# Colin Pratt

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English speedway rider (1938–2021)

Colin Pratt Pratt in 2018 Born (1938-10-10)10 October 1938 Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England Died 2 October 2021(2021-10-02) (aged 82) Nationality British (English) Career history 1957 Rye House Roosters 1959 Yarmouth Bloaters 1960 Southampton Saints 1961 Poole Pirates 1961–1963 Stoke Potters 1964 Swindon Robins 1964–1969 Hackney Hawks 1970 Cradley Heathens Individual honours 1966 Pride of the East winner 1967, 1968 London Riders Champion 1969 Southern Riders Champion

**Colin George Pratt** (10 October 1938 – 2 October 2021)[1] was a British [motorcycle speedway](/source/Motorcycle_speedway) rider and later promoter of the [Coventry Bees](/source/Coventry_Bees) who compete in the British [Elite League](/source/Elite_League_(speedway)).[2][3] He earned 14 international caps for the [England national speedway team](/source/England_national_speedway_team) and 7 caps for the Great Britain team.[4] He was later the manager of the Great Britain national team from 1979 to 1980 and from 1986 to 1993.

## Racing career

Born in [Hoddesdon](/source/Hoddesdon), [Hertfordshire](/source/Hertfordshire), Pratt lived near to [Mike Broadbank](/source/Mike_Broadbank) from whom he bought his first speedway bike at the age of nineteen, and practised at the nearby [Rye House](/source/Rye_House_Stadium) track.[5] After his [National Service](/source/National_Service), he returned to the Rye House training track in 1960 and had his first competitive rides, reaching the final of the Whitsun Trophy.[5] He was signed by the [Southampton Saints](/source/Southampton_Saints), where he made his [National League](/source/National_League_(1932%E2%80%931964)) debut against [Oxford](/source/Oxford_Cheetahs).[5] A broken wrist sustained at Swindon brought his debut season to an early end.[5] He had only second-half rides for Southampton in 1961, and was loaned to [Poole Pirates](/source/Poole_Pirates) for whom he rode in three matches, [Ipswich Witches](/source/Ipswich_Witches) (two matches), and then [Stoke Potters](/source/Stoke_Potters) where he started to score well, with paid 15 points against Wolverhampton and a 12-point maximum against Cradley Heath.[5]

In 1962 he scored 177 points from 34 matches for the Potters, and improved further in 1963,[6] scoring 141 points in his first 12 matches and winning all five races to win the Gerry Hussey Memorial Trophy at Rye House, breaking the track record during the meeting.[5] He moved on to the [Swindon Robins](/source/Swindon_Robins) before joining the [Hackney Hawks](/source/Hackney_Hawks) in 1964. He rode for the [Hawks](/source/Hackney_Hawks) for six years until the 1970 season when he moved to the [Cradley Heathens](/source/Cradley_Heathens). However, he was forced to retire after he was involved in a road crash near [Lokeren](/source/Lokeren) in Belgium. Five riders and officials died.[7] Pratt was riding as a guest for the [West Ham Hammers](/source/West_Ham_Hammers) against a Danish select side in the Netherlands (in which he gained a five ride maximum). He sustained three broken bones in his neck and was warned by doctors that if he rode again and broke it he would be paralysed. After deciding the risk was too great he retired.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

Pratt was also a full England international and rode in two World Team Cup finals. He also qualified for the final of the [Speedway World Championship](/source/Speedway_World_Championship) in 1967.[8] It was as a Hackney rider that he won the [London Riders' Championship](/source/London_Riders'_Championship) in 1967[9] and again in 1968.[10]

## Promoter and team manager

Pratt became co-promoter at the [Rye House Rockets](/source/Rye_House_Rockets) with former boss [Len Silver](/source/Len_Silver) in 1979.[11] In 1983, he spent a season as team manager at [King's Lynn Stars](/source/King's_Lynn_Stars) before becoming promoter at [Cradley Heath](/source/Cradley_Heathens) in 1984.[11] He stayed at Cradley until 1996 where he became co-promoter of the ill-fated [London Lions](/source/London_Lions_(speedway)), based at the Hawks' previous stadium, Hackney Wick. By now it had been redeveloped and renamed the London Stadium.

