Vic Harding

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Vic Harding (born 5 July 1952 East Ham, London, died 8 June 1979) was a motorcycle speedway rider.^[1]

Contents 1 Career 2 Death 3 References 4 External links

[edit] 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.

In 1974 Sunderland 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.

[edit] 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 was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

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. Len Silver now hosts the Vic Harding Memorial meeting at his current promotion, the Rye House Rockets, the track where Harding began to ride.

[edit] References

1. ^ Hackney Hawks Website accessed 25 July 2007.

[edit] External links

• Hackney Hawks Website