Vic Harding

Vic Harding
Born 5 July 1952
East Ham, London, England
Died 8 June 1979(1979-06-08) (aged 26)
Nickname Viccy
Nationality  England
Current club information
British league -
Career history
1974 Sunderland Gladiators
1975-1977 Weymouth Wizards
1975 Hull Vikings
1975 Exeter Falcons
1976 Poole Pirates
1976 Leicester Lions
1977-1979 Hackney Hawks
1977 Crayford Kestrels
Individual honours
? Hackney speedway champion

Vic Harding (5 July 1952 in East Ham, London – 8 June 1979 Whipps Cross, London) was a motorcycle speedway rider.[1]

Career

Harding began at the Rye House training school in 1970 run by Len Silver and spent several seasons trying to break into a league team.[2]

In 1974 the Sunderland Gladiators handed him the chance. In 1975 he moved to Weymouth. In 1977 Len Silver signed him for the Hackney Hawks from Weymouth and spent most of that season as reserve. In 1978 he began improving so much that by 1979 he was a heat leader.[2]

Death

However, tragedy struck on 8 June 1979 when he was killed whilst riding for Hackney at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road. He was in a heat as a replacement for Bo Petersen but during the race he was involved in a terrible crash with Steve Weatherley. Harding was killed and Weatherley was left with a broken back and paraplegia.[2][3]

Following this tragic accident, the Hawks hosted a Vic Harding Memorial Trophy every season in Harding's honour. It was in fact the last ever meeting hosted by the Hackney Hawks.

References

  1. Hackney Hawks Website accessed 25 July 2007.
  2. 1 2 3 Fenn, C.(2003). Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight. ISBN 0-7524-2737-7
  3. Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London. ISBN 0-7524-2221-9


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