00:00:00:14 - 00:00:16:06 Speaker 1 This is Dave Clifton conducting an interview for the Speedway at Wimbledon Stadium or Oral History Project on the 22nd of April 2026. Good afternoon. Thank you for coming. Can I ask you to start with what is your name? 00:00:16:11 - 00:00:17:07 Speaker 2 Chris Hunt. 00:00:17:08 - 00:00:19:17 Speaker 1 And where were you born? 00:00:19:23 - 00:00:22:08 Speaker 2 I was born in Oxford. 00:00:22:10 - 00:00:24:17 Speaker 1 And when were you born. 00:00:24:18 - 00:00:26:03 Speaker 2 1964. 00:00:26:04 - 00:00:30:22 Speaker 1 And what did your parents do for a living? 00:00:30:24 - 00:00:35:06 Speaker 2 Dad was a motor mechanic. Mum was just a housewife. 00:00:35:08 - 00:00:41:16 Speaker 1 Okay. And you were speedway rider. Can you tell us which years were you riding? 00:00:41:18 - 00:00:54:03 Speaker 2 Well, I rode from 1980 to 1984 and then retired for a few years, then come back in 2002 with Wimbledon. 00:00:54:05 - 00:00:57:00 Speaker 1 So your earlier years, were they Wimbledon or were they somewhere? 00:00:57:01 - 00:01:05:12 Speaker 2 No, they were with Swindon, Exeter and Milton Keynes was the last month. 00:01:05:14 - 00:01:11:19 Speaker 1 Okay. So how did you first get into speedway and why? 00:01:11:21 - 00:01:45:23 Speaker 2 My dad brought me here. Actually, Oxford Stadium was a Good Friday meeting and had been about 1969, and all the riders were much the same, all in black leathers and everything, and there was one rider that had some blue and white leathers and an orange full face crash helmet. His name was Barry Briggs and I was just hooked because I wanted to be Barry Briggs as a five year old, and we followed Barry wherever he rode. 00:01:45:23 - 00:01:54:22 Speaker 2 We followed Barry's riding from then on and eventually was old enough to ride speedway myself. 00:01:54:24 - 00:02:00:07 Speaker 1 And so how did you end up in Wimbledon? 00:02:00:09 - 00:02:26:10 Speaker 2 Is quite a long story, really, because I had retired and never thought I was going to race again, and I bought myself an old Speedo, biked, do up and probably sell on, and I said that when I'd done it, I said to my wife, I'm just going to take it down to reading, practice, track and see if I can still ride a bike. 00:02:26:12 - 00:02:44:05 Speaker 2 And Dave Croucher was there, who was thinking of bringing Wimbledon back for the 2002 season. And he said, would I like to come and ride for him and be as captain? And yeah, that's what I've done. 00:02:44:07 - 00:02:52:24 Speaker 1 That's a bit annoying, but I think it's not too bad on the microphone. But. So how did you get the skills to become a rider when you first started riding? 00:02:53:01 - 00:03:19:11 Speaker 2 Just practice and practice, really. You know, it's hard. I'd watch Speedway all my life and had a rough idea what to do. Then I had to put it back into practice. So I started off going to training schools. I think it was Hackney on a Saturday morning, and just gradually got to learn to control the bike and went to a few riders training schools and things like that. 00:03:19:11 - 00:03:24:02 Speaker 2 And, you know, it was offered a team place. 00:03:24:04 - 00:03:30:04 Speaker 1 So your parents broke when you were quite young too. So was there a family history of speedway? 00:03:30:06 - 00:03:43:05 Speaker 2 No. I think my dad had always was interested in speedway and bikes and things like that. But yeah, that was it really. 00:03:43:07 - 00:03:47:10 Speaker 1 And how did you learn to repair and maintain your bike? 00:03:47:12 - 00:04:11:00 Speaker 2 Well, my dad was a say it was a motor mechanic. So, you know, we had quite a bit of knowledge that way. And, you know, I've learned to do things don't offer the riders and going to know what setups I liked on the engines and things like that. And yeah, just picked it up as I went along. 00:04:11:02 - 00:04:19:10 Speaker 1 But you must. And can you describe your first big race at Wimbledon? 