(Photo: Kingaroy Bees)
April 26, 2017
Former international speedway rider John Titman will be sponsoring the “Golden Steel Shoe Challenge” which will be raced at the Kingaroy Junior Motorcycle speedway track this Saturday.
This is the second year in a row that Titman has offered his support to the Bees by sponsoring $2000 worth of trophies for the 125cc and 250cc events.
The PeeWee class will be sponsored by the club’s major sponsor, Kingaroy McDonald’s.
Racing will start at 2:00pm and Titman will be on hand to present the trophies.
Interstate riders as well as local and club riders will also be taking part.
* * *
John Titman was born in Brisbane and first worked as a mechanic. He made his speedway debut at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground in April 1968.
He then made his British League debut with Halifax Dukes in 1972. The same year he rode for Australia against the British Lions.
In 1973, Titman averaged 6.92 from 38 matches, and became a regular member of the Australian team. He also finished in seventh place (with John Boulger) in the Australian qualifying round of the World Pairs championship, as well as racing in Poland and New Zealand.
He joined the Exeter Falcons in 1975.
Titman won the Australian Solo Championship in 1977 on his home track, the Brisbane Exhibition Ground and was runner-up in the Australian championship to Phil Crump in 1975 at the Sydney Showground.
He was runner-up again in 1986 at the Pioneer Park Speedway in Ayr behind fellow Queenslander Troy Butler.
TIman signed for the Leicester Lions in 1978, becoming club captain in 1979. He moved on in 1984 to the Wimbledon Dons, and this was his final season in British speedway.
During his career, John Titman made the World Final on two occasions, finishing 8th in 1978 and 9th in 1979.
He also rode in longtrack speedway, reaching the world final in 1983 and 1984.
After returning home at the end of 1984, John Titman continued to ride, captaining the Australian national team for a further three years.
