
Tai Woffinden is a family man now. When he’s not sending his 500c, no-brakes, no gears speedway bike at 70mph on tracks around Europe, he’s doing the same things any new dad does.
He changes nappies, he plays with toys, he watches cartoons – all the things you’d expect from a man with a nine-month old baby. But while some new parents endure sleepless nights and chaos, there’s a serenity to Woffinden’s life that is allowing him to get the best out of himself on track.
Tai is leading the Speedway Grand Prix series by 11 points after four rounds and heads into this weekend’s British Grand Prix as the man to beat. He’s racing as well as he ever has, marrying his frightening speed with incredible consistency and not letting up.
It hasn’t always been this way. Tai was one of Speedway’s great enigma’s for a spell during his late teens and early twenties; prodigiously talented, charmingly precocious but, for a time, frustratingly wasteful.
Then it all came together; a surprise world title win in 2013 was followed by fourth the following year, before he claimed his second title in 2015, and he has since added a silver and a bronze medal to his trophy room.
Five years, four top-three finishes, two titles – it’s impressive. But that’s not enough for the British-born, Australia-raised 28-year-old, because his sights aren’t set on achieving what us mere mortals would think is impressive.
His sights are set on history, on the type of achievements that have put Michael Schumacher, Valentino Rossi and Ricky Carmichael into a club all on their own. Tai is chasing sporting immortality.