SPEEDWAY WINNINGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 228, 26 September 1931, Page 10

SPEEDWAY WINNINGS

Ono frequently hears reports of the big money being earned by speedway riders. Although conditions were exceptionally favourable to the star performers in the early stages of cinder track racing and particularly so at Western Springs, conditions have nov\ become stabilised throughout the world, and there arc very few riders even among the “ top-notchers” whe are making £5OO a year. The follow ing extract from the Motor-Cycle concerning English conditions is interesting:—“l have been at some pains t arrive at an :u. <' ; fi'-r: ' v 1 ’ :

be termed the salary of really first class speedway riders after all ex

ponses in connection with machine; transport, etc., have been deducted. “Here is the case of a real top liner who has done very well indeo so far this season. He averages twi team matches a week, and three meet ings a week in all. In team racing to date his average is seven points a match which means £l4 a week. Ap

pcarance money at three meetings i {•rings in a further £l5, and his winnings from other races amount to about £lO a week. This means a gross weekly total of about £4O, and his speedway expenses amount to approximately half that figure. This leaves him with £2O a week at the very outside (in practice it is often considerably less) for about •

six months of the year and toothing for the remainder. Spread over 12 months, it is equivalent to a salary of £lO a week. “He may win a £lOO championship, but this is always counterbalanced by the fact that he* may also —or instead —be laid up for a space through acci- ’ dent; it is largely a matter of luck.”