Wallace Stewart Kilmister (30 April 1907 – 18 March 1973), better known as Wally Kilmister, was an international speedway rider.[1]

Wally Kilmister
Born30 April 1907 (1907-04-30)
Wellington, New Zealand
Died18 March 1973 (aged 65)
Rotorua, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealander
Career history
1930–1938Wembley Lions
1939Southampton Saints
Individual honours
1936New Zealand Champion
Team honours
1930,1931Southern League Champion
1932National League Champion
1930, 1932, 1933London Cup Winner
1931, 1932National Trophy Winner

Career summary edit

Kilmister first rode in grasstrack in 1925, before taking up speedway.[2] He began riding at the Kilbirnie track in Wellington in 1929 before travelling to England and joining the Wembley Lions in 1930.[2][3] In 1935 he rode in the Star Riders' Championship and in 1936 he won the New Zealand Championship. He was also a member of New Zealand and Colonies teams in the 1930s. At one time he also held the New Zealand land speed record with an average of 107 mph.[4]

After retiring from speedway Kilmister ran a sports and model shop under his own name until the 1970s on Wembley Triangle, near to Wembley Stadium,[2] and later returned to New Zealand and lived in Taupō where he had a motorcycle, lawnmower and chainsaw shop.

Players cigarette cards edit

Kilmister is listed as number 23 of 50 in the 1930s Player's cigarette card collection.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  2. ^ a b c Sandys, Leonard (1948) Broadside to Fame! The Drama of the Speedways, Findon, p. 21
  3. ^ Batt, A.(2001) The Speedway Kings of Kilbirnie. Allan Batt ISBN 0-473-07866-X
  4. ^ Batt, A.(1998) The Cindershifters : pre War speedway in New Zealand. Allan Batt
  5. ^ "Speedway Riders". Speedway Museum Online. Retrieved 14 October 2021.

External links edit