00:00:00:07 - 00:00:13:01 Speaker 1 This is Giuseppe Barresi conducting an interview for the Speedway at Wimbledon Stadium Oral History Project on 20th April 2026. I'm going to just ask you a few biographical questions to begin with. What is your name? 00:00:13:04 - 00:00:14:18 Speaker 2 Garry. Kenneth. Sweet. 00:00:14:20 - 00:00:16:05 Speaker 1 Where were you born? 00:00:16:07 - 00:00:18:01 Speaker 2 Bethnal green. 00:00:18:03 - 00:00:19:08 Speaker 1 What year were you born? 00:00:19:09 - 00:00:21:00 Speaker 2 67. 00:00:21:02 - 00:00:25:07 Speaker 1 What did your parents do for a living? 00:00:25:09 - 00:00:30:13 Speaker 2 A boy that was. And my mum was a nurse. 00:00:30:15 - 00:00:36:16 Speaker 1 Okay, we're going to start with some sort of origin questions. That's okay. Tell us which years you were a rider. 00:00:36:18 - 00:01:07:06 Speaker 2 Oh. When I first ever started speedway. Must have been 17 and I was riding. I signed up for Wimbledon, and then I stopped for a little while and then went back when I was 20. So because I broke my wrist against, I stopped. But yeah, I've been on motorbikes for since I was three years of age. So. 00:01:07:07 - 00:01:11:23 Speaker 1 So how did you first get into speedway and why? 00:01:12:00 - 00:01:32:02 Speaker 2 Dad used to ride for West Ham, so he used to do speedway. So that was that was basically it was born in our blood. So that was it. When he was three years of age. Dad bought my sister a bike. Not me and my brother. My sister, but she didn't want to ride it. So we ended up doing it. 00:01:32:02 - 00:01:37:09 Speaker 2 So. And from then onwards. 00:01:37:11 - 00:01:40:20 Speaker 1 How did you end up in Wimbledon? 00:01:40:22 - 00:02:06:06 Speaker 2 Being a local boy? Because I used to live in Mitcham, so just I used to come here when I was a baby. So we, we always come down here when there was either stock cars, speedway, greyhound racing. It was always we was always coming down here. But yeah it was good days down here. 00:02:06:08 - 00:02:09:14 Speaker 1 And how did you get the skills to become a rider? 00:02:09:15 - 00:02:30:01 Speaker 2 Lots of practice and practicing everywhere. Kings in Hackney Speedway I weighed were loads of places. Oxford, Sheffield, wherever. There was a training session, that's where we had to go. So. And junior grass track as well. So. 00:02:30:03 - 00:02:32:06 Speaker 1 Sounds like you had to be quite dedicated. 00:02:32:07 - 00:02:42:22 Speaker 2 Oh yeah. Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. Definitely. No. No drinking, no smoking. No nothing. Basically 24 over seven. That was it. 00:02:42:24 - 00:02:48:12 Speaker 1 How did you learn to repair and maintain your own bike? 00:02:48:14 - 00:03:15:08 Speaker 2 I suppose I'm learning from your dad. I suppose we've always been in sort of things like that anyway, so. But yeah, I suppose that my dad taught was basically. I mean, if you didn't maintain your bike, you wouldn't you wouldn't get anywhere in life, put it that way. So, I mean, I've seen bites turn up filthy, rotten, dirty, and the promoter just looks and goes, right. 00:03:15:10 - 00:03:19:24 Speaker 2 If you're not if you're not 100% in speedway, you're not going to go anywhere. 00:03:20:01 - 00:03:21:07 Speaker 1 It's a certain standards. 00:03:21:09 - 00:03:25:07 Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah. It's got. Yeah. 00:03:25:09 - 00:03:30:01 Speaker 1 Can you describe your first big race at Bumbling Stadium? 00:03:30:03 - 00:03:58:00 Speaker 2 I think I said to Matthew, I think it was against Neville, me, Neville, Tatum. I want to know either Andrew Silver or Jason. I can't remember it was and this is what I was saying, Matthew, about averages and things like that. So I was in front of Neville, but I had to let Neville pass because if I didn't let him pass, his average would go, go down. 00:03:58:01 - 00:04:09:06 Speaker 2 So it had to be a certain average. So yeah, but that was my main, main event. Yeah. First race for Wimbledon basically for the main team. 00:04:09:06 - 00:04:11:20 Speaker 1 So did you feel compelled to do that? 00:04:11:22 - 00:04:21:14 Speaker 2 Yeah I mean I loved it. It's the best buzz ever, ever in the world. 00:04:21:16 - 00:04:25:09 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any kind of heroes that you had within Speedway? 00:04:25:16 - 00:04:26:01 Speaker 2 Pardon? 00:04:26:01 - 00:04:31:03 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any heroes you had within Speedway? 00:04:31:05 - 00:04:32:23 Speaker 2 I don't know if I understand that question. 00:04:33:00 - 00:04:35:23 Speaker 1 Do you have any that you followed, any riders that you followed? 00:04:36:00 - 00:05:05:20 Speaker 2 Oh, yes. Barry Briggs, obviously, I have a major. My favorite was Ollie Olsen and Dave Jessop. Really? That they was my main in that sort of era. And then the professor and Nelson come along, and I just followed him all the way through. I went to his practice sessions and just basically followed him all the way through speedway. 00:05:05:22 - 00:05:10:13 Speaker 2 But yeah, that was that is my main. He was my main hero as Nelson. 00:05:10:14 - 00:05:13:05 Speaker 1 And what was it that inspired you? 00:05:13:07 - 00:05:14:08 Speaker 2 What to do? Speedway. 00:05:14:09 - 00:05:18:10 Speaker 1 Yeah. Through your. Through those guys. 00:05:18:12 - 00:05:45:16 Speaker 2 I don't know, it's a lot of it's to do with speedway is very family. And so a I'd say meeting everyone. I mean I could go anywhere around the country and stay with someone who if there was a speedway track there, you could stay there, which was quite good. But, Yeah, I don't know, really. I mean, dim days. 00:05:45:16 - 00:06:04:05 Speaker 2 I weren't following anyone when I was doing junior grass track or anything like that, apart from obviously Barry and Ollie Olsen and things when I was little. But I don't know, I just, I think it was just in your blood once. It's in your blood, it's in your blood, I think. 00:06:04:07 - 00:06:09:22 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any dreams and ambitions that you had in those early days? 00:06:09:24 - 00:06:13:14 Speaker 2 My main dream was. 00:06:13:16 - 00:06:18:14 Speaker 2 Obviously become a world champion, but I didn't. 00:06:18:16 - 00:06:47:12 Speaker 2 The last time I had an accident, I signed a contract to ride for Paul. And that would be my main, because that was in the eyes of the ice group. So. And that was with the likes of my mate Steve Schofield, Jason Crump, who else? Chris Holder. So it was that was my main sort of ambition to become obviously a big world champion. 00:06:47:12 - 00:06:52:23 Speaker 2 But the amount of questions I'd I was never going to be world champion. 00:06:53:00 - 00:07:01:15 Speaker 1 Okay. If we touch a bit more on your racing life now, that's okay. Can you give us an overview of your career, please? 00:07:01:17 - 00:07:53:16 Speaker 2 I had quite a good like I say, I restarted back when I was 20 and signed a contract for Wimbledon, and from there, when they closed, first closed, we went to Eastbourne and then I rode for Eastbourne and obviously under the Dons, but and then Red didn't come along and spotted me and I wrote, I wrote for Redding for three years and after reading I rode for Oxford and after Oxford I'd done ten years at Milnrow in a lower league, and then load from wilderness to write house my ass back, back here for a season. 00:07:53:16 - 00:08:02:08 Speaker 2 But obviously I broke my own wrist at Sheffield the second time I rode actually both the Wimbledon. 00:08:02:10 - 00:08:10:02 Speaker 1 So you ended your career at Wimbledon as well? Yeah. Can you describe the equipment in gear that you had back then? 00:08:10:04 - 00:08:32:03 Speaker 2 It was quite. Yes. Had to be up to a standard. I mean my racing tuner was Peter Johns and he used to do speedway and glass track. So I've known him. He's known me since I was like a baby basically. But he used to do my engines and now is basically one of the world top engineers in speedway. 