Colin Pratt
Born | Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, England | 10 October 1938
---|---|
Died | 2 October 2021 | (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)
Racing career
Born in
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 in 1967.[7] It was as a Hackney rider that he won the London Riders' Championship in 1967 and again in 1968.[citation needed]
Promoter and team manager
Pratt became co-promoter at the Rye House Rockets with former boss Len Silver in 1979.[8] In 1983, he spent a season as team manager at King's Lynn Stars before becoming promoter at Cradley Heath in 1984.[8] He stayed at Cradley until 1996 where he became co-promoter of the ill-fated London Lions, 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 as team manager. In 1998, the opportunity arose to join the Coventry Bees as promoter and Pratt has been there ever since in promoter/co-promoter and team manager roles.[8]
He also had two spells as the Great Britain team manager from 1979 to 1980 and with 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 management committee.[9]
Personal life
Pratt died on 2 October 2021, at the age of 82 from cancer.[10]
World Final Appearances
Individual World Championship
- 1967 - London, Wembley Stadium - 13th - 4pts
World Team Cup
- ) - 4th - 8pts (0)
- 1967 - Malmö, Malmö Stadion (with Ray Wilson / Barry Briggs / Ivan Mauger / Eric Boocock) - 3rd= - 19pts (0)
References
- ISBN 0-9552376-1-0
- ^ "Colin Pratt". Wolverhampton Speedway. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "Colin Pratt". World Speedway Riders. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f Oakes, Peter (1963) "A Peter Oakes Speedtale on Colin Pratt: Saints Must Regret Their Decision", Speedway Star, 27 July 1963, p. 16
- ISBN 0-7524-2438-6
- ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ a b c "Colin Pratt". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ "Colin Pratt". British Speedway. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
- ^ Pearson, Nigel (6 October 2021). "Peterborough Panthers star pays tribute to club promoter Colin Pratt who passed away at the weekend". Peterborough Telegraph.