- Vic Harding
Infobox Speedway rider
ridername= Vic Harding
nationality = flagicon|ENGEngland
dateofbirth = 5 July 1952
dateofdeath = death date and age|1979|6|8|1952|7|5|df=y
cityofbirth =East Ham ,London
countryofbirth =England
nickname =
britishleague = -
polishleague =
swedishleague =
years = 1974
1975
1977-1979
career =Sunderland Stars Weymouth Wildcats Hackney Hawks
indivhonour = None
indivyear =
teamhonour = None
teamyear =Vic Harding (born
5 July 1952 inEast Ham ,London - died8 June 1979 Whipps Cross ,London ) was amotorcycle speedway rider. [ [http://www.hackneyhawks.co.uk Hackney Hawks Website] accessed 25 July 2007.]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.Fenn, C.(2003). "Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight". ISBN 0-7524-2737-7]In 1974 the
Sunderland Stars handed him the chance. In 1975 he moved to Weymouth. In 1977Len Silver signed him for theHackney 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.Fenn, C.(2003). "Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight". ISBN 0-7524-2737-7]Death
However, tragedy struck on
8 June 1979 when he was killed whilst riding for Hackney atHackney Wick Stadium , Waterden Road. He was in a heat as a replacement forBo Petersen but during the race he was involved in a terrible crash withSteve Weatherley . Harding was killed and Weatherley was left with a broken back and was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.Fenn, C.(2003). "Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight". ISBN 0-7524-2737-7] Jacobs, Norman (2001). "Speedway in London". ISBN 0-7524-2221-9 ]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, theRye House Rockets , the track where Harding began to ride.References
External links
* [http://www.hackneyhawks.co.uk Hackney Hawks Website]
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