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Simon Wigg

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Simon Wigg
Born(1960-10-15)15 October 1960
Aylesbury, England
Died15 November 2000(2000-11-15) (aged 40)
Nationality England
Current club information
Career statusDeceased

Simon Wigg (15 October 1960 – 15 November 2000) was a speedway, grasstrack and Longtrack rider who finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989.[1]

Career

Wigg was born in Aylesbury, England.[2] 1988 saw him become British Speedway Champion and he retained the title the following year. 1989 also saw Simon captain the Great Britain speedway team when they won the World Team Cup. During his career, Wigg was a frequent visitor to Australia and always enjoyed success on the larger Showground tracks down under such as the 450 metres (490 yd) Brisbane Exhibition Ground, the 510 metres (560 yd) Wayville Showground in Adelaide, the 520 metres (570 yd) Claremont Speedway in Perth, and the 610 metres (670 yd) Melbourne Showgrounds. He always maintained that his success in Australia was in part due to these larger tracks which suited his Long track style of riding.

During his time riding in both Australia and New Zealand, Wigg won the Australian Long track Grand Prix in 1990, 1994 and 1995, as well as the New Zealand Long track Grand Prix in 1994.

He moved to Brisbane, Australia aged just two years old in 1962 and returned to England after 15 years in 1977. When he returned, 3 years later he joined his first speedway club Weymouth Wildcats which was just the start of his professional career as a Speedway Rider [1]

In 1982, Wigg won the British League Division Two Pairs Championship with Martin Yeates. He became the second British Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship 1985 (Michael Lee was the first in 1981) and went on to win the title a further four times. He was the most successful British Grasstrack and Longtrack rider ever. When Wigg was riding in Oxford, England he met his wife to be, Charlie, and after a few years together they had two children.

Wigg was also famous for his bright green leathers and bikes, as well as pulling wheelies when he had a comfortable lead in a race. He claimed that the wheelies were to reduce friction from the front wheel and made him faster on the straights, though Wigg also enjoyed playing up to the crowd.

Death

Simon died after a long battle with a brain tumour in 2000 at the age of 40.[3]

British Grasstrack Championship Record

  • 1981 - British 500cc Grasstrack
  • 1982 - British Masters Grasstrack
  • 1983 - British Masters Grasstrack
  • 1985 - British Masters Grasstrack
  • 1989 - British Masters Grasstrack
  • 1990 - British Masters Grasstrack

World Longtrack Championship Record

  • 1985 - World Longtrack Champion
  • 1989 - World Longtrack Champion
  • 1990 - World Longtrack Champion
  • 1993 - World Longtrack Champion
  • 1994 - World Longtrack Champion

World final Appearances

Individual World Championship

World Pairs Championship

World Team Cup

Speedway Grand Prix results

Year Position Points Best Finish Notes
1997 17th 13 10th -

References

  1. ^ Rogers, G.(2005). Wiggy!: Simon Wigg in His Own Words . ISBN 0-9548336-7-8
  2. ^ Oakes, P & Rising, P (1986). 1986 Speedway Yearbook. Spotsdata. ISBN 0-948882-00-X
  3. ^ "Bike champion dies young". The Daily Telegraph. London. 22 November 2000.
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