kyle bickley
speedway champion
Talent can only get you so far. After that, you need dedication
and the support of others if any young sports star hopes
to fulfil their potential. Young speedway ace Kyle Bickley
has all that in abundance.
But then there’s money. In an expensive
sport such as speedway, it’s a vital
component of the climb to the long top.
There can be few more supportive parents
than Kyle’s proud father, Tony, but his
deep pockets are not bottomless pits.
When Kyle won the World 125cc title
in Germany last year, making him the
youngest ever world champion, the
12-year-old’s talent was there for all to see.
With five British titles between grass, track
and speedway already in the bag, together
with being World Longtrack Champion,
this was confirmation that the young lad
from Workington was indeed a rare and
prodigious talent.
His biggest success to date followed a
massive boost that will give him all the
financial support he needs to help him
recognise that burgeoning talent at the very
top of the sport.
Kyle secured the biggest ever sponsorship
deal in junior speedway history, courtesy
of Ecco Finishing Supplies and publishing
group Media Prima.
But when Tony describes the deal as
“massive”, he doesn’t mean pound coins.
Rather, this is a contract that will ensure
that Kyle gets all the help he needs to fulfil
that amazing potential.
Tony explains: “You can be the best rider
in the world, but it’s hard to win races if
you have a slower engine than your less
talented rivals. But put the best rider
and the best equipment together and the
world’s your oyster.
“I’ve spent 20 grand in recent years on
Kyle equipment, while working every hour
that God sends and travelling up and down
the country, getting him to all the right
meetings.
“But Ecco’s sponsorship means we can now
afford better, faster machinery – which is
important now that he’s moved up from
the 125cc to 250cc class. I’d have been doing
it on a shoestring but this enables Kyle to
have world class equipment.
“The great thing about Keith is that he’s
not doing this to get business out of it. Noone’s going to buy his products as a result
of this.
“He just wants to see Kyle progress as
much as we do. It’s amazing and we can’t
thank him enough. Along with Media
Prima, Ecco had been supporting Kyle
while he was riding for Redcar Bears, their
local team.
“But when they told me about the fiveyear deal to sponsor Kyle, I nearly fell on
the floor.”
Now Kyle can continue to concentrate on
his riding. His title success was the all the
more remarkable in that, at 12, he was the
youngest rider in the competition by two
years, with some of his rivals being his
elder by four years.
Dad Tony, who himself was a grass track
racer as a youth, is naturally proud of his
son – but reluctant to push him too hard at
such a young age. “Every five years or a kid
comes into speedway and takes the world
by storm,” he says. “That’s what I think
we’ve got with Kyle. He is just a natural.
He’s cool, calm and confident – and yet
never cocky, either on the bike or to talk to.
“His race craft and balance are amazing.
I don’t think about him being brave and I
don’t think he does either – he just naturally
does it.
“As his dad, I always expect more of him.
I do put pressure on him because he tends
to rise to it but I have to remind myself that
he’s only 12 years old.
“It would be great to take him all the way to
grand prix level because that’s the pinnacle
in speedway - but it’s about taking little
steps at a time. Of course, it’s hard to get
him to do school work because he dreams
about bikes all day. He lives for it.”
MAJOR
ACHIEVEMENTS
2014
1st FIM world championships
1st British 125cc final
1st Northern junior league averages
1st British under 16’s speedway four rounds
1st Northern centre championships
2nd British youth grass track championships
European speedway championship finalist
2012/2013
1st British 125cc final
1st British youth grass track championships
1st Northern 125cc junior league championships
1st Cornwall south west championships
1st British under 16’s championship all five rounds
1st Cornwall South West Championships
2nd Lancashire spring classic grass track meeting
1st British under 16’s Championships 4 rounds
1st East Midland centre Championships
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