Vic Harding was a motorcycle speedway

Motorcycle speedway

Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...

 rider.

Career

Harding began at the Rye House training school in 1970 run by Len Silver

Len Silver

Len Silver is a former speedway rider and is currently promoter of the Rye House Rockets.-Racing career:Silver stopped racing in 1957 but returned to the Ipswich Witches in 1960 after a layoff due to injury...

 and spent several seasons trying to break into a league team.

In 1974 the Sunderland Stars

Sunderland Stars

The Sunderland Stars were a motorcycle speedway team who raced at the Sunderland Greyhound Stadium from 1971 until 1974 in the National League when Len Silver acted as promoter on behalf of Allied Presentations Ltd....

 handed him the chance. In 1975 he moved to Weymouth. In 1977 Len Silver

Len Silver

Len Silver is a former speedway rider and is currently promoter of the Rye House Rockets.-Racing career:Silver stopped racing in 1957 but returned to the Ipswich Witches in 1960 after a layoff due to injury...

 signed him for the Hackney Hawks

Hackney Hawks

Hackney Hawks speedway opened in 1963 at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, London and operated until 1983.-Early days:Originally opened by Mike Parker, the promotion was then sold to Len Silver who was the club's promoter for the next twenty seasons....

 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.

Death

However, tragedy struck on 8 June 1979 when he was killed whilst riding for Hackney at Hackney Wick Stadium

Hackney Wick Stadium

Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, in the London Borough of Hackney, was opened in 1932 and was mainly used for greyhound racing and speedway.In 1994, a £12M stand and restaurant was built and the stadium was renamed the London Stadium, Hackney...

, Waterden Road. He was in a heat as a replacement for Bo Petersen

Bo Petersen

Bo Petersen is a former motorcycle speedway rider who first rode in the UK with the Hackney Hawks. Signed by Len Silver in 1978 he stayed with the Hawks until they closed at the end of the season 1983.-Career:...

 but during the race he was involved in a terrible crash with Steve Weatherley

Steve Weatherley

Stephen John Weatherley is a former motorcycle speedway rider who was twice runner-up in the British Speedway Under 21 Championship....

. Harding was killed and Weatherley was left with a broken back and paraplegia.

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

Hackney Hawks

Hackney Hawks speedway opened in 1963 at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, London and operated until 1983.-Early days:Originally opened by Mike Parker, the promotion was then sold to Len Silver who was the club's promoter for the next twenty seasons....

. Len Silver

Len Silver

Len Silver is a former speedway rider and is currently promoter of the Rye House Rockets.-Racing career:Silver stopped racing in 1957 but returned to the Ipswich Witches in 1960 after a layoff due to injury...

 now hosts the Vic Harding Memorial meeting at his current promotion, the Rye House Rockets

Rye House Rockets

The Rye House Rockets are a Speedway team based at Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon, England. They currently compete in the British Premier League.The club is promoted by Len Silver who previously ran the Hackney Hawks promotion at Hackney Wick Stadium....

, the track where Harding began to ride.

External links

• Hackney Hawks Website