Frank Shuter
Encyclopedia
Franklin John Shuter (born 17 June 1943 in Rotorua
, New Zealand
- died 12 July 1997) was a speedway
rider who rode with, and was League Champion with each of the Swindon Robins
, the Poole Pirates
and the Exeter Falcons
in the British League
.
in 1963. He moved to England in 1965 and joined the Swindon Robins
. In 1969 he was transferred to the Poole Pirates
. In late 1970 he returned to New Zealand and had a break from speedway for a year. Shuter won the New Zealand Championship
in 1971. He returned to England in 1972 and rode for Poole again. The following year he was transferred to the Exeter Falcons
. When Exeter won the League Championship in 1974 he became the first rider to win three league medals with different clubs. He retired from riding in the British League at the end of 1974 and moved to Israel. While living there he rode for a Rest of the World team v. U.S.A. in March 1976. He then moved to California to ride for the LA Sprockets in the American League. He was injured in a track accident and retired from speedway in May 1976.
In the late 1970s he established an engineering machining business in Los Angeles. He later moved the business to Hemet, and in 1996 he sold it to the Stillen
Company. He died in a traffic accident on 12 July 1997.
Rotorua
Rotorua is a city on the southern shores of the lake of the same name, in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand. The city is the seat of the Rotorua District, a territorial authority encompassing the city and several other nearby towns...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
- died 12 July 1997) was a speedway
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 rode with, and was League Champion with each of the Swindon Robins
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League....
, the Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League...
and the Exeter Falcons
Exeter Falcons
The Exeter Falcons were a speedway team which operated from 1947 until their closure in 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. The track first operated in 1929.-Track:...
in the British League
Speedway Elite League
The Elite League is the top division of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom and is governed by the Speedway Control Bureau , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . It is sponsored by Sky Sports...
.
Career summary
Shuter began riding at the Ruapuna Park Speedway in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in 1963. He moved to England in 1965 and joined the Swindon Robins
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League....
. In 1969 he was transferred to the Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League...
. In late 1970 he returned to New Zealand and had a break from speedway for a year. Shuter won the New Zealand Championship
New Zealand Individual Speedway Championship
The New Zealand Individual Speedway Championship is a Motorcycle speedway championship held each year to determine the New Zealand national champion. The championship has been running since 1929 though it has only been running each year since 1958...
in 1971. He returned to England in 1972 and rode for Poole again. The following year he was transferred to the Exeter Falcons
Exeter Falcons
The Exeter Falcons were a speedway team which operated from 1947 until their closure in 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. The track first operated in 1929.-Track:...
. When Exeter won the League Championship in 1974 he became the first rider to win three league medals with different clubs. He retired from riding in the British League at the end of 1974 and moved to Israel. While living there he rode for a Rest of the World team v. U.S.A. in March 1976. He then moved to California to ride for the LA Sprockets in the American League. He was injured in a track accident and retired from speedway in May 1976.
In the late 1970s he established an engineering machining business in Los Angeles. He later moved the business to Hemet, and in 1996 he sold it to the Stillen
Stillen
Stillen is the automotive aftermarket parts company created by Steve Millen, a former racecar driver for Nissan who was known for racing the 300ZX, in 1986. Stillen specializes in parts for Nissan cars, especially the "Z" line of cars...
Company. He died in a traffic accident on 12 July 1997.