Ron Johnson (speedway rider)
Encyclopedia
Ron Johnson was a speedway
rider who won the London Riders' Championship
in 1945 (unattached) and in 1946 whilst with the New Cross Rangers
.
Johnson (Born Johnston) emigrated to Australia with his parents when he was just a child. He started racing at Claremont
, Australia, before his travelling to the UK with Johnnie Hoskins
in 1928 to start a career with Crystal Palace. In 1934 he joined the New Cross Rangers, with whom he retained connections throughout his career.
suffer fatal head injuries at New Cross. Johnson had multiple lacerations to his arm which kept him from competing in the Star Riders' Championship
final.
Up until 1949 he had lost a toe and the tops of two of his fingers as results of track injuries. However on 1 August 1949, he had a huge crash at Wimbledon
. He was following his team mate Cyril Roger
for a 5-1 heat win. Roger wobbled in front of him and Johnson fell. As he got back onto his feet he was hit by Wimbledon rider Cyril Brine
and knocked down, suffering a fractured skull. He also suffered a near fatal blood clot. This clot may have been jolted loose, thus saving his life, by one stretcher bearer who was walking out of step with the others when Johnson was removed from the track. Doctors wanted Johnson to stay in hospital for six months but he discharged himself after a month.
After a couple of years Johnson made a comeback the Claremont speedway in Perth, winning the West Australian Solo Championship title in the 1954-55 season. He wanted to return to New Cross but they had closed down, so he returned to the UK for an ill fated spell with the West Ham Hammers
but again failed to perform to anywhere near his pre-1949 levels. He returned home to Australia after friends in the UK helped him with his fare.
New Cross re-opened in 1959 and Johnson decided to make another comeback attempt, at the age of fifty-two. However he was unable to keep up even with the juniors. He captained the New Cross Colts in a match against Edinburgh and scored three points with a race win which showed flashes of his old brilliance. He then tried his luck with the Edinburgh Monarchs
but scored just one point (plus one bonus point)in six matches and eventually returned to Australia. There was further talk of him coming back in 1963 when New Cross entered the Provincial League and although he came back to Britain and settled near the track, the proposed comeback came to nothing,although he did take to the track once more on 14 May that year, defeating Phil Bishop 2-1 in a second half match race series.
This however is not true as he had recovered sufficiently and lived modestly in Thornlie, Western Australia where his granddaughter Cheryl visited from time to time. They shared a love of motorbikes and he helped her with maintenance on her own Triumph.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider who won the London Riders' Championship
London Riders' Championship
The London Riders' Championship was an individual speedway competition for top riders of teams from London. It was a very prestigious competition, especially in its early days. However, as the number of teams from London dwindled, so did interest in the competition. The last competition wast held...
in 1945 (unattached) and in 1946 whilst with the New Cross Rangers
New Cross Rangers
The New Cross Rangers were a Speedway team which operated from 1937 until their closure in 1953. The track reopened in 1959 under Johnnie Hoskins for a series of open meetings and then in 1960 and 1961 operated in the National League...
.
Johnson (Born Johnston) emigrated to Australia with his parents when he was just a child. He started racing at Claremont
Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of water, for fishing and for catching waterfowl. In 1830, John Butler, a settler, set up an inn at Freshwater Bay to...
, Australia, before his travelling to the UK with Johnnie Hoskins
Johnnie Hoskins
Johnnie S. Hoskins MBE is the man who is considered to have 'invented' motorcycle speedway. If it cannot be established he invented the sport, he certainly played the largest role in promoting the sport in the United Kingdom.-Early life:He left school at thirteen and worked on a farm and then as...
in 1928 to start a career with Crystal Palace. In 1934 he joined the New Cross Rangers, with whom he retained connections throughout his career.
Injuries
Johnson's career was beset with injuries. In 1935 he was involved in a crash which saw team mate Tom FarndonTom Farndon
Tom Farndon , was a Speedway rider who won the Star Riders' Championship in 1933 whilst with the Crystal Palace Glaziers....
suffer fatal head injuries at New Cross. Johnson had multiple lacerations to his arm which kept him from competing in the Star Riders' Championship
Star Riders' Championship
The Star Riders' Championship was the forerunner of the Speedway World Championship and was inaugurated in 1929. The competition was sponsored by The Star, which was a London evening newspaper at that time....
final.
Up until 1949 he had lost a toe and the tops of two of his fingers as results of track injuries. However on 1 August 1949, he had a huge crash at Wimbledon
Wimbledon Dons
The Wimbledon Dons were a professional motorcycle speedway team who operated from the Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane in London.The track opened in 1928 and the Dons operated there from 1929 until 1991. They were closed during the Second World War but upon their re-opening in 1946 there were 42,000...
. He was following his team mate Cyril Roger
Cyril Roger
Cyril Roger was a former international motorcycle speedway rider reached the final of Speedway World Championship five times.-Career:...
for a 5-1 heat win. Roger wobbled in front of him and Johnson fell. As he got back onto his feet he was hit by Wimbledon rider Cyril Brine
Cyril Brine
Cyril Harry Brine was a former international speedway who qualified for the Speedway World Championship finals twice.-Career summary:...
and knocked down, suffering a fractured skull. He also suffered a near fatal blood clot. This clot may have been jolted loose, thus saving his life, by one stretcher bearer who was walking out of step with the others when Johnson was removed from the track. Doctors wanted Johnson to stay in hospital for six months but he discharged himself after a month.
Comebacks
Johnson attempted a comeback in 1950 but was nothing like the rider he was before the near-fatal accident. His form did not improve in 1951 so dropped down a division to ride for the Glasgow Giants. His form failed to improve there so retired and returned to Australia.After a couple of years Johnson made a comeback the Claremont speedway in Perth, winning the West Australian Solo Championship title in the 1954-55 season. He wanted to return to New Cross but they had closed down, so he returned to the UK for an ill fated spell with the West Ham Hammers
West Ham Hammers
The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.. They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins....
but again failed to perform to anywhere near his pre-1949 levels. He returned home to Australia after friends in the UK helped him with his fare.
New Cross re-opened in 1959 and Johnson decided to make another comeback attempt, at the age of fifty-two. However he was unable to keep up even with the juniors. He captained the New Cross Colts in a match against Edinburgh and scored three points with a race win which showed flashes of his old brilliance. He then tried his luck with the Edinburgh Monarchs
Edinburgh Monarchs
The Edinburgh Monarchs are a Scottish Speedway team, currently based in Armadale. They compete in the Speedway Premier League, racing on Friday nights during the Speedway season. The club is run by a Board of Directors, chaired by Alex Harkess. The team manager is Alan "Doc" Bridgett...
but scored just one point (plus one bonus point)in six matches and eventually returned to Australia. There was further talk of him coming back in 1963 when New Cross entered the Provincial League and although he came back to Britain and settled near the track, the proposed comeback came to nothing,although he did take to the track once more on 14 May that year, defeating Phil Bishop 2-1 in a second half match race series.
After retirement
It has been said that in 1968 Johnson was involved in a road accident and suffered serious injuries to leave him using a wheelchair for the rest of his life. He died in 1983 aged seventy-five.This however is not true as he had recovered sufficiently and lived modestly in Thornlie, Western Australia where his granddaughter Cheryl visited from time to time. They shared a love of motorbikes and he helped her with maintenance on her own Triumph.
World Final Appearances
- 19391939 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1939 Individual Speedway World Championship was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II.- Semi-Final results :...
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