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1981 British League Season
The 1981 British League season was the 47th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 17th known as the British League. Summary The league comprised 16 teams - one fewer than the previous season. Wolverhampton Wolves had dropped down to the National League. American Bruce Penhall (who would be crowned world champion by the end of the season) topped the averages and helped Cradley Heathens win their first title. The Cradley team included Penhall, rising Danish star Erik Gundersen and British internationals Alan Grahame and Phil Collins. The league runner-up Ipswich Witches gained some consolation by winning the Knockout Cup. Final League table M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points Top Ten Riders (League Averages) British League Knockout Cup The 1981 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 43rd edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Ipswich Witches were the winners. First round Second round Quarter-finals ... [...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] |
Alan Grahame
Alan William Grahame (5 February 1954 – 3 October 2021) was a British motorcycle speedway rider. Career Grahame was born at Kingstanding, Birmingham, in February 1954. He finished runner-up to his brother Andy Grahame in the 1982 British Speedway Championship, and qualified for the Speedway World Championship Final in 1984 as reserve and scored five points from two rides. During the final season of his career in 1994, he helped the Oxford Cheetahs win the Fours Championship during the 1994 British League Division Two season. He died at the age of 67 on 3 October 2021, from injuries sustained in a motocross racing crash the previous month. World Final Appearances * 1984 – Gothenburg, Ullevi Ullevi, sometimes known as Nya Ullevi (, ''New Ullevi''), is a multi-purpose stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. It was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then has also hosted the World Allround Speed Skating Championships six times; the ... – Reserve – 5pts Referen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leicester Lions
Leicester Lions are a speedway team which originally operated from 1968 until 1983.Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). ''Homes of British Speedway''. The club returned to speedway for the 2011 Premier League season, moving up to the Elite League for the 2014 season. Before the 2019 season, the club dropped down to the SGB Championship before returning to the Premiership in 2023. Previous teams Speedway started at Leicester in 1928 at Leicester Stadium with the Leicester Stadium team entering the English Dirt Track League in 1929 finishing 5th but by 1931 the track, beset with problems, closed. Speedway was also staged at a track known as Leicester Super off Melton Road. After World War II, speedway returned in 1948. The team were nicknamed the Leicester Hunters and ran under that name until closure in 1962. In 1949 the team started in the National League Division Three and moved up over the years operating in the top flight for some time until the end of 1961. The first Lions era ... [...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] |
Eastbourne Eagles
The Eastbourne Eagles were a British speedway team, based at Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne, England, that raced in the SGB Championship. History Speedway was initially introduced to Eastbourne in 1929. During their first league season they were the 1947 Speedway National League Division Three champions. Despite winning the title at their first attempt they were forced to close down due to a petrol ban enforced at their Arlington Stadium. They decided to transfer their team to Hastings Saxons and at the beginning of 1948 the Speedway Control Board granted a licence to Hastings to stage speedway. Eastbourne would not compete again in the league until they joined the Southern Area League in 1954. In 1957, they won the 1959 Southern Area League which was the second division league at the time but once again did not compete in league action for another decade. The Eagles returned for the 1969 British League Division Two season and two years later won their piece of silverw ... [...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] |
Sheffield Tigers
The Sheffield 'Tru Plant' Tigers are a motorcycle speedway team based in Sheffield, England. They currently race in the British SGB Premiership, and their home meetings take place at Owlerton Stadium. The Tigers traditionally hold their race nights on Thursdays between March and October. The Tigers are sponsored by Tru Plant, promoted by Damien Bates, Peter Mole and Julie Reading. History Owlerton was a purpose built speedway track built in 1929. The team were inaugural members of the English Dirt Track League and Northern league the following season. In 1930 they rode as the Sheffield Blades. It operated for most of the pre-war years and re-opened for a short spell in 1945. The team operated in the Northern League of 1946 and in the National League Division Two between 1947 and 1950. The team won their first trophy in 1947, after winning the British Speedway Cup (Div 2). It closed part way through 1951 and staged open meetings in 1952. The track re-opened in 1960 and ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates (also known as Poole Speedway) are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the SGB Championship. The club have been the champions of the United Kingdom on ten occasions. Poole Speedway is promoted by local businessman Matt Ford and son Danny Ford, who took over promoting rights of the club in 1998. The team is managed by past rider and former Great Britain team manager Neil Middleditch. Wimborne Road Stadium has been home to the club since it was founded in 1948. In August 2004, Poole hosted the Speedway World Cup final, which was won by Sweden. Stadium Poole Stadium (also known as Wimborne Road Stadium), has been the Pirates' home track since the club was created in 1948. It is situated near to the town centre and is owned by Poole Borough Council. The stadium's capacity was limited to 5,500 people in 2008 for safety reasons. Prior to 1948, the stadium had been used as a cycle track and had been home to Poole Town Football Club sinc ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hackney Hawks
Hackney Hawks speedway opened in 1963 at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, London and operated until 1983. The team replaced the Hackney Wick Wolves who had raced at the stadium from 1935 to 1939. The Hawks were then themselves replaced by the Hackney Kestrels. Early days Originally opened by Mike Parker, the team joined the Provincial League in 1963.Rogers, Martin (1963) "Hackney Hawks Here to Stay?", ''Speedway Star'', 1 June 1963, p. 16 The team finished 10th in their debut season in the 1963 Provincial Speedway League. The promotion was then sold to Len Silver who was the club's promoter for the next twenty seasons. The riders and track staff marched onto the track to the sound of the theme tune of the film The Magnificent Seven and that tune inspires more memories for Hackney Hawks fans than anything else. The Hawks were closely linked with sister track the Rayleigh Rockets and latterly the Rye House Rockets. In 1971, Hackney won their only major honour when they beat Cra ... [...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] |
Birmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team founded in 1928. They were inaugural members of the Southern League in 1929. The team have twice finished runner-up in the highest tier of British speedway, during the 1952 Speedway National League and 2013 Elite League speedway season. After four years in the National League, in 2019 they moved up to the second tier of British speedway in the SGB Championship. History 1928–1986 Birmingham had two teams in the Southern League of the inaugural season of British speedway in 1929. One was based at Perry Barr Stadium and the other was based at Hall Green Stadium. The Hall Green team, known during their time as Birmingham Bulldogs, closed in 1938. Speedway continued at Perry Barr Stadium until 1953. The Brummies reopened in 1971 at Perry Barr before closing at the end of 1983. The Brummies then opened at the Wheels Project at Bordesley Green in 1985 racing for two seasons in the National League before closing in 1986. Although Birmi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
