Norman Clay

Norman Clay

Born	(1922-05-27)27 May 1922 Sydney, Australia
Died	21 January 1950(1950-01-21) (aged 27) Sydney, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Career history
1948–1949	Exeter Falcons
Team honours
1948	League champion (tier 3)

Norman Bernard Clay (27 May 1922 – 21 January 1950) was an Australian motorcycle speedway rider. He earned two international caps for the Australia national speedway team.[1] Clay was killed in arguably speedway's worst crash on 20 January 1950, which also saw fellow Australian Ray Duggan lose his life.[2]

Biography

Clay, born in Sydney, Australia, raced in Australia during World War II in the Inter-District League Premiership, riding for Eastern Suburbs[3] and after the war signed to ride for influential promoter Johnnie Hoskins.[4] However, it was not until 1948 that he was one of three Australian riders brought over to race in British speedway by the Exeter Falcons manager Frank Buckland for the 1948 season, the others being Hugh Geddes and Keith Gurtner.[5]

Clay had gained a significant reputation in Australia and he began his British leagues career riding for Exeter during the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three season.[6] He was an instant hit, recording a 8.73 average from 51 matches[7] and this helped Exeter win the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three.[8]

The following season he remained with Exeter for the 1949 Speedway National League Division Three campaign[9] and set an impressive 9.77 average from 42 matches,[7] the fourth highest in the entire division. He also became the club captain and equalled the track record of 76 seconds at the County Ground Stadium.[10]

Family and death

On 20 January 1950, Clay and fellow Australian Ray Duggan were both killed at the Sydney Sports Ground after a crash in heat 8.[2] Clay was leading the race but caught a deep grove throwing him off the bike, which started a chain reaction. Duggan ran into him and fell on his head before a third rider Donald Lawson hit Duggan's bike. All three were take to St. Vincent Hospital in Sydney but Duggan was pronounced dead on arrival and Clay died the following morning. Lawson suffered serious facial injuries.[11][12]

His older brother Sidney Clay was a speedway rider and mechanic and drowned in 1939 after being swept out to sea while fishing.[13]

See also

• List of rider deaths in motorcycle speedway

References

1. "Ultimate Rider Index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
2. "Famed Speedway Rider Killed in Crash". Trove. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
3. "Brothers on back mark". Trove. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
4. "Van Praag signed for West Ham". Trove. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
5. "Exeter Signings". Western Morning News. 26 January 1948. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "1948 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
7. "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
8. "Speedway Teams UK 1946-1951". Cyber Motorcycle. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
9. "Exeter Falcons". Western Times. 28 January 1949. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
10. "Exeter lacked teamwork". Western Morning News. 11 October 1949. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
11. "Norm Clay". Motorsport Memorial. Retrieved 31 October 2024.
12. "Second victim of Speedway Crash". Peterborough Evening Telegraph. 21 January 1950. Retrieved 31 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
13. "Swept out to sea". Trove. Retrieved 31 October 2024.