Doug Serrurier, Syd Van der Vyver, and Trevor Blokdyk all competed. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 3, 2017 Report Share Posted May 3, 2017 (edited) Speedway riders Les Moore (photo) and his better known son Ronnie also had spells racing big circuit-road race cars in the 1960s. Sadly, Les - who rode speedway for Cardiff in the early 1950s - died in a car racing accident. Edited May 3, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 3, 2017 Report Share Posted May 3, 2017 ::: Here's a record of Ray Cresp racing big circuit cars in South Africa in 1962. http://www.chicanef1.com/indiv.pl?name=Ray%20Cresp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted May 3, 2017 Report Share Posted May 3, 2017 I of course remember Ray very well-riding for Long Eaton-one of the NL guys who did well in the BL 1965. A very nice and unassuming gent- I hope he is still with us . I always recall he would put up a good show at Somerton-unlike I might add, some of the former NL heat leaders who just gave up on what I admit, was a tough track to ride. God bless 'im.!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 (edited) Ray Cresp in his 1960s days at Long Eaton. Edited May 4, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 When he rode for West Ham, Dave Lanning always prefixed his name with "Droll leathery faced slick gating Aussie...." whenever he wrote about him in the programme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
E I Addio Posted May 4, 2017 Report Share Posted May 4, 2017 Ray Cresp is the only Australian speedway motor cycling rider to compete in Formula 1 car racing. This was in December 1962 in South Africa driving a Cooper-Alfa Romeo. Contesting two Formula 1 GPs at Kyalam (won by Jim Clarke) and at Natal (won by Trevor Taylor). This race claimed the life of Rhodesian driver Gary Hocking in practice. Can any Poster give a recap on the several British speedway clubs Ray Cresp rode for? His first UK club was Wembley in 1956, a season in which he also had a column in SPEEDWY STAR. I didn't realise that was the same race in which Gary Hocking was killed. Gary was previously a top motor cycle racer. He took over the lead role in the mighty MV Augusta works team when John Surtees retired and repaid their confidence by winning the 1961 350cc and 500cc World Championships. He retired from motorcycle racing, claiming it was too dangerous after his friend Tom Phillis was killed in the 1962Isle of Man TT, only to be killed himself car racing six months later as the above post states. Tragic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billybikespeedway Posted May 5, 2017 Report Share Posted May 5, 2017 I remember Ray riding at Newport for Long Eaton, and seeing pics of him in 64 when he was with West Ham I often Wondered about the attachments he had on his handlebars,I seem to think they were some sort of shock absorber ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted May 6, 2017 Report Share Posted May 6, 2017 (edited) I think that Björn Knutson went on to compete in car racing when he retired from speedway but I’m not sure at what level. Edited May 6, 2017 by Split Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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