00:04:19:12 - 00:04:45:00 Speaker 2 Yeah, it was quite a disaster, really, because when we were due to open in 2002, we had got the track all all back together and everything, and it was a capacity crowd. And about half hour before the start time, there was a massive thunderstorm and ruined the track. And, you know, the riders and management didn't want to let the fans down that had come. 00:04:45:00 - 00:04:55:23 Speaker 2 So we we attempted to run the meeting, but conditions were awful. So yeah, got better from then onwards. 00:04:56:00 - 00:05:03:02 Speaker 1 Okay. And can you tell us about your speedway heroes in any particular riders that you were you were a fan of? 00:05:03:03 - 00:05:32:14 Speaker 2 Well, Barry Briggs for sure, because he was the one who got me wanting to ride Speedo bike. And in later years, John Davis that also rode for Wimbledon. I become quite friendly with John and he helped me a lot with my riding. So he was a hero. And Simon at the time is unfortunate with us anymore. So they were my three heroes. 00:05:32:14 - 00:05:34:20 Speaker 2 Really. 00:05:34:22 - 00:05:40:09 Speaker 1 Okay. And what were your when you first started writing? What were your dreams and ambitions? 00:05:40:11 - 00:06:01:22 Speaker 2 Well, like every speedway rider starting out, I supposed to be world champion, but you know, that wasn't wasn't to be the case. But, you know, I've enjoyed what I've done in Speedway. And so I didn't become world champion. But I've, you know, it's been my life. Really. 00:06:01:24 - 00:06:12:12 Speaker 1 Okay, so if we talk about your racing career, can you give us a brief overview of your racing career from the early years through to the final years at Wimbledon? 00:06:12:14 - 00:06:33:14 Speaker 2 Right. When I started in 1980 as a Swindon junior road, just in Swindon junior side for the first year and the promotion at Swindon also ran Exeter. So I got sent down to Exeter the following year. 00:06:33:16 - 00:07:09:02 Speaker 2 Probably frightened me to death to be honest. Such a big track with a steel safety fence. Spent a year down there and then I moved to Milton Keynes, which I rode in what was then called the National League, which was the Second Division, and until the end of 1984, and I was promised a team place for the 85 season and spent loads and loads of money in the winter of 84, 85. 00:07:09:02 - 00:07:43:09 Speaker 2 And they said the way we phoned me up and said, well, we've built our team because speedway teams work on averages. They said, we can't fit you in, so you'll have to stand out the start of the season. And I was absolutely devastated and sold all my equipment and packed up. I mean, I wish I hadn't had done because John Davis wanted me to go and ride in Germany with him at weekends, but I was just so devastated at the time. 00:07:43:11 - 00:07:59:12 Speaker 2 That that was the end for me, and that was going to be the end and say, until I bought this bike and Wimbledon gave me the opportunity to maybe say, have some unfinished business. And, you know, was all good. 00:07:59:14 - 00:08:07:02 Speaker 1 Okay. Can you describe the equipment and the gear that you had when you first started racing? 00:08:07:04 - 00:08:25:05 Speaker 2 They were full valve was aches when I first started riding and they the engines were, were upright in the frames. Not like the modern laydown of, of this era. They were quite difficult to ride. 00:08:25:07 - 00:08:40:07 Speaker 2 So the modern bikes are a lot easier than, than the old bikes were that, yeah, it was, you know, just the equipment that everybody else had really. 00:08:40:09 - 00:08:45:23 Speaker 1 And how would we. Were there any notable changes over time? Did the equipment evolve? 00:08:45:24 - 00:09:14:05 Speaker 2 Oh, yeah. I mean, it's evolved massively, especially I mean, when I come back in 2002 and say the engines were laid down in the frames were completely different, but I'd say they were easier to ride. Well, I found them easier to ride anyway. But as time has gone on from then till now, I mean they've the development is is massive for them really, considering it's only something that looks like a push bike with an engine in. 00:09:14:05 - 00:09:19:17 Speaker 2 So yeah, technology has moved on a lot now. 00:09:19:19 - 00:09:24:16 Speaker 1 And can you tell us about the dangers of the sport and whether you had any personal injuries? 