|
Post by administrator on Jul 18, 2011 13:41:35 GMT 1
Re: Speedway bikes v midgets By BRYAN TUNGATE
In 1957 at the Firs Stadium, Norwich on 20 July we had a race between Harold Hill & Ron Baker in a "Banked wheel" sidecar v Bill Billman in his Ford 10 Midget. The sidecar took the win in 88.4 for the 4 laps. The Norwich Stars Junior team, seeing this, wanted some of the action also. On 10 August, as a curtain-raiser to the Malcolm Flood Junior Memorial Trophy meeting, a 3-cornered match took place at the Firs. This was over 4 heats. Races were run on a time handicap with the sidecars going off first (they were going the speedway way round which was a handicap in itself to them anyhow). The midgetcar went second and then the Speedway rider. In heat 1 Billman couldn't get going so was replaced by Tommy Forster in his Skirrow and he took the victory over Derek Strutt with Geoff Baker at the back. In the 2nd heat Barry East took the honours from Bob Knight to even the score with Hill at the back. Heat 3 saw Al Sparrey win from Forster and John Lidgate. The final heat was won by Keith "Porky" Veal from Dave Hughes and Geoff Lucy. The sidecar boys were very sporting but not used to going "left-handed" and finished at the back each time. Speedway won with 11 points with Midgets on 9 and Sidecars on 4. I doubt any such thing would be allowed nowadays "due to health and safety" Bryan Tungate
|
|