Speedway: Wilson-Dean nails title, UK deal

Bradley Wilson-Dean on his way to bagging a second consecutive national under-21 solobike title on Sunday. Photo / Kenneth Fox Digital Imagery

For Hawke's Bay solobike rider Bradley Wilson-Dean it was an appropriate celebration.

Just days after signing for the Eastbourne Eagles national league team in Britain, Wilson-Dean, 20, won a second consecutive national under-21 title at Rosebank Speedway in Auckland on Sunday. One of 10 starters in the championship, he won all four of his races.

Long-time rival Brady Mudgway of Auckland was second and Invercargill's Hayden Sims third.

"With four new tyres and a freshly tuned engine nothing was going to stop me," Wilson-Dean said as he reflected on his success.

The title qualifies Wilson-Dean for next year's world under-21 qualification rounds.

"There's four rounds and a final so I have a lot going on next year."

In March, Wilson-Dean will begin his contract with the Dugard family owned Eagles. The British season ends in October.

"Racing professionally in England has been my dream for a while. I want to excel and go as far as I can in the sport," Wilson-Dean, a son of veteran Hawke's Bay rider Darrin Wilson, said.

"The Dugards are good friends of Dad. I keep in contact with them every week with results as well as talking about what next season in England will bring."

Wilson-Dean is no stranger to international competition. In August he finished third in the second division of the German nationals.

Germany was one of five European countries he raced in this year.

"I gained a lot of experience and knowledge from riding against and talking to other riders. I made a lot of new friends in Europe and received a lot of help while I was there," Wilson-Dean said.

In 2011 he finished fourth in the world under-17 championships in Sweden. As part of his buildup for Sweden he had a stint in California, where he won 32 of his 40 races during a five-week tour, and a training school in Australia.

The national championships and New Zealand Grand Prix are Wilson-Dean's remaining major meets on the national scene before he leaves for Britain.

A former Karamu High School student, he struggled with academic assignments. His mind often drifted to speedway as he sat in the back of classrooms.

It was always going to be the case. He had gravitated towards solobike racing at the age of 11 after a solid motorsport grounding in motocross.

At the time of his switch, Wilson-Dean reckoned the faster speeds on the speedway tracks gave him more of a rush. He has yet to be proved wrong.

During his early years , Wilson-Dean had to travel regularly to Auckland to race. However in 2007 his speedway career received a boost when his father was the kingpin in the building of the solobike track at Meeanee.

This has been the scene of several entertaining father-son battles in recent years with the youngster now well ahead in the wins ledger. However he knows the old man will be eager to reduce the deficit in their next tussle.

That rivalry and the regular international competition have been major keys to Wilson-Dean securing his contract with the Eastbourne Eagles.