00:09:24:18 - 00:09:32:23 Speaker 2 Well, yeah, it's it's a dangerous sport. I had lots of lots of injuries. 00:09:33:00 - 00:10:00:07 Speaker 2 Things have improved safety wise now with the er, fences and and that and, you know, I suffered several concussions in my career and I've ended up with Parkinson's. So that's a downside of speedway. But you know what's meant to be I guess. So you know, I'm glad that that things have moved on and the safety is a lot more strict. 00:10:00:07 - 00:10:05:04 Speaker 2 There was when I was riding originally. 00:10:05:06 - 00:10:15:21 Speaker 1 And can you can you tell us about the economics of how you funded your, your riding in the early days and how the economics worked later on when you were professional rider. 00:10:15:22 - 00:10:20:01 Speaker 2 Bank of Mum and Dad? Really? 00:10:20:03 - 00:10:54:06 Speaker 2 To start with, you know, they put everything in for me. They give me the best opportunity that I could possibly have. So you'll always be indebted to them for for what they've done for me. Sacrificed quite a few things of their own. And later on, when I joined Wimbledon, you know, I was married and my wife probably suffered then for free. 00:10:54:08 - 00:11:04:05 Speaker 2 It was a financial cost. There's a lot of money, but it was, it was it was all worth it in the end, I guess. 00:11:04:07 - 00:11:10:15 Speaker 1 Okay. Can you describe your relationship with the team members and managers, etc.? 00:11:10:17 - 00:11:26:12 Speaker 2 Oh, I did a good relationship. I mean, I was captain of Wimbledon, so it's my job to keep the riders working as a team, which done on quite a successful business scale. 00:11:26:14 - 00:11:43:04 Speaker 2 Team managers always got on along fine with and also the fans because speedway's you know, it's a team event and I think a lot of people forget the fans should be part of that team as well. 00:11:43:06 - 00:11:53:11 Speaker 1 Okay. And can you tell us about any rivalries or competition or competition between riders and between teams? 00:11:53:13 - 00:12:21:02 Speaker 2 Yeah, they used to be quite a lot of rivalries. We've certain teams like local derbies and things like that. And obviously, you know, you remember when a rider gives you a hard time in a race that there's always another time to, to, to get him back. So, yeah, you don't forget things. If somebody's rough on you then and you remember the the next time you meet. 00:12:21:02 - 00:12:44:12 Speaker 2 So but at the end of the day you go up in the bar afterwards and you all have a drink together. So. And it's still the same now, I mean, with a modern day speedway, there's the riders are riding against each other one night and with each other the following night. So yeah, we've all got to get along. 00:12:44:14 - 00:12:53:18 Speaker 1 And can you tell us about any characters in the sport, any particular personalities or characters that you raced with? 00:12:53:20 - 00:13:11:22 Speaker 2 I suppose latterly at Wimbledon it was Burrows. There was a big character and completely fearless and that off the track, the nicest man you'd ever, ever come across. But yeah, he was a real character. 00:13:11:24 - 00:13:19:08 Speaker 1 And can you tell us, do you know about any skill in the sport? 00:13:19:10 - 00:13:42:18 Speaker 2 There's always skullduggery goes on in any sport. And yeah, I mean, I can remember coming here in the National League with Wimbledon coming to Oxford and it was the hottest day of the year. And, you know, changing rooms. So the heating honors high as they could possibly get it. And the track was like a proud field. They didn't want us to do anything that night. 00:13:42:18 - 00:13:49:02 Speaker 2 But yeah. So there's all sorts of psychological things go on. 00:13:49:04 - 00:13:55:14 Speaker 1 Okay. And how did Speedway impact your family life? 00:13:55:16 - 00:14:10:10 Speaker 2 Well, I mean, it was lucky we all of my family like Speedway because, you know, it just it takes your life over. It's his speedway all the time. 00:14:10:12 - 00:14:37:15 Speaker 2 You know, when when I rode Wimbledon in 2002, I think we'd done. I think we'd done 50 odd meetings between March and October, and I was trying to keep down a full time job as well as a bike. So I was just going home, going in the garage, getting my bikes ready and then then going in and see him family. 