Jack Unstead
Born16 February 1926 (1926-02-16)
Bethnal Green, London, England
Died13 April 1962(1962-04-13) (aged 36)
Ipswich, England
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
1949–1952, 1955–1957Rayleigh
1953–1955Bristol
1958–1959Poole
1960–1962Ipswich
Team honours
1954League champion (tier 2)
1952League champion (tier 3)

John Edward Unstead (16 February 1926 – 13 April 1962) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned two international caps for the England national speedway team.[1]

Biography

Unstead, born in Bethnal Green, London, began his British leagues career riding for Rayleigh Rockets during the 1949 Speedway National League Division Three season.[2] During his novice season, he was one of the more positive factors in a disappointing season for Rayleigh.[3] He spent four seasons at Rayleigh, improving his average considerably, culminating in a league winning season for the club during the 1952 Speedway Southern League, where he averaged an impressive 9.62 in the league.[4]

In 1953, he signed for Bristol Bulldogs in the top division of British speedway at the time, the National League.[5] Bristol struggled in 1953 before competing in the second division in 1954 and winning the league title.[6] However, he was left without a club following the withdrawal of Bristol from the league midway through the 1955 season, before returning to ride for Rayleigh.

For the remainder of the 1955 season and the entire 1956 season, he was Rayleigh's leading rider and posted significant averages.[7] Poole Pirates signed Unstead for the 1958 season and he was subject to a failed attempt by Coventry Bees to sign him later that season.[8] However in 1960, he was signed by Ipswich Witches and was a regular for them throughout the following two seasons.[1]

Tragedy struck in 1962, during the early part of the season. Unstead lined up for Ipswich again but on the 13 April, during a challenge match against Southampton at the Foxhall Stadium, he crashed and was killed when he hit the safety fence.[9][10]

See also

Rider deaths in motorcycle racing

References

  1. 1 2 "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  2. ↑ "1949 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  3. ↑ "New rider was a star". Daily Mirror. 9 June 1942. Retrieved 1 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  5. ↑ "Bristol Bulldog's new rider". Bristol Evening Post. 20 February 1953. Retrieved 1 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ↑ Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 978-0904584509.
  7. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  8. ↑ "Bees Match Hit Bus Strike". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 6 June 1958. Retrieved 1 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ "Rider killed in Speedway crash". Birmingham Daily Post. 14 April 1962. Retrieved 1 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ "In Memoriam". speedwayinmemoriam. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
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