DENNY Pyeatt won't be a familiar name to many of Reading's newer fans, who, doubtless, are more used to the American bravado seen in riders like Greg Hancock and Sam Ermolenko.
However, there was every chance that Denny could have risen up the ranks and joined the likes of the two American World Champions with Reading connections.
Denny Pyeatt was the antithesis of the usual brash American that speedway had become used to by the 1980s, when he linked up with his close friend Bobby Schwartz at Reading in 1981. Schwartz had blitzed into Smallmead and helped the Racers lift the British League title in 1980, and alongside the likes of the Moran brothers, Dennis Sigalos, John Cook and Scott Autrey, the American Nation was on the crest of a wave.
The laid back, moustachioed, curly-haired Californian Pyeatt, who joined the Racers, was not in the mould of friend Schwartz, or Penhall or Sigalos. He was a quieter, slower burning prospect, who settled nicely into the Reading side during 1981 and then started to really blossom as a tremendous prospect in 1982, before his life was so cruelly ended in tragic circumstances at Hackney, when the rider looked on the verge of significant progress.
Just days before his terrible crash, he had beaten no less a rider than Hans Nielsen (just emerging as a world class rider at Birmingham) from the back and top scored at Wimbledon with a tremendous 11 points. He looked to be emulating the feat the next day at Hackney, when he was so sadly taken from his family and friends, and the sport he loved.
Pyeatt quickly became my own personal favourite rider when I watched the Racers as a teenager. The rider was an unpredictable grafter, with a cut-back inside pass starting to become his speciality. He was not the wizard of balance like Kelly Moran, a swashbuckler like Dennis Sigalos, the glamour-puss like Bruce Penhall and neither did he make the quick progress of Bobby Schwartz. But he was a grafter and the scores, as they had done throughout his career, were responding to the effort and determination of the guy.
Denny Pyeatt, at just 24, was tragically taken from his family and friends on Saturday 17 July 1982, after a terrible accident at Hackney the night before.
‘He was always a trier and a fighter,' those were the words of close friend Bobby Schwartz after the death of Denny Pyeatt. Schwartz paid a number of moving tributes to Pyeatt, but it was his wish that, ‘I hope they have grippy tracks up in heaven,' which was, perhaps, the most poignant.
Denny Pyeatt, christened Dennis, was born on 15 November 1957 in Woodland, California, USA. He began speedway racing in Northern California in 1978 as a 20-year-old, when he combined part-time racing with studies. In 1979, he was able to devote more time to the sport and did well enough to ride in the National Championships, but it was in 1980 that he became one of the hotter properties in the States. Moving to Southern California, he rode full-time and, although he found the going tough early on, he typically never gave up and found himself winning main events against the top domestic riders of the day - Bobby Schwartz, Lance King and Mike Bast.
Entered in a five-man American squad that toured Australia, Pyeatt's star was now in the ascendancy. A good 6-point average in the Test series made him a nailed-on certainty for a UK place and it was Reading's 1980 hero Bobby Schwartz (when the Racers won the League Championship under the stewardship of Dave Lanning), who was the man to bring Denny to Smallmead.
An ever-present in the Reading side in his debut season - how many riders can claim that in this day and age? - he showed solid improvement and was set to join the elite Americans as his career started to catch fire. But Reading had to re-apply for a work permit, as Pyeatt had not reached the 6.00 average he needed for an automatic return. Reading had faith in their emerging American and that faith looked like it was being rewarded in 1982.
During 1982, Denny dropped to reserve after a subdued start to the season, but that seemed to be the catalyst for the all-heart American to start to show some real potential. His skilful inside passes became a regular occurrence and the rider started to display some world class ability. He passed no lesser rider than Hans Nielsen in the last few days of his short racing career and started to look a real find.
An 11-point return at Wimbledon saw him top-score for the Racers for the first time ever and garner praise from all quarters, as he started to outshine the more illustrious Steve Gresham in Reading colours. He was then due to ride at Hackney in a fateful meeting the very next day.
A courageous and gritty rider, who had a big heart - he was due to take part in a sponsored wheelchair push through the town. He was renowned for his bikes being held together with duct tape and was held in great esteem by all those lucky enough to have met him.
He died at 24 and although any death is tragic, there are few sadder tales than Denny's.
The lasting affection and impact that Pyeatt had with the American side - and Schwartz in particular - was seen when the USA side won the World Team Cup at White City that year. Their victory was dedicated to Denny, as Schwartz carried a picture of him on their victorious night.
