Wimbledon's Other World Champ

[iris123 21,014]

While some riders,Ronnie Moore and Ronni Pedersen come to mind swap the speedway bike for motorcar racing,one Wimbledon reserve rider went on to become World Champ.O.K it was only stockcars(and i don't want to start on that topic),but Barry Lee was knocking about riding at Plough Lane,then went on to dominate the stockcars.Anyone have any info(averages,etc)on his career.As he was an Essex man,maybe Norbold knows a thing or two.Did he ride for Romford?

Did he indeed ride for the Dons or was he just in the reserve team and reserve for "Open" meetings.

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

Romford? Looks like he was around somewhat earlier than that, iris123.

 

An article on a car racing site at

http://classicfords.net/modules.php?name=N...=article&sid=70

begins "When Barry Lee packed up Speedway riding for Hackney Wick in '63..."

 

Peter Morrish's "British Speedway Leagues 1946-64" dosen't list him as riding any official matches for Hackney that year - or for Wimbledon.

[iris123 21,014]

Yeah,i know i read somewhere that he rode speedway.Can't think where.Just looking through some programmes and there is a reserve for the World Championship quali in 1965 added ....Barry Leigh Also printed in the programme for the World Champ quali in 1968 is a B.Lee(Wimbledon).I assumed this was the stockcar and speedway racer Barry Lee!

[KevH 257]

Barry Lee rode in 9 meetings for Canterbury in 1968 averaging 3.15.

[iris123 21,014]

Thanks Kev,

Thats helped track him down a bit further.......

Bit from a Rayleigh prog:

"Congratulations must also go to our newest Rocket,young Barry Lee,on getting a "Paid" maximum.....A truly sterling performance for a rider discarded by Canterbury as being no good!Barry,incidentally is very much a local boy,he hails from Hockley and lives nearer the stadium than any other of our riders......"

[KevH 257]

Thanks Kev,

 

You're welcome Iris, and just for the record, he rode in five matches for the Rockets averaging 7.75

[Guest speedyguy]

You're welcome Iris, and just for the record, he rode in five matches for the Rockets averaging 7.75

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Must intervene on subject of Barry Lee. He never drove stock cars - a contact formula. But he did race in the non-contact Hot Rods and National Hot Rods - something akin to big circuit Touring Car racing. At one -time he was sponsored - I think - by the 'Daily Express.'

He also drove rally cars and took part an early 1970s Paris-Dakar Rally.

In recent years, Barry has raced in big circuit Eurocars with some success but seems to have retired now.

He was a speedway rider briefly - as mentioned Canterbury was one of his tracks.

[Dons67 0]

Rode second halfs @ Plough Lane 1968 (was allegedly Dons no. 9) after having wandered around a

number of relatively local tracks.

[iris123 21,014]

Seems strange that having just cracked it,with a 7.75 ave for the Rockets he packs it in, pressumably

[Guest speedyguy]

Seems strange that having just cracked it,with a 7.75 ave for the Rockets he packs it in, pressumably

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Probably more chance of fame and money in non-contact Hot Rod racing. In big circuit racing and rally driving (ptrestige events) he was once sponsored by the 'Daily Express.'

No discredit because Barry didn't make it on speedway - neither could old-time motorcle road race stars Geoff Duke or Barry Sheene.

[Exiled Bandit 0]

Was doing commentary on a series shown on Sky Sports from the National Hot Rod Championships - boring as hell but huge crowds ... how do they do it?

[Custom House Kid 45]

A picture of barry.

 

Barry Lee

[Guest speedyguy]

Was doing commentary on a series shown on Sky Sports from the National Hot Rod Championships - boring as hell but huge crowds ... how do they do it?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

If you don't really follow it, Hot Rod racing can appear boring. The way to enjoy the racing is to make identification with a star driver making his way through the field to the front. There is a lot of specialised technique used in racing and 32 cars in NON-CONTACT action over 75 laps can be thrilling.

That's not much different to four riders round the first bend then strung out for the remaining three-and-half laps is it?

Perhaps also the big crowds are at the meetings because there is so much entertainment provided off-track between races.

[iris123 21,014]

A picture of barry.

 

Barry Lee

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Thanks for that CHK,great pic.Any idea when it was taken?

[Guest speedyguy]

Thanks for that CHK,great pic.Any idea when it was taken?

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I think that I read in the Speedway Star last summer that when Dave Wills was killed at West Ham in the 1960s that Barry Lee - no blame at all - was one of the other three riders in that race.