Gordon Guasco
Encyclopedia
Gordon Guasco is a former Australian Motorcycle speedway
rider who was a favourite at both the Sydney Showground Speedway
and Liverpool Speedway
. Guasco also rode in the United Kingdom
between 1964 and 1969 for Sutherland
, Wolverhampton
and Poole
.
, then considered 'the bush" but now a suburb of Sydney. The son of an Italian immigrant, Gordon attended Liverpool Boys' High School but left at the age of 14 to enter a sign writing apprenticeship.
His employer was a man named Des Lawrence who was also a well known Sydney speedway photographer. After Guasco started racing, it was Lawrence who suggested that he adopt the horse
as his emblem to exploit his initials of "GG" (a long held nickname for horses) and Horse was to be Guasco's nickname for the length of his racing career.
for wins. Only a year after his first race he was the sole rider starting at the back of the field in handicap races (150 yards) with Sharp off 120 and Airey from 90.
In only his first start from the 150 mark, Guasco was forced to lay his bike down to avoid rider Bob Jameson who had fallen. Unfortunately for Guasco his laydown hardly slowed him and he slid into Jameson's bike and tumbled over it. He suffered a severely lacerated hand when it caught the bike's chain and also injured his leg. His injuries kept him out of the 1963 Australian Solo Championship, for which he was one of the favourites to win as it was held at the Sydney Showground.
After basing himself in England
from 1964–1966, Gordon Guasco and his family returned to Australia in 1966, staying for just over two years before returning to England to ride in 1969. Other than continued success on track, Guasco's main achievement was to be convincing Frank Oliveri, the manager of the then new Liverpool Speedway in western Sydney, to add bikes to his racing programs. Guasco quickly became the fans favourite at Liverpool racing (and beating) World Champions
Ivan Mauger
and Ole Olsen.
In 1965 while riding for Wolverhampton, Guasco won through to the Intercontinental Final, which in the days before the Speedway Grand Prix
was the last step before the World Final. In his best international result, Gordon Guasco missed out by a single point on qualifying for the World Final. In a run off for a reserve spot he was beaten by English rider Mike Broadbank
.
After recapturing his form while back in Australia, Guasco negotiated for a return to England in 1969 with the Poole Pirates, who with "Horse" leading the way, were British League Champions
in 1969. Poole failed to retain the title in 1970 and Guasco's own riding was considered more subdued than had been in 1969.
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 was a favourite at both the Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway, originally known as the Speedway Royal and later the Speedway Royale but often referred to as just The Royale or The Showground, was a dirt Dirt track racing venue at the old Sydney Showground used from 1926 until 1996....
and Liverpool Speedway
Liverpool Speedway
Liverpool Speedway was located in Green Valley, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool was opened by Frank Oliveri, the mayor of Liverpool at the time, and ran until its sudden and unexpected closure in 1989...
. Guasco also rode in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
between 1964 and 1969 for Sutherland
Sunderland Stars
The Sunderland Stars were a motorcycle speedway team who raced at the Sunderland Greyhound Stadium from 1971 until 1974 in the National League when Len Silver acted as promoter on behalf of Allied Presentations Ltd....
, Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton Wolves
The Wolverhampton Wolves are a British Speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and have signed a new deal with owner Dave Parry for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van...
and Poole
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League...
.
Early life
Gordon Guasco, known as "Smut" to his childhood friends, grew up in Horsley ParkHorsley Park, New South Wales
Horsley Park is a suburb of Sydney in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Horsley Park is located 39 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the City of Fairfield. Horsley Park is part of the Greater Western Sydney region...
, then considered 'the bush" but now a suburb of Sydney. The son of an Italian immigrant, Gordon attended Liverpool Boys' High School but left at the age of 14 to enter a sign writing apprenticeship.
His employer was a man named Des Lawrence who was also a well known Sydney speedway photographer. After Guasco started racing, it was Lawrence who suggested that he adopt the horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
as his emblem to exploit his initials of "GG" (a long held nickname for horses) and Horse was to be Guasco's nickname for the length of his racing career.
Australia
Gordon Guasco started his senior speedway career at the Kembla Grange Speedway on the NSW South Coast in 1962 when he replaced rider John Hook in a handicap race and starting off scratch (pole) won in what was considered a reasonable time. Within just four months Guasco was starting as far back as 120 yards and challenging top riders Bob Sharp and Jim AireyJim Airey
James Sydney "Jim" Airey is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the 1971 World Final in Göteborg, Sweden and was a member of the Great Britain team that won the 1971 Speedway World Team Cup in Wrocław, Poland.-Australia:Jim Airey started racing Speedway in the early-1960s,...
for wins. Only a year after his first race he was the sole rider starting at the back of the field in handicap races (150 yards) with Sharp off 120 and Airey from 90.
In only his first start from the 150 mark, Guasco was forced to lay his bike down to avoid rider Bob Jameson who had fallen. Unfortunately for Guasco his laydown hardly slowed him and he slid into Jameson's bike and tumbled over it. He suffered a severely lacerated hand when it caught the bike's chain and also injured his leg. His injuries kept him out of the 1963 Australian Solo Championship, for which he was one of the favourites to win as it was held at the Sydney Showground.
After basing himself in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
from 1964–1966, Gordon Guasco and his family returned to Australia in 1966, staying for just over two years before returning to England to ride in 1969. Other than continued success on track, Guasco's main achievement was to be convincing Frank Oliveri, the manager of the then new Liverpool Speedway in western Sydney, to add bikes to his racing programs. Guasco quickly became the fans favourite at Liverpool racing (and beating) World Champions
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
Ivan Mauger
Ivan Mauger
Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden...
and Ole Olsen.
England
Gordon Guasco, along with friend and fellow Australian rider Jim Airey were signed to race in England by Sutherland promoter Mike Parker. After Sutherland went broke, both riders then transferred to the Wolverhampton Wolves where Guasco would stay until 1966 before he returned home to Australia for another two years.In 1965 while riding for Wolverhampton, Guasco won through to the Intercontinental Final, which in the days before the Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
was the last step before the World Final. In his best international result, Gordon Guasco missed out by a single point on qualifying for the World Final. In a run off for a reserve spot he was beaten by English rider Mike Broadbank
Mike Broadbank
Michael Broadbank is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who made 560 appearances for the Swindon Robins, scoring over 4,200 points.-Rye House:...
.
After recapturing his form while back in Australia, Guasco negotiated for a return to England in 1969 with the Poole Pirates, who with "Horse" leading the way, were British League Champions
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
in 1969. Poole failed to retain the title in 1970 and Guasco's own riding was considered more subdued than had been in 1969.