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 Date of birth: 30 May 1984, Maldon, Essex.
Conference League
2000 Peterborough II, 7.19; 2001 Peterborough, 8.07; 2002 Peterborough, 9.94; 2003 Wimbledon (Trophy), two matches only; 2003 Peterborough II, three matches only; 2003 Oxford II, 9.65; 2004 Oxford II, 9.78
Premier League
2000 Berwick, one match only; 2000 Arena-Essex, two matches only; 2001 Reading, 2.87; 2002 Reading, 4.53; 2003 Newport, 4.31; 2004 Reading, 5.00; 2005 Berwick, 5.77; 2006 Newport, 6.00; 2007 Newport, 6.64
Elite League
2005 Peterborough, one match only; 2007 Ipswich, 3.50
CHRIS Schramm has had sport in his blood for many years; having originally been powered by horses, before settling for horse-power instead. Indeed, between the ages of eight and fourteen, he was a keen show-jumper, before he sold his horse in order to purchase his initial speedway steed.
Schramm took his first speedway skids at Sittingbourne, before eventually breaking into Peterborough's Conference League team on 5 May 2000, when he impressively raced to 12+1 points from seven outings in a home match against Boston. Shortly afterwards, he took his Premier League bow in a match for Berwick at Swindon on 1 June, netting 1+1 points from four rides.
A couple of PL meetings also came his way with Arena-Essex on successive evenings, again versus Swindon at Blunsdon and also against Newport in a home encounter, on 7 and 8 September, respectively.
However, the main activity for Chris was with the Pumas and the end-of-term statistics revealed an excellent 7.19 average, the then sixteen-year-old having totalled 120 points from fourteen league meetings. The only drawback was a collarbone injury, which he suffered in heat nine of a fixture versus Ashfield at the East of England Showground on 2 June.
On the individual front, his efforts for Peterborough's junior side were rewarded by a place in the Conference League Riders' Championship, which was held at Newport on 9 September. His wholehearted efforts weren't reflected in his 2-point tally on the day, but at least he had got there and the experience was invaluable.
The youngster continued to work hard at his game in 2001, when he again represented the Pumas at Conference level. And continued improvement saw him post an 8.07 average from eleven league matches, having recorded 111 points. A highlight was a massive haul of 16+2 points at Rye House on 14 July, although his high-class showing couldn't prevent the home side from shading a 47-43 win.
The year also saw ‘Schrammy' break into the Reading team during the Premier Trophy schedule and, following Marc Norris' decision to step down from the side, he made one of the reserve berths his own.
Determinedly, he stuck at it to remain ever-present over the Racers' 28-match Premier League schedule, recording 64 points for a 2.87 average. His best performance at home was 6+2 points versus Sheffield on 23 July, whilst on the road he proved a match-winner at Glasgow on 24 June, when his 6-point tally helped secure a narrow 46-44 success for the Racers.
In 2002, Chris was again identified with both Peterborough in the Conference League and Reading in Premier League circles. The Pumas were the most successful of his two teams, winning their League Championship by a single point from Sheffield in a very tight finish.
The Maldon-born rider played a full part in their title victory, heading the averages on a 9.94 figure, having gleaned 162 points from fourteen fixtures. He also hit 4 maximums (2 full and 2 paid) for the side, as well as a season's best tally of 16+1 points in a 50-39 win at Newcastle on 25 August.
Meanwhile, for Reading he significantly upped his average to 4.53, courtesy of 105 points from twenty-seven league appearances. His most eye-catching showing occurred on 15 July, when he notched 10+1 points against Stoke in a 47-43 win at Smallmead Stadium. And, concluding the campaign in style, he teamed-up with club legend David Mullett to take victory in the Winged Wheel Pairs contest on 7 October.
A change of scenery took Schramm to Newport in 2003 and, in a team that included Craig Watson, Niels-Kristian Iversen and Frank Smart, he scored 111 points from thirty-one league matches to average 4.31.
