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Simon Antony Wigg (15 October 1960 – 15 November 2000) was an English speedway, grasstrack and longtrack rider. He won five World Long Track Championships and finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship in 1989.Rogers, G.(2005). Wiggy!: Simon Wigg in His Own Words . He earned 57 international caps for the England national speedway team.
In 1984, he was signed by Oxford Cheetahs who bought him from Cradley Heath Heathens for £25,000. The Oxford team had returned to the British League and the other signings to start as the top five riders for the season were Hans Nielsen for a record £30,000, Marvyn Cox for £15,000, Melvyn Taylor for £12,000 and Jens Rasmussen, with Ian Clark and Nigel Sparshott at 6 & 7. It was in 1984 that he qualified for his first World Final.
After a mid table finish in 1984 he was part of the Oxford team that won the league and cup double during a 1985 British League season. Also in 1985, he became the second British World Longtrack Champion (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.
Wigg while riding in Oxford, met his wife to be, Charlie, and after a few years together they had two children. In 1986, Wigg was part of the Oxford team that won a second consecutive league and cup double during the 1986 British League season.
1988 saw him become British Speedway Champion and he retained the title the following year. 1989 also saw him captain the Great Britain speedway team when they won the World Team Cup. In 1989, he won the Commonwealth Final and then finished runner-up to his Cheetahs teammate Hans Nielsen in the World Final at the Olympiastadion in Munich. His team Oxford also won the league title in the 1989 British League season.
He rode in the Polish League for Unia Tarnów in 1992 (10 matches, CMA 9.89), Unia Leszno (1994, 2 matches, 6.80), Stal Rzeszów (1997, 1 match, 11.00) and Falubaz Zielona Góra (1998, 1 match, 6.40). In 1993, he joined Coventry Bees for the season.
In October 1996, during the Speedway Grand Prix Qualification he won the GP Challenge, which ensured that he claimed a permanent slot for the 1997 Grand Prix.
During his career, Wigg was a frequent visitor to Australia and always enjoyed success on the larger Showground tracks down under such as the Brisbane Exhibition Ground, the Wayville Showground in Adelaide, the Claremont Speedway in Perth, and the Melbourne Showgrounds. 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.
Wigg was also famous for his bright green leathers and bikes, being nicknamed "The Lean Green Racing Machine". He rode in 65 meetings for England.
Final
Grand Years
1998 Four G.P. 40pts (10th)
Death
After suffering epileptic seizures in November 1998 and January 1999, which were originally attributed to head trauma from racing crashes,Longmore, Andrew (1999) " Speedway: The Interview Simon Wigg: Tracks of a speed star's tears", The Independent, 28 March 1999. Retrieved 22 August 2019 he was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and had surgery to remove it in May 1999." Speedway: Tumour shock for Wigg", Oxford Mail, 19 April 2000. Retrieved 22 August 2019 After recovering, he moved with his family to Gold Coast, Queensland, but after falling ill again in February 2000, returned to the UK for further surgery after discovering that the tumour had regrown. Wigg died on 15 November 2000 at the age of 40.
World Longtrack Championship record
Five Times Champion
World Speedway final appearances
World Championship
World Pairs Championship
World Team Cup
Speedway Grand Prix results
British Grasstrack Championship Record
External links
Categories: 1960 Births, 2000 Deaths, British Speedway Riders, English Motorcycle Racers, British Speedway Championship Winners, Birmingham Brummies Riders, Bradford Dukes Riders, Cradley Heathens Riders, Exeter Falcons Riders, Hackney Kestrels Riders, King's Lynn Stars Riders, Oxford Cheetahs Riders, Sportspeople From Aylesbury, People Educated At Woodbridge School, Deaths From Brain Cancer In The United Kingdom, Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship Riders, People Educated At John Hampden Grammar School, 20th-century English Sportsmen
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