steve roberts Posted October 15, 2023 Report Share Posted October 15, 2023 3 hours ago, frigbo said: As he didn't prioritise it, Simon Wigg never reached the individual heights in speedway that his early years promised. His priorties were Grasstrack and Longtrack....should have achieved more in speedway (altough his record was impressive) if he had applied more in my opinion. I saw him during his hey-day riding for the "Cheetahs" and he proved to be both inspirational and frustrating at times. Hans always said that Wiggy was forever tinkering with his bikes even when they were going well which cost him points. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted October 15, 2023 Report Share Posted October 15, 2023 (edited) Given that the OP asked for those who could have been greats if they had committed to ride in Britain, I'll throw in Chris Watson who confined himself more to other motor cycle disciplines back in Aussie. In more recent times Rune Holta reached 4th in the World afaik, but could he have took it a stage further with UK experience? Edited October 15, 2023 by salty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2023 55 minutes ago, salty said: Given that the OP asked for those who could have been greats if they had committed to ride in Britain, I'll throw in Chris Watson who confined himself more to other motor cycle disciplines back in Aussie. In more recent times Rune Holta reached 4th in the World afaik, but could he have took it a stage further with UK experience? I'd thought about Holta, but good call with Chris Watson. I was just thinking that this thread had developed into a discussion about DJ, and how he could have been a force... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted October 15, 2023 Report Share Posted October 15, 2023 3 hours ago, salty said: Given that the OP asked for those who could have been greats if they had committed to ride in Britain, I'll throw in Chris Watson who confined himself more to other motor cycle disciplines back in Aussie. In more recent times Rune Holta reached 4th in the World afaik, but could he have took it a stage further with UK experience? Tommy Nilsson might well be another.. Or Mikael Blixt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 15, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2023 36 minutes ago, frigbo said: Tommy Nilsson might well be another.. Or Mikael Blixt I always wondered why Blixt never fulfilled his early promise, but I'm pleased you mentioned Nilsson. I just checked, and didn't realize he was only 17 when he rode for Hackney. He had a great first year, and had he stuck around for a bit longer, who knows? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iris123 Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 I think Egon made so much money on the Continent with little of the hassle that came with British speedway, it wasn't worth it for him . And then he had the side show of his singing career and concerts. Which he usually put on as part of the long track weekend as well . Where it was and to some extent still is a weekend event with people camping out at the track 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longlivefrankie Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 Torbjorn Harrysson, if nor for the crash in the 1969 World Final? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 Dag Lovaas. He was so good but seemed to just lose interest and retired at the end of 1976. He was almost unbeatable in the wet. If he'd been in the 1977 World Final he might well have won it with conditions how they were. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatface Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 14 hours ago, chunky said: I'd thought about Holta, but good call with Chris Watson. I was just thinking that this thread had developed into a discussion about DJ, and how he could have been a force... 12 hours ago, frigbo said: Tommy Nilsson might well be another.. Or Mikael Blixt Yep. I think you guys are right. It's less about those who didn't quite win the big ones and more those, who never really 100% went for it, despite their obvious ability. Staying with Swedes, I'd pick out Erik Stenlund. Obviously a highly accomplished motorcyclist, winning the World Ice Speedway in Moscow is some achievement, plus also good enough to finish 4th in the World Long Track and be Swedish Champion in speedway. If he'd focussed purely on speedway and came to Britain for more than just some cameo appearances, he could have been a real force. I would have liked to have seen plenty more of this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnBBUn3pbf4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 2 hours ago, Grachan said: Dag Lovaas. He was so good but seemed to just lose interest and retired at the end of 1976. He was almost unbeatable in the wet. If he'd been in the 1977 World Final he might well have won it with conditions how they were. Well, he came to the UK when he was 19, and stayed for 7 years, so I'm not sure he is a suitable answer to the original question... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grachan Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 1 hour ago, chunky said: Well, he came to the UK when he was 19, and stayed for 7 years, so I'm not sure he is a suitable answer to the original question... Having re-read the original question, you could have a point. But, in my defence, it was a better answer than Dave Jessup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 1 hour ago, Grachan said: Having re-read the original question, you could have a point. But, in my defence, it was a better answer than Dave Jessup. I agree with you there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 4 hours ago, Grachan said: Dag Lovaas. He was so good but seemed to just lose interest and retired at the end of 1976. He was almost unbeatable in the wet. If he'd been in the 1977 World Final he might well have won it with conditions how they were. Remember Dag's sublime 15 point maximum in absymal conditions during Mike Keen's Testimonial Meeting at Swindon in 1976. Dag achieved his desired move to Cowley in 1975 and then had it taken from him due to the enforced move of the "Rebels" to Wood Lane where he never really settled. He remained faithful to the JAP engine which didn't really suit the wide open spaces at White City. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deano Posted October 16, 2023 Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 21 hours ago, chunky said: I'd thought about Holta, but good call with Chris Watson. I was just thinking that this thread had developed into a discussion about DJ, and how he could have been a force... Sorry just went along with the thread title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted October 16, 2023 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2023 34 minutes ago, Deano said: Sorry just went along with the thread title. Thing is, I know he never won a World Title (individual, anyway), but i just feel it's a bit of a stretch claiming that he wasn't a "major force". I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted October 22, 2023 Report Share Posted October 22, 2023 Riders who excelled at long track have been mentioned in previous posts and one of these was Finnish rider, Timo Laine. As far as I can see, he never rode for a British speedway team but I seem to remember him riding at New Cross in a Speedway Internationale qualifying round in the early 60's - Norbold can probably confirm that. Laine won the gold medal at the European Longtrack Championship in the 1961 Individual Long Track European Championship. In addition, he won the Nordic Longtrack Championship three times (1964, 1965, 1966) and the Finish Longtrack Championship seven times (1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1972). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted October 22, 2023 Report Share Posted October 22, 2023 (edited) P.S. I subsequently found this on a previous thread about the history of the Internationale, confirming that qualifying rounds were indeed held when the event was first held in 1961: "The New Cross meeting was a poor one for Timo Laine of Finland. Previous to the round at New Cross, he had been racing in Holland and somewhere along the way his bikes went missing and he had to ride on borrowed equipment - I think he used a bike belonging to Jim Chalkley (but not certain about that)." Edited October 22, 2023 by Split Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
norbold Posted October 22, 2023 Report Share Posted October 22, 2023 1 hour ago, Split said: Riders who excelled at long track have been mentioned in previous posts and one of these was Finnish rider, Timo Laine. As far as I can see, he never rode for a British speedway team but I seem to remember him riding at New Cross in a Speedway Internationale qualifying round in the early 60's - Norbold can probably confirm that. Yes, I certainly can. I was at the meeting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebv Posted October 26, 2023 Report Share Posted October 26, 2023 Wieslaw Jagus.. Rode for several years at the very top echelons of Poland's averages in Div 1.. Yet, never really made the transition to Global level.. Kolodziej, a simlar story I would say.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OveFundinFan Posted October 26, 2023 Report Share Posted October 26, 2023 3 hours ago, mikebv said: Wieslaw Jagus.. Rode for several years at the very top echelons of Poland's averages in Div 1.. Yet, never really made the transition to Global level.. Kolodziej, a simlar story I would say.. I like Jan Kolodzeij style, about the right size for a speedway rider too. He is fast, a good gater, but too cautious. Bit like Artem Laguta and to a lesser extent, Leon Madsen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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