Sidney the robin Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Scott Autrey for me was my favourite ever American rider,a class rider and a great bloke.In 79 he made his stance against the Authorities and never entered the WC it i believe he could of been world champion that year.78/79 he had two great years and he had every chance in both he like a number of riders ie) Warren,Adams,Sigalos, were good anough to be world champion but it never quite happened for them.I had the pleasure of seeing Scott in 1980 not quite the force of old but was still a class act and i can remember he also was a popular team man ie) with Kilby,Gresh,Holloway.79 was his year he was superb and i would say Mauger was the only rider better than him around the County Ground but he also has his success against Ivan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Not so sure. My main memory of Scott Autrey in World Championships was surprisingly failing to get through European Championships where all but 4 qualified. I'm not convinced he had that extra edge to make him a World Champion, even if he did get a rostrum place on year. More a Phil Crump than an Ivan Mauger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Not so sure. My main memory of Scott Autrey in World Championships was surprisingly failing to get through European Championships where all but 4 qualified. I'm not convinced he had that extra edge to make him a World Champion, even if he did get a rostrum place on year. More a Phil Crump than an Ivan Mauger. Warren,Sigalos,Adams,Jessup(not a fan) Autrey,Carter, were riders i believe at certain stages of there career were good anough to be WC.Autrey also had the nightmare like Crump to have to ride in the ultra tough Usa/Australian rounds unforgiving a EF a fall out you go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Warren,Sigalos,Adams,Jessup(not a fan) Autrey,Carter, were riders i believe at certain stages of there career were good anough to be WC.Autrey also had the nightmare like Crump to have to ride in the ultra tough Usa/Australian rounds unforgiving a EF a fall out you go. Don't know much about Warren. Adams, Sigalos and Carter had it in them I believe. Never saw it in Jessup really. People talk about the 1978 final, but his EF was in his first ride so he had no pressure. When the pressure was on to get on the rostrum he lost out to Gordon Kennett and then Scott Autrey. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Don't know much about Warren. Adams, Sigalos and Carter had it in them I believe. Never saw it in Jessup really. People talk about the 1978 final, but his EF was in his first ride so he had no pressure. When the pressure was on to get on the rostrum he lost out to Gordon Kennett and then Scott Autrey.Jessup i was never a fan but in reality he had a better year than Lee in 1980 (Lee comeback from bad back injuries) and you could make a case he was unlucky with efs in World Finals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Jessup i was never a fan but in reality he had a better year than Lee in 1980 (Lee comeback from bad back injuries) and you could make a case he was unlucky with efs in World Finals.This.In a gp system would surely have been world champion in 1980, or even with just a shade more luck with the draw for the final. In 81 would surely have finished runner up to penhall but for 2 ef. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) This. In a gp system would surely have been world champion in 1980, or even with just a shade more luck with the draw for the final. In 81 would surely have finished runner up to penhall but for 2 ef. Would you name anybody else who could of been world champion? i think Jansson certainly would of been and i thought Crump if he had kept his Streety engine aside had chances in 1975/76. Edited May 9, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiheke1 Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Autrey could have been in 79. Probably not, but he would gave been one of half a dozen riders who could have won it. S moran obviously only a run off away. Kelly had the talent to have been but not the dedication.Lance king of course could have won it in 84. Sigalos certainly was good enough and but for injury could well have been a world champion. So many riders that "could have been" but for one stroke of bad luck or injury or one bad ride - jess up, carter,knudsen even les Collins. Whereas say Adams was a better rider than many who got close in the one offs, because to win under the gp system you need more than one good night. So while Adams may be one of the best not to have won it, I really don't think you can call him unlucky. Whereas Doyle could be considered unlucky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 No question-but for one fall Graham Warren would have done it-12 from 4 completed rides in 1950 I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 (edited) Autrey could have been in 79. Probably not, but he would gave been one of half a dozen riders who could have won it. S moran obviously only a run off away. Kelly had the talent to have been but not the dedication.Lance king of course could have won it in 84. Sigalos certainly was good enough and but for injury could well have been a world champion. So many riders that "could have been" but for one stroke of bad luck or injury or one bad ride - jess up, carter,knudsen even les Collins. Whereas say Adams was a better rider than many who got close in the one offs, because to win under the gp system you need more than one good night. So while Adams may be one of the best not to have won it, I really don't think you can call him unlucky. Whereas Doyle could be considered unlucky. Great post i know you liked Carter you see him at Hyde Rd his record in the BLRC is superb and other league visits.But you always maintained he had a great chance in 85!!!! i do to i dont think he was quite as good at Odsal than at the Shay but he could of won it in 85 no doubts about that. Edited May 9, 2017 by Sidney the robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 No question-but for one fall Graham Warren would have done it-12 from 4 completed rides in 1950 I think Don't take anything for granted. You'll recall that Jack Biggs had 12 points from four completed rides in the 1951 final only to finish last in his final race and then third behind Jack Young and Split Waterman in the run-off. I saw all three of them ride in the early 60's. Although like Graham Warren,they were by then all past their best they could produce the occasional magic performance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Good point Split Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keef robin Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 According to Briggo Martin Ashby should have been world champion. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Graham Warren certainly had the potential and may well have been World Champion eventually but for his serious injury. I think all through the different eras you can find riders who could have been World Champion but for injury, e/f, sheer unluck and so on or others who were good enough but just didn't make it, riders like Split Waterman for example. Though this is probably not so true in eras when there were outstanding riders who had a stranglehold on the title, e.g 1954-1967 when the Big Five ruled. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 A few more who were world class but never quite got it done : Tommy Knudsen, Billy Sanders, Malcolm Simmons, Chris Morton, Jan Andersson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lucifer sam Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Jessup i was never a fan but in reality he had a better year than Lee in 1980 (Lee comeback from bad back injuries) and you could make a case he was unlucky with efs in World Finals. Quick question: was DJ unlucky or was he poorly prepared? His engine failures potentially cost England two WTCs in '81 and '83. All the best Rob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted May 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Quick question: was DJ unlucky or was he poorly prepared? His engine failures potentially cost England two WTCs in '81 and '83. All the best Rob[/quote, ask Mike Lee because over a period Lee helped Jessup bigtime certainly in his Kings Lynn career.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted May 9, 2017 Report Share Posted May 9, 2017 Arguably the unluckiest rider never to win the World Championship was Cordy Milne. Hot favourite to win the 1939 championship and leading on bonus points, the final was cancelled just four days before it was due to take place owing to the outbreak of War. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted May 10, 2017 Report Share Posted May 10, 2017 Scott would have definitely been a contender in 1979...he was very much the man in form that year. As regards Dave Jessup? According to Malcolm Simmons the infamous engine failure during one World Final was down to the fact that Dave had drilled so many holes in a jubilee clip that it eventually fell apart causing him to pull up in a vital race! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2017 Report Share Posted May 10, 2017 (edited) Arguably the unluckiest rider never to win the World Championship was Cordy Milne. Hot favourite to win the 1939 championship and leading on bonus points, the final was cancelled just four days before it was due to take place owing to the outbreak of War. The 'unlucky' Cordy Milne. A speedway 'all time great.' This is his tribute in the AMA Hall of Fame: http://www.motorcyclemuseum.org/halloffame/detail.aspx?RacerID=232 Edited May 10, 2017 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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