00:08:32:03 - 00:08:48:06 Speaker 2 But yeah, yet to your equipment had to be top. It's you're talking fractions in speedway seconds. I mean the race only lasts for just a minute. So so everything has got to be spot on. 00:08:48:07 - 00:08:51:00 Speaker 1 And how has that changed from the early days to now? 00:08:51:06 - 00:09:16:17 Speaker 2 Oh, now a days is so technical. It's, I don't even think I'll be able to be able to start what they do now. The engines and the bikes and the flames, even the wheels. Everything's just changed. Tired. The tires, they've changed. They've gone in. We used to have inner tubes. They don't have any tubes no more. So yeah, everything. 00:09:16:19 - 00:09:43:22 Speaker 2 But I mean, some of them boys spend, spend a lot of money. I mean on average, I'd say if I didn't spend 20, 30 grand a season. But you had to be you had to have two bikes. That was the main thing when I think, is it Peter Brownie was manager here? I think when I first started and I think the promoter was Russell Lenin. 00:09:43:24 - 00:10:08:10 Speaker 2 So yeah, you had to have, you had to have two bikes up to scratch. And obviously if you haven't got a sponsor it's quite expensive. But touchwood, I had, I had a couple with good sponsors so but yeah. No, I mean like I say, today's bikes are nothing compared to like the impacts. They're the bone shakers I call them. 00:10:08:12 - 00:10:09:12 Speaker 1 Must have been uncomfortable. 00:10:09:16 - 00:10:25:06 Speaker 2 They were uncomfortable. Yeah yeah. But now the modern bikes nowadays it's just like. And the tracks are just like widening on a marble. So. But yeah. I mean, have you ever watched it. Yeah. Yeah. You enjoy it. 00:10:25:07 - 00:10:27:07 Speaker 1 Yeah. I've only been once but it's good. 00:10:27:09 - 00:10:45:00 Speaker 2 Yeah. I mean nowadays, like I say, the new tracks and the new bikes are so amazing. I mean, I, I'd like to go back on one, but I don't think, I don't think me brain and let me do it. 00:10:45:02 - 00:10:53:08 Speaker 1 So within Speedway itself, have you noticed any notable changes over time apart from equipment? 00:10:53:10 - 00:11:17:13 Speaker 2 Yeah, a lot of it's not a lot of promotion in speedway now in England. Anyway, you go to Poland or Sweden, Denmark and they've got academies we've not got over here. We've not got one academy over at the moment. And I think they are, they have started one poor thing. Paul Harvey and Scott Nicholls has started one, I think. 00:11:17:13 - 00:11:45:13 Speaker 2 But apart from that no we haven't got I mean we're so behind against the poles and the Danes. It's stupid really. I mean, I don't know why, but Speedway Speedway was massive years ago. I mean, when I was first born, you'd go to Wembley Stadium and I think that old 84,000 and. 00:11:45:15 - 00:11:56:15 Speaker 2 It was just packed solid, packed solid. And it's just the buzz and the smell and the atmosphere basically. It's really good. 00:11:56:17 - 00:12:00:12 Speaker 1 And how does that how does that decline make you feel? 00:12:00:14 - 00:12:37:05 Speaker 2 I'm sad really, because we were just talking downstairs about the tracks that used to be near here, like Wimbledon, Hackney, Crayford Valley, Reno, Essex, all of them. There's no clubs around in Eastbourne, no clubs around here. No more really. The nearest I would say would be either Paul or Ipswich. And to me that is really sad because it's not being promoted. 00:12:37:07 - 00:12:54:17 Speaker 2 If it was like boxing speedway. Excellent. I mean the polish they what they do over there, I don't know. But they get football crowds over there. We get to 3000 people at the most. 00:12:54:19 - 00:13:04:02 Speaker 1 Do you feel if there was still a club in London that speed will be in a better state? 00:13:04:04 - 00:13:33:10 Speaker 2 Yes and no really. I mean, it's it's a very old school sort of thing. It's not the modern people haven't really like my kids. They used to watch me race, but not very much there their age used to go to watch anything like that. I mean, they all they're doing now is on computers. If you could put it on a computer, maybe they'd come and watch it. 00:13:33:10 - 00:13:40:12 Speaker 2 But at the moment. No, not that it's really, 00:13:40:14 - 00:13:43:14 Speaker 2 What can I say? 00:13:43:16 - 00:14:11:01 Speaker 2 It's hard to say. I think that generation gap of and also the earth and safety, I mean, grass track used to. I used to love going to because you go down the five day, you have practice on a Saturday and ride on the Sunday. So it was so you used to camp and everyone used to come and watch and but now there's no really big tracks around him anymore to enjoy. 00:14:11:03 - 00:14:14:08 Speaker 2 Speedway. 00:14:14:10 - 00:14:21:10 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about the main dangers of the sport and any kind of personal injuries that you've suffered? 00:14:21:11 - 00:14:26:22 Speaker 2 Oh, so you've got another two hours? 00:14:26:24 - 00:14:55:03 Speaker 2 Yeah. But my, my first accident I that was riding for Wimbledon, that was why else and the bend. Why I had a big metal pole. So we've gone out of the gate and Tony I think it was Tony Kingsbury. He's T-boned me into the fence. But then, then I got up and then started again and he'd done it again. 00:14:55:03 - 00:15:12:10 Speaker 2 But then I shattered all my back teeth, broke my jaw. That was my first injury. The second injury was my wrist, and that was at Sheffield. Then I broke it again at milled. No. 00:15:12:12 - 00:15:43:24 Speaker 2 And I broke it twice at Peterborough, I think it was. And then I signed a contract to ride for Paul, and the day I signed the contract I was riding at Mildenhall and I done me tibia all my ligaments and so I've got pins in my legs. And then after that I was out for a year and a half and then I come back road from Mildenhall three weeks after that, dislocated my shoulder and then broke my wrist again. 00:15:43:24 - 00:15:51:15 Speaker 2 So and then the last time I broke my wrist was when I was riding here, not here, but at Sheffield for Wimbledon. 00:15:51:18 - 00:15:56:12 Speaker 1 So during that time when you had those injuries, did you ever feel like giving it up? 00:15:56:13 - 00:16:19:11 Speaker 2 No. Never. Never. In fact, it makes it even more. More. You want to get in there and do it? I mean, just got to look at Ty Wolf and world champion. I'd never thought I was going to be. I never thought it right again. Two years, not just under two years. He was he was in a coma. But now look at him. 00:16:19:12 - 00:16:43:09 Speaker 2 He's he's back wide. So once it's in your blood, I think it just it's that little buzz that you just completely take your brain out your head and that's it. You're just focused because, like I say, it's only a minute of racing, but it's a minute of danger as well. Which is that sort of. I suppose it's like a box or something like that. 00:16:43:10 - 00:16:47:02 Speaker 2 It's you want to get in there and get stuck in. 00:16:47:03 - 00:16:50:13 Speaker 1 Did that danger come into your mind? No. Before race? 00:16:50:13 - 00:17:22:19 Speaker 2 No, never. Because if you start thinking about it, if you start thinking about what's going to happen, it's it's doing it because you always you're going to danger the people who are behind you and front of you because you you're going to end up shutting up because you, you, you're going to fast. So no, if you think that way, that's the best when you've got to give up, basically because it's not it's you have never free ride, it's behind you or in front of you. 00:17:22:19 - 00:17:34:21 Speaker 2 So you've got that danger in their hands as well. So. But yeah. No, never. I'd never give up. I'd still be riding now. 00:17:34:23 - 00:17:40:05 Speaker 1 How did the economics work, for instance? Did you have other jobs while you were racing? 