PS. Hi Jim how
are you and what are you up to these days?
JB. I’m well,
married to Jenny who followed me to England so long ago, we have
3 girls, Nicki 18, Mekayla 14 & Jessi 12, they know how to push
my
buttons I can tell you. I have been a builder for the past 19
years building new homes, renovations & additions, the paperwork
is such a drain but the rewards keep me going
PS. You joined
Stoke for the 1982 season, how did that come about?
JB. While
riding for Australia at Canberra Nigel Boocock & John Titman
said they would recommend me to John Dews for trials. Contact
was made
between us & I was invited to participate in the Potteries
junior championship
& the rest is history
PS. You lodged
at Wolstanton during your Stoke days, happy times?
JB. Brilliant,
Jenny & I talk about our great times regularly, that first year
was
so surreal for us, so many fans & friends. I bought a Transit
camper van and we used to camp where ever we could for the first
2 weeks then we struck up a great friendship with Dave & Jill
Parker ( Dave was head of the Stoke
supporters club ) & through their generosity let us stay with
them for 2 years. Great mates, love & owe them heaps. Happy days
PS.What is
your favourite memory of your time with the Potters?
JB. The fans,
the track & definitely not my gating.
Any night I
managed to get decent starts I enjoyed good points haul. The
track was so good I loved it but the trouble was so did the
opposition. I think the crowd loved watching me go around the
boards on a daredevil mission, sometimes to John Dews disgust
wrecking a few boards on the way which he had to pay to replace,
but heck that's entertainment. Brilliant track to ride. Another
great memory was picking up a great sponsor in H & H Commercial
Spares. We became good friends with Bill & Jeff & they stuck
with me through thick & thin.
PS. Why did
you leave Stoke?
JB. John Dews
dropped me!
He lost faith
in me plus I had lost form & therefore confidence in everything,
definitely a low point but I knew at some point I would pull out
of it
PS. Glasgow
and Middlesbrough next, any stand out memories from those
ventures?
JB. Glasgow,
never felt welcome there, no interaction with the fans at all &
they talked really weird up there, only did 3 meetings
Stoke released
me after Glasgow to approach whatever team I could, for memory
Middlesbrough’s Tim Swales rang me to see if I wanted to try out
in second halves & the new scenery seemed to work wonders for me
as I
started to regain form . I won all my 2nd half races
over the next 3 weeks then Tim signed me up into the team proper
where I stayed for the next two & half seasons & my average went
from 4.5 to 7 in 1985. My Stoke sponsors still
bought me 2 of Andy Grahame’s weslake engines for the start of
the 85 season even though I had signed for Middlesbrough & what
a difference they made to my gating & overall performance. My
new equipment seem to suit me a lot better especially at
Middlesbrough’s tricky track. Middlesbrough were a top team at
the time & I have many memories both on the track & with the
fans.
PS. What is
your happiest moment in British speedway?
JB. Winning
the 1986 4 team tournament at Peterborough with Middlesbrough.
A big meeting where I took Gary Havelocks place through injury &
top scored
in the final with 5 from my 2 rides, the happiest moment when I
won my first heat I beat Malcolm Simmons, Martin Goodwin & Mel
Talyor. Funny how it works out, I was not all that confident
before the meet as it was the best 4
riders from the best 8 teams but when the tapes went up it
seemed to be so easy, just point the bike & go, my stars must
have been aligned, crazy
Quietly I must
mention also it was quiet satisfying to come back to Stoke in
the league match with Middlesbrough, score 8 points & win.
No sour grapes
at all but every riders dream after being dropped!
PS. What year
did you retire from racing?
JB. End of
season 86. I did not have as good a year as 85 as I kept
dislocating my shoulder. I remember a meeting towards the end of
the year, my shoulder was that loose it dislocated when I hit a
rut on the
first corner
& had to grind to a halt on the infield where Tim Swales would
as he had several times before help me put it back in. I had no
regrets, it was
time to retire
PS. When you
went back home to Australia did you continue racing?
JB. I think I
may have done 1 meeting but it’s nothing like racing in England.
I regrettably sold my bikes & had the operation on my shoulder.
PS. Do you
still stay in touch with the sport, TV etc?
JB. The first
13 years I could not bear to watch or read about it, it hurt too
much what with all the friends & fans we made, selling my bikes
has been my
greatest regret. Now I love watching the Grand prixs on tv.
PS. Do you
keep in touch with any of your old Stoke team mates?
JB. No,
neither Stoke or Middlesbrough although Steve Wilcock gave us a
visit a couple of years later
PS. Your 1st
meeting at Stoke was the Potteries Open Junior championship, you
made the final, do you remember much about the meeting?
JB. I think I
won all the races I completed but had a fall & an exclusion in 2
heats, won my semi then fell again in the final chasing down
Gary Johnson
who eventually won as the other 2 riders had already fell.
Overall my first meeting in England, I remember I was just
STOKED with second place.
PS. How did
you rate the Stoke track?
JB. Among the
best for sure, almost too good as there was minimal track
advantage, I used to marvel at Paul Thorp’s speed around there.
PS. What was
your favourite British track?
JB.
Middlesbrough for its great passing opportunities
Stoke because
it was easy to ride, well prepared
Poole because
I scored 11 points there riding for Australia
PS. Who was
the best rider in your opinion?
JB. Hans
Neilsen in British League
Middlesbrough’s Martin (mad dog) Dixon in 2nd
division, used to pull of insane passing moves.