He also made two appearances for Wimbledon in the Conference Trophy and three for Peterborough in British speedway's third tier, before linking with the Oxford Silver Machine Academy in July. He was to help the Cowley-based club to third place in the final league standings, his contribution being 147 points and a 9.65 average from a dozen matches. A whopping six-ride 18-point haul in a 59-31 victory at Boston on 17 October was one of 3 maximums (2 full and 1 paid) that he attained during a very productive spell with the side.
A return to Reading followed in 2004 and he also remained on board with Oxford's Conference League outfit. The Racers concluded their campaign in third position and Chris, despite a short spell out with a hip injury, reached an average of exactly 5.00, thanks to 108 points from twenty-five league meetings. His most productive evening occurred on 16 August, when he notched 10+3 points against Berwick at Smallmead Stadium.
By coincidence, Oxford also ended their campaign occupying third place in the Conference League table. This was to be Schramm's final year in that particular sphere of racing and he signed off with a 9.78 average, having accrued 231 points from nineteen league fixtures. Included in his record were 6 maximums (5 full and 1 paid), perhaps, the best of which was gained at Swindon on 21 October, when he raced to five straight victories in impeccable fashion.
The campaign also saw an international debut come his way on 12 May, when he scored 12+2 points for the Great Britain Under-21 side in a match against Wimbledon at Plough Lane, suffering his only defeat at the hands of home ace Mark Burrows. On the individual theme, Chris made his second and last appearance in the Conference League Riders' Championship at Rye House on 28 August, collecting two race wins on his way to 10 points and sixth place overall in a meeting won brilliantly by James Wright.
Berwick was his next port of call in 2005 and he also spent the term as Peterborough's No. 8 rider. For the Bandits, he raised his league average to 5.77, having scored 129 points from twenty-five meetings. An obvious highlight was an impressive haul of 13+3 points from a home encounter with Workington on 27 August, his performance including an excellent win over Comets' guest George Stancl and a 5-1 with team-mate Adam Pietraszko over Tomasz Piszcz and Kauko Nieminen.
Appearances for Peterborough were thin on the ground and, in fact, he only represented the Panthers in a single Elite League fixture, failing to score from three outings at Poole on 18 May.
Individually, Schrammy enjoyed a fabulous evening at Rye House on 30 April, when he finished as runner-up to Edward Kennett in the British Under-21 Championship. His programmed rides brought him 11 points and a direct route into the final, but he was unable to prevent Kennett from grabbing glory, whilst Richard Hall took third spot on the rostrum.
Chris returned to Newport in 2006, remaining ever-present over the 26-match Premier League schedule to record 161 points and an increased average of exactly 6.00. Again, there were several high spots, but the stand-out meeting took place at Redcar on 13 July, when he netted 10+1 points. Aside from that, he carded a paid maximum in a Knock-Out Cup tie versus Edinburgh at Queensway Meadows on 27 June, scoring 9+3 points.
Staying with the Wasps in 2007, Chris was also installed as Ipswich's No. 8 rider in the highest sphere of British racing. His steady progress continued with the Wasps and was rewarded with a 6.64 league average, as he again achieved a 100 per cent attendance record, appearing in all twenty-eight matches of a slightly increased programme to total 201 points.
His league campaign was highlighted by a number of double figure returns, the best of which was a tally of 12+3 points at home to Stoke on 22 April. Another great showing occurred in the Knock-Out Cup seven days afterwards on 29 April, when he garnered 13+1 points against Birmingham, again at Queensway Meadows.
He did well for Ipswich too, appearing in nine Elite League matches to yield 28 points and a 3.50 average. His best performance with the Witches was a score of 6+1 points in a home encounter versus Eastbourne on 31 May.
On the individual front, he was the meeting reserve for the Premier League Riders' Championship at Swindon on 30 September. However, he ended up taking all five of Jason King's programmed rides after the Mildenhall teamster had found himself stuck in gridlocked traffic on the M4, following an accident that had unfortunately claimed the life of a baby girl. Although somewhat thrust in at the deep end, Schramm battled away manfully on the day to accrue a 6-point tally.
PROFILE BY ROBERT BAMFORD
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