Gary Peterson (speedway rider)

Gary Peterson

Born	9 June 1946 (1946-06-09) New Zealand
Died	17 October 1975(1975-10-17) (aged 29) Wolverhampton, England
Nationality	New Zealander
Career history
1968–1970	Nelson Admirals
1968–1969	Newcastle Diamonds
1970–1971, 1973, 1975	Wolverhampton Wolves
1970	Bradford Northern
Individual honours
1973	New Zealand Champion
Team honours
1973	Midland Cup

Gary Richard Peterson (9 June 1946 – 17 October 1975) was a New Zealand international motorcycle speedway rider.[1][2] He earned 21 caps for the New Zealand national speedway team.[3]

Speedway career

Peterson became the champion of New Zealand after winning the 1973 New Zealand Championship.[4]

He rode in the top two tiers of British Speedway from 1968 to 1975,[5] riding for Nelson Admirals,[6] Newcastle Diamonds, Wolverhampton Wolves and Bradford Northern.

In 1970, he topped the league averages during the 1970 British League Division Two season.[1][7] [8] Peterson missed the 1974 season for Wolves due to having to return home to New Zealand because of his mother's illness.[9]

In 1975, Peterson died in a crash at Monmore Green Stadium during the Midland Cup final match. Riding for Wolves he lost control of his bike and hit a track lighting pylon.[2][10]

See also

• Rider deaths in motorcycle speedway

References

1. "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
2. "Riders to Remember....Gary Peterson". Speedway Plus. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
3. "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
4. "Roll Of Honour". Motorcycling New Zealand. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
5. "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
6. "A cinders debut". Nelson Leader. 31 May 1968. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 10 September 2021.
8. "A cinders debut". Nelson Leader. 31 May 1968. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
9. "Kiwi Gary going home". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 6 March 1974. Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
10. "Speedway rider Gary Peterson killed". Reading Evening Post. 18 October 1975. Retrieved 21 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.