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1979 British League Season
The 1979 Gulf British League season was the 45th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 15th season known as the British League. Summary The league was sponsored by Gulf Oil for a fifth season. It comprised 18 teams - one fewer than the previous season. White City Rebels had folded and their riders became Eastbourne Eagles assets as Eastbourne were promoted from the National League. Bristol Bulldogs also dropped out after only two seasons back in the top flight. Coventry Bees won the league for the second year running. Hull Vikings' second place was their best ever finish. The Coventry Bees team was similar to the previous season with a young 18 year-old Danish newcomer Tommy Knudsen replacing Jiří Štancl from the previous season. Alan Molyneux once again backed up the Coventry overseas contingent with a solid average. Cradley Heath won the Knockout Cup mainly thanks to their USA superstar Bruce Penhall. The Cradley team also had their own young Dani ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
British League
The British League was the main motorcycle speedway league in Britain from its formation in 1965 until 1995 when British speedway was restructured. It initially had a single division, with a second division starting in 1968 (which was renamed the New National League in 1975 and subsequently the National League). The British League was formed in 1965 following the merger of the National League and the Provincial League. Matches were held over a series of races, with two riders from each team taking part in each race. In 1995 it was replaced by the Premier League for two years before the sport was restructured into three tiers with the formation of the Elite League in 1997. The Championship was decided on a league table basis. Champions See also * List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions *List of United Kingdom Speedway League Riders' champions *British League Riders' Championship The British League Riders Championship was an individual motorcycle speedway contest betw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hull Vikings
The Hull Vikings were a speedway team from Hull, England, who operated primarily from The Boulevard (stadium) and Craven Park from 1971 to 2005. History The team originated as the Hull Angels and were based at Hedon Stadium in Hedon on the outskirts of Hull between 1947 and mid-1949. Their inaugural league season was in the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three where they finished 9th. The team withdrew during the 1949 season and were replaced by the Swindon Robins When speedway came back to Hull for the 1971 British League Division Two season, the team were known as the Vikings and raced at the Boulevard, a long track. The Boulevard was famous as the long time home of Rugby Football League team Hull FC. During the years of racing at The Boulevard, the Vikings had the dubious distinction of being the last league speedway team ever to appear at the famous West Ham Stadium, on 23 May 1972, when they beat the closing West Ham Hammers 40–38. The team raced at the Bou ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reading Racers
Reading Racers are a British motorcycle speedway team. Formed in 1968, they won four British League titles during their history. The club closed in October 2008 after the lease on Smallmead Stadium was sold and the site was demolished. In 2016 a group of supporters reformed the team and have subsequently gone on to gain a place in the newly founded Southern Development League winning their debut season undefeated in 2017. History 1968–1974 The club was formed in 1968 and were founder members of British League Division Two. The team were originally based at the Reading Stadium (Oxford Road) until the stadium closed in 1973. In their final year the Racers won their first British League title. Swede Anders Michanek was in imperious form, going undefeated in home fixtures and finishing with a 11.36 average. In addition to Michanek the team was boosted by high scoring from Norwegian Dag Lövaas and Australian Geoff Curtis and supported by Peter Murray, Richard May, Mick Bell and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Halifax Dukes
The Halifax Dukes were a Speedway team which operated from 1949–1951 and again from 1965 until their closure in 1985 at The Shay Stadium in Halifax. The team were nicknamed the "Dukes" after the local Duke of Wellington's Regiment, whose training depot, Wellesley Barracks, was in Halifax, and used the Regiments elephant symbol on their race jacket.Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). ''Homes of British Speedway''. History A team called Halifax Speedway originally staged at Thrum Hall between 1928 and 1930 and another team called Halifax Nomads operated racing a few fixtures in 1948. On 8 February 1949 construction began on a new speedway track at The Shay. The team enjoyed good support during the opening season with a crowd of over 18,000 attending one meeting in September. They finished in 4th place. In 1950, the team won their first silverware winning the National Trophy division 2. However attendances soon dropped and at the end of the 1951 season the club closed. On 31 Mar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Exeter Falcons
The Exeter Falcons were a speedway team based in the city of Exeter. The Falcons operated from 1947 to 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. History In 1947, the Falcons competed in a league for the first time when they finished fourth during the 1947 Speedway National League Division Three. The following season they won the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three. The next success came in 1951 when the club won the Division 3 National Trophy. After a five year absence the team returned to league action in the 1961 Provincial Speedway League and the following year won the 1962 Provincial League Knockout Cup. In 1973, the club signed New Zealander Ivan Mauger, a multiple world champion who would lead the club from 1973 to 1977 and bring Exeter their greatest success to date, when winning the 1974 British League title. In 1995 and 1996, the club ran a junior side called the Devon Demons. The Demons reappeared in 2014 as the junior side for the Plymouth Gladiato ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
King's Lynn Stars
