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 By Phil Lanning.
Manager of Gary Havelock Racing 1991-2002
Motoring Editor of The Sun newspaper (Scotland)
GARY Havelock is Britain's most successful speedway rider of all-time. Havvy has won pretty much every trophy up for grabs and has been the sport's media icon for nearly two decades which no other star of speedway has ever achieved. And what a career it has been - and continues to be:
- It's had more ups and downs than any Alton Towers ride could throw at you.
- More cups than Pamela Anderson's bra cupboard.
- So many publicity stunts that it would put Richard Branson in the shade.
- And tears of joy that would leave English sport's 'other' Gazza weeping with shame.
- His contribution to British sport has been nothing short of outstanding. His contribution to British speedway - phenomenal. It's not just about his 1992 World Individual championship win or his gritty enthusiasm as England captain. No other rider in the sport since the late Kenny Carter, another Yorkshire icon, has reached out and touched the national media like Havvy.
He's appeared on A Question of Sport, had a documentary made about him called 'Champions' which was given a prime-time airing on Channel 4 and given a six-page spread in GQ Magazine. Havvy's also been listed as a 'most eligible bachelor' in Company magazine and been nicknamed by current rock chick Radio One DJ Claire Sturgess as "the Vivienne Westwood" of speedway due to his fluorescently flamboyant fashion sense. The Sturge's former Beeb Radio One chum Adrian Juste once said: "Gary is to speedway what Ian Botham is to cricket."
And Hav was left on a sticky wicket himself when teaching ex-Eastender Sean Maguire to ride a speedway bike, which The Sun gave a spread to in late 1993. Just a month later The Sun was once again covering the story but on the Bizarre page after Maguire's learning curve came to an abrupt halt on the Arena-Essex safety fence - breaking his leg!
Havvy's represented his sport at the BBC Sports Personalty of the Year awards in London, on ITVs Telethon and Prime Minister - at the time - John Major offering his World title congratulations with a personal letter. England football star Stuart Pearce faxed Havvy a letter of good luck for the German Grand Prix of 1996 which he never got to after despairingly fracturing his L2 vertebra while leading his country at Poole just days before the Pocking date and despite his injury still made the headlines while a Sky Sports studio 'expert'. Not forgetting his countless national and local newspaper appearances. As already mentioned he's made many column inches in The Sun, Daily Telegraph, Daily Star, Sunday Express, Daily Express, Observer, News of the World and The People amongst many others. When he's not been breaking records, he's been recording them. Gary's 'The Champ' record, which he produced with local Middlesbrough band Tru, was played on the Steve Wright afternoon show's unsigned band section and got rave reviews. All of this is away from the track.
On it, his record speaks for itself. England's last one-off World Champion since 1980, double British Champ, Overseas Champion, European Under-21 Champion, British Under-21 Champion, Premier League Riders' winner plus a DOZEN domestic trophies with Bradford, Eastbourne and Poole. Gary Havelock is speedway's answer to Manchester United. The arrogance of David Beckham, the skill and speed of Ryan Giggs, the cheekiness of Ole Solskjaer, the grittiness of Paul Scholes, the anger of Roy Keane and trophy cabinet of Alex Ferguson.
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