Born |
Aylesbury, England |
15 October 1960
---|---|
Died | 15 November 2000 | (aged 40)
Nationality | England |
Current club information | |
Career status | Deceased |
Career history | |
1980-1982 | Weymouth Wildcats |
1981-1983 | Cradley Heath Heathens |
1984-1986, 1988-1990 | Oxford Cheetahs |
1987 | Hackney Kestrels |
1991-1992 | Bradford Dukes |
1993 | Coventry Bees |
1995 | Long Eaton Invaders |
1996 | Exeter Falcons |
1997-1998 | King's Lynn Stars |
Individual honours | |
1985, 1986 | Mr Melbourne winner |
1985, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994 | Long Track World Champion |
1988, 1989 | British Speedway Champion |
1989 | Commonwealth Champion |
1990, 1994, 1995 | Australian Long track Grand Prix |
1994 | New Zealand Long track Grand Prix |
1994 | Golden Helmet of Pardubice (CZE) |
1996 | Grand Prix Challenge |
1984 | Golden Gala (Italy) |
1981, 1984, 1993 | Ace of Aces Grasstrack Champion |
1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 1990 | British Masters 500cc Solo Grasstrack Champion |
Team honours | |
1989 | World Team Cup Winner |
1982 | National League Pairs Champion |
1983, 1985, 1986, 1989 | British League Champion |
1983, 1985, 1986, 1991, 1992 | British League KO Cup winner |
1985, 1986 | British League Pairs Champion |
Simon Wigg (15 October 1960 – 15 November 2000) was a speedway, grasstrack and longtrack rider who finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989.
Wigg was born in Brisbane, Australia. 1988 saw him become British Speedway Champion and he retained the title the following year. 1989 also saw Simon captain the Great Britain speedway team when they won the World Team Cup. During his career, Wigg was a frequent visitor to Australia and always enjoyed success on the larger Showground tracks down under such as the 450 metres (490 yd) Brisbane Exhibition Ground, the 510 metres (560 yd) Wayville Showground in Adelaide, the 520 metres (570 yd) Claremont Speedway in Perth, and the 610 metres (670 yd) Melbourne Showgrounds. He always maintained that his success in Australia was in part due to these larger tracks which suited his Long track style of riding.
During his time riding in both Australia and New Zealand, Wigg won the Australian Long track Grand Prix in 1990, 1994 and 1995, as well as the New Zealand Long track Grand Prix in 1994.
He moved to Brisbane, Australia aged just two years old in 1962 and returned to England after 15 years in 1977. When he returned, 3 years later he joined his first speedway club Weymouth Wildcats which was just the start of his professional career as a Speedway Rider [1]
In 1982, Wigg won the British League Division Two Pairs Championship with Martin Yeates. He became the second British Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship 1985 (Michael Lee was the first in 1981) and went on to win the title a further four times. He was the most successful British Grasstrack and Longtrack rider ever. When Wigg was riding in Oxford, England he met his wife to be, Charlie, and after a few years together they had two children.