TonyMac Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 In issue 105 of Backtrack we'll be looking back at riders from the 70s and 80s who quit early at a relatively young age, for reasons not directly related to serious injury, in 'They Retired Too Soon'. Which riders would YOU include in this bracket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 For me Bruce Penhall. Speedway was a big loser when he retired. We could do with a few more like him these days. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arnieg Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 (edited) Dag Lovaas was only 25 during his final British season (1976), having reached the world final in 1974 and won the league with a 10pt+ average in 1973 riding for Reading. He also averaged over 10 for Hackney (74) and Oxford (75). I believe his retirement was complete and he did not ride domestically after leaving British speedway. Edited July 7, 2021 by arnieg 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted July 7, 2021 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 49 minutes ago, arnieg said: Dag Lovaas was only 25 during his final British season (1976), having reached the world final in 1974 and won the league with a 10pt+ average in 1973 riding for Reading. He also averaged over 10 for Hackney (74) and Oxford (75). I believe his retirement was complete and he did not ride domestically after leaving British speedway. As Dag told Backtrack many years ago, he lost his nerve after a series of nasty crashes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Penhall the obvious one as is the aforementioned Dag. In terms of his English career what about Ulf Lovaas? Others to consider....Jim Airey (again in terms of his British career), Dave Shields, Wayne Brown, David Biles, Dave Tyler. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehone Posted July 7, 2021 Report Share Posted July 7, 2021 Scott Autrey 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 (edited) Bjorn Knutsson of Sweden who became World Champion in 1965 and retired in 1966 I believe? Brian Crutcher another candidate who retired while still in his twenties. Edited July 8, 2021 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 11 hours ago, salty said: Penhall the obvious one as is the aforementioned Dag. In terms of his English career what about Ulf Lovaas? Others to consider....Jim Airey (again in terms of his British career), Dave Shields, Wayne Brown, David Biles, Dave Tyler. All these salty are spot on Airey said he retired from British speedway because he knew after 1971 that he he would never become world champion.Dag I believe was like the great Shawn Moran just lost his nerve tried everything to get it back but nature took over.Shields and Brown (RIP ) we’re both terrific talents such a shame we couldn’t get to see how far they could of got in the sport.A great disappointment of mine was Scott Autrey wanted him to comeback so much in 1984 for the falcons to redeem himself. At Poole he still showed he had real class and what a rider he was at the County ground awesome. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 2 hours ago, steve roberts said: Bjorn Knutsson of Sweden who became World Champion in 1965 and retired in 1966 I believe? Brian Crutcher another candidate who retired while still in his twenties. Just realised that my two examples are outside the remit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 Two more who left British Speedway too early? Kristian Praestbro and Phil Collins. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heathen52 Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 Jan Simensen, think if he had stayed at Cradley would have gone further in British Speedway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepturningleft Posted July 8, 2021 Report Share Posted July 8, 2021 Greg Hancock!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityrebel Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 Karl Fiala and Kevin Smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
secondbend Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 What about Andrew Silver, Neil Evitts, Andy Campbell, Ian Cartwright Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, secondbend said: What about Andrew Silver, Neil Evitts, Andy Campbell, Ian Cartwright I've spoken to Ian Cartwright on a number of occasions when visiing "Mouseman" at Kilburn and the intention was always that he would eventually take over the family business after he achieved what he hoped for in speedway. His father was also a keen motorcyclist and of course Ian's son rode before also entering the family business. "Mad" Malcolm Ballard? Attained a high average on his initial season at Arlington and bettered it on his second. Achieved a decent average at Oxford in 1973 when moving up a league but after asking for a transfer he moved to Poole and then quickly on to Leicester in 1974 and retired well before the season ended. Edited July 9, 2021 by steve roberts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 On 7/7/2021 at 4:09 PM, arnieg said: Dag Lovaas was only 25 during his final British season (1976), having reached the world final in 1974 and won the league with a 10pt+ average in 1973 riding for Reading. He also averaged over 10 for Hackney (74) and Oxford (75). I believe his retirement was complete and he did not ride domestically after leaving British speedway. Dag was brilliant. So classy. He was virtually unbeatable in the wet. I always felt that if he'd rode in 1977 and reached the rain-soaked World Final he would have won it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Grachan said: Dag was brilliant. So classy. He was virtually unbeatable in the wet. I always felt that if he'd rode in 1977 and reached the rain-soaked World Final he would have won it. Dag was one of my favourites...recall his sublime 15 point maximum in the wet during Mike Keen's Testimonial Meeting. So glad Olsen never made it to Oxford and we got Dag instead! Such a shame his move to White City didn't really work out but he still registered a near 8 point average. Edited July 9, 2021 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 4 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Dag was one of my favourites...recall his sublime 15 point maximum in the wet during Mike Keen's Testimonial Meeting. So glad Olsen never made it to Oxford and we got Dag instead! Such a shame his move to White City didn't really work out but he still registered a near 8 point average. I nearly mentioned the maximum in Mike Keen's Testimonial. I remember Mike Keen going onto the second bend with a hosepipe and watering the track in the midst of a rain storm! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sidney the robin Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 3 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Dag was one of my favourites...recall his sublime 15 point maximum in the wet during Mike Keen's Testimonial Meeting. So glad Olsen never made it to Oxford and we got Dag instead! Such a shame his move to White City didn't really work out but he still registered a near 8 point average. I remember the Keen meeting well Steve how that meeting was staged god knows it rained all day.Remember going to Wembley in 1974 for the European Final Dag had a bad fall in his fourth ride but won his last ride to qualify on seven points.Remember the meeting mainly because Terry Betts qualified for his only one world final unbelievable really a class act.Going back to Dag he was terrific for the Hawks had a shot at the Golden helmet which was no mean feat also his days at Reading with Michanek, Curtis( RIP) were great days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted July 9, 2021 Report Share Posted July 9, 2021 7 minutes ago, Sidney the robin said: I remember the Keen meeting well Steve how that meeting was staged god knows it rained all day.Remember going to Wembley in 1974 for the European Final Dag had a bad fall in his fourth ride but won his last ride to qualify on seven points.Remember the meeting mainly because Terry Betts qualified for his only one world final unbelievable really a class act.Going back to Dag he was terrific for the Hawks had a shot at the Golden helmet which was no mean feat also his days at Reading with Michanek, Curtis( RIP) were great days. Great memories Sid! Quite incredible that Terry only made one World Final but of course the British Final was a difficult hurdle in those days especially when the Aussies and Kiwis were also included! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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