DATE OF BIRTH: 27 February 1987, Longwarry, Victoria, Australia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008) Redcar, Peterborough; (2009) Redcar, Wolverhampton; (2010-12) Wolverhampton.
MAJOR HONOUR: Victoria State Champion: 2010.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2009 [Wolverhampton]; Elite Shield winner: 2010, 2011 [both Wolverhampton].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Toby Proctor (born: 2 May 1990, Longwarry, Victoria, Australia)
ADDITIONAL INFO: Almost quit British racing mid-way through a difficult 2011 season but admitted he was pleased he didn’t after an impressive second half of the campaign when he showed his true ability.
He admitted only the encouragement of Parrys International Wolves owner Chris Van Straaten kept him in the country as he was ready to head home to Australia, but a change in engine tuner clearly worked wonders and he was quick to agree a new deal for 2012.
Proctor finished as runner-up to Chris Holder in the 2008 Australian Under-21 Championship at Mildura, prior to embarking on his first season of league racing in Britain, where he linked with Redcar.
He was soon hailed as a great character to be around in the pits and, because of his on-track exploits, understandably acquired the nickname of ‘The Showman’. The Aussie also made some impressive appearances for top-flight Peterborough in his debut campaign and finished on a high when he scooped the Bears’ Rider of the Year award.
For 2009, he remained with Redcar for a second term and also joined Wolverhampton in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity. In a glorious end to the campaign, he participated in both legs of the Play-Off final as Wolves defeated Swindon to win the Elite League Championship.
More success came shortly afterwards – although it wasn’t officially recognised – when he rode as a guest for King’s Lynn in both legs of the Premier League Knock-Out Cup final and helped them defeat Edinburgh. And his impressive form was rewarded in early November, when he was handed a place in the Wolverhampton side for 2010.
Team-mate Fredrik Lindgren lost control and crashed heavily on the pits bend of heat five during Wolves’ league match at Swindon on 2 September, before being hit by the closely following Proctor. Both riders were badly shaken and took no further part in the meeting.
Despite that, the Aussie went on to be the only Wolverhampton rider to appear in a full quota of the club’s forty-two official meetings, with a total of 254 points producing a highly impressive 6.72 average. And, during the close season he was confirmed as a definite starter for the Monmore men in 2011.
PROCTOR, Tyron (Ty)
