Post by shaleway on Jun 20, 2010 8:40:13 GMT
It is hard to believe that it is now thirty years since that fateful night at Hackney when Vic Harding one of Hackneys most popular riders lost his life and Steve Wetherley was so badly injured.
Vic was a great personal friend to me, i met him in his grasstracking days, he was my first speedway customer, and it was vic who arranged with Len Silver that I could be the spares and fuel man at Hackney.
On the night of the accident my van was parked as usual on the dog track close to the last bend. I must have been one of the last to speak to Vic as he walked out to that race.
My memories of him are as clear today as ever. I think that the lifes of many of us were changed after the events of that night as we realised that at times speedway is a cruel and dangerous sport. Without naming names there were riders and people connected with the sport who drifted away after witnessing that night.
Vic lived and breathed speedway, he always had time for supporters and he was a sponsors dream always thankfull for help. he had the support of a loving family. the tragedy affected his father Vic so much he never really recovered.
Any death is a tragedy but it seems that it often happens to the most promising of our young riders often those with strong connections through the sport.
Whenever my thoughts run back to Hackney, Vic's smiling face appears, he would be in good company now in speedway Heaven with Snowy, Bert, Alec, Don, Wal and other Hackney legends
Shaleway
Vic was a great personal friend to me, i met him in his grasstracking days, he was my first speedway customer, and it was vic who arranged with Len Silver that I could be the spares and fuel man at Hackney.
On the night of the accident my van was parked as usual on the dog track close to the last bend. I must have been one of the last to speak to Vic as he walked out to that race.
My memories of him are as clear today as ever. I think that the lifes of many of us were changed after the events of that night as we realised that at times speedway is a cruel and dangerous sport. Without naming names there were riders and people connected with the sport who drifted away after witnessing that night.
Vic lived and breathed speedway, he always had time for supporters and he was a sponsors dream always thankfull for help. he had the support of a loving family. the tragedy affected his father Vic so much he never really recovered.
Any death is a tragedy but it seems that it often happens to the most promising of our young riders often those with strong connections through the sport.
Whenever my thoughts run back to Hackney, Vic's smiling face appears, he would be in good company now in speedway Heaven with Snowy, Bert, Alec, Don, Wal and other Hackney legends
Shaleway