Pete Campbell

[Bob B]

Aussie, raced a red TZ at Lydden late 70's, early 80s. Anyone?

[RP]

Did the TT also I believe. Did he have some sort of physical handicap if I remember correctly?

[ronno]

Seem to remember he got some help from Don Godden

[realroadracer]

I think he had polio. Saw him crash at the top of the Mountain at Cadwell once.

[ianw]

There's a bit about him on Dick Greasely's site, he was a total nutter in the best possible way.
I also thought it was polio but Dick mentions paraplegic, I know he had to be helped on & off the bike. I'll ask my brother in law, he was a GP mechanic at the time Pete did the GP'S

[Rodders]

Peter had polio as a child, and lost the use of both legs, just enough movement in one leg to change gear, all the brakes on the handlebars.

Did sidecar speedway in Australia then road racing, then did a world championship GP year in the early eighties, built his own chassis, he was based in the UK, lived in a 508 Mercedes for the season, my passenger bought the van from him when he went home, a real character.

He's still building stuff, this years project is a Krauser engined contraption for speedway, a sidecar I presume.

[RP]

Yep, I remember him wearing a T shirt with the slogan "I may not be perfect, but some parts work OK"

[AL]

I remember he came to Ireland to race at killinchy 150 at Dundrod in 1980 or 81. (Ulster GP circuit)
The then Irish champion Wallace Coates said he would show Pete around the course on the first lap of practice..
Pete followed him for half a lap then pulled out and passed him and buggered off. he won the race the next day.
They went to mondello park the following day and he won both races there. they were push starts in those days and his passenger Dick Goodwin (who was built like a brick shithouse ) used to pick the outfit up at the back , run and drop it , and away they would go. Great to watch . Top blokes.

[LarryC]

I raced against Peter during the Marlboro Series in New Zealand in 1977. Great fun and a great racer. He had the first mono shock sidecar us yanks had ever seen. He won the series and we finished second. His crutches were aluminium and were welded up so they could not be adjusted. Seems his pals would click the adjusment to neutral when he wasn't looking and when he went to use his sticks they would collapse!!

[dick tapken]

i also raced against him many moons ago ,brings back many memories and also the charactersthat were about at the time it just makes you feel that you are in what surely must be one of if not the best participating sports going!!