Graeme Smith (speedway rider)

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Graeme Smith
Born (1947-11-14) November 14, 1947 (age 77)
Palmerston North, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealander
Career history
1968–1969 Rayleigh
1968–1969 Hackney
1970–1971 Canterbury
1972 Sunderland
1972 Reading
Team honours
1970 League champion (tier 2)

Graeme john Smith (born 14 November 1947) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from New Zealand. He earned two international caps for the New Zealand national speedway team. [1]

Biography

Smith, born in Palmerston North, New Zealand, began his British leagues career riding for Rayleigh Rockets during the 1968 British League Division Two season season. [2] He made an immediate impact topping the Rockets league averages and being made the club captain. [3] He also made two appearances for Hackney Hawks in division 1. [4]

The following season in 1969, Smith improved further, averaging an impressive 10.74 for the Rockets, which was the second highest in the entire league for the season. He also broke into the Hackney first team for the season. [5] He failed his driving test the same season for reportedly two wheel cornering. [6] In September 1969 he represented a Young Austrlasians team against England. [7]

Canterbury Crusaders promoter Johnnie Hoskins signed Smith for the 1970 British League Division Two season [8] and also brought back Barry Crowson to the club. [9] The signings propelled Canterbury to the league title [10] and Smith once again finished second in the entire league averages and was rewarded by taking the captaincy of the Crusaders. [11] Smith also set the track record around Kingsmead Stadium in July 1970, recording 74 seconds and won the Tweedmouth Trophy. [12]

Smith married on 2 August 1970 but then suffered a leg injury and was later subject to a Speedway Control Board suspension at the start of the 1971 season, due to remarks he made to a track official. [13] Smith had gained significant status at Canterbury but had a troubled season, threatening to retire and struggling to overcome earlier injuries. [14]

Smith left Canterbury in early 1972 to join Sunderland Stars [15] and Reading Racers in their respective divisions, in what turned out to be his last season in British speedway because he returned to New Zealand with his wife and young daughter. [16]

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References

  1. ↑ "Ultimate Rider Index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  2. ↑ "1968 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  3. ↑ "Mechanical troubles spoil race" . Brentwood Gazette. 2 August 1968. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  5. ↑ "Graeme Smith". WWOS backup. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  6. ↑ "Last Line: Graeme Smith 21-year-old speedway star" . Daily Mirror. 2 April 1969. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ↑ "Speedway International at Arlington" . Eastbourne Herald. 20 September 1969. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ↑ "Crusaders include new signing" . Kentish Express. 20 March 1970. Retrieved 25 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ "Piddock, Murray leave Crusaders" . Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 13 March 1970. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 39. ISBN   978-0904584509.
  11. ↑ "Second home win for Crusaders" . Whitstable Times and Herne Bay Herald. 3 April 1970. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ↑ "Record-breaker Graeme Smith" . Kentish Express. 31 July 1970. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ↑ "Crusaders prospects brighter" . Kentish Express. 12 March 1971. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ↑ "Crusader Pratt makes his debut" . Kentish Express. 16 July 1971. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  15. ↑ "Speedway returns to Merseyside" . Liverpool Echo. 28 March 1972. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  16. ↑ "Racers get the all clear for season" . Reading Evening Post. 31 January 1973. Retrieved 10 October 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
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