Bright star of the track

PASSING OF A LEGEND: Former Gisborne Speedway Club president Myles Richardson died on Friday after a long illness. Regarded as a speedway “legend”, he is pictured here with the inaugural Services to Speedway Award he received at the national awards in 1999. File pictures by Dave Thomas

The speedway fraternity in Gisborne and around the country is mourning the loss of one of the Gisborne club's stalwart members, former club president Myles Richardson, who died on Friday after a long illness.

He was a life member of both the Gisborne Speedway Club and Speedway New Zealand.

The national body has posted a tribute on social media.

“Speedway NZ are saddened to hear of the passing of Life Member Myles Richardson,” the tribute read.

“Myles was a huge contributor to the sport — serving as a board member of Speedway NZ 2000-2007, president of Gisborne Speedway, and president of the Speedway Promoters Association of New Zealand, as well as being a talented saloon competitor.”

The tribute extended the condolences of Speedway NZ to family and friends.

Myles Richardson won the Gisborne club's prestigious Competitor of the Year award twice in his production saloon car racing career.

After a trip to the United States in the early 2000s, club president Richardson and then track sponsor Joe Faram suggested banking the track.

Work started in August 2005 and the new banking was ready for racing for the 2005/2006 season.

From then on, things changed as far as the racing was concerned. The track became faster, there were more car rollovers and the set-ups for cars changed.

Refinements to the track have made it one of the fastest — if not the fastest — in New Zealand.

Long-time speedway reporter Murray Robertson was among those to pay tribute to Myles Richardson.

“To many who have followed the sport in Gisborne over the years, Myles was a legendary figure,” he said.

“He was a man who always gave his absolute best to the club, and was one of the most likeable people you could wish to meet.

“He was a special man and an outstanding saloon driver.”

Myles Richardson will be farewelled in a funeral service at Evans Chapel at 10am on Friday.