Jason Garrity

[Ringitsneck]

Garrity was a drug user from a troubled background, doesn’t excuse his behaviour and justice has been done but he WAS a talented speedway rider and was regularly targeted by testers at meetingS having been regularly ‘ randomly selected ‘ ( by opposition promoters) and he passed every time.

There have been a number of riders who were informed of the testers presence and were promptly ‘ injured ‘ or broke down en route, I recall a certain Sheffield rider doing a u turn in a club car park having been told of their presence and the excuse given for his absence was given as ‘ he fell down the stairs at home ‘. Didn’t wash with the fans who saw him in his sponsored van hastily exiting the stadium car park.

Not the only one over the last few seasons.

[Midland Red]

4 hours ago, moxey63 said:

The one saving grace for the sport is that speedway didn’t get a mention in the reports as it being Garrity’s profession. Thought it would have been the headline, to be honest... and shows the irrelevance of speedway in today’s media world.

Oh yes it did! 

[IainB]

5 hours ago, moxey63 said:

The one saving grace for the sport is that speedway didn’t get a mention in the reports as it being Garrity’s profession. Thought it would have been the headline, to be honest... and shows the irrelevance of speedway in today’s media world.

Depends which reports you've read, GB Speedway sponsor the Daily Star led with a Speedway Star Garrity etc. etc. headline

[False dawn]

2 hours ago, Ringitsneck said:

Garrity was a drug user from a troubled background, doesn’t excuse his behaviour and justice has been done but he WAS a talented speedway rider and was regularly targeted by testers at meetingS having been regularly ‘ randomly selected ‘ ( by opposition promoters) and he passed every time.

There have been a number of riders who were informed of the testers presence and were promptly ‘ injured ‘ or broke down en route, I recall a certain Sheffield rider doing a u turn in a club car park having been told of their presence and the excuse given for his absence was given as ‘ he fell down the stairs at home ‘. Didn’t wash with the fans who saw him in his sponsored van hastily exiting the stadium car park.

Not the only one over the last few seasons.

Then we need to tighten the rules. Miss a meeting where you're scheduled to appear where random testing takes place and you have 72 hours to present yourself for testing. Miss the test and you're automatically suspended pending further investigations.
Can we, in any way, turn a blind eye to the possibility that a small minority of riders are endangering their peers due to drug or alcohol abuse?

[moxey63]

Speedway needs to be stricter with riders that spontaneously miss meetings after getting wind of a random test. Perhaps an obligatory sample within 24 hours of the original test taking place, otherwise it means admission of guilt.  

Speedway, as we all know, is a dangerous game. Testing for drug users must be watertight. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by moxey63

[steve roberts]

23 minutes ago, moxey63 said:

Speedway needs to be stricter with riders who spontaneously miss meetings who get wind of a random test. Perhaps a obligatory sample within 24 hours of the original test taking place, otherwise it means admission of guilt.

How do riders find out there's going to be a test anyway? Could be wise if even for the tester is kept in the dark until the meeting is underway. No competitor should have prior knowledge there's to be testing.

Forewarning there may be a random test is similar to speedway telling any user to "do one," to evade being tested positively and damaging the sport. 

Speedway, we all know, is a dangerous game. Testing for drug users to be watertight. 

I know that Hans Nielsen was a great advocate to tests being carried out in an interview with then SRA Secretary Colin Gear. in "Backtrack" a few years back

Edited October 27, 2020 by steve roberts

[moxey63]

1 minute ago, steve roberts said:

I know that Hans Nielsen was a great advocate to tests being carried out in an interview with then SRA Secretary Colin Gear. in "Backtrack" a few years back

I recall Barry Briggs writing in the 70s that there was a growth in riders taking drugs. Society has seen the use of drugs mushroom since then.

[bigcatdiary]

10 hours ago, sugarray said:

Sure it was Jespers carb.

Can't remember opposition but remember machine examiner being asked to do random checks.

Found the carb to be outside of tolerances.

Even referee checked it and agreed.

But when Jim McMillan checked it was deemed to be ok.

It was JBJ just not in 2007, more likely 2006 when he scored 10 in a Panthers win at Wimborne Road.

[f-s-p]

3 minutes ago, bigcatdiary said:

It was JBJ just not in 2007, more likely 2006 when he scored 10 in a Panthers win at Wimborne Road.

The carb was too big because they  used an outdated tool to measure it. And I didnt mean the machine examiner.

