Kenny Carter Book

[Guest sjl]

Well my book came this morning and i am up to chapter 12 cant put it down nearly missed picking little en up from school.

I was thinking what he would have made of the GPs and riders pulling out all to often he wouldnt have would he

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Mine arrived today also, unlike you I have not started to read it yet but it won't take me long. It strikes me that whether you liked him or not it makes for an interesting read and there's no doubt that his early life was troublesome --- and that is an understatement at best.

[Dean]

Just finished it. Great read, Kenny really had a tough upbringing(oviously i make no excuse for his selfish final act though). As a rider he was terrific, i first started going to the speedway in 82 and remember KC winning the BLRC, he was awesome!!Couldnt believe he was only 25, what a terrible waste, not just to speedway but more importantly his children. It is however, clearly a sad story in which the authour tells it like it was.

[Jeff.]

What you don't think that the fact that Britain's top rider at the time did what he did and it was front page news in all the national dailies did any harm to the reputation of the sport and didn't have an effect on the shunning of the sport by that same media over many following years....??

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In truth I don't believe Carters crime to be the reason for the decline in media interest. The media were losing interest in speedway in the 5 or 6 years before this anyway, and the loss of World of Sport was a crushing blow to speedway regarding TV exposure.

 

Paradoxically Kenny Carters death probably hastened the media decline in as much as they lost the last really marketable, and well known outside of speedway circles, English rider, Simon Wigg came close but other than that, Tatum, Cross, Doncaster, Morton etc, hardly in the same mould as Carter.

 

Their have been books and films made about many similar killers, remember dance with a stranger, it told the story of Ruth Ellis who was hanged, because believing her boyfriend to be having an affair took a revolver and shot him. Does that sound familiar. I am fully aware there was more to the Ellis story than that but there was no public outcry over this story being told.

[WATigerman]

What you don't think that the fact that Britain's top rider at the time did what he did and it was front page news in all the national dailies did any harm to the reputation of the sport and didn't have an effect on the shunning of the sport by that same media over many following years....??

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The point I was highlighting in my comment was that you state that the events bring a measure of disrepute and shame upon all those who love speedway. I love speedway and doubtless like everyone else was horrified by what happened. But do I as a speedway lover feel shame? I was horrified by what happened but neither shame nor disrepute rests with speedway fans who had nothing to do with events.

Edited July 12, 2007 by WATigerman

[tigerbrandcoffee]

What you don't think that the fact that Britain's top rider at the time did what he did and it was front page news in all the national dailies did any harm to the reputation of the sport and didn't have an effect on the shunning of the sport by that same media over many following years....??

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You must be joking...tabloids eat this kind of headline for lunch and it sells their papers. If the media chose to cold-shoulder the sport it was because nothing of any interest to them (ie headline grabbing, paper selling scandal) ever happened.

 

The Simon Wigg race-fixing hoo-haa did more to discredit speedway than this tragedy ever did.

[moxey63]

Totally agree with you there. Tigerbrandcoffee.

[Ron Butler]

I would respectfully suggest that the whole concept of this book is insensitive to the Carter family....

IMO, Kenny Carter's life, bearing in mind the shocking way it ended and the terrible harm done to so many by him was NOT in anyway a suitable subject for a book.

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Parsloe,

 

I completely agree with your comments.

 

I had great respect for the ability of Carter as a speedway rider. This was totally destroyed by his terrible conduct and action regarding his family. Whatever the provocation no individual should deliberately take another persons life.

 

I can see no reason for the production of this book other than the acquisition of personal monetary profit by the author, publishers and producers - together with anyone else involved in resurrecting these tragic events and putting them into the public domain thus engendering much public titillation.

 

Absolutely nobody derives any credit from this publication.

 

Ron.

[stevehone]

Absolutely nobody derives any credit from this publication.

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i would disagree ... Kenny was a great rider and character in our sport, he deserves to be remembered

[chunky]

i would disagree ... Kenny was a great rider and character in our sport, he deserves to be remembered

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Exactly what I said earlier, Steve. Yes, what happened was tragic, but WE don't know the full situation, so therefore, we should not judge. Sometimes people just "snap". I'm not saying it was right because it wasn't, but these events should not be allowed to take away from his ability or career. Whatever you may think, his life and death, and life away from the track, are, or should be, totally separate from his career.

 

Ron, do you think I am wrong or immoral in possessing a fairly large library of true crime books? Just because things are bad, horrific, or tragic, should we forget them? Should we not write about them? Should we not make TV documentaries or movies about them? Should we forget the Moors Murders and Jack the Ripper? Should we forget 9/11? Should we forget the holocaust?

 

Kenny Carter deserves to be remembered, and whatever you may think, the majority of people who will buy or read the book will do so in order to learn, or to simply remember, not just to show their insensitivities or to gloat over a tasteless and tacky publication.

