Kelvin Tatum
| Sweden | |
|---|---|
| 1989–1998 | Örnarna |
| 2000–2001 | Indianerna |
| Individual honours | |
| 1987, 1990 | Long Track World Champion |
| 1991, 1999 | Australian Long track Grand Prix |
| 1994, 1995 | Ace of Aces Grasstrack Champion |
| 1995 | European Grasstrack Champion |
| 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001 (shared) | British Masters 500cc Solo Grasstrack Champion |
| 1987, 1990 | Pride of the East |
| Team honours | |
| 1989 | World Team Cup winner |
| 1987, 1988, 1995 | British League champion |
| 1992, 1993 | British League KO Cup winner |
| 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996 | Elitserien champion |
Kelvin Martin Tatum
England national speedway team.[2]
Career
Tatum attended
average
of over six points per meeting.
In 1985, he signed for
Arena Essex Hammers, Poole Pirates, Peterborough Panthers and the ill-fated London Lions, with brother Neville Tatum
among his teammates.
Tatum became
Intercontinental Final.[4]
In 1990, Tatum was the highest placed British rider in the World Final at the Odsal Stadium in Bradford, finishing in 7th place with 9 points from his 5 rides. In the 1990 World Final qualifying rounds, Tatum had won the Commonwealth Final at the Belle Vue Stadium in Manchester. It was his third Commonwealth Final win after having done so in 1987 and 1988. Tatum would add a fourth Commonwealth crown to his trophy cabinet in 1992.
Longtrack and grasstrack
Later in Tatum's career, he turned his attention to grasstrack and
British Grasstrack Champion four times: in 1996, 1999, 2000 and jointly in 2001, and was almost unbeatable in domestic grasstrack events in the latter stage of his career, winning 4 British Masters Championships. Fittingly, Tatum won his last grasstrack event, the Bonfire Burnup in 2006 at Collier Street
in Kent.
Kelvin Tatum also won the Australian Long track Grand Prix in 1991 at the 800 metres (870 yards) Bathurst Showground,[5] and again in 1999 at the Tamworth Showground.
After retirement
Kelvin is now a television presenter, appearing on
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2003 New Year Honours for services to speedway.[3][6]
World Final appearances
Individual World Championship
- 1985 -
Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 8th - 8pts - Silesian Stadium- 3rd - 12pts
- 1988 -
Vojens, Speedway Center - 8th - 8pts - Olympic Stadium- 5th - 10pts
- 1990 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 7th - 9pts
- Göteborg, Ullevi- 8th - 8pts
- Olympic Stadium - 10th - 6pts[7]
World Pairs Championship
- 1985 -
Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Kenny Carter) - 2nd - 27pts (13) - Svítkov Stadion (with Simon Wigg) - 2nd - 44pts (24)[8]
- 1988 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Simon Cross) - 2nd - 41pts (21)
- Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Paul Thorp) - 3rd - 37pts (21)
- Ellermühle Stadium(with Simon Cross) - 8th - 20pts (20)
- Pista Speedway (with Gary Havelock / Martin Dugard) - 2nd - 23+2pts (8)
World Team Cup
- 1985 -
USA Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Jeremy Doncaster / Phil Collins / Richard Knight / John Davis) – 3rd – 13pts (3) - 1986 -
Göteborg, Ullevi, Vojens, Speedway Center and Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Simon Wigg / Neil Evitts / Jeremy Doncaster / Chris Morton / Marvyn Cox) - 3rd - 81pts (19) - Marketa Stadium(with Simon Wigg / Jeremy Doncaster / Simon Cross / Marvyn Cox) - 2nd - 101pts (25)
- 1988 - Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Simon Wigg / Simon Cross / Chris Morton / Gary Havelock) - 4th - 22pts (7)
- 1989 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Jeremy Doncaster / Paul Thorp / Simon Wigg / Simon Cross) - Winner - 48pts (12)
- Svítkov Stadion- 2nd - 34pts (11)
- Kumla Speedway- 3rd - 31pts (3)
- 1993 - Coventry, Brandon Stadium - 4th - 14pts (2)
British Speedway Championship
Finals
- 1985 @ Brandon Stadium (4th) 12pts
- 1986 @ Brandon Stadium (6th) 8pts
- 1987 @ Brandon Stadium (Champion) 13pts
- 1988 @ Brandon Stadium (Runner-up) 13pts
- 1989 @ Brandon Stadium (Runner-up) 12pts
- 1990 @ Brandon Stadium (Champion) 13pts
- 1991 @ Brandon Stadium (Runner-up) 13pts
- 1992 @ Brandon Stadium (5th) 10pts
- 1994 @ Brandon Stadium (11th) 6pts
- 1996 @ Brandon Stadium (4th) 10pts
- 1997 @ Brandon Stadium (8th) 8pts
- 1998 @ Brandon Stadium (6th) 9pts
World Longtrack Championship
Finals
- 1994 - Marianske Lazne(11th) 9pts
- 1995 -
Scheeßel (Champion) 20pts * Note Tatum beat Simon Wigg in a run-off for the championship - 1996 - Herxheim (5th) 14pts
Grand-Prix
- 1998 - 5 apps (Champion) 104pts
- 1999 - 5 apps (Third) 79pts
- 2000 - 5 apps (Champion) 102pts
- 2001 - 4 apps (Second) 76pts
- 2002 - 5 apps (Second) 96pts
- 2003 - 6 apps (Second) 120pts
- 2004 - 5 apps (Second) 101pts
- 2005 - 2 apps (11th) 34pts
World Longtrack Best Grand-Prix Results
- - Abingdon First 1998
- Aduard First 1998- - Berghaupten Third 1999
- - Bielefeld First 2002, Second 2003
- Saint-Colomb-de-Lauzun Second 2002- - Eenrum First 1999, 2000
- - Harsewinkel First 2000
- - Jübek First 2000, Second 1999
- - Marmande First 2003, 2004
- MorizesFirst 2001, 2004, Second 2000, 2002, Third 2003
- New Plymouth First 2003- - Tonbridge First 2003, Third 2001
- - Pfarrkirchen First 2004
- - Parchim Second 2001, 2005
- - Scheeßel First 1998, Second 2002
European Grasstrack Championship
Finals
- 1995 - Joure (Champion) 24pts
- 2004 - Eenrum (Did not start)
British Masters Grasstrack Championship
Podium Finishes
- 1993 Third @ Wimborne
- 1994 Third @ Severn Valley & Tonbridge
- 1995 Second @ North Berks & Severn Valley
- 1996 First @ Andover & North Berks
- 1997 Second @ Wainfleet & Andover
- 1999 First @ North Berks
- 2000 First @ Astra
- 2001 Equal First @ North Berks
- 2003 Third @ Astra
References
- ISBN 0-948882-81-6
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
- ^ a b "Kelvin Tatum MBE (B. 1977-80)". Old Brightonian Association. 2004. Archived from the original on 21 August 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2008.
- ISBN 0-948882-15-8.
- ^ 1990/91 Australian Long Track GP Final
- ^ "No. 56797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2002. p. 22.
- ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ "Danes defeat spirited challenge". Sandwell Evening Mail. 29 June 1987. Retrieved 11 July 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.