Doug Nicolson recalls the tragic night now forty years ago which highlights the risks ever rider takes every time he rides a bike.

In August 1983, junior rider Mike Walsh lost his battle for life after a track crash. It was an incident that few people saw, and one in which no other rider was involved. There were only a handful of fans left in the stadium, watching the after meeting practice. Like most of these races, this one was a bit strung out, with Mike a fair distance behind the other two, who were having a close tussle. The next thing, he was lying on the track at the fourth bend. It seemed that his bike had corkscrewed wildly and his clutch lever had speared him in the face. He was rushed to hospital where he was diagnosed with brain damage. He succumbed to these injuries a few days later, leaving a wife and young family. Poignantly, he had just returned from holiday and had made a point of visiting his parents that night on his way to the speedway. A truly tragic night.