Originally published in Speedway Star on 31st January 2004
Reproduced with permission of Speedway Star

Photo © Nicholas Truscott

CHRIS HARRIS' speedway exploits are well documented in other parts of this magazine and I do not propose to repeat them in this column. Instead let us look at Chris Harris, the grasstrack rider, and British Under-21 Champion.
Harris is the son of Cederic Caff, the former useful Cornwall Centre solo rider and as such was brought up with motorcycles. He had his first bike at the age of five, a 50cc Italjet with a sidecar that Cederic had fitted complete with concrete block to keep the wheel on the ground!
From the age of eight, he competed in the youth section of the Cornwall Solo Club and won most of the classes. Not so the Nationals though, where he came up against the likes of Simon Stead, Chris Neath and Oliver Allen who had vastly superior machinery. Lack of funds prevented him being able to compete on equal terms.
Like the three mentioned above, Harris turned to speedway at the age of 15, though grasstrack was never out of mind.
"Once I'd made my mark in speedway, Bernard Ford of St Dennis offered to supply me with a grass bike and I was back on the tracks," he said. "My dad loved his grasstrack and so do I."
Chris, with mechanic Andy Semmonds, himself a more than useful rider several years ago, likes nothing better than to return to the Cornwall Solo Club for a day's racing.
"I will always go back when I can to try to put something back in to the sport and the club, we'll help in any way we can," he added.
So what does Harris remember of his championship win?
"I'd never ridden a track that big before, it was really exciting, the ups and downs reminded me of the Ace of Aces tracks," he said.
"To be honest, the shapes and surfaces don't bother me much, even if it's rough I'll still enjoy it.
"I knew my engine would be quick enough, Bernard (Ford) spend a lot of time and money on it, we sorted the gearing after first practice and all I had to do was ride it. I was pleased to win."
At present, Harris has just the one machine - an Antig monoshock with GM engine fully sponsored by Bernard Ford.
Ford, who is just five minutes from Harris' workshops, prepares and tunes the engine and conducts any last minute 'tinkering' that's required. Incidentally, he also prepares and tunes Harris' speedway machinery.
Next season, of course, Harris has agreed to ride in the Elite League with Coventry and will also ride in the Swedish League. With both clubs now being midweek tracks, he says this will give him more time at weekends and he plans to fit in as many grasstracks as possible and also hopes to get into the longtrack scene.
"I'd love to get into the grass and longtrack championships and mix it with Gerd Riss and Kelvin Tatum, the speed wouldn't put me off, and I think I could make a go of it," he said.
"I need to check the dates but I'm really up for it. If all goes well, we'll need a second bike but I don't think that will be a problem."
As well as Ford and Semmonds, Harris has also asked to thank Jason Prynne for his assistance last season, particularly the loan of a carburettor.
Grasstrack needs all the young talent it can attract and here is a young man who will undoubtedly have the established stars looking over their shoulders sooner rather than later.