Australian Champion and member of the Sheffield Tigers, Jim Airey graces the cover of "Speedway Star & News Magazine".
Jim Airey would earn the nickname "King of the Royale" as he was near unbeatable on Sydney's 557 yard "Royale" Showground track. At one point in his racing career Airey won an unimaginable 33 consecutive scratch races at the Showground.
Jim would win the Australian Championship in 1968, '69 and '70, all held at the Sydney Showground. He would win a fourth title in 1972 at Rowley Park in Adelaide.
Airey rode quite successfully in Britain, riding for the Sunderland Saints for eight meetings in 1964 before moving to the Wolverhampton Wolves for the remainder of '64 and then again '65. After competing in Australia during the 1966 season, he returned to Wolves for '67 and '68. He then signed with the Sheffield Tigers for 1969 and remained with the team until 1971 before retiring from the British Leagues and returning full-time to Australia.
Jim Airey's greatest success came as a member of the Great Britain speedway team at Wrocław in Poland. The British team featured he lone homeboy Ray Wilson, Airey and New Zealand's Ivan Mauger, Barry Briggs and Ronnie Moore easily won the 1971 Speedway World Team Cup scoring 37 points to defeat the Soviet Union on 22 and host nation Poland who finished on 19 points.
Oh yeah, the back cover of the magazine is a picture of the Belle Vue Colts, 1969 Division II Double Winners Squad/Team.
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