Post by administrator on Sept 16, 2013 9:53:39 GMT 1
There are sketchy records available for the 1934 season. Consequently, details are in a diary-style for the historic first season and, unless specified, all meetings are at Crystal Palace.
Whitsun Saturday, May 5: Crystal Palace defeated Victor Gillow’s team. Cyclone Cecil made his debut, crashing into the safety fence and injuring his hand. Worsley improved the track record to 35mph.
May 5: Greenford in west London is opened by Spike Rhiando.
Saturday, May 26: Crystal Palace stage the first round of the British Indivual Championship in which Victor Gillow beat Jean Reville 2-1. A second leg was set for Wembley on May 31. Gillow won a handicap race using a the Riley car he had competed in at the Isle of Man ‘Round the Houses’ race.
June 9: Woman speedway rider Fay Taylour turned to car racing and set a woman’s track record of 37.02mph. In a best pairs event, Jean Reville and Leon Marrett 20 points finished ahead of Hagborg and Talbot 17, Gillow and McClure 13. In the first race, Reville beat Gillow by 12 yards, setting a new lap speed record of 39.92mph.
June 16: Crystal Palace staged an international championship billed as featuring drivers from France, USA, West Indies, Sweden, England and Australia. Gillow became a Frenchman for the meeting. Results - heat one: Gillow, Hagborg. Heat two: Wills, Rhiando. Heat three: Talbot, Raynes. First semi-final: Gillow, Raynes. Second semi-final Hagborg, Talbot. Championship final: Reville, Hagborg, Raynes.
June 23: Crystal Palace beat Autodrome 32-19 in a team match. Victor Gillow drove a car specially designed for speedway tracks. Mick (Billy) Murden made his debut. He had two crashes and wrecked his car. Spike Rhiando hit a bump and went over Hagborg’s car, smashed into the fence but escaped injury. Hagborg won six races.
June 30: Gillow did a double somersault after skidding and hitting the fence. Fay Taylour improved her four-lap flying start speed from 37.02mph tp 38.35mph. Crystal Palace beat Lea Bridge 30-24 in a team match.
July 7: Gillow defeat Reville 2-1 in the British Individual Championship. Fay Taylour defeated Dot Oxenden for the British Ladies Championship. Crystal Palace defeated Speedway Racing Club 28-22.
July 14: Gillow in a 1100cc car set a lap record of 40.28mph. Race winners were Gillow, Murden, Marrett, Mason and Raynes. Palace won a triangular match with 20 points from Lea Bridge 19 Dagenham 12.
July 28: England beat France 20-16. In the league, Palace won 32-18 against Speedway Racing Club. Whitby wrecked his car after hitting the fence and rolling twice.
August 6: Crystal Palace had a crowd of 15,000. The feature was a 10-lap race with 12 cars, won by Gillow.
August 12: Talbot won the 850cc championship while Reville was winner of the 1100cc championship.
August 13: Lea Bridge opened with a 2,000 crowd. Reville was the star as his Palace side lost 28-23 to the Bridge.
August 19: Crystal Palace lost 27-25 to visiting Lea Bridge - with Reville driving for the winners this time.
September 1: Les White and W Cope scored 19 points to win the Crystal Palace Park Championship. In a team match, South London defeated Thames 5-1. Each side had four drivers on track.
September 15: The Crystal Palace season ended with the home side beating The Rest 27-26.
(c) John Hyam 2009
Whitsun Saturday, May 5: Crystal Palace defeated Victor Gillow’s team. Cyclone Cecil made his debut, crashing into the safety fence and injuring his hand. Worsley improved the track record to 35mph.
May 5: Greenford in west London is opened by Spike Rhiando.
Saturday, May 26: Crystal Palace stage the first round of the British Indivual Championship in which Victor Gillow beat Jean Reville 2-1. A second leg was set for Wembley on May 31. Gillow won a handicap race using a the Riley car he had competed in at the Isle of Man ‘Round the Houses’ race.
June 9: Woman speedway rider Fay Taylour turned to car racing and set a woman’s track record of 37.02mph. In a best pairs event, Jean Reville and Leon Marrett 20 points finished ahead of Hagborg and Talbot 17, Gillow and McClure 13. In the first race, Reville beat Gillow by 12 yards, setting a new lap speed record of 39.92mph.
June 16: Crystal Palace staged an international championship billed as featuring drivers from France, USA, West Indies, Sweden, England and Australia. Gillow became a Frenchman for the meeting. Results - heat one: Gillow, Hagborg. Heat two: Wills, Rhiando. Heat three: Talbot, Raynes. First semi-final: Gillow, Raynes. Second semi-final Hagborg, Talbot. Championship final: Reville, Hagborg, Raynes.
June 23: Crystal Palace beat Autodrome 32-19 in a team match. Victor Gillow drove a car specially designed for speedway tracks. Mick (Billy) Murden made his debut. He had two crashes and wrecked his car. Spike Rhiando hit a bump and went over Hagborg’s car, smashed into the fence but escaped injury. Hagborg won six races.
June 30: Gillow did a double somersault after skidding and hitting the fence. Fay Taylour improved her four-lap flying start speed from 37.02mph tp 38.35mph. Crystal Palace beat Lea Bridge 30-24 in a team match.
July 7: Gillow defeat Reville 2-1 in the British Individual Championship. Fay Taylour defeated Dot Oxenden for the British Ladies Championship. Crystal Palace defeated Speedway Racing Club 28-22.
July 14: Gillow in a 1100cc car set a lap record of 40.28mph. Race winners were Gillow, Murden, Marrett, Mason and Raynes. Palace won a triangular match with 20 points from Lea Bridge 19 Dagenham 12.
July 28: England beat France 20-16. In the league, Palace won 32-18 against Speedway Racing Club. Whitby wrecked his car after hitting the fence and rolling twice.
August 6: Crystal Palace had a crowd of 15,000. The feature was a 10-lap race with 12 cars, won by Gillow.
August 12: Talbot won the 850cc championship while Reville was winner of the 1100cc championship.
August 13: Lea Bridge opened with a 2,000 crowd. Reville was the star as his Palace side lost 28-23 to the Bridge.
August 19: Crystal Palace lost 27-25 to visiting Lea Bridge - with Reville driving for the winners this time.
September 1: Les White and W Cope scored 19 points to win the Crystal Palace Park Championship. In a team match, South London defeated Thames 5-1. Each side had four drivers on track.
September 15: The Crystal Palace season ended with the home side beating The Rest 27-26.
(c) John Hyam 2009