The promotion closed after one season so Pratt moved to the [Bradford Dukes](/source/Bradford_Dukes) as team manager. In 1998, the opportunity arose to join the [Coventry Bees](/source/Coventry_Bees) as promoter and Pratt has been there ever since in promoter/co-promoter and team manager roles.[11]

He also had two spells as the Great Britain team manager from 1979 to 1980 and with [Eric Boocock](/source/Eric_Boocock) from 1986 to 1993). He has won sixteen major trophies as a manager or promoter. He has served several terms on the [British Speedway Promoters' Association](/source/British_Speedway_Promoters'_Association) management committee.[12]

## Personal life

Pratt died on 2 October 2021, at the age of 82 from cancer.[13]

## World Final Appearances

### Individual World Championship

- [1967](/source/1967_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - London, [Wembley Stadium](/source/Wembley_Stadium_(1923)) - 13th - 4pts

### World Team Cup

- [1966](/source/1966_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Wrocław](/source/Wroc%C5%82aw), [Olympic Stadium](/source/Olympic_Stadium_(Wroc%C5%82aw)) (with [Barry Briggs](/source/Barry_Briggs) / [Terry Betts](/source/Terry_Betts) / [Ivan Mauger](/source/Ivan_Mauger) / [Nigel Boocock](/source/Nigel_Boocock)) - 4th - 8pts (0)

- [1967](/source/1967_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Malmö](/source/Malm%C3%B6), [Malmö Stadion](/source/Malm%C3%B6_Stadion) (with [Ray Wilson](/source/Ray_Wilson_(speedway_rider)) / Barry Briggs / Ivan Mauger / [Eric Boocock](/source/Eric_Boocock)) - **3rd=** - 19pts (0)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Oakes, P.(2006). *Speedway Star Almanac*. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-9552376-1-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9552376-1-0)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Colin Pratt"](http://www.wolverhampton-speedway.com/news.php?extend.3413). *Wolverhampton Speedway*. Retrieved 8 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Colin Pratt"](https://www.worldspeedwayriders.org/rider/40/colin-pratt). *World Speedway Riders*. Retrieved 8 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022"](https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf) (PDF). *British Speedway*. Retrieved 28 December 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Oakes63_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Oakes63_5-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Oakes63_5-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Oakes63_5-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-Oakes63_5-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-Oakes63_5-5) Oakes, Peter (1963) "A Peter Oakes Speedtale on Colin Pratt: Saints Must Regret Their Decision", *[Speedway Star](/source/Speedway_Star)*, 27 July 1963, p. 16

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Gifts for speedway riders"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000525/19630913/013/0013). *Staffordshire Sentinel*. 13 September 1963. Retrieved 4 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Belton, Brian (2003). *Hammerin' Round*. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7524-2438-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7524-2438-6)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). *A History of the World Speedway Championship*. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7524-2402-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7524-2402-5)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["1967 season"](https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1967results.pdf) (PDF). *Speedway Researcher*. Retrieved 4 October 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Speedway"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19680914/318/0023). *Daily Mirror*. 14 September 1968. Retrieved 4 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CH_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CH_11-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-CH_11-2) ["Colin Pratt"](http://www.cradleyspeedway.co.uk/riders/cpratt.htm). *Cradley Speedway*. Retrieved 8 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** ["Colin Pratt"](https://britishspeedway.co.uk/miscellaneous/colin-pratt/). *British Speedway*. 2 October 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Pearson, Nigel (6 October 2021). ["Peterborough Panthers star pays tribute to club promoter Colin Pratt who passed away at the weekend"](https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/other-sport/peterborough-panthers-star-pays-tribute-to-club-promoter-colin-pratt-who-passed-away-at-the-weekend-3407950). *Peterborough Telegraph*.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Colin Pratt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Pratt) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Pratt?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.