Poem: The Scruffy Looking Kid on the Four Stud Jap
By Dave Thomson

A fair ways back as I recall, a meeting was held to find the best of them all

Word went out all over the place, bring your bike to town if you want to race

The riders came from far and wide, and posed for the papers side by side

There were Jawas and Godden's and Weslakes too, and a Street conversion hidden from view

But right at the back was a scruffy looking lad, and parked beside him was a four stud Jap

Well the heats were run and the engines roared, as the points were earned to find the final four

But the crowd yelled most when out on the track, was the scruffy looking kid on the four stud Jap

When all was done and the points tallied up, the four went out to race for the cup

The first three were favourites they weren't no surprise, then the crowd cheered, they couldn't believe their eyes

For coming out and all leathered in black, was that scruffy looking kid on the four stud Jap

Nobody knew him or where he called home, he drove an old Commer and arrived on his own

Somebody reckoned he came from the coast, but he was the one the crowd cheered for most

So they all stood and gave a good clap, for the scruffy looking kid on the four stud Jap

Well the tapes went up and as they left the gate, the Jap was slow and came out late

The laps peeled off and the pace was fast, and that scruffy young kid was running last

Down the back straight for the final time, went the four all in a line

Then in turn three the leader went wide, the second looked back and the third just sighed

Cause they could hear the roar and coming from the back, was the scruffy looking kid on the four stud Jap

They headed for the finish it was going to be tight, the crowd on their feet, was the race of the night

Right at the line the cheers fell away, and who had won the ref couldn't say

But if you speak to those who were there at the track, they gave it by a tyre to the four stud Jap.

This article was first published on 2nd June 2012