Speedway's Greatest Scandal

[Ian]

A couple of days ago I found myself thinking about something which I'd forgotten about for some years. It was the appalling newspaper reports about race-fixing in speedway, and I think it was in the News of the World. Was it in the late 1970s?

 

I realise that many forum members will be too young to have seen this, and I can't remember much detail about it. Can anyone help me remember who was involved, what they are supposed to have done, and what year it was? My own recollection is that some of the sport's biggest names were involved (I can only remember a paticular favourite of mine, Reidar Eide).

 

Obviously I've searched the internet for any reference to Norbold's "Speedway's Greatest Fixes", "Speedway's Greatest Scandals" and even "Britain's Crappiest Newpapers", but without success.

[Grachan]

I remember it quite well. It was The Sunday People, and must have been the early to mid 80s, because it involved Siomn Wigg in some way, though I'm not exactly sure how, although I do remember being at Wolverhampton soon after an Wiggy getting booed while walking round the track with Billy Saunders before the meeting. Saunders promptly leapt over the fence and confronted a supporter standing very close to me face to face, telling him to support the riders in this situation.

 

There were all sorts of allegations of people throwing races etc. One rather amusing allegation was that when Bruce Penhall won the World Championship in 1981, Jiri Stancl let him finish ahead of him in the final race so that Bruce could be World Champion.

 

It may sound ludicrous on the face ot it - Penhall being World Champ because Stancl let him, but if you get a chance to watch that heat on video bearing this in mind, it does make for interesting viewing (particularly Dave Lanning's commentry about Penhall and Stancl apparently 'playing to the gallery').

 

I also recall the headline in Speedway Star that week was 'Black Sunday', and there was a follow-up story the week after, where Chris Pusey sold his own 'fixing' story to the paper and received a right slagging in Speedway Star that week for doing so.

[norbold]

I can't remember the whole story off hand, but it was about race fixing as Grachan says and was in the Sunday People. Simon Wigg had apparently, naively, spoken to a stranger who turned out to be an undercover People reporter and told him how some races were "fixed". Wigg was suspended. I can't remember who else was involved.

Perhaps it's all in Gareth Rogers new book. Tony?

[Guest Steve Dixon]

Wasn't this the Chris Pusey interview in the people?

[Jeff.]

It was late 1984. The main allegation against Wigg was that he paid riders in the British Final not to beat him in important races. The riders in question were already out of the hunt anyway. It was nothing that wouldnt go on anyway only Wigg made the mistake of telling this to someone who was pretending to be a friend but was in fact an undercover reporter, and also the fact that money changed hands made it suspect

 

The following week Chris Pusey who at the time was somewhat down on his luck had "sold his soul" for a few quid although this didnt have quite the effect of week 1. When they questioned Penhalls; 82 world title win because he supposedly asked Jiri Stancl not to beat him in a decider the stories had lost any credibility they may have started with.

 

Unfortunately the effects of this nonsense did impact on speedway for many years and it is impossible to tell how much they contributed to speedway's decline.

Edited November 7, 2005 by Jeff.

[Grachan]

The following  week Chris Pusey who at the time was somewhat down on his luck had "sold his soul" for a few quid although this didnt have quite the effect of week 1. When they questioned Penhalls; 82 world title win because he supposedly asked Jiri Stancl not to beat him in a decider the stories had lost any credibility they may have started with.

 

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I believe it wasn't even a case of Penhall asking him. What allegedly happened was Stancl went up to him before the race and said not to worry as he wouldn't get in his way.

[moxey63]

Malcolm Simmons and Mark Courtney were also named in the revelations.

[the brick]

i know years ago some promoters would ask riders to split the points money to get past heat 6 when the conditions were too bad to race in.

Edited November 7, 2005 by the brick

[fatface]

The BIG story of the affair was that Malcolm Simmons pulled out of the British Final citing injury thus letting Simon Wigg back into the World Championship having only made it as reserve.

 

I think it was proved that there were a few backstreet shenanighans on this subject - Simmo was well past his best (and let's be honest, not shy of a dodgy deal or two) and Wiggy was a hungry young buck who went on to reach his first World Final that year.

