Name Of Famous Rider Who Committed Suicide?

[chris67bug 0]

Sorry for rather a morbid post. Trying to remember the name of a famous UK rider who committed suicide in the 80's. Seem to remember that he and his wife were found dead in their house. Anyone recall this- or is my memory playing tricks on me??

 

chris

[AndyM 1]

You're referring to Kenny Carter, but Billy Sanders also took his own life. RIP

Edited May 2, 2007 by AndyM

[chris67bug 0]

Thx Andy- very sad story.

 

chris

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

chris67bug, Kenny Carter has been discussed many times on this Forum. There was a good discussion last year at

http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/ind...topic=24051&hl=

 

If you put "kenny carter" into this site's search engine, you'll find many discussions about him.

 

There are, understandably, a lot of strong feelings about him, both pro and anti.

 

Backtrack are publishing a new book about him soon.

[stuart road 0]

You're referring to Kenny Carter, but Billy Sanders also took his own life.  RIP

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we are just coming up to the 21st anniversary of kenny's death.

 

i know halifax very well and had many great times there,and was lucky enough to meet kenny on a few occasions,a tormented soul,but nevertheless the greatest british rider since peter craven.

 

my two greatest memories of speedway will always be,terry betts (golden helmet) sportsmanship.

and kenny carter with broken leg being carried to his bike and winning the british title.

 

 

rest in peace kenny

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

kenny.... the greatest british rider since peter craven.

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I don't that that many on this Forum will agree with this.

Disregarding the claims of the likes of 'Tiger' Louis, Malcolm Simmons, Mike Lee, David Jessup (who all achieved more than Carter and didn't leave a legacy of shame and tragedy which I feel still hangs over the sport..)..: there surely can't be any real argument that the 'other' PC, Peter Collins was the greatest rider England has produced since the death of Peter Craven...

Edited May 4, 2007 by Parsloes 1928 nearly

[WATigerman 1]

.........there surely can't be any real argument that the 'other' PC, Peter Collins was the greatest rider England has produced since the death of Peter Craven...

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Here, here.

[Spartan59 0]

Love him or loathe him there is no doubting that, aside from what went on inside his head, he made a major impact on speedway with his riding talent and to be honest far eclipses the likes of Simmons, Jessup et al.

 

Personally I would say that after Craven it was Lee, PC then Carter. Michael Lee was another massive talent cursed by troubles and could’ve achieved so much more. However, if we were to get into the realms of ifs and buts and after seeing him through his shortened career then I strongly feel that a trouble free Carter would’ve been the best. The talent and application to speedway was there he was just bedevilled by too many demons.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Love him or loathe him there is no doubting that, aside from what went on inside his head, he made a major impact on speedway

 

Well yes, but that "major impact" was the most damaging front-page headlines our sport ever did - and pray God, ever will - attract..

[Spartan59 0]

Yes that is very true and I wholly heartedly agree that we never want to see such a thing connected with speedway again. Would be nice to think that anyone that troubled in this day and age would be suitably helped. Although somehow I doubt it.

 

It's so sad to think that up until those tragic events he was the best thing to hit speedway in many a long year.

 

It's even sadder to think that we all tend to look back, me included, at our nations best speedway riders and that in all that time since then we've struggled to find anyone to truly compete at the top level in any meaningfully consistent way.

[Bobbin' Along 5]

Yes that is very true and I wholly heartedly agree that we never want to see such a thing connected with speedway again. Would be nice to think that anyone that troubled in this day and age would be suitably helped. Although somehow I doubt it.

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Just ask Rafael Kurmanski's parents whether or not enough they feel enough help was given to him before he decided to end his life. There are still troubled young, and older, men in the speedway world who will feel that there is no other option for them - sometimes even with the help that is available. And that's not including all the troubled souls in the real world.

[Parsloes 1928 nearly 495]

Just ask Rafael Kurmanski's parents whether or not enough they feel enough help was given to him before he decided to end his life.  There are still troubled young, and older, men in the speedway world who will feel that there is no other option for them - sometimes even with the help that is available.  And that's not including all the troubled souls in the real world.

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But of course Speedway riders do live in the "real world" too; and it's true to say that a number of riders (and ex-riders) over the years have taken their own lives: including a great hero of mine, Billy Sanders; and two very young and very talented young Polish riders, as you say, in recent years.

 

But I feel it should be said here that the case of Kenny Carter is fundamentally different.

I'm sure no-one wants us to dwell on the circumstances of Kenny's death, but in all honesty, it jars badly with me that a number of postings and articles written in recent times about this rider seem to be airbrushing out history...

 

We all know the details of what happened over 20 years ago now and they're deeply distressing so am not going to repeat them here; but, of course, he didn't simply commit suicide did he. And I'm afraid the circumstances of what actually happened always make me recoil when people seem to want to talk of Kenny as a former great rider as if the incident we never talk about didn't happen..

 

A number of famous people have ended up committing awful acts which have led to the adulation they'd earned by right being removed from their memory; and I'm sorry to say that I believe this applies to Kenny Carter.

[AndyM 1]

The cases of Kenny Carter and Billy Sanders were both over a woman, though, P28N.

[BOBBATH 467]

I've often wondered whether speedway riders are more volatile than the general population- in addition to the names mentioned off the top of my head I can think of Bob Paulson(I think Bob may have been gay when this was less accepted than today) and of course Alan Cowland after he retired. I'm wondering whether since speedway tends to be a macho environment-whether issues with women/relationships tend to hit home harder if they go wrong than with the pop at large-any thoughts on this. While its still a relatively small number, the numbers of the speedway riding profession are not that huge either. Any thoughts on this??

[stuart road 0]

I've often wondered whether speedway riders are more volatile than the general population- in addition to the names mentioned off the top of my head I can think of Bob Paulson(I think Bob may have been gay when this was less accepted than today) and of course Alan Cowland after he retired. I'm wondering whether since speedway tends to be a macho environment-whether issues with women/relationships tend to hit home harder if they go wrong than with the pop at large-any thoughts on this. While its still a relatively small number, the numbers of the speedway riding profession are not that huge either. Any thoughts on this??

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maybe you have a point

but in the words of atticus finch, we shouldn't judge someone until we have walked around in their shoes.

i am well aware of what happened 21 years ago,and there was certainly a lot more to it than many people know, however its not my place to judge him as a man one way or the other.

as a speedway rider,he was first class