King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the SGB Premiership. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team. The team was founded in 1965 and has been running continually since then, except for 1996 when King's Lynn failed to have a team competing in the British league system. History 1966–1995 The team's inaugural season was the 1966 British League season, where they finished 16th. They managed to finish in third place during the 1972 and 1973 seasons with their strongest riders being Terry Betts and Malcolm Simmons. The first silverware won by the team was the Knockout Cup in 1977. They won the final by the small margin of two points on aggregate, thanks largely to Michael Lee and Betts. The team continued to compete in the highest division until the end of the 1995 season but failed to finish any higher than 4th place. The team has operated with a few different nicknames, including: the Knights; Silver Machine (as an additional nic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christer Sjösten
Christer Sjösten (2 September 1948 – 9 December 1979) was an international speedway rider from Sweden. Speedway career Sjösten was a four time Swedish finalist in 1972, 1974, 1975 and 1977. He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1971 to 1979, riding for various clubs. He died at the Royal Brisbane Hospital in Australia on 9 December 1979, following a serious accident at the Brisbane Exhibition Speedway during a tournament 8 days earlier. Following his death his older brother Sören Sjösten (one of the world's leading riders) retired. See also *Rider deaths in motorcycle racing This article lists motorcycle riders who have died competing at motorcycle racing events. This article lists rider deaths in all series, at any level. Isle of Man TT, Manx Grand Prix and Southern 100 There have been over 275 recorded competitor ... References 1948 births 1979 deaths Swedish speedway riders Exeter Falcons riders Wembley Lions riders Poole Pirates riders ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steve Weatherley
Stephen John (Steve) Weatherley (born 26 November 1957 in Dartford, England) is a former motorcycle speedway rider who was twice runner-up in the British Speedway Under 21 Championship. He rode primarily for the Eastbourne Eagles and the White City Rebels, who won the British League in 1977.Oakes, P.(2004). ''British Speedway Who's Who''. On 8 June 1979 he was paralysed whilst riding for Eastbourne at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road. He was involved in a terrible crash with Vic Harding Vic Harding (5 July 1952 in East Ham, London – 8 June 1979 Whipps Cross, London) was a motorcycle speedway rider. Career Harding began at the Rye House training school in 1970 run by Len Silver and spent several seasons trying to break into .... Harding was killed and Weatherley was left with a broken back. He has used a wheelchair since the crash.Fenn, C.(2003). ''Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight''. His nephew, Lee Richardson (1979-2012) was an international speedway ride ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vic Harding
Vic Harding (5 July 1952 in East Ham, London – 8 June 1979 Whipps Cross, London) was a motorcycle speedway rider. Career Harding began at the Rye House training school in 1970 run by Len Silver and spent several seasons trying to break into a league team.Fenn, C.(2003). ''Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight''. In 1974 the Sunderland Gladiators handed him the chance. In 1975 he moved to Weymouth Wizards.Lawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. In 1977 Len Silver signed him for the Hackney Hawks from Weymouth and spent most of that season as reserve. In 1978 he began improving so much that by 1979 he was a heat leader. Death Tragedy struck on 8 June 1979 when Harding was killed whilst riding for Hackney at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road. He was in a heat as a replacement for Bo Petersen but during the race he was involved in a terrible crash with Steve Weatherley. Harding was killed and Weatherley was left with a broken back and paraplegia.Jacobs, Norman (20 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hackney Wick Stadium
Hackney Wick Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium located at Waterden Road in the London Borough of Hackney. Origins The site chosen for the stadium was on land known as Hackney Marshes west of the River Lea and on the west side of the Waterden Road. The stadium was constructed from September 1931 until 1932 and cost £70,000 to build and after completion £18,000 in wages had been paid to the builders. Opening Hackney opened On Friday 8 April 1932 under the affiliation of the British Greyhound Tracks Control Society (BGTCS) the rival to the larger National Greyhound Racing Club. Thirteen thousand people attended the first night and witnessed Marjorie Graves, MP for South Hackney officially open the track. The capacity of the track was put between 30,000 and 50,000 and a totalisator had been installed for the first night. A greyhound called Bullseye became the first ever winner at the track. Although the meeting was advertised as the first official meeting ther ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hans Nielsen (speedway Rider)
Hans Hollen Nielsen (born 26 December 1959) is a Danish former professional motorcycle speedway rider. He competed in the Speedway World Championships from 1977 to 1999. Nielsen is notable for winning four Speedway World Championship titles. During his career, he won a total of 22 World Championships, making him arguably the most successful speedway rider of all time. In 2012, Nielsen was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements. He later managed the Danish national team. Career Nielsen was born in Arentsminde near Brovst, Denmark. He was one of, if not the most successful riders the sport has ever seen. Altogether he participated in winning 22 World Championships for Denmark (out of the 46 won by Danish riders/teams in all competitions to the end of 2014). This included the individual World Championship in 1986, 1987 (the only time the final was held over two days), 1989 and the first ever championshi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bruce Penhall
Bruce Lee Penhall (born May 10, 1957) is an American former professional motorcycle speedway racer who later starred in television and in film. He was the World Speedway Champion in 1981 and 1982 and rode for the successful Cradley Heath Heathens speedway team in the United Kingdom. He retired from speedway racing the night he won his second World Championship in 1982 in front of his home crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In his relatively short career Bruce Penhall appeared in 7 World Finals in all speedway competitions including the riding for the United States in the World Pairs Championship and the World Team Cup. He would win 4 World Championships in total, adding the 1981 World Pairs and 1982 World Team Cup to his individual titles. Speedway career Bruce first rode Speedway when he was 16 at Irwindale Raceway on the American west-coast. From novice status, he quickly established himself in the US National Championships, twice finishing in the top three positio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
