Simon Wigg

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. He earned 57 international caps for the England national speedway team.

After relocating with his family several times as a child, Wigg gained a scholarship to Woodbridge School in Suffolk, where he and his brother began their interest in motorcycle racing, attending Ipswich Witches meetings at Foxhall and riding in grasstrack competitions.

Wigg was born in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. In 1980, he joined his first speedway club, Weymouth Wildcats, and in 1982, Wigg won the British League Division Two Pairs Championship with Martin Yeates with the sea-side town club. After joining Cradley Heath in 1983, he won the treble of league, Knockout Cup and Midland Cup.

In 1984, Wigg 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, Wigg 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 Wigg 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.

Wigg 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, Wigg 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 510 metres (560 yd) 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.

After suffering epileptic seizures in November 1998 and January 1999, which were originally attributed to head trauma from racing crashes, Wigg was diagnosed with a brain tumour, and had surgery to remove it in May 1999. 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.

Five Times Champion

Final

• 1982 Esbjerg 5pts (13th)
• 1983 Mariánské Lázně 11pts (7th)
• 1985 Esbjerg 22pts (Champion)
• 1987 Mühldorf 21pts (Second)
• 1988 Scheeßel 21pts (8th)
• 1989 Mariánské Lázně 38pts (Champion)
• 1990 Herxheim 37pts (Champion)
• 1991 Mariánské Lázně 10pts (9th)
• 1992 Pfarrkirchen 0pts (19th)
• 1993 Mühldorf 22pts (Champion)
• 1994 Mariánské Lázně 25pts (Champion)
• 1995 Scheeßel 20pts (Second) * After run-off with Kelvin Tatum
• 1996 Herxheim 11pts (7th)

Grand Years

1998 Four G.P. 40pts (10th)

• 1984 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - 6th - 9pts
• 1988 - Vojens, Speedway Center - 6th - 9pts
• 1989 - Munich, Olympic Stadium - 2nd - 12pts + 3pts

• 1986 - Pocking, Rottalstadion (with Jeremy Doncaster) - 7th - 23pts (11)
• 1987 - Pardubice, Svítkov Stadion (with Kelvin Tatum) - 2nd - 44pts (20)

• 1984 - Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Chris Morton / Peter Collins / Phil Collins / Neil Collins) - 2nd - 24pts (9)
• 1986 - Gothenburg, Ullevi, Vojens, Speedway Center and Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Kelvin Tatum / Neil Evitts / Jeremy Doncaster / Chris Morton / Marvyn Cox) - 3rd - 81pts (24)
• 1987 - Fredericia, Fredericia Speedway, Coventry, Brandon Stadium and Prague, Marketa Stadium (with Kelvin Tatum / Jeremy Doncaster / Simon Cross / Marvyn Cox) - 2nd - 101pts (29)
• 1988 - Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Simon Cross / Kelvin Tatum / Chris Morton / Gary Havelock) - 4th - 22pts (0)
• 1989 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Jeremy Doncaster / Kelvin Tatum / Paul Thorp / Simon Cross) - Winner - 48pts (11)
• 1990 - Pardubice, Svítkov Stadion (with Kelvin Tatum / Jeremy Doncaster / Marvyn Cox / Gary Havelock) - 2nd - 34pts (8)

• 1981 - British 500cc Grasstrack @ Coxwold, Clyst St. Mary & Uckington
• 1982 - British Masters Grasstrack @ Condover & Exeter
• 1983 - British Masters Grasstrack @ Clyst St George & Long Marston
• 1985 - British Masters Grasstrack @ Eaton
• 1989 - British Masters Grasstrack @ Chetton & Winterbourne Gunner
• 1990 - British Masters Grasstrack @ Sturminster Marshall & Chetton