00:14:37:15 - 00:14:43:21 Speaker 2 So yeah, it it takes your life over. 00:14:43:23 - 00:14:58:18 Speaker 1 Okay. I want to talk about race. Could you describe a typical race day at Wimbledon, the events leading up to the race and the race? Race itself, the crowd preparation? Any rituals that you had. 00:14:58:20 - 00:15:27:24 Speaker 2 Always used to, like get into the stadium early? I never liked me away like a couple of hours before so I could get myself ready, calmed down and, you know, and then you'd see the place gradually filling up and the fans coming in and talking to the fans before, before we started. And then we would go on a track, walk together, see what the conditions were like, things like that. 00:15:27:24 - 00:15:51:08 Speaker 2 But I was never really that superstitious on things, certain certain colors I wouldn't wear, like I would never wear green or anything or have anything green on my bike. So I considered it bad luck. But yeah, just just try and keep in a normal keep myself calm before the start of the meeting. Really. 00:15:51:10 - 00:15:53:24 Speaker 1 Is there any reason why green. 00:15:54:01 - 00:16:05:22 Speaker 2 No, I just some people consider green bad luck, I think. And yeah, it sort of stuck in my head a bit, so. 00:16:05:24 - 00:16:24:15 Speaker 2 Yeah, that was, that was all really. I mean, some writers are really superstitious and do you know, put one sock on first and all things like that. But no, I just it was just say the color green I'd never wear. Yeah. 00:16:24:17 - 00:16:30:22 Speaker 1 And can you describe the thrill of a race? 00:16:30:24 - 00:16:47:04 Speaker 2 Just there's nothing like the feeling of being out there on. You're in the pits and you, you put your crush on it, on them and you put your crash in on. I used to feel like, well, I'm indestructible now. Nobody can touch me, you know? 00:16:47:06 - 00:17:22:09 Speaker 2 And obviously that wasn't the case. But yeah, when you're when you're at the start line with three others and, you know, I mean some light is used to shout out on the, on the line to put you off. And, you know, you just have to make yourself so determined to get to that first bend before anybody else. And although the race is probably only like 60 odd seconds in duration, that four laps can be a long time. 00:17:22:09 - 00:17:33:18 Speaker 2 So if you miss the start, you you can still think in your head. There's still plenty of time to get past somebody and where they're going a couple of laps before you make your move. Really. 00:17:33:20 - 00:17:40:16 Speaker 1 So can you tell us about the skills and tactics tactics of a race? Were any dark arts or dodgy tactics involved? 00:17:40:21 - 00:18:07:07 Speaker 2 Well, someone just mentioned a while ago where riders were would shout each other on the start line and try and put each other off that way a little bit and say riding is a as a team with your teammate, you would you discuss if one of you made the start before and whereabouts you'd gone attract to try and team to keep the opposition out. 00:18:07:07 - 00:18:17:03 Speaker 2 So yeah, it was you know, you just had to ride ride sensible and do your best for your team. 00:18:17:03 - 00:18:20:23 Speaker 1 Really. They sound like legitimate tactics. 00:18:21:01 - 00:18:32:15 Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah. No that's right. There's no no not not too much. Probably is now maybe but wasn't so much when I was riding. 00:18:32:17 - 00:18:42:08 Speaker 1 Okay. If we talk about Wimbledon Stadium. So what made Wimbledon Stadium special Wimbledon Speedway stadium special. 00:18:42:09 - 00:19:07:13 Speaker 2 I think it was just because the stadium was so enclosed and all the grandstands were wooden, and the noise in there was was just something that other tracks never had. You know, it's a big stadium, but you felt quite compact and sort of on top of the crowd really, although say it was quite a big stadium and the atmosphere was, was just unbelievable. 