{{Short description|Former Australian motorcycle speedway rider}} {{Use dmy dates|date=February 2024}} {{Use Australian English|date=February 2024}} {{Infobox Speedway rider | name = Keith Gurtner | image = | caption = | nationality = Australian | birth_date = {{birth date text|21 September 1921}} | birth_place = Wagga Wagga, Australia | death_date = {{Death date and age|1997|4|21|1921|9|21|df=y}} | death_place = Brisbane, Australia
| career1 = Exeter Falcons | years1 = 1948 | career2 = Newcastle Diamonds | years2 = 1948 | career3 = Ashfield Giants | years3 = 1949–1950 | career4 = Motherwell Eagles | years4 = 1951–1952 | career5 = Edinburgh Monarchs | years5 = 1952 | career6 = West Ham Hammers | years6= 1953–1954
| indivyear1 = 1950, 1957, 1960<br>1961, 1962, 1965<br>1967 | indivhonour1 = Queensland champion | indivyear2 = | indivhonour2 = }}
'''Keith Frank Gurtner''' (21 September 1921 – 21 April 1997) was an Australian motorcycle speedway rider. He was the champion of Queensland a record equalling seven times in 1974 and earned 26 international caps for the Australia national speedway team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=18 February 2024}}</ref>
== Biography== Gurtner, born in Wagga Wagga, was a junior speedskater and amateur boxer before racing on the grasstracks in 1939. He served during World War II, before racing speedway in 1946. He suffered a major injury breaking his arm, ankle and several ribs. However, he came to the notice of British clubs in 1947 and the Exeter Falcons manager Frank Buckland signed him in January 1948.<ref>{{cite news |title=Exeter signings|work=Western Morning News |date=26 January 1948 |access-date=22 February 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000329/19480126/043/0005 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> However, he was exchanged with Bonny Waddell of Newcastle Diamonds shortly afterwards.<ref>{{cite news |title=Plymouth borrow speedway rider |work=Western Morning News |date=19 May 1948 |access-date=22 February 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000329/19480519/062/0004 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
The following season in 1949, he joined Ashfield Giants in Glasgow.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1949.html |title=1949 season |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=18 February 2024}}</ref> In 1950, he won the first of his seven Queensland Solo Championship wins.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.mqld.org.au/about-us/honour-board/ |title=Honour Board | website=MQLD |access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref>
In 1951, he left Ashfield for fellow Scottish club Motherwell Eagles and recorded a respectable 8.37 average.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> In the late August 1952, Gurtner transferred to Edinburgh Monarchs.<ref>{{cite news |title=Edinburgh Speedway Team's Good Performance |work=The Scotsman |date=1 September 1952 |access-date=22 February 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000540/19520901/128/0007 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
Gurtner finished his British leagues career in London, with West Ham Hammers from 1953 to 1954<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html |title=Year by Year |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref> but he continued to ride in Australia and was made captain of the Australian side in 1960.
He won the bronze medal at the Australian Solo Championship in 1962 and the silver medal the following year, both times at the Rockhampton Showgrounds.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmaustralii.php|title=Individual Australian Championship|website=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.australianspeedwaychampionships.com.au/results/|title=Australian Speedway Championship Results|website=Australian Speedway Championship|access-date=22 February 2024}}</ref>
He went on to win his seventh State title in 1967 and raced for the final time on 5 June 1971, shortly before his 50th birthday and having broken 52 bones throughout his 30-year career.
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gurtner, Keith}} Category:1921 births Category:1997 deaths Category:Australian speedway riders Category:Ashfield Giants riders Category:Motherwell Eagles riders Category:Newcastle Diamonds riders Category:West Ham Hammers riders Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in England Category:Sportsmen from Queensland Category:Sportspeople from Wagga Wagga Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in Scotland Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen