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1956 Speedway National League Division Two
1956 was the final season of the Speedway National League Division Two. Summary With the number of sides competing at national level diminishing from 37 at the start of 1951 to just 14 in 1956, only a single national division would be in existence by 1957. Poole Pirates had been promoted to Division One and Exeter Falcons had closed leaving seven entrants. Swindon Robins captured the title by a single point. Southampton's 34-year-old captain Ernie Rawlins died in Southampton Hospital on 22 September 1956, following an accident in the match against Birmingham on 18 September. Final table Top Five Riders (League only) National Trophy Stage One * For Stage Two - see Stage Two The 1956 National Trophy was the 19th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of two stages; stage one was for the second tier clubs, stage two was for the top tier clubs. Southampton won stage one and qualified for second and final stage. Division Two First round Division Two semifinals Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English motorcycle speedway team established in 1949 that have competed primarily in the top division of speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. They are five times league champions of the United Kingdom. The club have raced on their home track at the Abbey Stadium, Lady Lane, Blunsdon since their inception. History 1928–1949 The formation of the club followed the sport's prehistory in the town at the now-demolished Gorse Hill Aerodrome, where dirt track racing had taken place since 1928. The birth of the Robins was a product of the partnership of Bristol speedway manager Reg Witcomb and businessman Bert Hearse. Under their direction, a cinder track was built. The first meeting, a non-league home challenge match, took place on 23 July 1949 against future rivals Oxford, and an official attendance figure of 8,000 was given, although employees of the club believe that 10,000 would be closer to th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Coventry Bees
Coventry Bees were a motorcycle speedway team that existed from 1929 to 2018. They raced at Brandon Stadium, Brandon near Coventry, England. History A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the inaugural season of the Southern League and then the National League from 1932 during the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium at the Lythalls Lane Stadium. After the war, the club became The Bees and were involved every season from 1948 until the loss of Brandon stadium shortly before the start of the 2017 season, during which they ran a series of challenge matches at other tracks. Although the club have won the now defunct Midland Cup eleven times, the first silverware won at national level by the club was the 1953 Speedway National League Division Two league title. The first major trophy was becoming league champions of the Great Britain during the 1968 British League season. They went on to become League champions in 1968, 1978, 19 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leicester Stadium
Leicester Stadium was a sports stadium on Parker Drive in Leicester. The stadium was initially used for greyhound racing with motorcycle speedway starting there five years later. It was also a venue for BriSCA Formula 1 Stock Cars. Greyhound racing Origins & Opening In 1923 the site chosen for Leicester Stadium was an area of land in north Leicester near the Blackbird Road. The exact location was on the north side of where the Parkers Drive met Somerset Avenue. Greyhound racing became extremely popular in the county of Leicestershire with tracks at Aylestone Road in south Leicester and the nearby town of Coalville already hosting tracks that had opened in 1927. Leicester Stadium opened on Saturday 26 May 1928 with six heats of the Quorn Open sweepstakes and a hurdle race completing the seven race card. Eleven thousand spectators (including the Mayor Alderman J.Thomas) attended and watched Barley Leader become the first ever winner over 525 yards at odds of 4-7f. Trainers Ki ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Banister Court Stadium
Banister Court Stadium was a greyhound racing and speedway stadium in Court Road, Southampton, Hampshire. Origins At the turn of the 20th century Banisters Park in the north of Southampton consisted of the County Ground, Southampton which had been the home of the Hampshire County Cricket Club since 1885 and an area known as Banisters Court on the south side of the ground. Despite the fact that Banisters Park had reduced in size it was still mainly open space unlike the southern and central parts of Southampton. The Southampton Greyhound Racing Company and a group of businessmen purchased Banister's Court in the late 1920s with the intention to build a greyhound stadium. The site bought consisted mainly of a former well known school called Banister Court Private School, the name Banister derived from Sir Edward Banister owner of the farms that made up the area in the 17th century. The company started construction on the greyhound track where the car park would be accessed from Co ... [...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] |
Knockout Cup (speedway)
Knockout Cup (sometimes referred to as the KO Cup) is a type of British motorcycle speedway competition, examples of which have run annually since 1929. Each tier of British Speedway has its own respective Knockout Cup. The current Knockout Cup competitions are the SGB Premiership Knockout Cup (tier one), the SGB Championship Knockout Cup (tier two) and the National League Knockout Cup (tier three). The cups have been run in the past under the associated name of the League at the time. For example Elite League Knockout Cup when tier one was the Elite League, a Premier League Knockout Cup when tier two was the Premier League and so on. Knockout Cups (chronological order) Tier One *National Trophy 1931–1964 *British League Knockout Cup 1965–1967 * British League Division One Knockout Cup 1968–1974 *British League Knockout Cup 1975–1994 *Premier League Knockout Cup 1995–1996 *Elite League Knockout Cup 1997–2012 * not held, 2012-2016 * SGB Premiership Knockout Cup 2017 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ian Williams (speedway Rider)
Ian Williams (born 4 August 1931) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Wales. Speedway career Williams was a leading speedway rider in the 1950s. He reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1957 Individual Speedway World Championship. He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1957 to 1963, riding for Swindon Robins. Individual World Championship * 1957 - London, Wembley Stadium - 14th - 3pts Family His two brothers, Freddie Williams and Eric Williams Eric Eustace Williams (25 September 1911 – 29 March 1981) was a Trinidad and Tobago politician who is regarded by some as the "Father of the Nation", having led the then British Trinidad and Tobago, British Colony of Trinidad and Tobago to m ... were also speedway riders, Freddie was a double World champion and acted as Ian's mechanic during the 1957 final. References 1931 births British speedway riders Welsh speedway riders Swindon Robins riders Welsh motorcycle racers Sport ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bob Roger
Robert William Roger (14 June 1928 – 17 December 2002) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from England. Speedway career Roger reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1957 Individual Speedway World Championship. He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1951-1962, riding primarily for Swindon Robins. World Final Appearances Individual World Championship * 1957 - London, Wembley Stadium - 8th - 8pts Family His brothers Cyril Roger Cyril Manners Roger (27 December 1921 - 26 May 2015) was a former international motorcycle speedway rider reached the final of Speedway World Championship five times.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championshi ... and Bert Roger were both speedway riders. References 1928 births 2002 deaths British speedway riders Birmingham Brummies riders Swindon Robins riders New Cross Rangers riders Exeter Falcons riders {{Speedway-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dick Bradley
Derrick Edward Bradley (28 November 1924 – 30 October 2022) was an English motorcycle speedway rider. Speedway career When Bradley left school he became an apprentice mechanic for a company called Skurrays. After competing in grasstrack racing he was given a trial by Bristol Bulldogs manager Bill Hamblin. He raced a few times in 1948 and was a league winner with Bristol during the 1948 Speedway National League Division Two season and the 1949 Speedway National League Division Two season. Bradley became one of the leading speedway riders in the 1950s. He reached the final of the Speedway World Championship on three occasions in the 1951 Individual Speedway World Championship, 1952 Individual Speedway World Championship and the 1953 Individual Speedway World Championship. He was capped by the England national speedway team against Australia in 1952. He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1948-1965, riding for various clubs. His successes included winning the Nationa ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ken McKinlay
John Robert Vickers (Ken) McKinlay (7 June 1928 – 9 February 2003) was an international speedway rider, captaining Scotland, England, Great Britain and Europe teams. He also finished on the rostrum of the British Speedway Championship finals twice, second in 1964 and third in 1965. His nickname Hurri-Ken was given to him by famous speedway promoter Johnnie Hoskins. Career summary McKinlay took up speedway while serving with the British Army in Germany, riding for the Neumünster forces team.Davies, Trevor (2008) ''Warzone Speedway'', Trevor Davies Publishing, , p. 137 He went on to captain the team and finished in joint sixth place in the 1948 Combined Services Speedway Championship. On his return to Britain, he started his career with the Glasgow Tigers in 1949 and had five successful seasons there. However, in 1954 the track closed and Ken transferred to the Leicester Hunters for a club record fee.Jones, Alan (2004) ''Speedway in Leicester: The Hunters Era'', Automedia, p. 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Oxford Cheetahs
The Oxford Cheetahs are a British speedway teamLawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964, 1985, 1986, 1989 and 2001. The club folded in 2007 but in 2021, it was announced that the Oxford Cheetahs will make a long-awaited return to racing, participating in the SGB Championship 2022. Throughout their history they ran under two other names, from 1972 to 1975, they were known as Oxford Rebels and from 2003 to 2005, they were known as Oxford Silver Machine. They also ran junior sides known as the Oxford Cubs, Oxford Silver Machine Academy, Oxford Lions and the Oxford Chargers. History 1939-1948 The Oxford Motorcycle Speedway Club moved to Oxford Stadium in 1939 from a grass circuit in Sandford-on-Thames. The Secretary Ted Mander orchestrated the move and the first individual meeting was held on Easter Saturday 8 April 1939 won by Roy Duke. The club co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
