Speedway: Bay rider bags two national titles within three weeks

NATIONAL DOUBLE: Bradley Wilson-Dean and his father Darrin Wilson, left, complete a victory lap after he won the New Zealand Grand Prix. PHOTO/JDS Imagery

During his days at Karamu High School, Hawke's Bay solo bike rider Bradley Wilson-Dean could often be found sitting near the back of his classes with his mind far from his various lessons.

His thoughts would often drift to the various race tracks around the country he liked to race at during the summer.

Homework was seldom one of Wilson-Dean's priorities.

However his United Kingdom Elite League team Swindon Robins and Premier League team Peterborough Panthers, along with his new Danish League team Munkebo Scorpions, will be impressed with the homework assignments Wilson-Dean has ticked off while back home in Hastings this summer.

Three weeks after winning the New Zealand championship with six wins from as many starts in Invercargill Wilson-Dean, 22, won the New Zealand Grand Prix title in Auckland last weekend with five wins from five starts.

Manawatu's Dylan Hancock was second, Aucklander Ryan Terry-Daley was third and Canterbury's Andrew Aldridge fourth in the 12-strong field.

"It wasn't the strongest of fields but it's another title, my first Grand Prix title and it's been good to be riding while home on holiday," Wilson-Dean said.

The third generation rider was quick to heap kudos on former English rider and mechanic Gary Lloyd who was his mechanic for the Rosebank Speedway-hosted meeting.

"Gary came out to New Zealand for a holiday and got stuck helping me. It was his first speedway meeting for 20 years and his first in New Zealand," Wilson-Dean explained.

While two-time national under-21 champion Wilson-Dean was chasing the title for the second time in his nine-year career, his father Darrin Wilson, a veteran of 34 years in the class, has never won it. His best placing was a fourth in 1996.

Although Wilson-Dean, who is the first Kiwi to be racing in the Elite League for 20 years and the only Kiwi in his three leagues, doesn't return to the United Kingdom until February 21 last weekend's Grand Prix will be his last meeting until then.

"It's important I relax before I go back. With my commitments in the three leagues I'll be racing five to six days each week so it's best I have a break from racing," Wilson-Dean said.

This doesn't mean he will be taking things easy.

"I'll be in the gym a couple of hours each day. I'll also be on the pushbike and motorbike because I want to be as fit as possible when I return. When you ride as often as I do that aerobic base can often be the difference between losing and winning on the last lap."

Today Wilson-Dean will conduct a coaching clinic for 12 Kiwi juniors in Auckland.

"If I can do a few of these regularly when I'm back in the country we might end up with a few more Kiwis racing at my level in the United Kingdon in the no so distant future," Wilson-Dean said.

He has hired Auckland rider Jake Turner to be his fulltime mechanic in the Northern Hemisphere.

"We're hoping Jake will complete this year working for me and then move into the racing ranks next year."

Wilson-Dean was the second Hawke's Bay Speedway Club member to win a New Zealand Grand Prix title last weekend.

Hawke's Bay superstock driver Jason Long won the Grand Prix title for his class at Meeanee less than 24 hours earlier.

Last month Hawke's Bay stockcar driver Randal Tarrant finished second at the New Zealand Grand Prix for his class in Rotorua.