Raymond Patrick Duggan (22 December 1918 – 20 January 1950) was an Australian

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...

rider. He first rode in the United Kingdom with the New Cross Lambs. Duggan represented the

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

many times at test level and was the younger brother of five times Australian champion Vic Duggan.

Career

Duggan was noticed by the England captain Jack Parker riding in Australia in early 1938. He persuaded Duggan and fellow Australian Frank Dolan to travel with him to the United Kingdom. He started his career in 1938 with the

New Cross Rangers The New Cross Rangers were a Speedway team which operated from 1934 until their closure in 1953. They also rode as the New Cross Lambs from 1934 to 1935 and then the New Cross Tamers in 1936. The team were League Champions in 1938 and 1948. His ...

. In 1947, he returned to the UK with the

Harringay Racers Harringay Racers refers to multiple British ice hockey teams based in Harringay, London, United Kingdom. Harringay Racers The first team to use the Harringay Racers moniker was founded in 1936 and initially played alongside Harringay Greyhou ...

. Ray Duggan never became Australian National Champion with his best finish being third on three occasions in 1947, 1948 and 1949. The 1947 event was behind his brother Vic Duggan and

Lionel Van Praag Lionel Maurice Van Praag, GM (17 December 1908 – 15 May 1987) was an Australian motorcycle speedway champion, who won the inaugural Speedway World Championship in London on 10 September 1936. Van Praag's victory saw him established as Austra ...

, the inaugural

World Champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

Death

On 20 January 1950, Duggan was killed at the

Sydney Sports Ground The Sydney Sports Ground No. 1 was a Stadium and Dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium (SFS) currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surro ...

after being involved in a high-speed crash with friend Norman Clay. Clay also died from his injuries.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Duggan, Ray 1918 births 1950 deaths Australian speedway riders Sportsmen from New South Wales Harringay Racers riders Australian expatriate speedway riders in England New Cross Rangers riders Motorcycle racers who died while racing Sport deaths in Australia Accidental deaths in New South Wales

Career

Death

See also

References