00:17:40:07 - 00:18:30:19 Speaker 2 Yeah, I used to work for. My first job was when my dad at Borough Market and I left there. Become a soft drinks for Corona in ones with the delivering drinks around. And then after that, I become a double Glaser with England captain Alan Pardew done that for three years. And then that's when I started doing speedway. So speedway was obviously from May to October, so I'd never thought I'd done was just race then, but it knocked over to the like little bits and pieces with dad had his own business. 00:18:30:19 - 00:18:39:21 Speaker 2 I used to work for my dad basically, but I didn't do that much. I was more in the garage. Didn't you bike? So yeah. 00:18:39:23 - 00:18:48:14 Speaker 1 How did you chuckle? Being a speedway racer with your family life? 00:18:48:16 - 00:19:10:09 Speaker 2 I mean, my two girls used to come with us anyway when I was racing and obviously my ex wife, but no, I mean, my my dad was my mechanic and with that goes, my mum's got to go, basically. But, Yeah, me me me Bubba used to ride, so. Yeah, I mean family. Why is it. No. 00:19:10:11 - 00:19:40:15 Speaker 2 Settled quite in. Obviously they didn't go to it every single match I was because obviously some meetings Mondays, Thursdays, Wednesday. So they'd done a couple of away meetings like weekends and things. But no, I mean I think well I, I think they enjoyed it so but yeah, I think they did. McGill's always talk about it. I got I didn't I couldn't get no pictures because I'm still waiting for me. 00:19:40:17 - 00:19:52:11 Speaker 2 Bag of pictures from your ex-wife. But but yeah I mean John Stevens I think it's got pictures of me anyway. So. Yeah, I suppose my family loved it. 00:19:52:13 - 00:19:53:21 Speaker 1 You mean joy having them with you? 00:19:53:22 - 00:19:57:11 Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah, yeah. 00:19:57:13 - 00:20:05:16 Speaker 1 Can you describe your relationship with other riders in your team or managers or promoters? 00:20:05:18 - 00:20:41:17 Speaker 2 Well, basically, it's like football. Anything your best friends. I mean, I still see Ray Morton, Peter, John. It's just like a really close network of people anywhere, anywhere you go in London, if there's a do they always be there or anywhere in England? Basically if there's something speedway or you'll meet someone and they know you or you'll know them and but yeah, it's like it is like a, like a close family bond to everyone. 00:20:41:19 - 00:21:04:22 Speaker 2 I mean we're obviously if we're riding against opposite teams that that certain slot that our slot you, you want to get, you want to put in food offense. But after that you'll go down to the bar and have a cup of soft drinks or a drink or two, and you'll be best friends again until you ride again next to him. 00:21:04:22 - 00:21:12:03 Speaker 2 So yeah, he's a speedway is a very close knitted bond of people, basically. 00:21:12:05 - 00:21:20:07 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any any kind of reunions or get togethers you've had with other riders over the years? 00:21:20:09 - 00:21:50:15 Speaker 2 It's usually meetings really. When Cardiff was going, we used to go, everyone used to go to Cardiff quite a lot. So you would see all the riders there and you'd just go there and have a couple of drinks, watch the meeting, stay and then go home the next day. But yeah, I think Cardiff was a big, a big meeting and they used to do it indoors at Brighton. 00:21:50:17 - 00:21:59:16 Speaker 2 And that used to be quite a good like bond for everyone to go to. So wherever there was a meeting or. 00:21:59:18 - 00:22:24:15 Speaker 2 A show, that's where we'd meet because usually it starts on a Saturday Sunday. So you'd have to fly or travel on a Friday, meet everyone, have a couple of drinks and then go to the show. So, I mean, John Stevens does an excellent, excellent job of what he does. He just promotes the sport really well. He should be a promoter really. 00:22:24:17 - 00:22:27:00 Speaker 1 Does he try to bring riders together as much as possible? 00:22:27:01 - 00:22:51:21 Speaker 2 Yeah, yeah. I mean, if it weren't for John, I don't know this would have happened I don't think I mean from a wider I've, I've known John. I mean I picked him up when he first signed for them and, and since then what he's done for Wimbledon Speedway. He's amazing. Absolute mazing. 00:22:51:23 - 00:22:59:12 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any kind of big rivalries with other rivals? Oh. 00:22:59:14 - 00:23:24:04 Speaker 2 My main one for Wimbledon was acne. Acne Speedway that was they had some really strong ideas. And so yeah, I mean that was that was a little bond between acne, the virus. And I was like the London team sort of thing. So yeah, they was the main main teams. But then. 00:23:24:06 - 00:23:40:21 Speaker 2 You had bigger teams like Paul Ipswich. But I think the London teams were obviously like football London, London teams, London derby. So, so yeah, I think they were the main sort of teams to win against. 00:23:40:22 - 00:23:43:17 Speaker 1 And were there lots of away fans traveling to these? 00:23:43:18 - 00:24:10:19 Speaker 2 Yeah, I mean women had an L of a lot of fans pit bin loonies. I mean they they still go to speedway now. I mean mainly downstairs. She goes she goes to Ipswich, the Manchester, she still goes to Speedway. The receptionist. And I've known her for years and years as well. So. But yeah. 00:24:10:21 - 00:24:18:19 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any big characters that were in the sport. Oh. 00:24:18:21 - 00:24:24:24 Speaker 2 There was obviously my mate remote and he was a character. 00:24:25:01 - 00:24:38:17 Speaker 2 The Peckham flier, Marvin Cox, number one. He was a I think. 00:24:38:19 - 00:25:03:01 Speaker 2 As a character, I'd like to say as a funny side of it would be the Americans, Kelly and Van. They were just they were just out there. They was just another level. I mean, the things I used to get up with, the pranks they used to do, I suppose it's them to, I would imagine. 00:25:03:03 - 00:25:09:08 Speaker 1 Can you share anything with us, though? 00:25:09:10 - 00:25:25:21 Speaker 2 I think it's just the way they they they were they get you racing gear or your clothes and just fly them in the showers. And so you so you had to go home with your pencil and things like that. But. 00:25:25:23 - 00:25:48:21 Speaker 2 Yeah, they, they, they were pranksters. I mean, they just, just wind you up to the, to the level where you go and you've just got to stop now. It's not, it's not even funny no more so but yeah, that's what they used to do. The Americans are they used to wind a lot of people up. 00:25:48:23 - 00:26:02:13 Speaker 3 For a drink. Everyone just. Yeah. It's great. You okay? Yeah. All good, all good. I ask you to ask some additional questions at the end anyway. Sorry. 00:26:02:15 - 00:26:08:15 Speaker 1 Can you tell us about any skullduggery or dark arts that existed within Speedway? 00:26:08:20 - 00:26:13:23 Speaker 2 There's a lot. Yeah. 00:26:14:00 - 00:27:10:06 Speaker 2 It's all to do with average. Your average was if you had a 9.6 average or 10.2 average or something like that, you was top level. So to be top level, that qualifies you through all the international majors, all the individual meetings. So you average was more important in speedway. But then the politics side gets involved. So say if I was a 6.7 average and there was a rider that was say same standard as what I was, but his average was slightly higher, the manager would most probably turn around and say, you've got to let him win because he's got more chance of achieving more than. 00:27:10:06 - 00:27:16:24 Speaker 2 But I know it sounds silly, but that's basically some of it. And. 00:27:17:01 - 00:27:33:20 Speaker 2 Yeah, basically shutting off the foothills and people pasture and things like that. I mean, there's a major incident that at World Championship, I think it was a I think it was Bruce Penhall, Bruce Pennell. 00:27:33:22 - 00:28:02:07 Speaker 2 He didn't have to win the race, but his team partner Dennis Seagal, he had to win to qualify. So he's done because in speedway, if you're under power, you get excluded. So you've got to you've got to show that you're basically racing, basically. And at the end of the race before the checkered flag, he just eased his foot off. 00:28:02:09 - 00:28:21:14 Speaker 2 So his fellow partner come through. But it was an individual meeting. So he got booed. Well it was nearly riots outside. But yeah, there's a lot of like dipping your phenol and getting a stronger methanol. 