Simon Wigg Speedway 1984 Melbourne

[Hoony]

RIP Wiggy.  (15 October 1960 – 15 November 2000)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_jPFSog0Vk

i was there that night in the crowd, has to be one of the most exciting speedway events i have seen along with Wigg at the 1st Mauger promoted Australian Long Track Grand Prix in 1989 at Bathurst Showground.

What a great showman and competitor.

[TT]

Nice one, Hoony.
Who's commentating? Sounds a bit like Crompton???

[Hoony]

could well be crompton, he did do those events back then.

[VMX247]

farrrrkkkkk what a goon !! and in style too     
sorry Hoony didnt see you in the crowd 

This is a long shot ,but is Simon Wigg related to the ESO-powered Metisse builder in the UK,Julian Wigg ?
cheers

[JAP 454]

Simon did have a brother , Julian, that raced in OZ in the 70s in the Pom V OZ Short Circuit Test Matches , pretty mean hand with a guitar too , maybe the Eso  Metisse guy.
Foss
PS  I think there is a photo of Julian in the Classic DT images thread with the rest of the Pom team

[KB171]

I was lucky enough to been at that meeting as well,  Yep it was the best i've seen 
Got it on tape here somewhere
RIP Wiggy.

[Hoony]

KB how you doing man?

Do you also remember you could take a fully loaded esky into those meetings back then. i went with the DMCC on a bus trip and had a large esky full of vic's finest ( read VB & Carlton draught ) it was a very messy night nad long trip hope after so many piss pit stops


can i get a copy of that tape one day and i will convert it to DVD gratis

 i have wiggs book "Wiggy, in his own words"  yet to find time to read it fully, only browsed it briefly.

[KB171]

Gettin there Hoony,still got a couple of NQR bits,
Yes the fast flowing VB's made the night even better ey.
I'll get that tape to you as soon as i find it,

[Curly3]

I met Wiggy on his first trip to Oz in 79, we were both 19, my carreer was already over and his was just beginning.
He was a great bloke and boy could he ride a big track, wasn't a slouch on the smaller tracks but loved Long Track.
A lot of the time he spent here he lived with and was looked after by Billy Mac in Brisbane.
Sadly missed

[Hoony]

Gettin there Hoony,still got a couple of NQR bits,
Yes the fast flowing VB's made the night even better ey.
I'll get that tape to you as soon as i find it,

Glad to hear you are on the mend. are you working yet?

as for the tape, i am time poor so don't rush, if i had it here it would take me 3 weeks to do it at the earliest, so i will get it next time we meet at Broadford bike bonanza or a ride day at thunderdome etc.!

[VMX247]

Simon did have a brother , Julian, that raced in OZ in the 70s in the Pom V OZ Short Circuit Test Matches , pretty mean hand with a guitar too , maybe the Eso  Metisse guy.
Foss
PS  I think there is a photo of Julian in the Classic DT images thread with the rest of the Pom team

Thanks- a bit more from a French forum in English  ......see we is one big family 

My son used to compete in Trials events with Alexz Wigg who is the son of former International Grass Track Ace, Julian Wigg, and nephew of five-times World Longtrack Champion, Simon Wigg.
Alexz has won the World Trials Youth Championship and is now competing in the World Championships. He's a really nice young man with a lot of skill.

[suzuki27]

Still one of the best race meetings I ever witnessed had Simon Wigg riding the wheels off his Slider.
Australia vs Britain at Nepean in the early 80's from memory. From memory the Sliders prevailed but not before John Langfield and a couple of others were removed in at least 2 helicopter visits!
There was a Dash for Cash type of timed event. The riders went out to ride a hot lap alone. Simon Wigg was flat down the straight before he would button off and pitch it sideways;  the thing I remember was the silence. He was scrubbing off speed before the corner, sideways and silent- except for the audible gasp from the crowd, who , almost as one, took a step back from the low fence - it was like they weren't sure he would make that corner.
Thanks for the memory Mr Wigg.

[211kawasaki]

One day I was going to a VMX meeting and a bloke from across the road (who had just moved in) came over for a chat - it was Simon Wigg. Great guy who sadly died a few months later from the same illness that got my brother a month or two after that.
Great shame

[steve234]

What a show! 

[firko]

My son used to compete in Trials events with Alexz Wigg who is the son of former International Grass Track Ace, Julian Wigg, and nephew of five-times World Longtrack Champion, Simon Wigg.

Julian Wigg was a pretty handy vintage motocross racer in the early to mid 90's riding a very trick ESO Metisse and occasionally a twin pipe 250 CZ. I'm not sure but I think injuries forced him over to classic trials where he also shone. A number of ex speedway riders including the great Barry Briggs are competing in classic trials these days. 1980 World speedway champion Michael Lee's dad Andy was a GP standard MX racer in the 60's and he still races today, still on Metisses. It's kind of ironic that the old Dad is still competing and having fun but his son is long retired.

I had the honour of meeting Simon Wigg in the Maroubra Junction Hotel circa early 80's. He was staying with expat pom speedway rider Nigel Boocock at his Maroubra digs and he and American riders John Cook and Bobby Schwartz used to drop in from time to time for a few beers with Nigel and his son. He was a super nice bloke and he died way too young. Ironically he'd decided to move here permanently not long before he was diagnosed with cancer.