Surprise move by Briggs

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33424, 4 January 1974, Page 3

Surprise move by Briggs

The four-times world speedway champion, B. Briggs, of New Zealand, is to return to British league racing next (northern) summer after a season of retirement which was constantly coloured bv controversy.

He has signed for the London club, Wimbledon, in a move which has taken the sport completely by surprise.

Briggs, who will be in Christchurch next month for a series of international meetings, withdrew from league racing last year and failed in attempts to gain admission to the 1973 world championship qualifying rounds in Britain.

The move sparked off New Zealand’s decision to investigate the possibility of affiliating direct with the F.I.M. instead of working through the British Auto Cycle Union and, only a few weeks ago, Briggs was threatening to take out a European racing licence so that he could enter next season’s world championship.

“WOULDN’T TAKE NO” "A few weeks ago I had no intention of riding in the British league again,” Briggs said in a letter to the speedway writer of “The Press.” I “But after meeting Wimbledon officials to discuss the possibility of running a training school at Plough Lane, I began to think in terms of league racing once more. “Last season was an empty one for me. For many years J thought that it would be nice to concentrate on Continental meetings without the rush and strain of British league fixtures. Yet I gained little satisfaction, even when winning, in Europe last season. So I came to the conclusion that I should return to league racing. “Wimbledon made a good offer and had all the answers to my commitments. The ‘Dons’ have struggled since

: Ronnie (Moore) retired and ‘somehow the place isn’t the same without one of us around,” he said.

Briggs made his debut for Wimbledon in 1952 and in 1957, when Moore decided to race Formula 11 racing cars professionally, he took over as captain. When Moore returned to the fold in 1958, Briggs switched to Southhampton before taking over the leadership of Swindon, the club he was with until his “retirement” last season.