 

But the rest of the so-called sensational series was very tepid. Stancl letting Penhall win?! Do me a favour .... that's the equivalent of Tomasz Chrzanowski not standing in Tony's way last year...

[DanTheMan]

i have a peter collins book somewhere, will find it out later and have a read up on it all, but in it, he mentions how somebody had put sugar in his fuel tank, which caused his bike to breakdown.

 

he only found out when he sent a fuel sample away to be tested

Edited November 9, 2005 by DanTheMan

[tape2tapevideo]

To be honest this is no different to a rider team riding and letting his partner get a maximum, it happens all the time and always has done. It's no different to another english rider letting a fellow english rider, get three points so he can get into a final?

[fatface]

i have a peter collins book somewhere, will find it out later and have a read up on it all, but in it, he mentions how somebody had put sugar in his fuel tank, which caused his bike to breakdown.

 

he only found out when he sent a fuel sample away to be tested

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ah yes, that's a good one too. It was at the Coventry-hosted British Final in 78. PC boiled it down to one of the guys who pushes the bikes out. Now a conspiracy theorist would say that it was all part of a plot to eliminate one of Bees skipper Ole Olsen's big rivals on his way to the world title that year. You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment....

[BritPete]

Split Waterman was involved in a scandal, but it was nothing to do with speedway, he did, I believe serve a prison sentence in the 60's (?) for something to do with smuggling!

 

Also, a member of the pit staff at a particular track, said the he had overhead a conversation between Ove Fundin and Peter craven about "fixing" a race in the golden helmet match race challenge, an investigation was held, but no evidence was found against either rider.

[Ian]

Split Waterman was involved in a scandal, but it was nothing to do with speedway, he did, I believe serve a prison sentence in the 60's (?) for something to do with smuggling!

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I remember something of the sort.

 

If I'm not mistaken, the issue concerned the smuggling of gold into the UK - from which country I can't recollect. Split and others were banged up for a considerable period.

[norbold]

Gold smuggling, gun running...nothing too trivial for our Split.

[AndyM]

i have a peter collins book somewhere, will find it out later and have a read up on it all, but in it, he mentions how somebody had put sugar in his fuel tank, which caused his bike to breakdown.  he only found out when he sent a fuel sample away to be tested

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ah yes, that's a good one too.  It was at the Coventry-hosted British Final in 78.  PC boiled it down to one of the guys who pushes the bikes out.  Now a conspiracy theorist would say that it was all part of a plot to eliminate one of Bees skipper Ole Olsen's big rivals on his way to the world title that year.  You might think that, but I couldn't possibly comment....   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It was alleged on the basis of strong circumstantial evidence, though never proven. I believe PC was put under pressure, possibly by the FIM, not to take any further action for the good of the sport. I never heard him talk about it later, and of course the Peter Collins Speedway Book (the one you are referring to, Falcace?) was published in 1977, before this event. However, I do have a copy of the video: Peter Collins - My Story. Will play it when I get time to see what he has to say about the event there. I suspect it will be little more than a footnote.

Edited December 5, 2005 by AndyM

[bucket]

Remember reading about Split Waterman in 'Nipper' Reads autobiography (he who nicked the Krays) aparently he made a brief case for someone, that had a false compartment for a gun. I ain't saying no more as I have an affliction to concrete boots!!!!

[Jeff.]

It was alleged on the basis of strong circumstantial evidence, though never proven.  I believe PC was put under pressure, possibly by the FIM, not to take any further action for the good of the sport.  I never heard him talk about it later, and of course the Peter Collins Speedway Book (the one you are referring to, Falcace?) was published in 1977, before this event.  However, I do have a copy of the video:  Peter Collins - My Story.  Will play it when I get time to see what he has to say about the event there.  I suspect it will be little more than a footnote.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Andy PC published 4 books, in 1976, 1977, 1978 & 1979. The Peter Collins Speedway Book No 3 (1978) has the article in it that Falcace refers too

[Subedei]

Some would say that the sport's greatest scandal is the 40 points limit just introduced by the BSPA.

[BertHoven]

Some would say that the sport's greatest scandal is the 40 points limit just introduced by the BSPA.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Possibly this thread itself is a prime contender for the 'title'