Chum Taylor

Inducted 2024

Edwin Vernon Taylor OAM acquired the nickname ‘Chum’ in childhood from his grandmother, and is one of Australia’s greatest Solo riders. He was crowned Australian Champion in 1966 and was known as the “Master of Going Faster” with five WA championships.

He is one of very few Australians to qualify for the World Final when he contested the 1960 title at London’s Wembley stadium.

His career began at Claremont in 1947 at the age of 20 before visiting Englishman Ron Clarke recognised Taylor’s potential

In March 1951, Chum contracted to the Ashfield club in Glasgow under the great Johnnie Hoskins and was transferred to Cardiff in Wales. Ahead of the 1952 UK season he suffered a broken neck while racing back in Australia, but despite the injuries he transferred again to Bristol in 1953.

While riding in 1958 for Southampton, he broke a wrist and killed a nerve in his right shoulder which would leave him partly paralysed, but after another spell back in Australia, he moved on to Oxford, Poole and finally Cradley Heath for his final seasons in Britain in the mid 1960’s.

Taylor was still riding for Australia in Test matches before retiring at the age of 46 in 1973. His life story ‘A Dangerous Life’ by Geoffrey Miller QC was published in 1986.

He was inducted into the Claremont Speedway Hall of Fame in 2000, however his greatest honour came in 2023 with the Order of Australia Medal for Services to Motorsport.