 

By the way, I am not, and never was, a Kenny Carter fan...

 

Steve

[lucifer sam]

I had great respect for the ability of Carter as a speedway rider.  This was totally destroyed by his terrible conduct and action regarding his family.  Whatever the provocation no individual should deliberately take another persons life.

 

I can see no reason for the production of this book other than the acquisition of personal monetary profit by the author, publishers and producers - together with anyone else involved in resurrecting these tragic events and putting them into the public domain thus engendering much public titillation.

 

Absolutely nobody derives any credit from this publication.

 

Ron.

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Ron,

 

We live in a free country* and therefore if there is a market for a Kenny Carter book, someone wants to write it and people want to read it, then it's going to get published.

 

We should be thankful that the book was written by an author such of Tony MacDonald, who has taken a responsible attitude in writing the book, instead of going for the sensationalist angle.

 

I would recommend this book. It's a rivetting read, even though I still can't understand why Carter did what he did. Penhall was right - he must have had a screw lose somewhere.

 

All the best

Rob

 

*well supposedly, in reality even this forum is censored to a degree that is rapidly p*ss*ng me off - I would thoroughly recommend the Weird World Of Subedei to anyone - a much more open and honest forum.

[BOBBATH]

Hi Steve-the creepiest book I ever read about true crime was "Bundy the Deliberate stranger" by Richard Larsen-one of the cops involved. I lived in Vancouver in73-74 and can remember these people disappearing in Washington State e.g. at Lake Samamish Park.Bundy was scary. Also a couple of books on Paul Bernado and Karla Homolka(google em you'll probably find the titles)-reminded me of Brady and Hindley-that all happened in St.Catharines about 60 miles from Toronto-actually Stan Bradbury now lives in St. Catharines-trying to get a connection to Speedway in there. Having read all comments I plan to get the Kenny Carter book-based on the posts of readers here-sounds like John Berry's review was a needless red herring and didn't do it justice>

[BOBBATH]

In previous post I meant the Steve from Cahokia-hope you're keeping cool in the heat wave mate!!!

[Garforth Duke]

This is my first post on this forum, and having read "the book" I feel compelled to reply.

 

I was a young Halifax (subsequently Bradford) fan when KC was at his prime. To me, like many other people there, he was simply the best. It seems to me like the rights and wrongs of this book run alongside the opinions of those who either loved him or hated him as a rider - and at the end of the day, its as a rider that everyone should remember him. No-one can condone how things ended, I certainly do not. I was absolutely devastated by what happened on that Wednesday evening, and it still haunts me today, but reading the book has given me a sense of "closure" if you like - you can begin to understand what was going on, whilst at the same time remembering what a fantastic rider he was.

 

Eric Boocock hits the nail on the head when he says of KC that we have never replaced him - we think we have, but we haven't. He is quite right. In the years that followed, I became a big fan of Havvy - and still am - but despite all his achievements (winning the things that KC never did), Gary never was KC - although probably the nearest there's ever been. They both had a winning attitude - sadly lacking in British sport generally (Henman, Coulthard etc) and I include our latest GP stars in that criticism. There is not as much will to win as the riders that ultimately do.

 

You could never say that about KC - he meant to win, and that's what wound people up so much. But that made him great to watch - just look at Heat 20 of the 1984 BF if you disagree, and compare it to the turgid rubbish that was the GP last night.

 

Sadly, the people who hated him at the time will walk away from any debate like this saying "I told you so" - however what happened on 21/5/86 was nothing to do with his ablity or otherwise on a speedway bike. The thing is, everyone knew in their minds that he was actually the best - however you don't like to admit to it if he's scoring 15 point maximums against your team!!

 

Whether the book in itself is right or wrong, is up to you as individuals - I agree it may be viewed as insensitive, however life moves on, time heals as they say. Reading the book has reminded me of a lot of happy times - this was 5/6 years of my life in that book, and it made it a very compelling read indeed.

 

RIP Pam and Kenny xx

[stevehone]

good post.

[spin king]

This is my first post on this forum, and having read "the book" I feel compelled to reply.

 

I was a young Halifax (subsequently Bradford) fan when KC was at his prime.  To me, like many other people there, he was simply the best.  It seems to me like the rights and wrongs of this book run alongside the opinions of those who either loved him or hated him as a rider - and at the end of the day, its as a rider that everyone should remember him.  No-one can condone how things ended, I certainly do not.  I was absolutely devastated by what happened on that Wednesday evening, and it still haunts me today, but reading the book has given me a sense of "closure" if you like - you can begin to understand what was going on, whilst at the same time remembering what a fantastic rider he was. 

 

Eric Boocock hits the nail on the head when he says of KC that we have never replaced him - we think we have, but we haven't.  He is quite right.  In the years that followed, I became a big fan of Havvy - and still am - but despite all his achievements (winning the things that KC never did), Gary never was KC - although probably the nearest there's ever been.  They both had a winning attitude - sadly lacking in British sport generally (Henman, Coulthard etc) and I include our latest GP stars in that criticism.  There is not as much will to win as the riders that ultimately do. 

