Terry Betts vs Malcolm Simmons

[Chadster]

23 hours ago, E I Addio said:

I took the information from Malcolm Simmons himself when interviewed on his DVD . I can only presume he was talking about the period when Terry became the regular No1.

Must be the case. I seem to recall reading in Backtrack that Betts said his own career improved after Colin Pratt was forced to retire and he then helped Betts to improve his engines and certainly the figures show that from about 1971 his average really took off.

[Sidney the robin]

Both great riders loved Betts great rider gutsy, Classy. approachable for the fans he  also  helped Mike Lee along the road to but did love Simmo at Poole.

Edited December 20, 2021 by Sidney the robin

[E I Addio]

1 hour ago, Chadster said:

Must be the case. I seem to recall reading in Backtrack that Betts said his own career improved after Colin Pratt was forced to retire and he then helped Betts to improve his engines and certainly the figures show that from about 1971 his average really took off.

Yes I read some thing similar but I think it might have been in Classic Speedway . I remember him saying how meticulous Prattie was when he was with Hackney and lived near Betsy . He totally stripped and rebuIlt his clutch before every home meeting and always got to Hackney early so he could make sure Len Silver prepared it the way he wanted it with a good line round the inside.

Colin Pratt is another one that like Bob Kirby I don’t know why he didn’t to better at the highest level. He was certainly one of the great talents of .the era.

[Chadster]

21 hours ago, E I Addio said:

 

Colin Pratt is another one that like Bob Kirby I don’t know why he didn’t to better at the highest level. He was certainly one of the great talents of .the era.

Agree. His record in the first 4 seasons of the BL was top class and he reached the World Final in 1967. However he dropped about 2 points on his average in 1969 and was at about a similar standard when he went to Cradley in 1970. Sadly, Lokeren meant that we never found out if he could ride himself out of this dip in form.

[Garry1603]

I think that there's no doubt that Simmo was the better rider (certainly in individual meetings) but Betts was the better team man. I think given the choice, if I were a promoter, I'd rather have had the latter.

[Midland Red]

Agree that Simmo was the better rider, but always thought that Bettsy was a better watch

[GavinCaney]

While I never saw either ride, my grandad always said Betts was the No.1

Judging by what the great man said himself recently about his rivalry with Simmo, he agrees - even if he concedes his rival and mate has much more natural talent than he did.

I wish I'd have been around during the golden era