00:19:07:14 - 00:19:25:19 Speaker 2 I mean, as a child, going to Wimbledon to watch, watch the meetings and it was always a special place. It just felt like the, I suppose, the Wembley of football, you know. 00:19:25:21 - 00:19:30:07 Speaker 1 And can you describe the atmosphere at Wimbledon. 00:19:30:09 - 00:19:35:18 Speaker 2 Oh it was, it was fantastic. The crowd there was. 00:19:35:20 - 00:19:46:14 Speaker 2 There was a group of the crowd called the Ben Loonies. They were all very vocal all the time. And he used to follow the same in a way. 00:19:46:16 - 00:20:04:00 Speaker 2 But yeah, you could, you could almost hear the crowd when you were racing, you know. And so they were so enthusiastic and, and such a great crowd, you know, to be involved with. 00:20:04:02 - 00:20:08:17 Speaker 1 And what about the fans at Wimbledon? Can you tell us about the fans? 00:20:08:19 - 00:20:35:02 Speaker 2 Yeah. I mean, say fans were very friendly. You know, there's still people now, even after all these years when would have been closed with were still in contact with quite a few of the, the the fans that come to watch. You used to come and watch us. So yeah, they were a great bunch. And so I was always one for, you know, even if I didn't have a very good night, I'd always speak to the fans afterwards. 00:20:35:02 - 00:20:48:03 Speaker 2 And, you know, like I said before, you know, Speedway is a team event and the crowd should be part of that team. And that Wimbledon, it felt like it was. 00:20:48:05 - 00:20:53:18 Speaker 1 Okay. What was it like being part of the Wimbledon community? 00:20:53:20 - 00:21:19:03 Speaker 2 Well, you know, it was it was just an honor, really. So everybody was so friendly, great. Pit staff and track staff and everybody like that. So yeah, it just you just all felt very sort of those all your family, you know. Yeah. A very special place. 00:21:19:05 - 00:21:25:14 Speaker 1 And can you describe what was your best day at Wimbledon? Was there any day or days of it stand out to your memory? 00:21:25:16 - 00:21:37:08 Speaker 2 I think it was. I think it was the 2003 season. It was a knockout cup match and we had been to Boston. 00:21:37:10 - 00:22:00:02 Speaker 2 Week before, I think, and we'd got an absolute hide in there. And so it was almost impossible to make the score back up to, to get through to the next round. And we gradually started plugging away and getting the points back on Boston. And there was. 00:22:00:04 - 00:22:23:16 Speaker 2 One race to go, which I was in. And I mean, I think it was it seemed like it was think it was Danny Gifford. And we got we got A51. We got first and second in heat 14 and we sealed, we got got the points back to level and we got a replay out of the out of it. 00:22:23:16 - 00:22:36:01 Speaker 2 So yeah, that was a special time because we'd done something that was virtually impossible. It's like coming back from five nil from a football match to draw five all. So yeah, that was the most memorable night. 00:22:36:03 - 00:22:43:16 Speaker 1 Okay. So the most memorable. And obviously the next question is what was your worst day of important stadium? 00:22:43:18 - 00:23:07:16 Speaker 2 I think the worst day was was the first day when when I said earlier that the the rain come down about a half hour before we were due to start and conditions were so bad. It was, you know, we just we just couldn't ride our bikes. That alone raced them. So so it was a big hype of getting Wimbledon back in 2002 and. 00:23:07:18 - 00:23:18:04 Speaker 2 You know, massive great big crowd. And the rain was the weather was not not kind to us. So that was a real big disappointment. 