Post by admin on Sept 28, 2010 8:31:58 GMT -5
1927 path racing
Start by John Hyam
Fred Mockford and Cecil Smith were the first to stage any form of circuit racing at Crystal Palace when they introduced path racing in 1927. The first meeting was on May 21 and featured 10 races over a course of loose surface straights and tarred bends, mainly in an area near to the present Crystal Park Maze.
It provided some spectacular racing for an estimated 10,000 crowd who paid a shilling each (5p in modern currency) with riders racing in 175cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc solo races and also races for sidecars.
The day’s main event was the Crystal Palace Grand Prix in which one of the riders was Bill Bragg from nearby Brixton. Bragg later became a speedway rider and is credited with making a valuable contribuition to the development of the first JAP speedway bike engines.
In the race he had a series of hair-raising escapades including narrowly missing an oak tree, just avoiding a group of interested spectators and almost running into one of the park lakes. But at the finish, Bragg was still on his bike and finished third behind L Bellamy and G Hole. The race attracted 15 starters, considerably better than the main sidecar event which saw just three outfits in action.
As a speedway rider, Bragg was in the Stamford Bridge side which won the initial Southern League championship in 1929. His team mates included Gus Kuhn, Wal Phillips and Arthur Warwick.
For subsequent Crystal Palace path racing meetings, Mockford and Smith, by then promoting as London Motor Sports Ltd, introduced improvements to the track and to spectator safety. But any further development of the sport faded as Australian-style dirt track racing arrived at High Beech in February 1928. After its initial spectacular debut at High Beech, Mockford and Smith moved to introduce that form of racing on an oval track inside the site of the Palace’s old FA Cup Final football stadium.
Other path racers who became better known in other forms of motorcycle racing included Harold Daniel from nearby Forest Hill, who became a leading Isle of Man TT and road racing star. Other familiar starters were Gus Kuhn, Triss Sharp, Joe Francis, Ted Pink, Ed Cornwell and Norman Cottee.
Despite the arrival of speedway at Crystal Palace in 1928, path racing took place until the start of 1934 and was generally well supported.
Start by John Hyam
Fred Mockford and Cecil Smith were the first to stage any form of circuit racing at Crystal Palace when they introduced path racing in 1927. The first meeting was on May 21 and featured 10 races over a course of loose surface straights and tarred bends, mainly in an area near to the present Crystal Park Maze.
It provided some spectacular racing for an estimated 10,000 crowd who paid a shilling each (5p in modern currency) with riders racing in 175cc, 250cc, 350cc and 500cc solo races and also races for sidecars.
The day’s main event was the Crystal Palace Grand Prix in which one of the riders was Bill Bragg from nearby Brixton. Bragg later became a speedway rider and is credited with making a valuable contribuition to the development of the first JAP speedway bike engines.
In the race he had a series of hair-raising escapades including narrowly missing an oak tree, just avoiding a group of interested spectators and almost running into one of the park lakes. But at the finish, Bragg was still on his bike and finished third behind L Bellamy and G Hole. The race attracted 15 starters, considerably better than the main sidecar event which saw just three outfits in action.
As a speedway rider, Bragg was in the Stamford Bridge side which won the initial Southern League championship in 1929. His team mates included Gus Kuhn, Wal Phillips and Arthur Warwick.
For subsequent Crystal Palace path racing meetings, Mockford and Smith, by then promoting as London Motor Sports Ltd, introduced improvements to the track and to spectator safety. But any further development of the sport faded as Australian-style dirt track racing arrived at High Beech in February 1928. After its initial spectacular debut at High Beech, Mockford and Smith moved to introduce that form of racing on an oval track inside the site of the Palace’s old FA Cup Final football stadium.
Other path racers who became better known in other forms of motorcycle racing included Harold Daniel from nearby Forest Hill, who became a leading Isle of Man TT and road racing star. Other familiar starters were Gus Kuhn, Triss Sharp, Joe Francis, Ted Pink, Ed Cornwell and Norman Cottee.
Despite the arrival of speedway at Crystal Palace in 1928, path racing took place until the start of 1934 and was generally well supported.