00:28:21:16 - 00:28:53:12 Speaker 2 Carb sizes. There's so much that you can do, taking your packing out your exhaust to make it lighter. Yeah. There's a lot I mean, managers nowadays, I don't feel like what they used to be like, but yeah, there was a lot of, a lot of backhand is here and there. And I suppose it's like books in anything, like any sport nowadays is like a bit dodgy anyway. 00:28:53:12 - 00:28:55:09 Speaker 2 And it. So. Yeah. 00:28:55:09 - 00:29:04:22 Speaker 1 So how did that as a rider who wanted to win, how did that make you feel having to do some of those things. 00:29:04:24 - 00:29:09:03 Speaker 2 Oh no. 00:29:09:05 - 00:29:32:15 Speaker 2 I mean you didn't really notice that they were doing it, but as a, as a rider. Yeah. I mean, you're going out there because you're paid by the points. You win obviously appearance money, but the points you get, you get money for. So if you are in say in front, like I was with Neville and you've got to shut off it. 00:29:32:17 - 00:29:57:14 Speaker 2 I mean, my dad don't know that I've done it. And after I suppose none of the crowd ever knew that it was going on. But yeah, it does break you out a little bit because every penny helped. So. But yeah, it's not it's not fair on the lower people. I mean I, I've done it because my promoter told me if you don't do it like basically get out. 00:29:57:15 - 00:30:04:02 Speaker 2 But yeah. Yeah. Happens happens all the time. 00:30:04:04 - 00:30:11:10 Speaker 1 Can you tell me how Speedway impacted your family life throughout your career? 00:30:11:12 - 00:30:18:16 Speaker 2 Well, like I say, when my dad was racing, he had a bad accident. 00:30:18:18 - 00:30:32:09 Speaker 2 West and he broke his back. So he was he was in hospital for at least eight, eight, between 8 and 10 months. And. 00:30:32:11 - 00:31:01:09 Speaker 2 I suppose after that, he obviously still had the buzz. He's still he he rode a little bit and then just got us into, like I say, when he was three, just got onto motorbikes at the age of three. So from three to say age 12 we was doing them junior glass trick. So we were Jeremy and Jamie Lucas, which is dad, you survived. 00:31:01:12 - 00:31:09:05 Speaker 2 And Jamie and Jeremy, you survived him as well. So. But yeah. 00:31:09:07 - 00:31:13:00 Speaker 2 Yeah, I don't know. 00:31:13:02 - 00:31:17:05 Speaker 2 I can't really think about anything. 00:31:17:07 - 00:31:30:12 Speaker 1 Talk about the race. Now, if you don't mind, can you describe a race day at Wimbledon and how you felt leading up to the race itself? The crowd, the noise, the rituals? Can you give us some insight as to. 00:31:30:12 - 00:32:01:02 Speaker 2 How how can I say, look, I say you you basically take your brain out your editor and put it in your toolbox. But the pit loonies here, the crowds were amazing. They used to shout your name and your names, obviously. Russell. Russell, Lenin. He was, he was on the mic. So everything he was saying relates to the crowd and the crowd cheer you on. 00:32:01:03 - 00:32:23:14 Speaker 2 And so, yeah, I think it's like I say, you got to promote the sport for your crowd to come for you, for them to cheer you on. I suppose it's like a game of football. If you've got no one there, you you haven't got that little, little buzz you want. So you need, you need you need people there. 00:32:23:16 - 00:32:35:23 Speaker 2 But yeah, I mean I, I enjoyed it walking through the tunnel with, with the speedway music game for it was excellent. Excellent. 00:32:36:00 - 00:32:38:05 Speaker 1 We said that was a highlight of your day. 00:32:38:06 - 00:32:52:21 Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah it was. Yeah. The first the first steps when you walk, walk outside the track, you're all lined up in front of your bikes, waved to the crowd and that's it. And that's when you know that this is this is happening now. 00:32:52:21 - 00:32:54:16 Speaker 1 So did that feel like the ultimate. 00:32:54:17 - 00:33:03:04 Speaker 2 Oh, yeah. It gives you gives bumps all the time doing it. Yeah. 00:33:03:06 - 00:33:10:04 Speaker 1 You talked about the prep leading up to a race. Can you describe the thrill of actually being in a race? 00:33:10:09 - 00:33:37:10 Speaker 2 I did say that to my well as well. I'd say it's better than taking. I've never taught drugs anyway. It's better than taking drugs and it's better than sex. And that is if any, any rider will tell you that as well. It is the best buzz in the world. Your heart's just pounding, pounding, pounding. And even if you win as well, it's even better. 00:33:37:12 - 00:33:45:04 Speaker 2 Yeah, the emotion is, well, every time you ride, there's always something there. 00:33:45:06 - 00:33:46:20 Speaker 1 And you have the same emotion time. 00:33:46:22 - 00:34:03:20 Speaker 2 Every time. Yeah, every time you ride, you've always got that buzzing feeling. Like I say it is. If any rider don't say it's better than sex and drugs off in the lying. 00:34:03:22 - 00:34:11:08 Speaker 1 Can you tell us a little bit about the tactics and the skills required to be a good racer? 00:34:11:10 - 00:34:16:08 Speaker 2 Obviously the equipment yet to have good equipment. 00:34:16:10 - 00:34:24:24 Speaker 2 Speedway's look. It seems odd and everyone says it looks odd, but. 00:34:25:01 - 00:34:48:15 Speaker 2 It's like riding the push bike once. Once you your body gets into that routine. I mean, you know, you you know that well, you know, you've got it basically. I mean, like I say, if if you start thinking about it and fearing about it, that's when it starts getting dangerous. So and like I say, it's only it's only a minute. 00:34:48:15 - 00:34:59:16 Speaker 2 So basically you're riding if you're having five eats a meeting five minutes worth of work. So. But. 00:34:59:17 - 00:35:03:12 Speaker 2 Yeah, I don't know really. 00:35:03:14 - 00:35:05:12 Speaker 4 What can you say about that. I don't. 00:35:05:12 - 00:35:06:22 Speaker 2 Know I can't really go. 00:35:06:24 - 00:35:12:05 Speaker 1 Can any tactics that you might have before race completely go out the window out the first corner? 00:35:12:07 - 00:35:12:24 Speaker 2 Yeah. 00:35:13:00 - 00:35:16:17 Speaker 1 Yeah. And how do you adapt? 00:35:16:19 - 00:35:18:03 Speaker 2 I mean you. 00:35:18:03 - 00:35:19:05 Speaker 4 Get you get some. 00:35:19:07 - 00:35:49:14 Speaker 2 Some people like each other. Some like I say, it is a bond. But you do get some teammates. Like I say, it's all to do with your averages. So you top wide is always want to win. And lower level riders obviously they want to win. But so yeah I mean if you go into the bend and you talk about what you were going to say, you're going to go in the inside and I'll go on the outside. 00:35:49:15 - 00:36:14:23 Speaker 2 But you've also got to realize that you're opposite team is thinking the same as what you're most body thinking. So that's when they all went into one. And that's when obviously accidents happen or but yeah, tactical wise I mean yeah, basically you always used to say to your partner, if you're out in front, make sure you just look behind or see where I am or anything. 00:36:14:23 - 00:36:42:00 Speaker 2 But yeah, I mean, that was basically what it was really. But like I say, a lot of it's to do with averages. So obviously, like you say, you talk to each other, but like you say, you go into that first bit and the other two wide is trying to be doing the same. So nine times out of ten, if you're out in front and you've got five one, then you can start team wide into what thing. 