[bigcatdiary]

10 hours ago, NeilWatson said:

This is my source, but I don’t have more details to hand.

The incident was on August 15th 2005, the star match report mentions it following Panthers 46-44 win at Poole on the night.

 

[Gringo]

2 hours ago, moxey63 said:

I recall Barry Briggs writing in the 70s that there was a growth in riders taking drugs. Society has seen the use of drugs mushroom since then.

Magic.

[nw42]

14 minutes ago, Gringo said:

Magic.

What, him too?

[jenga]

7 hours ago, Tsunami said:

I was a very decent dart player in my twenties. I was not a drinker, but for my dart matches I used to have about a pint and a half before and during my matches and became a very good. Difficulty was if my opponent was late or my team match didn't start on time, I ran our of confidence and not at my best.

i played snooker in a local league for our club . i had a mate who alway wanted to go on last so he could have a few beers . i asked him why he wanted to be last on . his reply was that the beer helped him with his nerves and he became a more confident player . it calmed him dow and did not have any shakes with nerves and played like a pro . 

i think i might try it when i am driving . it works for others ! ! ! 

Edited October 27, 2020 by jenga

[steve roberts]

50 minutes ago, jenga said:

i played snooker in a local league for our club . i had a mate who alway wanted to go on last so he could have a few beers . i asked him why he wanted to be last on . his reply was that the beer helped him with his nerves and he became a more confident player . it calmed him dow and did not have any shakes with nerves and played like a pro . 

i think i might try it when i am driving . it works for others ! ! ! 

Didn't Bill Werbenuik have the same condition if I recall?

[mikebv]

1 hour ago, jenga said:

i played snooker in a local league for our club . i had a mate who alway wanted to go on last so he could have a few beers . i asked him why he wanted to be last on . his reply was that the beer helped him with his nerves and he became a more confident player . it calmed him dow and did not have any shakes with nerves and played like a pro . 

i think i might try it when i am driving . it works for others ! ! ! 

When I used to 'ref' for Alex Higgins in the early to mid eighties every Friday when he was practicing/taking on all comers for a fiver a frame, he was a very different player at 8pm after umpteen vodka and oranges, than the one who started off playing at 2pm.

When 'refreshed' he was truly 'The Hurricane' and would hardly miss...

From around 9pm onwards, he would start to be over the tipping point and start to lose a few frames/quid..

And that would be when the 'dark side' of a genius would appear...

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by mikebv

[False dawn]

7 minutes ago, mikebv said:

And that would be when the 'dark side' of a genius would appear...

The nature of addiction eh?
If we understood that, we could save many (famous sportspeople or not).

[False dawn]

1 hour ago, steve roberts said:

Didn't Bill Werbenuik have the same condition if I recall?

Bill had tremours for which he took betablockers. Unfortunately, the ruling body banned their use so Bill "used" multiple pints of lager instead. Some of which he managed to offset against his tax bill.

[jenga]

the demon drink has seen off many sports people , inc speedway riders . it has done the people who think they are immortal . could be a few shocks down the line later on un life !

wonder how many on here will not be around in years to come ! 

your engine will only run on water and hops for so long . try putting oil in it for a change .

[tigerowl]

I've never met the lad and there can't be any on here who feel any sympathy at the sentence which is well derserved in my opinion, but he was an entertaining rider and a decent heat leader in the second tier.

Speedway is just a reflection of society though. The huge majority of riders are dedicated hard working professionals from good families but there will always be the bad apples and speedway is littered with riders who have fallen foul of the law.

I'm currently researching the pre war years for the speedway researcher website and it's amazing, even in the 1920s and 1930s how many riders appeared in court for stealing vehicles, breaking and entering etc.

We've had murderers, safe breakers, drug smugglers, burglars, riders stealing bikes from other riders, all sorts.

Some of these riders served their time and came back to the sport, others disappeared. Jason will be in his early 30s when he comes out and will be young enough to make a comeback, but I can't see any promoter taking a chance on him.

[spiegal]

I always find it disturbing that so few riders actually make any real, consolidated money to help them set up business or invest. The numbers who actually go on to achieve something positive in a new career after racing is minimal. Even world champions have been known to trek around begging favours. Famous names from the past often seem totally unable to hang onto their money in sensible manner...Obviously there are exceptions but given teh dangers and subsequent decent prize money, the end result is surprising.