Vic Duggan Explained

Vic Duggan
Nationality:Australian
Birth Date:1910 10, df=yes
Birth Place:West Maitland, Australia
Death Place:Queensland, Australia
Years1:1937
Career1:Hackney Wick Wolves
Years2:1938
Career2:Bristol Bulldogs
Years3:1939
Career3:Wimbledon Dons
Years4:1947–1950
Career4:Harringay Racers
Indivyear1:1941, 1947, 1948 (2 + 3 Lap)
Indivhonour1:Australian Champion
Indivyear2:1940, 1947
Indivhonour2:NSW State Champion
Indivyear3:1947
Indivhonour3:London Riders' Champion
Indivyear4:1948
Indivhonour4:British Riders' Champion
Teamyear1:1939
Teamhonour1:London Cup Winner
Teamyear2:1948
Teamhonour2:Anniversary Cup Winner

Victor John Duggan (16 October 1910, West Maitland, New South Wales – 24 March 2007, Queensland)[1] was a motorcycle speedway racer who won the London Riders' Championship in 1947 whilst with the Harringay Racers.[2] [3] [4]

Career

He started his career in 1937 with the Hackney Wick Wolves, before spells with the Bristol Bulldogs in 1938 and Wimbledon Dons in 1939. In 1947, he returned to the UK with the Harringay Racers. Was a co-director of the Sydney Sports Ground with Lionel Van Praag and Max Grosskreutz where he held the track record.[1]

Vic Duggan won his first Australian Solo Championship in 1941 at the Sydney Sports Ground. He followed this up with the 1947 Aussie title, again at the Sports Ground and backed up to win three Aussie titles in 1948 (2 x 2 lap and 1 x 3 lap) at both the Sports Ground and the Sydney Showground Speedway.[5] He was also NSW State Champion in 1940 and 1947. Many believe Vic would have won more Australian and NSW titles had it not been for World War II when racing was suspended.

He competed in the British Riders' Championship in 1947 and 1948. This competition was held in place of the Individual Speedway World Championship between 1946 and 1948. He was favourite to win in 1947 but fell in his fourth race and did not start his fifth. He won the title in 1948 with 14 points,[6] the final was held at Empire Stadium on 16 September, in front of nearly 90,000 spectators.[7] [8]

Vic Duggan competed in the 1950 World Final at London's, Wembley Stadium where he finished in 13th place after scoring 4 points.

Duggan died of natural causes following a seizure on 24 March 2007, in a hospital in Queensland.[9]

World Final Appearances

Notes and References

  1. Addison J. (1948). The People Speedway Guide. Odhams Press Limited
  2. Jacobs, Norman (2001). Speedway in London.
  3. Book: Montague, Trevor. The A-Z of Sport. 2004. 518. Little, Brown. 0-316-72645-1.
  4. Web site: ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 4 June 2023.
  5. Web site: Titles .
  6. Jones, Maurice (1979). World Speedway Final A history from 1929.
  7. Web site: 1948 fixtures . Speedway Researcher . 3 June 2023.
  8. News: Speedway title for Jack Parker . Daily News (London) . 17 September 1948 . 3 June 2023 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  9. Web site: Vic Duggan – an obituary by John Chaplin. live. https://archive.today/20210825020014/http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/vic%20duggan%20obituary.html. 25 August 2021. 25 August 2021. Speedway Museum Online.
  10. Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.