00:36:42:00 - 00:36:52:05 Speaker 2 But like I say, nine times out of ten, it's always that first bend that decides on whatever's happening. And after that, it's just if you can do it, you can do it. 00:36:52:05 - 00:37:06:13 Speaker 1 So okay, we're going to touch on one wooden stadium now as well. And some memories around that. Maybe the Wimbledon Speedway stadium special to you. 00:37:06:15 - 00:37:15:07 Speaker 2 The size of it obviously the crowds. I've been coming here since I was. 00:37:15:09 - 00:37:42:17 Speaker 2 One to his of age. So it was just yeah, just the atmosphere. I mean they had some big, big meetings here as well. So you had some good, good vibe here as well. So yeah, just it's just basically atmosphere win wouldn't be Wimbledon without speedway or stock cars or grounds to me. They've lost everything. Obviously they've got the football back but. 00:37:42:19 - 00:38:07:18 Speaker 2 Does that carry the crowds that stock cars used to have or the greyhounds or Speedway? Even so. But yeah, it was a shame when they started knocking it down because I used to help Dingle do the track as well, because obviously I had broken wrist, I used to drive the tractors for him. But yeah, when I, when I started seeing it, it. 00:38:07:20 - 00:38:32:18 Speaker 2 Well, the last meeting, I just put up a big bag of hard core and just put it in a box. And I gave it to my dad and my dad. Well, I was going to say, hopefully he's in his grave, but yeah, then done that for him because like I say, he come he used to come here when he was a little one as well. 00:38:32:18 - 00:38:45:16 Speaker 2 So he was, he was Brixton. So he used to come here quite a lot with his dad. So. But his dad never used to ride so. But yeah that it does. It does go at you. 00:38:45:19 - 00:38:47:10 Speaker 1 It does. Heritage goes back quite a. 00:38:47:10 - 00:39:13:11 Speaker 2 Long way. Oh, yeah. Yeah, definitely. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, there was, he was more into football, but it didn't really like motorbikes. It didn't even drive. So anything with an engine, I don't think he always used to push bike everywhere around, so. But yeah I suppose. Yeah. Like I say, when my dad used to come here, then obviously me and my sister, my brother were boom. 00:39:13:13 - 00:39:29:13 Speaker 2 And then we'd just come here after that. I mean, every Thursday or whenever speedway was on with dads used to bring a race round here. So yeah metal can on your foot. It'll be go speedway riding. 00:39:29:15 - 00:39:32:16 Speaker 1 You've touched on the atmosphere at Wimbledon. Was it unique? 00:39:32:17 - 00:39:35:24 Speaker 2 Yeah. It's, 00:39:36:01 - 00:40:02:21 Speaker 2 I mean, the way the track, I mean, Dave Lenin differently and he's dead. Definitely made speedway. He'd say there's a pink elephant coming in in a minute or just wind the crowd up and for him to be. But you never you never had anyone like like like him commentating it basically. But yeah, he was they were two good characters in Speedway. 00:40:02:21 - 00:40:08:03 Speaker 2 They were so. But yeah. 00:40:08:05 - 00:40:37:24 Speaker 2 Yeah, I don't know. But yeah, the buzz was absolutely amazing, especially if you had a big, big meeting. I mean, when you had I think individuals like the embassy and everything like that Volkswagen challenge and the big boys were then like the or the Olsens, the Briggs, the majors. 00:40:38:01 - 00:40:47:21 Speaker 2 Who else I funding, I mean, all the big boys. But and that was when I was obviously in the baby stages at Speedway. 00:40:47:21 - 00:40:57:06 Speaker 1 So when you talked about the buzz at the stadium, how important were the fans to the racers and the team to get you over time? 00:40:57:07 - 00:41:21:12 Speaker 2 Yeah, definitely. It's a bit like a football club and we are Arsenal and they're called the the Library supporters because they don't chant or anything like that. But yeah, you need, you need someone or something to get because you're so, you're so emotionally wound up as it is because you all you want to do is go out there. 00:41:21:12 - 00:41:41:12 Speaker 2 But then you need you need people shouting for you. And I mean, you go to Cardiff and I mean, you can't even hear when you used to go to Cardiff for the grand prize that's out. I mean, I've seen Scott Nicholls walk out there and just cry his eyes and think, Jesus Christ. Look at that. And it does. 00:41:41:12 - 00:42:01:22 Speaker 2 It just makes and it's where it used to be, like like here, walking through that tunnel and marching up to your bikes. It was the best, best feeling ever. And there's people just cheering you and being a local boy as well. So that was even better. 00:42:01:24 - 00:42:13:05 Speaker 1 You talk about being part of that team and the fans helping you when you race. What was it like to be part of the Wimbledon community and as you say, be a local lad? 00:42:13:07 - 00:42:40:09 Speaker 2 Nice. Yeah, I mean, I used to watch when, when at the stadium, football stadium over the back there. I used to go quite a lot to the football there. And, and like I say, being, being a local lad and riding for, I mean, it's a man's dream come true, isn't it. If you, if you're living ten minutes up the road and you're, you're playing or riding for your own team is it's amazing. 00:42:40:09 - 00:42:49:03 Speaker 2 And still now I can walk anywhere and they go it's Gary anyway. Tiffany. Anywhere I go, it's just. 00:42:49:09 - 00:42:52:00 Speaker 4 Like you getting on. You're still riding? No. 00:42:52:00 - 00:42:59:16 Speaker 2 Not that my retired 58 years of age. But yeah, that was the main, main buzz as well. 00:42:59:18 - 00:43:04:14 Speaker 1 How does it make you feel to be recognized even after all this time? 00:43:04:16 - 00:43:05:05 Speaker 4 It's nice. 00:43:05:05 - 00:43:05:24 Speaker 2 It's nice to. 00:43:06:00 - 00:43:06:13 Speaker 4 It's. 00:43:06:19 - 00:43:35:04 Speaker 2 I love it, but it's nice to be appreciated. I mean, I come here a couple of about three months ago, and I come to watch a football match that my, my daughter's girl was playing. And as soon as I walked in. Oh. Can I take you? Can I take a picture? Can I have your glass? Obviously. Tiffany never, never met anyone like that and was watching the football again. 00:43:35:06 - 00:44:10:11 Speaker 2 Then someone else would come up to me and go like, how are you getting on? And like, it's just amazing. I mean, people, I mean, they still still know me. And obviously my girls was in Wilmington schools, so. But yeah, like I say, anyway, I can go anywhere shopping or someone that someone would turn around and say, oh no, you electrician turns up, knocks on the door, says you carry in, you just come round to do me, do me boiler. 00:44:10:13 - 00:44:32:04 Speaker 2 So you know anywhere you go. Yeah you always especially being the like when it's. And it's, it does. Like I say John's doing amazing what he does. And without John I mean no one would be no one would they really. I mean the shows he does is unbelievable. So just like I say, just to be recognized is really good. 00:44:32:06 - 00:44:46:17 Speaker 2 Really good. But that's anywhere you go, anywhere you can go to Cardiff, Manchester, and you're guaranteed to bump into someone and know you're you know them. So yeah, that's what it was like, really. 00:44:46:19 - 00:44:48:13 Speaker 1 It must be great being Gary Sweet. 00:44:48:15 - 00:44:54:14 Speaker 2 I was. Yeah. Back in the day I was quite. 00:44:54:16 - 00:45:04:01 Speaker 2 Yet to be. I think in them days you had to get on crack on and do what you had to do. But yeah, I enjoyed it. I loved it, loved it. 00:45:04:03 - 00:45:16:15 Speaker 1 Can you tell me a bit about the best day you had at Wimbledon was always one day that stands out one. 00:45:16:17 - 00:45:17:15 Speaker 3 Oh. 00:45:17:17 - 00:45:49:10 Speaker 2 I think it must have been that race for the the first ever major race I had was obviously I was disappointed, excited to let them have all pass me. But yeah, I think that was my best still memory. Like going into that first bend, going into it first and then coming out and then slowing down and letting people pass up and come fucking sorry to come last but, that's that was a buzz for me. 00:45:49:13 - 00:46:03:02 Speaker 2 But also it was a disappointment. But yeah, that put in that race, the main race jacket on riding for the main main team in a big, big meeting. That would have been that would have been my ultimate. That would have been. 00:46:03:05 - 00:46:04:13 Speaker 1 Do you say that it's the pinnacle. 