 

You could never say that about KC - he meant to win, and that's what wound people up so much. But that made him great to watch - just look at Heat 20 of the 1984 BF if you disagree, and compare it to the turgid rubbish that was the GP last night. 

 

Sadly, the people who hated him at the time will walk away from any debate like this saying "I told you so" - however what happened on 21/5/86 was nothing to do with his ablity or otherwise on a speedway bike.  The thing is, everyone knew in their minds that he was actually the best - however you don't like to admit to it if he's scoring 15 point maximums against your team!!

 

Whether the book in itself is right or wrong, is up to you as individuals - I agree it may be viewed as insensitive, however life moves on, time heals as they say.  Reading the book has reminded me of a lot of happy times - this was 5/6 years of my life in that book, and it made it a very compelling read indeed.

 

RIP Pam and Kenny xx

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This is an excellent post, been a Sheffield fan Kenny was part of the enemy when he rode for Halifax and Bradford, who were a local rivals, but that did not stop me admiring the guy for his sheer will to win.

I feel that Kenny had a goal, and would push his body and mind to the limit, and was totally focused on those goals.

I also felt that when Kenny went part of British Speedway died, and I totally agree that he has never been replaced, in fact I don't think that there has been anyone like him since, the only rider who I think comes anyway near him is Nicki Pedersen. I once said this before and was crucified for it, but the point that I was trying to put across is that Nicki too is someone who will push himself that extra to try and win.

Yes love him or loathe him Kenny Carter was a fantastic speedway, and the tradegy is he never fulfill the promise that he had, like his personal life it is so sad.

[WATigerman]

The thing is, everyone knew in their minds that he was actually the best - however you don't like to admit to it if he's scoring 15 point maximums against your team!!

 

 

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Not true Garforth Duke. Carter was a top rider with an unswerving desire to reach the pinnacle of his sport. He never did.

 

To say " everyone knew...he was actually the best" is ridiculous.

[rhidassa]

I'm now starting to read this book; obviously I never saw him ride, but its an interesting read. A few chapters in you're already thrown into a bit of what his world was like. You could almost feel sorry for the boy.

[Garforth Duke]

Not true Garforth Duke.  Carter was a top rider with an unswerving desire to reach the pinnacle of his sport.  He never did.

 

To say " everyone knew...he was actually the best" is ridiculous.

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Just my opinion - I didn't want to go down the route of saying that other fans were jealous that he was scoring points for the opposition, but often that's why the hatred gets aimed towards these figures.

 

I like the subsequent reference to Nicki Pedersen - he doesn't do a right lot for me as a person, but as a rider he is a class apart at the moment. He winds up riders and fans wherever he goes - it's for the same reasons!

 

Imagine Cradley fans watching the Golden Hammer etc in 82 - Carter romps to a 15 point max, whilst Penhall messes about and gets 7! You can't tell me the home fans were not just a teeny bit envious? OK, so Penhall got his 2 world titles - that didn't do a lot for Cradley or for speedway in general did it??

[WATigerman]

Just my opinion - I didn't want to go down the route of saying that other fans were jealous that he was scoring points for the opposition, but often that's why the hatred gets aimed towards these figures. 

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So don't. Some might have been; some (myself included and I saw Carter many times) weren't

[rami]

Imagine Cradley fans watching the Golden Hammer etc in 82 - Carter romps to a 15 point max, whilst Penhall messes about and gets 7!  You can't tell me the home fans were not just a teeny bit envious?  OK, so Penhall got his 2 world titles - that didn't do a lot for Cradley or for speedway in general did it??

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Sorry but that is complete and utter rubbish - i was a cradley fan at the 82 hammer and yes obviousley we wanted Bruce to win it and yes Kenny was the last person we wanted to win it but so what it was the golden hammer!!! - To say penhalls 2 world titles didnt do a lot for cradley or speedway shows just how little you know. Penhall did more for both cradley and speedway in general in his short time over here than Kenny or most other riders ever did. Yes we loved to give Kenny a hard time just as the halifax fans used to love to hate bruce but to suggest we were jealous of kenny is so far off the mark. Kenny was a great racer and how we could do with a bit of the Kenny / Bruce rivalry in speedway now but as the complete package he wasnt a patch on Bruce imo.

 

Incidentally the 82 hammer you refer to, the reason bruce was messing around as you put it was he was late getting to the meeting and missed his first race so that pretty much ruled him out of winning the meeting anyway then he fell in his next race chasing kenny - the reason he was late was he had been filming the superstars tv programme, just a little bit more publicity bruce got for speedway on national tv but hey he didnt do anything for speedway or cradley!!!