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A Tribute to Ken McKinlay....by Paul Goodwin
I was searching for info about the sixties West Ham speedway team, without much success until I found your site, only to read the sad news about Ken McKinlay. I was a great fan of Ken and was privileged to see him at his best. This guy was a true gent of the track, a great team leader, never selfish, he taught many a young rider the skills of the sport. He coached riders like Norman Hunter, Malcolm "sparky" Simmons, Dave Jessup and Svere Harfeldt, all of whom became some of the top world riders of the sixties, achieving international status along the way. My best memory of Ken has got to be of a home match between West Ham and Swindon who had the great Barry Briggs in their squad. A great edge of your seat match with the lead going backwards and forwards through the match. It was the last race of the match and we needed just the three points to win. By the time the riders came onto the track the crowd including myself were going ballistic, and who rolled up to the tapes yep, our Ken and Barry "B", a race to behold for the finale. The noise was deafening as the tapes went up, Briggo made the gate and got to the first bend ahead of Ken who was in hot pursuit. Briggo kept the lead for three laps, we just knew briggo was going to spoil our night as he usually did, but the gods were with us. Briggo came into the last corner with Ken hugging the inside line inches behind. Then it happened, Briggs on this rare occasion drifted wide, just enough to let Ken open up using all his track skills to beat the great Briggs to the line and so give us the result. As Briggs caught up to Ken he reached out to shake his hand and congratulated him for what was one of, if not the, best races witnesed at the Custom House track. Thanks for that memory Ken.
"I remember Ken from his days at Coventry - he was my idol - even though I lived in and supported Swindon. While autograph seeking in the Swindon pits, I met him and realised my idol was a gentleman as well as a brilliant speedway rider."
"I am Ken's youngest child...Ailsa...33 yrs old...living in Perth, Western Australia...the
place where he met my mum...Alexandrena (known as Rena all those years ago)
Just thought I would do a search on Dad as it was the second anniversary of his death this past
week. Came across this article first up and it was quite warming to read.
Just wanted to say thank you for that."
"I also saw the the great "Hurri-Ken" McKinlay at his best at West Ham. The great thing was he made the job look so easy, almost as if he wasn't trying, yet still turned in double figures week after week. An absolute master of trackcraft and wonderful tactician who could switch his racing line from inside to outside and back again with inch-perfect accuracy. In my opinion he was one of the three most styish riders of all time, along with Jack Young and Leigh Adams. Thank you, thank you, Ken."
"I would just like to say I am Ken's brother's Grandson and I am very proud of him and I wish him all the best in heaven as he did here. You are the best. " From the Leicester Hunter days to the Scunthorpe days he was my idol. Fortunately, through Norman Hunter I was able to meet Ken on many occasions including a visit to his house in Leicester. He must have thought that the young guest was a little distant as I scanned his cabinet looking at the many awards he had won over the years. Ken was an utter gentleman and always acknowledged the star struck youngster in his midst. I remember with sorrow running onto the greyhound track during the 1962 World Final to help Ken after his throttle had jammed when chasing Barry Briggs. Had he retained that second place he would have finished third that year. Great, great memories of a great man."
"As a long standing Coventry Bees fan, my abiding memory of the great 'Hurri-Ken'was the way he would always take his hands off the handlebars of his speedway bike and adjust his goggles as he proceeded down the back straight en route to the tapes.The mighty McKinlay didn't need to waste his time with practice back straight starts! He was always ready to sign my autograph book or a photo of him that I had purchased. A truly great speedway rider and a great man. Sadly missed." "Hey talk about the "big five" in late fifties and sixties Speedway, but it should have been six. Ken was one of the few riders in the same league as messrs Briggs, Moore, Fundin, Craven, and Knutsson. Your correspondants are saying Ken was at his best with West Ham, and he was still truely great, but his time at Leicester was his pomp. He was a second division star with the Hunters, but when the two leagues merged, he was able to compete with the best. Ken had little luck in World Finals, but he was good enough to have become World Champ. I feel privilaged to have watched one of the all-time greats at his best at Blackbird Road." "Spent many days watching Ken in his twilight years, racing and teaching the young ones at Quibell Park Scunthorpe. Can still picture him in Black leathers and Pudding basin helmet a sight I will never forget." "I first saw Ken when he was a Coventry 'Bee'. I realized immediately that he was not just a high scorer, but a class act. Indeed, I cannot think of a more stylish rider. I supported West Ham from 1966 until I moved north in 1968, so saw much of Ken. He really was a great scorer, team rider and captain of the re-born Hammers. He seemed to be a likeable chap too. I saw him ride in a couple of World Championships, and was there hoping that he would win. I am sure that Ken was good enough, but perhaps his will to win was a little less than some other competitors. Nonetheless, he had a distinguished international career, and deserves a place amongst our all time greats." "Ken Mckinlay, I was always a fan of Ken and always loved the sound from his bikes. They always sounded so crisp and in tune. I support Kings Lynn and Ken cam to three individual meets one year and won the lot!! When pushed off from the pits to start his bike, Ken would always pull both his gloves up to make sure they were on ok and then put both hands each side of his crash helmet to adjust his goggles. I still have a picture of Ken wearing his West Ham race jacket and will always remember him with affection. He was a speedway star!"
 
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