11 Facts About Gordon Guasco

Gordon Guasco, known as "Smut" to his childhood friends, grew up in Horsley Park, then considered "the bush" but now a suburb of Sydney.

The son of an Italian immigrant, Gordon Guasco attended Liverpool Boys' High School but left at the age of 14 to enter a sign writing apprenticeship.

Gordon Guasco's employer was a man named Des Lawrence who was a well known Sydney speedway photographer.

Gordon Guasco, who raced cycle speedway in his youth, started his senior speedway career at the Kembla Grange Speedway on the NSW South Coast in 1962, when he replaced rider John Hook in a handicap race and starting off scratch won in what was considered a reasonable time.

In only his first start from the 150 mark, Gordon Guasco was forced to lay his bike down to avoid rider Bob Jameson who had fallen.

Gordon Guasco suffered a severely lacerated hand when it caught the bike's chain and injured his leg.

Gordon Guasco's injuries kept him out of the 1963 Australian Solo Championship, for which he was one of the favourites to win as it was held at the Sydney Showground.

In 1965 while riding for Wolverhampton, Gordon Guasco won through to the Intercontinental Final, which in the days before the Speedway Grand Prix was the last step before the World Final.

Poole failed to retain the title in 1970 and Gordon Guasco's own riding was considered more subdued than had been in 1969.

Gordon Guasco suffered severe head injuries after being struck from behind by another rider.

Gordon Guasco had laid his own bike down to avoid a fallen rider in front of him.