00:46:04:18 - 00:46:17:20 Speaker 2 Yeah. Yeah. For from then onwards that was what I wanted. And actually chief and then I didn't start slowing down and letting everyone pass me. 00:46:17:22 - 00:46:23:18 Speaker 1 And also on the flip side, what was your worst day? 00:46:23:20 - 00:46:51:19 Speaker 2 Oh, I've had some bad days as well. Yeah, obviously I've rode for Oxford, turning up for Oxford, two brand spanking new bikes. One I blow it, blew the engine in the pits. So once you're blowing engine up the frames, no good, the engines no good. So I jump on the other. We have a new bike, started it up, went to the tapes and that blew up. 00:46:51:19 - 00:47:18:19 Speaker 2 So, so two bikes in one day. Plus breaking down at service station. So yeah, I think that was my worst ever nightmare. Worst ever nightmare. But they I mean it just happens. Just happens. That's part and parcel of life basically. But that's happening. They say it comes in threes. But it certainly did that day. 00:47:18:21 - 00:47:25:21 Speaker 1 Okay. Some final questions from me. How did the closure of Bumbling Stadium affect you. 00:47:25:23 - 00:47:26:20 Speaker 2 As in the. 00:47:26:24 - 00:47:29:04 Speaker 1 Yeah closing down. 00:47:29:06 - 00:47:39:00 Speaker 2 Oh I quite nice that I think just just to know that my dad used to come here. Oh. 00:47:39:02 - 00:48:08:00 Speaker 2 And then me coming here since I was a baby riding here. Like I say, coming here for Greyhound meetings with the boys and grounds Bangalore soon. I mean, it did. I think it affected quite a lot, I think. Yeah, quite a lot. It affected quite a lot of I mean, Wimbledon was based as like a Wimberley sort of thing. 00:48:08:02 - 00:48:19:19 Speaker 2 It was that was how big it was. But obviously things that's to change. Houses have to be built. So yeah, it was I was really gutted when it was like I say, I quite that. 00:48:19:22 - 00:48:26:21 Speaker 1 So do you think it was something that not only affect individuals but affected the community as a whole? 00:48:26:23 - 00:48:36:01 Speaker 2 Definitely. Yeah. Yeah. I mean there was some people, like I say, being a local, local boy. 00:48:36:03 - 00:48:50:23 Speaker 2 And going to school just literally just found the corner. And you had some people that liked it. Some people ated it because of the noise. 00:48:51:00 - 00:49:10:01 Speaker 2 Yeah. There was there was a lot of. Yes. Yeah, we want to keep it open. And there was a lot, lot nos. Obviously we didn't know there was going to be a football track here. I mean, not football track, a football pitch here, but. 00:49:10:03 - 00:49:27:08 Speaker 2 It's better for the community I say, because of the hours in. But as a sportsman, no, I mean, they took away everything in London aren't they? Every single speedway meeting you had loads of tracks. So it's just a shame that speedway is not as good as it used to be. 00:49:27:09 - 00:49:30:23 Speaker 1 Do you feel as though the part of British sport has been just taken away? 00:49:30:24 - 00:50:03:11 Speaker 2 Yeah, it's like I say, it's all to do with promotion. Tyson Fury, the way he's the way he's managed, promotes things the way. If you go to Bellevue Speedway and Manchester, the way that's presented, its I think it's like I say, what John does, if John wasn't doing what he's doing when we just be Wimbledon, basically we wouldn't be having these talks or we wouldn't even be going to the stadiums or anything like that. 00:50:03:11 - 00:50:34:07 Speaker 2 But. Yeah, it's a shame. It's a shame. Like I say, I cried my eyes because I've been there all the time and worked here. Oh dear. Out, out there. The last manager. Dingle. Still see Dingle. Yeah, it's in your blood. So it's like being a football supporter. If you support that team, you're more passionate for that team than you are anyone else? 00:50:34:08 - 00:50:41:06 Speaker 2 I'm an Arsenal supporter, but I just want them to go down. But we won't go on about that. 00:50:41:08 - 00:50:42:14 Speaker 1 I'll forgive you for that. 00:50:42:20 - 00:50:45:01 Speaker 2 Are you talking? No. 00:50:45:03 - 00:50:52:13 Speaker 1 So, looking back, what does your life as a speedway rider mean to you and your. 00:50:52:15 - 00:51:14:12 Speaker 2 I've loved it. Loved it. Loved every single minute of it. The the friendship. You've got the bond with everyone. It's just it's just. It's just the bond. Like I say, you could. You could walk anywhere. I could walk anywhere in Wimbledon. And someone would go. I know you, and and you go, oh, do you? Well, I don't know. 00:51:14:12 - 00:51:41:21 Speaker 2 You and I go now. You used to buy for Wimbledon or used to provide for Oxford or you do something. Yeah. It's just it is. It is a buzz. It's still, it's a buzz without going on a motorbike because you, you feel like welcomed. So it's to me. Yeah. It's, it was and still is one of the best things that I've ever, ever done to achieve apart from having two girls. 00:51:41:23 - 00:51:43:16 Speaker 2 But. Yeah. 00:51:43:18 - 00:51:48:10 Speaker 1 Is there anything else that you'd like to tell us that maybe haven't covered today? 00:51:48:11 - 00:51:54:12 Speaker 2 No, no, no, I think you've got everything. I think you I think so, yeah. I'm not sure. No. 00:51:54:14 - 00:52:04:19 Speaker 1 Any moments that you want, any stories you want to share with us? That kind of still a part of your kind of memory, if you like. 00:52:04:21 - 00:52:13:22 Speaker 2 I really got that many memories. Now, like I say, those all good memories, but. 00:52:13:24 - 00:52:21:22 Speaker 2 No, no, I don't think I have. No, I think I think you've covered most of it. Well, you know. 00:52:21:24 - 00:52:22:14 Speaker 1 Thank you. 00:52:22:17 - 00:52:23:18 Speaker 2 It's okay. 00:52:23:20 - 00:52:24:09 Speaker 1 Any questions? 00:52:24:13 - 00:52:29:19 Speaker 3 I've got some. Just because we had a conversation before and just some stuff that came up with David. Have you got anything for? 00:52:29:21 - 00:52:30:03 Speaker 1 Yeah. 00:52:30:06 - 00:52:31:16 Speaker 3 I'm interested. 00:52:31:18 - 00:52:37:05 Speaker 1 I think they counted about ten, ten serious. Injuries in 20 years. How much downtime. 00:52:37:05 - 00:52:37:17 Speaker 3 Is often. 00:52:37:17 - 00:52:40:04 Speaker 1 Does that affect your career? 00:52:40:06 - 00:52:40:21 Speaker 3 What did you say? 00:52:41:01 - 00:53:18:18 Speaker 2 Yeah. First, accident I rode. I suppose I rode 6 or 7 months with a broken with a broken scaphoid. And then after the season finished, obviously had the operation. Then my my worst one was when I had done my knee and I was in hospital for nearly a year with a tension, tension springs and cages. And you had to tighten up the nut every little twist every day just to get your leg back into shape. 00:53:18:20 - 00:53:46:04 Speaker 2 Yeah. So, I mean, all you want to do, basically you just want to go on your motorbike. So the quicker I mean, I've been in healing chambers, I've had laser treatments done. I've had everything on cold baths. I think if you're a sportsman, you're a sports. You want to heal as quick as you can. So and just get back on, on, on, on the bike. 00:53:46:06 - 00:54:06:16 Speaker 2 Obviously if it's a serious, serious injury like spying, biking despite which I did bike dislocate me back. But, yeah, if you're in a Paradise situation, obviously no one wants to be in that situation. But healing wise. 00:54:06:18 - 00:54:25:18 Speaker 2 You're on a motorbike, so you're doing. You're doing something crazy, so you're bound to it. Epoch and bones or have scars, I mean touchwood, I've never really had stitches or anything like that, but it's just bacon bones basically. 00:54:25:20 - 00:54:33:08 Speaker 1 You said earlier and I answered that you never thought about quitting. Did you ever get pressure from family to give. 00:54:33:08 - 00:54:36:05 Speaker 3 It up? 00:54:36:07 - 00:54:44:24 Speaker 2 My ex-wife. Yes, because obviously my girls, when they was there, when I had my bad crash. 