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Hammers career : DS: 1984-1986, 1988; GC: 1985-1987
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DAVID SMART and GARY CHESSELL fall into that bracket of riders who form the engine room of any side - they weren't superstars, but were integral parts of Hammers' teams of the mid-Eighties. They also form a link between the Hammers and tonight's visitors, Swindon.
David Smart enjoyed three years with the Hammers after joining them upon the Club's formation in 1984. He averaged over six-points a match in each of his three seasons, providing excellent backup to heat leaders that included Martin Goodwin, Alan Sage, Neil Middleditch and Andrew Silver. The Hammers celebrated their highest-ever National League position of fourth place in 1986 and that was to be, for the time being, the end of David's spell in Hammers colours. He moved to his parent club Swindon in 1987 to try his hand in the British League.
Come 1988, though and David Smart was back at the Arena-Essex Raceway as part of the deal that took Andrew Silver the other way to Blunsdon in a five-figure deal. A seven-point return was the result before David moved on again - back to Swindon !
Brother of former Poole and Long Eaton rider Kevin, he remained there for a further two seasons before switching back to Second Division circles with Exeter. Following two seasons at the large, pacy County Ground circuit, David moved to Oxford before hanging up his leathers. Tragically, David died in September 2004 but his efforts are long remembered by long-time Hammers fans.
Gary Chessell's career mimicked David's in many ways. He first made a name for himself with Oxford in the National League in the early eighties before joining the Hammers in 1985 to bolster the riding order before the start of the Club's second season.
He spent three years with the Hammers, topping the six point mark in his final season in 1987 before bidding farewell to the Arena-Essex Raceway. He moved into speedway's top flight to ride in the British League with Swindon in 1988, where he spent a couple of seasons. Gary dropped back into the lower league in 1990 where he helped the Poole Pirates to the National League and Cup double and he followed this up with a spell at Stoke before rejoining the Robins and retiring in 1995.
David Smart
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1984 |
34 |
137 |
187 |
27 |
214 |
6.25 |
0 |
0 |
1985 |
35 |
126 |
173 |
25 |
198 |
6.29 |
0 |
1 |
1986 |
32 |
130 |
184 |
26 |
210 |
6.46 |
0 |
0 |
1988 |
30 |
157 |
260.5 |
25 |
285.5 |
7.27 |
0 |
1 |
TOTAL |
131 |
550 |
804.5 |
103 |
907.5 |
6.60 |
0 |
2 |
Gary Chessell
Year |
Matches |
Rides |
Points |
Bonus |
Total |
Average |
Full Max |
Paid Max |
1985 |
33 |
99 |
101 |
17 |
118 |
4.77 |
0 |
0 |
1986 |
36 |
144 |
148 |
38 |
186 |
5.17 |
0 |
0 |
1987 |
31 |
130 |
180 |
21 |
201 |
6.18 |
0 |
0 |
TOTAL |
100 |
373 |
429 |
76 |
505 |
5.42 |
0 |
0 |
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