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Post by Administrator on Nov 2, 2010 17:15:02 GMT
I am researching on the American rider Ernie Roccio, who died in an accident at West Ham in 1952. I think that in the USA he also competed in flat-track racing and may even have competed at Daytona Beach (probably in 1949 the year former West Ham Canadian Bill Mathews had his second victory there?). Many thanks for any information on Ernie, whose brother Johnnie was also a speedway rider.
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Post by mrsgustix on Jan 13, 2011 15:59:49 GMT
I'm not sure about facts on Ernie Roccio but Canadian Bill Matthews won the Daytona 200 mile races in both 1939 and 1949. I don't think he had raced on speedway until he came to England to ride for West Ham in 1947 on the recommendation of fellow countryman Eric Chitty.
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Post by boardtrack on Jan 15, 2011 17:00:48 GMT
I'm not sure about facts on Ernie Roccio but Canadian Bill Matthews won the Daytona 200 mile races in both 1939 and 1949. I don't think he had raced on speedway until he came to England to ride for West Ham in 1947 on the recommendation of fellow countryman Eric Chitty. Small point but Billy Mathews won the Daytona 200 in 1941 & 1950. His 1941 win was the first for a foreign rider & riding a Norton it was the first Daytona win for a non-American motorcycle. He finished 2nd in 1948 to Floyd Emde (Billy believed he won) & 2nd to Norton teammate Richard Klamforth in 1949. Mathews 1950 win made him the only rider to win the Daytona 200 before & after WW II (using the USA's entry, Dec 8th, 1941). (I guess some auto censor kept changing Richard Klamforth's actual name to 'thingy'. Strange. So I'll see if I can convey the name of an historic hand tool & brand. King thingy. Nope. Can I sneak it in? www.kingdicktools.co.uk/ )
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