00:23:18:06 - 00:23:24:22 Speaker 1 Okay, a couple of questions. How did the closure of the Wimbledon stadium affect you? 00:23:24:24 - 00:23:53:17 Speaker 2 Well, I mean nobody wants a speedway club to to close down. I mean, it's it's you know, the sport is losing its clubs as it is. But when something like Wimbledon, we got the sport back there in 2002 and we're hoping to bring it back to the heights of it was years ago and when it closed down, it was just devastating really, because we knew it would never come back again now. 00:23:53:19 - 00:23:59:05 Speaker 1 Okay. And looking back, what does your life as a speedway rider mean to you? 00:23:59:07 - 00:24:18:13 Speaker 2 Oh, it's just a proud moment, really. I mean, like I say, I never made it to the top or anything like that, but, you know, I can honestly say I was a speedway rider and rode for one of the most famous clubs in the world, so I'll always have that memory with me. 00:24:18:15 - 00:24:23:10 Speaker 1 Okay. And is there anything else you'd like to tell us that we haven't covered yet? 00:24:23:12 - 00:24:25:17 Speaker 2 No, I think that's about it, I think. 00:24:25:19 - 00:24:31:10 Speaker 1 Does anybody else have any questions? One quick one. Who was better, you or John Stevens? 00:24:31:12 - 00:24:41:18 Speaker 2 Oh, me for sure. Is he behind me? 00:24:41:20 - 00:24:47:20 Speaker 2 Now? Going well with John? He was a good lad. 00:24:47:22 - 00:24:53:06 Speaker 1 I'll answer David, if you answer me. You got a question? Just what. 00:24:53:06 - 00:25:00:07 Speaker 3 Was the most challenging thing, Chris? Because retiring in 84. It was 18 years. 00:25:00:08 - 00:25:01:01 Speaker 2 Exactly. 00:25:01:06 - 00:25:11:15 Speaker 3 You went back into it again. And in most professional sports that that wouldn't happen. So that's, you know. How did you prepare for that? How do you. 00:25:11:17 - 00:25:15:18 Speaker 2 Believe you? Me? I hit the gym a lot. 00:25:15:20 - 00:25:37:07 Speaker 2 Yeah. I say, I went to the gym and got myself really fit because, you know, I was I was older at that time. When I come back in 2002, I was one of the oldest riders in that league at the time. And, you know, my job was to to bring the youngsters on and and to help support the youngsters. 00:25:37:07 - 00:26:08:10 Speaker 2 But, you know, I had to be fit myself and make sure that I could do myself justice, really. It took me a little while to get adapted. I could say the bikes were different. The the surface of the tracks were maybe a little bit slicker than I was used to back in the day. So yeah, it took a took a few times to get in, but I managed it in the end. 00:26:08:12 - 00:26:11:13 Speaker 1 So was fitness always a big part of riding? 00:26:11:15 - 00:26:39:02 Speaker 2 Oh yeah. Definitely. Yeah, yeah. Say the speedway bike is I mean, it's quite a brute. I mean it does 60 and three seconds and there's no brakes. No oddly any suspension. So when you're riding one of those bikes, you. Well that's only for a minute or race. You know you've done that minute. It's very intense. So yeah as it was. 00:26:39:02 - 00:26:40:21 Speaker 1 Good size like, but you prepare. 00:26:40:21 - 00:27:08:01 Speaker 2 For just in your arms and you sort of the upper body mainly. But yeah, I mean I used to, used to suffer with, with arm pump quite a bit, which I always did as, as as a youngster. So I mean now they have operations to, to do something to stop me getting arm pump. But yeah, I just just got myself as fit as I possibly could. 00:27:08:03 - 00:27:11:11 Speaker 1 Any more questions from the room? 00:27:11:13 - 00:27:31:20 Speaker 3 Yeah, obviously Milton Keynes, it's it's not a popular name it Wimbledon. So in the last club you wrote all the games. Did you ever get any negativity because the speedway came back at the same time as the football club did? I just wondered whether there was any crossover there. 00:27:31:21 - 00:27:50:06 Speaker 2 No, there was no, not at all, really. I mean, it, you know, football and speedway different. So, you know, I was never, ever any negativity at all really, or not, that I knew of anyway. 00:27:50:08 - 00:27:54:02 Speaker 1 Any more questions? Have you got any question? 00:27:54:04 - 00:27:57:03 Speaker 4 So can I just ask what is arm pub. 00:27:57:05 - 00:28:00:08 Speaker 2 It's. 00:28:00:10 - 00:28:18:09 Speaker 2 Affects your arms. Oh sorry. It affects your arms here. And you, you grip too tight rather than you can't relax your your muscle. It goes really tense. And so then the it's very very painful.