00:54:45:01 - 00:54:49:24 Speaker 2 But I don't know, I think. 00:54:50:01 - 00:55:11:01 Speaker 2 I wanted to do speedway basically. I mean, if, if they're going to tell you to stop doing something you really, really love, I mean, what you're going to do play hockey, go round skipping or, you know, I was into motorsport. So that's what I liked. Every I like any sport really. But that's basically what I've done. Motorsport. 00:55:11:01 - 00:55:25:22 Speaker 2 So I think we had our ups and downs. She did start not going as much with me because the the girls were getting scared, I suppose, but. 00:55:25:24 - 00:55:47:15 Speaker 2 It was a living at the end of the day. That was basically my job for seven months or eight months, so that's all I had to do. So yeah, basically I'd yeah, it was a job. It weren't for pleasure or anything like that. It was basically it was a job for you. It's like a lot of same as a footballer, I suppose. 00:55:47:18 - 00:56:12:04 Speaker 2 I mean train, obviously they didn't maintain their bikes or anything, but they still had to train play. So that's the same thing. Sportsman as a sportsman. So it's just the difference is we've got something that's going like 70 miles an hour. So yeah. No. 00:56:12:06 - 00:56:27:09 Speaker 2 Like I say, I suppose there was times that she didn't want me. Right. And when I had like I had bad accidents. But I say once it's in your blood, all you want to do is just like my dad says, if you fall off and get back on it, boy. So, I mean, that's what he used to say to me. 00:56:27:10 - 00:56:43:06 Speaker 2 If you fall off, as long as you're intact and you can ride, that's what you got to do. I just sitting there just thinking about it, you got to do it. So that's what you have to do. You just. I know it's. 00:56:43:08 - 00:57:10:09 Speaker 2 Silly, but at the end of the day, that's what you do. That's your living. This. That's what you, you love doing. So any sport, the most dangerous sport fishing. Did you try getting short from a fishing? It's most dangerous sport. They reckon. Motorbikes or not. You know what you're doing. You've got trust in free riders next to you that know exactly what you're doing. 00:57:10:09 - 00:57:30:14 Speaker 2 And you know exactly what they're doing to go in the first bend. If you worry about it less the time, you've got to give up. So basically no. Eating wise and everything like that. No, he's it's in your blood. So at the end of the day, that's what you've got to do. 00:57:30:16 - 00:57:31:05 Speaker 1 Nothing. 00:57:31:07 - 00:57:37:23 Speaker 3 I just just because we had a chat only with Gary. Can you just tell me about Maxine? What about where she. Who she was and what she did? 00:57:37:24 - 00:58:07:13 Speaker 2 Oh, Maxine. Neal. She she used to do a junior glass trip. She was a she was a girl. And, I mean, she she was she was really, really good at Junior glass track. She I think she was the only girl at that particular era that was doing guys track. Then she'd done grass track, and I think she signed a contract for him. 00:58:07:15 - 00:58:26:22 Speaker 2 Excuse me, I think it was actually Speedway. So she was the first, not obviously the first woman speedway rider because you've had a couple of them. I can't remember their names now, but yeah, she was most probably the first speedway rider that. 00:58:26:24 - 00:58:56:14 Speaker 2 Load for me. She had she said the same changing rooms. But basically she she was in a boys team. So she had to do what boys do basically. But yeah, she was, she, she was I think she lived in cars Shorten above her. Maxine I can't remember what his name was now, but yeah, I used I've known him for years and years, but she was. 00:58:56:14 - 00:59:07:12 Speaker 2 Yeah, she was one of the first Guild girls Speedway redesign I know of anyway, but. 00:59:07:14 - 00:59:26:21 Speaker 3 Just a couple more for me. You kind of touched from it, but you could just you just give the progression of. So you said when we spoke, you said you've got a bike aged four. Started riding just really quickly. Just summarize the age of four when you started riding and then you stopped because you said you wanted to be a football and then came back. 00:59:26:21 - 00:59:33:18 Speaker 3 Just give us just give us the corner there from when you first got a bike. 00:59:33:20 - 01:00:02:01 Speaker 2 Like I say, the first time I rode a bike was three. I think it was because my sister would have been five. And that's the time you can start going into junior track. So I think she rode it once and said to me, dad, I prefer horses, obviously being a girl, but obviously the love and passion he had, he obviously wanted to obviously get her into speedway, but all grass stretches I say. 01:00:02:06 - 01:00:30:16 Speaker 2 And because Maxine and my sister were really close friends, she, she, she carried on. My sister just stopped. She didn't like it. And and yeah, I suppose when I was four we went to where was it now I got a finger, I think it was Blackpool. And they had these little motorbikes around near the pier. And I think you had to be, I think it was 7 or 8 yet to be, to go on them. 01:00:30:18 - 01:00:58:05 Speaker 2 And we dad convinced the bloke that me and my brother like I was four and he was just turning three, that we won't ever go and buy them. And the minute we went on there, the crowds that just just come round, I think it was Blackpool. Not sure. Just come around and watched and watched and watched. And then when me and my brother got off the bike, everyone started clapping and cheering. 01:00:58:05 - 01:01:33:06 Speaker 2 And then from then we we'd just used to do glass track. So like I say, a bond, like Peter Johns, Elon Musk, Ridge, Marvin Cox, Malcolm I mean every every man used to go to grass track. It used to be, like I say, a weekend of fun and sport. And it was like like I say, that was the bread and butter of of weekends for me and my brother and everything like that. 01:01:33:06 - 01:01:35:10 Speaker 2 But. 01:01:35:12 - 01:01:37:19 Speaker 3 Then was that where was the grass track? 01:01:37:21 - 01:01:46:11 Speaker 2 The Dartford mainly round Dartford, mainly round Kent area. So. And 01:01:46:13 - 01:02:14:06 Speaker 2 I think I got to about 8 or 9 and I just, I just couldn't commit myself to it. I wanted to play football more than basic, more than a motorbike. But that dad ated football. So, so yeah, after that I just, I played for just down the road Betsy Ironsides just up the road from up from here. 01:02:14:06 - 01:02:48:00 Speaker 2 And on a Saturday. I played for Merton Police on a Wednesday, even though I won a policeman. And yeah, from there I just carried on playing football. Then I think I was 13, 14, 14. Then my dad said, look, do you want, do you want to really ride like speedway because you haven't done speedway, you've done grasstrack and you seem to like it just seemed to like get involved in it and everything. 01:02:48:02 - 01:03:13:13 Speaker 2 So yeah, I think that was when I 14. I think my first ride on a speedway bike was at Hackney Stadium, where they used to have training sessions and I jet jet bike. Then one of them old bone shakers, and they used to have a practice down here after they used to have a like a ten minute slot after the meeting finished. 01:03:13:13 - 01:03:39:10 Speaker 2 So you could go around and stare a little practice. So yeah, I suppose that got me. That got me back into it really. And then I stopped again. And then I started when I was 20 again. So yeah, started back when I was 20 and that's when I signed a contract for Wimbledon. So still playing football. But yeah, I think that was it. 01:03:39:11 - 01:03:40:18 Speaker 2 Yeah. 01:03:40:20 - 01:03:48:24 Speaker 1 Can I ask you a quick question as a follow up to that, can you tell me was grass track the only way in for a young person to come? 01:03:49:00 - 01:04:20:15 Speaker 2 Yeah, to come in to speak. That's the way everything you used to go to. But nowadays they do, like I say, the Danes and Polish. They do all like from four years of age till whenever they do academy. So yeah, that is basically how you used to like a lot of riders used to get into like speedway food, junior grass track, I mean the, the like, I like host boys. 01:04:20:21 - 01:04:46:04 Speaker 2 They, they I was in Jamie's group and I think we both might have been in Jamie's. I'm not sure. But yeah, they, they, they, they done the same thing. Started from quite junior grass track but they carried on to speedway. So yeah. So it's basically. Yeah from junior straight up to til you retire in speedway. 