Arthur Forrest (speedway rider)

Summary

Arthur Forrest (5 January 1932 in Bradford, England – January 2000) was an international motorcycle speedway who qualified for the Speedway World Championship finals five times.[1][2]

Arthur Forrest
Forrest in 1951
Born(1932-01-05)5 January 1932
Bradford, England
DiedJanuary 2000 (aged 68)
North Yorkshire, England
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
1949–1951Halifax Dukes
1952–1957Bradford Tudors
1958–1959Coventry Bees
Team honours
1950National Trophy (Div 2) Winner

Career summary edit

Forrest started his career with the Halifax Dukes in the National League Division Three. In his opening season aged just seventeen he scored nineteen maximums (unbeaten by an opponent) from fifty meetings. The following season the Dukes rode in National League Division Two, but Forrest carried on from the previous season, actually raising his average.[3] Whilst with the Dukes he was called up to ride for England at only eighteen years of age.[4] After a third season with the Dukes in 1951 he joined hometown club, the Bradford Tudors in 1952.

The Tudors competed in National League Division One and Forrest rode so well he became top of the teams averages, and qualified for the first of his five World final appearances. He remained with the Tudors until 1957 before joining the Coventry Bees but his career seemed to have already peaked in 1956 when he finished in third place of the Speedway World Championship after beating Peter Craven in a run off.[1]

At the end of the 1959 season, Forrest retired from speedway at only twenty six years of age. At retirement he had earned 26 international caps for the England national speedway team.[2]

World final appearances edit

  • 1952  London, Wembley Stadium – 9th – 7pts
  • 1953  London, Wembley Stadium – 8th – 7pts
  • 1954  London, Wembley Stadium – 10th – 5pts
  • 1955  London, Wembley Stadium – 9th – 7pts
  • 1956  London, Wembley Stadium – 3rd – 11pts + 3pts[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
  2. ^ a b "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  3. ^ Pavey,A. (2004) Speedway in the North-West, Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-3192-7
  4. ^ Foster, P. (2005) History of the Speedway Ashes, The History Press Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-3468-3