Kelvin Tatum

Kelvin Tatum

Born	(1964-02-08) 8 February 1964 Epsom, Surrey, England, UK
Nationality	England
Current club information
Career status	Retired
Career history
1983-1984 1985-1990 1991 1992-1993 1994, 2002-2004 1995, 1998 1996 1997 1991-1992 1989-1998 2000-2001	Great Britain Wimbledon Dons Coventry Bees Berwick Bandits Bradford Dukes Arena Essex Hammers Poole Pirates London Lions Peterborough Panthers Poland Sparta Wrocław Sweden Örnarna Indianerna
Individual honours
1987, 1990 1987, 1988, 1990, 1992 1989 1991, 1997 1991, 1999 1995, 1998, 2000 1994, 1995 1995 1996, 1999, 2000, 2001 (shared) 1987, 1990	British Champion Commonwealth Champion Intercontinental Champion Overseas Champion Australian Long track Grand Prix Long Track World Champion Ace of Aces Grasstrack Champion European Grasstrack Champion British Masters 500cc Solo Grasstrack Champion Pride of the East
Team honours
1989 1987, 1988, 1995 1992, 1993 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996	World Team Cup winner British League champion British League KO Cup winner Elitserien champion

Kelvin Martin Tatum MBE (born 8 February 1964, in Epsom, Surrey) is a former British international motorcycle speedway and grasstrack rider.

Career

Tatum attended Brighton College from 1977 to 1980. He started riding speedway bikes at Hackney's training school at Hackney Wick Stadium in the winter of 1982-83. He was given his first team place at Hackney's rivals, Wimbledon Dons, riding in the top flight British League in 1983. He finished the season with an average of over six points per meeting.

In 1985 he signed for Coventry Bees, staying there for the next six seasons. Stints then followed at Berwick Bandits, Bradford Dukes, Arena Essex Hammers, Poole Pirates, Peterborough Panthers and the ill-fated London Lions, with brother Neville Tatum among his team-mates.

Tatum became British Champion twice; in 1987 and 1990. In 1990 Tatum was the highest placed British rider in the World Final at the Odsal Stadium in Bradford, finishing in 7th place with 9 points from his 5 rides. In the 1990 World Final qualifying rounds, Tatum had won the Commonwealth Final at the Belle Vue Stadium in Manchester. It was his third Commonwealth Final win after having done so in 1987 and 1988. Tatum would add a fourth Commonwealth crown to his trophy cabinet in 1992.

Longtrack and grasstrack

Later in Tatum's career, he turned his attention to grasstrack and longtrack to much success. He won the World Long Track Championship three times, in 1995, 1998 and 2000, and missed out on a fourth title in 2004 when his bike broke down whilst leading the final. Tatum was also the European Grasstrack Champion in 1995 and British Grasstrack Champion four times: in 1996, 1999, 2000 and jointly in 2001, and was almost unbeatable in domestic grasstrack events in the latter stage of his career, winning 4 British Masters Championships. Fittingly, Tatum won his last ever grasstrack event, the Bonfire Burnup in 2006 at Collier Street in Kent.

Kelvin Tatum also won the Australian Long track Grand Prix in 1991 at the 800 metres (870 yards) Bathurst Showground, and again in 1999 at the Tamworth Showground.

After retirement

Kelvin is now a television presenter, appearing on Sky Sports speedway programmes as a presenter and commentator and is currently the lead expert commentator for Speedway Grand Prix and Speedway World Cup broadcasts. He began commentating when taking a break from the sport, but continued when he returned to ride for the Arena Essex Hammers in 2002. He was awarded an MBE in the 2003 New Year Honours list.

World Final appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1985 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 8th - 8pts
• 1986 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 3rd - 12pts
• 1988 - Vojens, Speedway Center - 8th - 8pts
• 1989 - Munich, Olympic Stadium - 5th - 10pts
• 1990 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 7th - 9pts
• 1991 - Göteborg, Ullevi - 8th - 8pts
• 1992 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium - 10th - 6pts

World Pairs Championship

• 1985 - Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Kenny Carter) - 2nd - 27pts (13)
• 1987 - Pardubice, Svítkov Stadion (with Simon Wigg) - 2nd - 44pts (24)
• 1988 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Simon Cross) - 2nd - 41pts (21)
• 1989 - Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Paul Thorp) - 3rd - 37pts (21)
• 1990 - Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Simon Cross) - 8th - 20pts (20)
• 1992 - Lonigo, Pista Speedway (with Gary Havelock / Martin Dugard) - 2nd - 23+2pts (8)

World Team Cup

• 1985 - Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium - 3rd - 13pts (3)
• 1986 - Göteborg, Ullevi, Vojens, Speedway Center and Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 3rd - 81pts (19)
• 1987 - Fredericia, Fredericia Speedway, Coventry, Brandon Stadium and Prague, Marketa Stadium - 2nd - 101pts (25)
• 1988 - Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium - 4th - 22pts (7)
• 1989 - Bradford, Odsal Stadium - Winner - 48pts (12)
• 1990 - Pardubice, Svítkov Stadion - 2nd - 34pts (11)
• 1992 - Kumla, Kumla Speedway - 3rd - 31pts (3)
• 1993 - Coventry, Brandon Stadium - 4th - 14pts (2)