The sport, a relic of its 1970s heyday, is crying out for a Bernie Ecclestone or Barry Hearn to revolutionise it
So far has British speedway fallen from public awareness that few might appreciate the sport’s successes. This month the British rider Tai Woffinden was awarded the Torrens Trophy, the Royal Automobile Club’s recognition of outstanding contribution to motorcycling. He deserves it. Last October Woffinden became the first British rider to clinch the world speedway championship for a third time, following titles in 2013 and 2015. His intention is to reach Ivan Mauger and Tony Rickardsson’s mark of six.
Born in Scunthorpe, the 28-year-old grew up in Perth, Australia, where he first rode a speedway bike as a 12-year-old. He was hooked from the off. “When I get on the bike and am riding it, there is no difference from when I was 12 to now,” he says. “When I sit on the bike, holding it wide open through the corners and I know it is going fast, there is no better feeling than that. I will keep doing it until I am either paralysed or I don’t enjoy it any more, they are the only two things that will stop me. The day I stop enjoying it is the day I stop riding.”
Written by Giles Richards
This news first appeared on https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/mar/23/who-haul-speedway-out-of-1970s-back-into-affections-uk-viewing-public under the title “Out of time and on the skids: speedway’s struggle for survival | Giles Richards”. Bolchha Nepal is not responsible or affiliated towards the opinion expressed in this news article.
