Jack Hunt (speedway rider)

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Jack Hunt

| image =

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1921|04|06|df=y}}

| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| death_date = {{Death date and age|1991|10|10|1921|04|06|df=y}}

| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand

| career1 = Great Britain

| years2 = 1947–1948

| career2 = Newcastle Diamonds

| indivyear1 = 1945, 1948

| indivhonour1 = New Zealand champion

| teamyear1 =

| teamhonour1 =

}}

John Casement Hunt (6 April 1921 – 10 October 1991) was a New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022, Jack C. Hunt |website=British Speedway |access-date=25 July 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.historicspeedway.co.nz/Taita%20speedway.htm |title=Taita Speedway |website=Historic Speedway |access-date=25 July 2023}}

Life and career

John Casement Hunt was born in Auckland on 6 April 1921, the son of Percy and Nellie Hunt.{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Ddeaths |title=Death search: registration number 1991/50106 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=3 September 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/search/search?path=%2FqueryEntry.m%3Ftype%3Dbirths |title=Birth search: registration number 1921/5454 |website=Births, deaths & marriages online |publisher=Department of Internal Affairs |access-date=3 September 2023}}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19210409.2.2.2 |title=Births |date=9 April 1921 |work=The New Zealand Herald |volume=58 |issue=17751 |page=1 |access-date=3 September 2023}} In 1945, he became champion of New Zealand after winning the New Zealand Solo Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmnz.php |title=HISTORYCZNE ZESTAWIENIE WYNIKÓW 1929-2023 |website=Speedway History |access-date=25 July 2023}} He was one of the early overseas riders who travelled to the United Kingdom from New Zealand after World War II and started racing in the British leagues during the 1947 Speedway National League Division Two, when riding for the Newcastle Diamonds.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=A_Z of Rider Averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=25 July 2023}}

Hunt then went on to win a second New Zealand Championship in 1948 before returning to ride for Newcastle the same season. During the 1948 Speedway National League Division Two season he topped the Newcastle team's averages,{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Jack Hunt |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=25 July 2023}} despite his season ending early after a serious accident in which he suffered a fractured shoulder and jaw.{{cite news |title=Jack Hunt in Speedway Crash |work=Sunday Sun (Newcastle) |date=12 September 1948 |access-date=25 July 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001723/19480912/007/0007 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

Hunt died in Auckland on 10 October 1991, at the age of 70.{{cite web |url=https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/cemeteries/Pages/RecordDetails.aspx?recordId=89B2F6AA8181CED2E157DCDE5DD4B49D |title=Record for John Casement Hunt |publisher=Auckland Council |access-date=3 September 2023}}

References

Category:1921 births

Category:1991 deaths

Category:Sportspeople from Auckland

Category:New Zealand speedway riders

Category:Newcastle Diamonds riders

Category:New Zealand expatriate speedway riders in England