01:04:46:06 - 01:04:54:09 Speaker 3 Just one more thing that you can touched on it, but you talked a bit more about it on the phone to me. You talked about your love of the mechanics of it. 01:04:54:10 - 01:04:55:08 Speaker 2 Oh yeah. Definitely. 01:04:55:09 - 01:04:57:02 Speaker 3 Yeah. It tells you something about that. 01:04:57:05 - 01:05:10:15 Speaker 2 Yeah. So obviously maintaining maintaining it was the big thing in speedway. Like I say, you're talking mini fouls of your car betters. I mean, I used to spend. 01:05:10:17 - 01:05:40:14 Speaker 2 So if I was riding on a Wednesday, we'd go say Sheffield or something. We'd go all the way to Sheffield in the afternoon, ride, drive back, put the bike in the garage first thing in the morning after six, seven in the garage, stripping everything apart, putting it back for Friday and I was spend. If I could spend 12 hours, I wanted to spend 14. 01:05:40:16 - 01:05:50:19 Speaker 2 It was just that was me. I just loved being in the garage and like I say, it's a love of the sport, but. 01:05:50:21 - 01:06:22:07 Speaker 2 Maintenance is the main thing about speedway and it's always like, if you forgot something or I mean, talking about the big boys, I mean, they, they do their bikes, they got someone else. But obviously I couldn't afford it then. But yeah, I just loved being in the garage. Me brother be out nightclubbing and I'll still be in the garage at 1:00, 2:00 in the morning to me bikes. 01:06:22:12 - 01:06:36:22 Speaker 2 But but you had to because no one else was going to do it for you. So, I mean, like I say, if you turned up and you had because you had to have 2 or 3 bikes and they was team. 01:06:36:24 - 01:06:55:17 Speaker 2 The promoter or the manager would just turn around and say, well, if you haven't got no passion into it, you haven't. Obviously you're not looking forward to riding it today because obviously you've had two days to put your bike and it's not even done so. But yeah, I loved I loved it, loved it, put the music on the radio and that's it. 01:06:55:19 - 01:07:23:15 Speaker 2 As long as you made me a cup of tea or bacon sandwich, I'd stay there all day. I sleep in there. Basically. I mean, me and my dad used to. Especially if, like I say, when I blew two bikes up, we'd drive back. I obviously phone Peter Johns to get another couple of Indians, and we'd be in that garage until the bikes first beat. 01:07:23:20 - 01:07:50:08 Speaker 2 And once that starts, load it up, go to another meeting. So yeah, I mean, I've been in 24 hours. I've been in there just fixing and fixing and fixing, making bits and welding bits and. Yeah, just making. Yeah I loved it. Loved it. Margot. It's my little dream, my little nest that just. Everything goes. And that's all. You're focused on your bike. 01:07:50:12 - 01:07:52:09 Speaker 2 And it was the best thing ever. 01:07:52:11 - 01:07:52:24 Speaker 3 Sounds like. 01:07:52:24 - 01:07:54:18 Speaker 1 You loved every minute. 01:07:54:20 - 01:08:11:23 Speaker 2 Oh, I loved it. Like I say, it's better than sex or drugs. And if any. If no rider even tells me that they must be lying because I'm like. So I've. I've had sex. I've had two kids, but. 01:08:12:00 - 01:08:19:04 Speaker 2 I've never took drugs or anything. See, that was the best thing. So you weren't allowed to drink. 01:08:19:06 - 01:08:44:13 Speaker 2 Some people say you weren't that smoked, but I, I didn't smoke anyway, but, Yeah, yeah. Yet to be 24 over seven. It was 24 over seven. It's been your blood. And that's what the motors your manager said. That has got to be every day. You've got to be thinking about it, or maintaining your bike, or phoning someone up or trying to get another ride somewhere else. 01:08:44:14 - 01:08:48:14 Speaker 2 Or it was it. Basically, once it's in your blood, it's in your blood. 01:08:48:16 - 01:08:53:17 Speaker 1 How did fitness come into it? Well, riders having to keep really fit. 01:08:53:18 - 01:09:27:02 Speaker 2 Yeah yeah I mean it's speedway is more upper strength. Like your arms and your back. Your back. You had to be really strong with. So yeah. Press ups. Me and I used to go boxing running, swimming swimming's quite good. And I mean like I say I used to play football as well, so. Yeah. Yeah. Basically you've got yet to be fit, especially you, your arms and your arms and your wrists and everything like that which I'm suffering from now. 01:09:27:06 - 01:09:55:00 Speaker 2 I'm hands of rheumatism. But yeah, fitness is any sport. If you're not at the top of your peak, fitness wise, you're not. You're basically you ain't going to go anywhere. I mean, my brother used to love racing, but he never had the stamina in his arms to do for laps. He used to just collapse his arms. And when you see him collapse, you know, it was like, that was it? 01:09:55:02 - 01:10:03:07 Speaker 2 You ain't going to ride no more. So. But yeah, fitness wise, yeah. Like two mile runs and things like that. 01:10:03:08 - 01:10:10:19 Speaker 1 Were the bikes in those days more difficult to handle and did you need to be stronger than maybe these days? 01:10:10:21 - 01:10:17:24 Speaker 2 I think it's the opposite now I think. 01:10:18:01 - 01:10:47:24 Speaker 2 Both tracks, thim days where I was riding was quite deep, so it was quite dry v and bouncy. The bikes these days, I mean, I think I can it's about five years ago and it's, I mean it's like it's like riding a bike basically you can still do it, but you, you don't know what the bikes came do. 01:10:48:00 - 01:11:12:20 Speaker 2 I mean, the bikes nowadays all they want to do is just just launch. Launch the food in the air. But yeah, I suppose it's got a lot to do with the tracks. The tracks years ago was you didn't get the fine shower you got now. It was like cement dust and granite and it was all, all different ways you went different tracks. 01:11:12:20 - 01:11:31:02 Speaker 2 But now I'd say the tracks nowadays is like Manchester is like they say, it's like riding a marble pitch. It's just like a snooker billiard table, but like. Yeah, swings and roundabouts really I. 01:11:31:04 - 01:11:54:18 Speaker 2 Obviously the bikes these days are a lot powerful and there's a lot of people now that have mental coach like mental wealth coaches and things like that. So yeah I suppose. Yeah. The modern day bikes, I'd say an artist survived. Then the bikes were used to ride and a lot faster as well, I would imagine. 01:11:54:20 - 01:11:57:06 Speaker 1 But you've got better safety equipment these days. 01:11:57:06 - 01:12:22:04 Speaker 2 Oh yeah. You've got we didn't have none of that. But they've got now and they've got the chest bags and bases on your knees. Elbows. I mean we had a back and that was it. Never had nothing else, never had knee. I had money by specially made. But nowadays you can just buy him off the shelves now. So. 01:12:22:06 - 01:13:02:23 Speaker 2 And like the gloves were like like paper gloves were like. But nowadays they just, everything's just all padded up. So. Yeah. So I say what we were riding and we obviously didn't have no air fences, so we had timber or metal fencing with a sheet of ply. And if you hit that you knew if it hurt. But now you go for a, a bag basically, and you've got soon as you fall off your bike, your chest and everything's inflated. 01:13:02:23 - 01:13:18:17 Speaker 2 So yeah, I think it's a lot, a lot harder to ride them bikes, but it's a lot safer than what we had in our days. Definitely. Yeah. You don't see a lot of boys breaking it with estate times or whatever.