Profile ~ Jack Millen

"Crazy Jack"

What can we say about Jack that hasn't already been said? A one-man whirlwind of excitement. Along with Graeme Smith he breathed life into a Stars team that had relied all too heavily on Russ and George in the previous season (71).

Controversial and a showman through and through, life was never dull when Jack was around. Rough, tough, and always keen to take a chance to make the sport exciting for the public.

Jack topped the averages for the "Stars" in 1972 with 8.69. In 1973 he peaked with an average of 9.74, not bad for a guy that kept getting injured, and that was to prove "Crazy Jack's" highest average in British speedway.

In his two seasons with Sunderland, Jack's reputation took off, this was where he started to have people sit up and take notice of him. It was with Sunderland that the "Jack and Frankie" wars took place, Teesside's Frank Auffret along with Jack Millen, go down in speedway folklore, the atmosphere was "White Hot" at Boldon and at Cleveland Park, the place was "Jumping".

Four and a half years after he rode his last meeting for Sunderland, Crazy Jack Millen died in a tragic road accident, having just signed for Berwick Bandits. To this day he is sadly missed by his legion of fans, "Rest in Peace Jack".

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