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Post by jimblanchard on May 18, 2007 19:19:40 GMT
The early 60's was the 'big 5' of speedway. Ove Fundin, Ronnie Moore, Barry Briggs, Peter Craven and Bjorn Knutson.
These riders were that much better than any other that they were subject in league team events to riding off handicap, to give the other riders some chance.
Can you imagine today the top 5 riders having to ride off handicap?
I would say in my opinion that Ove Fundin was the best and Peter Craven was my favourite. I consider myself very lucky to have seen them all race many times. Often though the most exciting for me was to see them racing in individual events or the 'Golden Helmet' match races.
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Post by Genghis on May 20, 2007 12:24:18 GMT
Jim,
The topic of the big 5 intrigues me.
Were they that good, or was it because they were at the top during a slump time for Speedway, i.e. the late fifties and early sixties.
There doesn't seem to have been that many riders at the top at that time.
Would be interested to hear your thoughts on how the big 5 compared to Mauger, Olsen and Collins in the sevenites and Penhall, Nielsen and Gundersen in the eighties.
All the best
Rob
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Post by jimblanchard on May 20, 2007 17:20:39 GMT
I guess you could say that the ‘big 5’ looked so good because all the others were crap Rob but I would have thought that would be a touch cynical as there were in fact a lot of very good riders about. Ron How, Peter Moore, Aub Lawson, Olle Nygren , Brian Crutcher, Rune Sormander, Ken McKinlay, Bob Andrews, Jack Young, Gote Nordin, Ron Mountford, Soren Sjosten, just to name a few. My speedway interest dipped quite a bit from the mid 80’s until the year 2001 so apart from the odd international event at Bradford, I can’t really comment on riders from that period. Of course, Fundin, Briggs and Moore overlapped with Ivan Mauger . I remember when in 1970, Sweden brought out of retirement Ove Fundin for the WTC and of course Ivan was the main man then. We were at the final at Wembley and I think it was the first race that Ivan tried to clamp Ove going into turn one with Ove off gate one, and he did not shut off and bumped Ivan out of it. After the race Ivan rode around and spoke to a few track staff, I am not sure why but he did not seem a happy chappie being beaten by Ove.  If my memory serves me well, Ove received so much abuse and ‘fans’ throwing objects at him during the meeting which Sweden won it was no surprise he did not come out after the interval in the second half Victor Ludorum individual races. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2007 17:59:07 GMT
I agree, Jim. I think they really were that good. As A West Ham supporter in the mid 60s I regularly saw Sverre Harrfeldt at his best and there is no doubt he was a great rider, but even he hardly ever got the better of Fundin and Briggs when they came visiting. There were a lot of good riders around in the late 50s and early to mid 60s, but these five for some reason were just head and shoulders above the rest. I think the one who came nearest to breaking in to their little "club" was Gote Nordin, who, on his day, could also be outstanding.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 25, 2007 20:16:00 GMT
Did they just have far and away the best bikes, or could they ride anything. Fundin won a world final on a track spare i was told.  |
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Post by donsking on Jun 25, 2007 22:23:46 GMT
No, they had far and away the best ability.
I only got to see Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs on a regular basis, and then it was almost at the end of their careers, but they were the men to be beaten even then.
As a Wimbledon fan in the early 70s, the only riders we feared were Briggo (before he joined Mirac at the Dons) Ole Olsen and the superb Ivan Mauger.
I don't think there was much difference in machinery then, they all rode much the same bikes, although preparation varied; I've heard Briggo's bikes weren't always the most well prepped machines, but it didn't seem to bother him much.
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Post by admin on Jun 26, 2007 10:25:15 GMT
Think it was Ivan Mauger that took the sport onto a more professional level. And then came Neil Street and Phil Crump with four valves and the rest, as they say, is history.
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Post by donsking on Jun 26, 2007 22:58:20 GMT
Think it was Ivan Mauger that took the sport onto a more professional level. And then came Neil Street and Phil Crump with four valves and the rest, as they say, is history. Yep, Ivan was the man that took speedway into the latter part of the 20th century and showed just how professional it could be, now we need someone (anyone, PLEASE) to drag it kicking, screaming and bucking into the 21st. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 13:17:27 GMT
No, they had far and away the best ability. I only got to see Ronnie Moore and Barry Briggs on a regular basis, and then it was almost at the end of their careers, but they were the men to be beaten even then. As a Wimbledon fan in the early 70s, the only riders we feared were Briggo (before he joined Mirac at the Dons) Ole Olsen and the superb Ivan Mauger. I don't think there was much difference in machinery then, they all rode much the same bikes, although preparation varied; I've heard Briggo's bikes weren't always the most well prepped machines, but it didn't seem to bother him much. A little before my time Donsking but didn't Mirac finish in 1972 with one of his highest ever averages? |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 13:51:34 GMT
Yes, he finished with a cma of 10.34. Not bad for an old 'un.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 14:08:16 GMT
Can you shed some light on his appearances for Coventry Norbold?I have seen reference to this on the BSF,but really have no memory of this ever happening.I do remember CO wanting Ronnie to ride for Coventry in about 74 but can't remember him ever riding for the Bees
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Post by jimblanchard on Jul 11, 2007 14:52:23 GMT
I might be wrong Doug but I am sure he did not ride anywhere after retiring at the end 1972 season for Wimbledon and and his last World Final final was at Wembley in 1971 when he finished 11th. He did race again later for the Barry Briggs/Mauger world troupe where he had his accident that finished his career.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 15:00:19 GMT
Well i do remember he rode in the Daily Mirror tournament for New Zealand in 73 Jim.I was at the NZ v Australia test at plough lane that year,plus Ronnie rode a few times at Wimbledon while he was over.Think he also came over for a while in 74 and rode challenge meetings for the Dons,second halfs or something.But don't remember him riding official league meetings for anyone.I remember someone on the BSF(Grachan maybe) refering to the fact Ronnie was a shadow of his former self while making a comeback with Coventry.I jst don't remember this and when i read it, it came as a total surprise.But with my memory Jim,there are plenty of things that did happen that come as a total surprise to me  ;D |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 11, 2007 15:14:39 GMT
From memory and without looking it up, I believe he rode two matches for Coventry. I'll go away and check on this.
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Post by jimblanchard on Jul 11, 2007 15:23:58 GMT
 Well, I apologise if I got that wrong Doug. I was convinced that he never rode for another league team. I have not even got that information on my tribute web site for him. If Norman comes up with the info I'll have to include it. (It proves anything Doug, my memory is no better than yours mate.. ;D)
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;D 
Well, I apologise if I got that wrong Doug. I was convinced that he never rode for another league team. I have not even got that information on my tribute web site for him.