Wayne Garratt Explained

Wayne Garratt
Nationality:British (English)
Birth Date:1968 10, df=yes
Years1:Cradley Heathens
Career1:1986-1991
Years2:Arena Essex Hammers
Career2:1989-1990
Years3:Newcastle Diamonds
Career3:1992

Wayne Malcolm Garratt (30 October 1968 in Halesowen, England[1] – 28 September 1992) was a speedway rider from the United Kingdom.

Career summary

Garratt was also a junior grasstrack champion at the age of six. He started his speedway career with the Cradley Heathens[2] in the British League on his 16th birthday and earned the nickname 'Bodger'.[3]

Garratt showed a lot of promise, but due to the points limit restrictions he was loaned to the Arena Essex Hammers in the National League for two seasons. He was recalled to Cradley again in 1991 but was forced out again by the points limit for 1992. He received a ban from July 1991 until the end of the season following a track altercation with Neil Collins.[4]

However, in 1992, whilst on loan with the Newcastle Diamonds he was involved in a crash at Brough Park on Sunday 13 September and was rushed to hospital and placed on a life support machine. Garratt died after 15 days and never having regained consciousness.[5] His body was transported back to the West Midlands.[6]

See also

Rider deaths in motorcycle speedway

Notes and References

  1. Oakes, P (1991). 1991 Speedway Yearbook.
  2. News: Cradley bid to fend off prize rivals . Wolverhampton Express and Star . 1 October 1986 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 22 September 2024.
  3. Web site: Wayne Garratt. Cradley Speedway. 31 July 2021.
  4. News: Speedway ace banned for track brawl . Birmingham Mail . 5 July 1991 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 22 September 2024.
  5. News: Speedway star Wayne dies . Newcastle Journal . 29 September 1992 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 22 September 2024.
  6. Web site: Wayne Garratt . 2007-11-04 . 29 November 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141129024034/http://www.newcastlespeedwayhistory.co.uk/riders%20part%203.htm . dead .