Simon Wigg

Education

After relocating with his family several times as a child, he 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.

Career

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, 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 510 m 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.

Death

After suffering epileptic seizures in November 1998 and January 1999, which were originally attributed to head trauma from racing crashes, he 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.

World Longtrack Championship record

Five Times Champion

Final

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

Grand Years

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

World Speedway final appearances

World Championship

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

World Pairs Championship

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

World Team Cup

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

Speedway Grand Prix results

British Grasstrack Championship Record

• 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

References

References

1. Rogers, G.(2005). ''Wiggy!: Simon Wigg in His Own Words ''. {{ISBN. 0-9548336-7-8
2. Montague, Trevor. (2004). "The A-Z of Sport". Little, Brown.
3. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022".
4. Oakes, P & Rising, P (1986). ''1986 Speedway Yearbook''. Spotsdata. {{ISBN. 0-948882-00-X
5. "[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1375205/Simon-Wigg.html Simon Wigg]" (obit.), ''[[Daily Telegraph]]'', 22 November 2000. Retrieved 22 August 2019
6. (29 August 1982). "Bruce snubs star event". Sunday Mirror.
7. (15 January 1983). "Cradley poised to sign £25,000 Wigg from Weymouth".
8. (22 January 1983). "Wigg poised to join Cradley's title hunt".
9. (25 October 1983). "Cradley's treble glory!". Birmingham Mail.
10. Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn. (2007). "The Story of Oxford Speedway". Tempus Publishing Ltd.
11. Oakes, Peter. (1990). "Speedway Yearbook 1990". Front Page Books.
12. (8 March 1993). "Coventry announce signings".
13. "HISTORICAL LIST OF RESULTS 1995-2013 Speedway Grand Prix - Qualifications".
14. Longmore, Andrew (1999) "[https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/speedway-the-interview-simon-wigg-tracks-of-a-speed-stars-tears-1083634.html Speedway: The Interview Simon Wigg: Tracks of a speed star's tears]", ''[[The Independent]]'', 28 March 1999. Retrieved 22 August 2019
15. "[https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6632799.speedway-tumour-shock-for-wigg/ Speedway: Tumour shock for Wigg]", ''[[Oxford Mail]]'', 19 April 2000. Retrieved 22 August 2019
16. (29 June 1987). "Danes defeat spirited challenge". Sandwell Evening Mail.