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1957 Speedway National League
The 1957 National League was the 23rd season and the twelfth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain. Summary The closure of Wembley Lions, Bradford Tudors and Poole Pirates left the league with only four teams, so the seven sides in Division Two merged to make an eleven-team first tier and so Division Two became defunct. Bradford Tudors returned to replace Birmingham Brummies mid-season (in early August) and Swindon Robins followed up their Division Two title in 1956 with the Division One title in 1957. Final table *Bradford Tudors replaced Birmingham Brummies mid-season. Top Ten Riders (League only) National Trophy The National Trophy was not held during 1957. See also * List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions * 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 ... [...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] |
Southampton Saints
Southampton Saints were a speedway team which operated from 1928 until its closure in 1963. Its track was located at Banister Court Stadium in Southampton, Hampshire. History Southampton was one of the founder members of the 1929 Speedway Southern League, one of the two leagues that came into existence that year. They finished runner-up in the 1929 league and the 1930 Speedway Southern League before joining the National league in 1932. However, halfway through the 1932 National Association Trophy they withdrew and the operation moved to London, with the team becoming the Clapton Saints. The Southampton team returned in 1936 and won the second tier of British speedway, the 1936 Provincial Speedway League. They were National League runners up in 1961 and National League champions in 1962. The club closed in 1963 when the promoter, Charles Knott, sold the stadium to developers. Notable riders * Dick Bradley * Barry Briggs * Brian Crutcher * Billy Dallison * Frank Goulden * Bi ... [...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] |
Peter Moore (speedway Rider)
Peter John Moore (28 April 1929 – 14 May 1996) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from Australia. He earned 22 international caps for the Australia national speedway team and 3 caps for the Great Britain national speedway team. Speedway career Moore was a leading rider throughout the 1950s and 1960s, he reached the final of the Speedway World Championship on five occasions in 1956, 1958, 1963, 1959, 1960 and 1963. He gained 22 Australian caps and three British caps (when riders from Oceania were allowed to represent Britain). He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1950-1974, riding for various clubs. His time riding in Britain included winning three consecutive league titles from 1954 to 1956, with the famous Wimbledon Dons team of the 1950s. World Final Appearances Individual World Championship * 1956 - London, Wembley Stadium - 9th - 8pts * 1958 - London, Wembley Stadium - 11th - 5pts * 1959 - London, Wembley Stadium - 15th - 3pts * 1960 - L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Aub Lawson
Aubrey "Aub" Lawson (born 5 April 1914 in Kelly's Gully, Warialda, New South Wales - died 20 January 1977) was an Australian international speedway rider who featured in ten World Championship finals including the 1939 final which was never run due to the outbreak of World War II. Career Lawson first came to the UK in 1939 and rode in two leagues for the Wembley Lions and Middlesbrough Bears but at his mother's insistence, his sister accompanied him as chaperone. It was not until after the war in 1947 that he returned to the UK when league racing started again. He joined the West Ham Hammers where he stayed for five seasons, top scoring in three of them. In 1951 he won the London Riders' Championship whilst riding for the Hammers. After a year back in Australia he returned to the UK where he joined the Norwich Stars, where he remained until he retired from racing in 1960. Lawson then returned to Australia where he continued racing in Sydney, winning his then record 5th NSW C ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Brian Crutcher
Brian Crutcher (born 23 August 1934 in Poole, England) is a former international speedway rider who finished second at the 1954 Speedway World Championship finals. Career Crutcher made his debut for third division team the Poole Pirates in 1951 at age 16. He made his first World Final appearance in only his second year of racing in 1952, finishing in twelfth place. At the start of 1953 Crutcher moved to first division team the Wembley Lions and appeared in the next four World Championship finals, finishing second in 1954 behind Ronnie Moore.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. Wembley closed down in 1956 and Crutcher moved to the Southampton Saints until he retired from the sport in 1960. World Final appearances * 1952 - London, Wembley Stadium - 11th - 6pts * 1953 - London, Wembley Stadium - 10th - 6pts * 1954 - London, Wembley Stadium - Second - 13pts * 1955 - London, Wembley Stadium - 5th - 10 ... [...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] |
Barry Briggs
Barry Briggs (born 30 December 1934) is a New Zealand former speedway rider. Career He won the World Individual Championship title four times – in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals (1954–70), and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points. He also won the London Riders' Championship in 1955 whilst riding for the Wimbledon Dons.Jacobs, Norman (2001). ''Speedway in London''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing He is also a six-time winner of the British Championship. He won the first final in 1961 and then dominated the sixties titles by winning in 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1969.Belton, Brian (2003). ''Hammerin' Round''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing Briggs also twice won his home title, the New Zealand Championship, winning in 1959 and again in 1963. Briggs also created a domestic record by winni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ron Johnston
Ronald Johnston (31 December 1930 – 29 July 2014) was a New Zealand speedway rider who rode for the Belle Vue Aces. He also rode in four World Finals (1955, 1957, 1958 and 1960) during his career finishing a best 5th in 1960. Career Johnston began riding at the Tahuna Park track in Dunedin in 1949. He moved to England in 1950 and joined the Belle Vue Aces. In his first season, he was at first loaned out to the Belfast Bees and the Sheffield Tigers before establishing himself as a member of the Belle Vue team. He captained the team from 1957 until his retirement at the end of 1961. Under his captaincy Belle Vue won the Britannia Shield three times, and the Daily Mail National Trophy in 1958. Johnston won the 1952 New Zealand Championship, and he rode for Australasian teams in England and on the continent. World Final Appearances * 1955 – London, Wembley Stadium – 12th – 6pts * 1957 – London, Wembley Stadium – 6th – 9pts * 1958 – London, Wembley ... [...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] |
Ove Fundin
Ove Fundin (born 23 May 1933) is a Swedish former professional motorcycle speedway rider. He competed in the Speedway World Championships from 1951 to 1970. Fundin is notable for winning the Speedway World Championship Final five times (1956, 1960, 1961, 1963, 1967), a record bettered only by Ivan Mauger and fellow Swede Tony Rickardsson who each won six World Championships. He finished runner-up in the championship 3 times (1957–59) and was third in 1962, 1964 and 1965 meaning that from his first win in 1956 until his last in 1967, Fundin did not finish lower than a podium place in a record eleven World Finals. He was known by the nickname of the "Flying Fox" or just "the Fox" because of his red hair. In 2013, Fundin was named an FIM Legend for his motorcycling achievements. Career Fundin was born in Tranås. It was suggested to him by Australian champion Aub Lawson that he ride in Britain and he joined the Norwich Stars, riding for them from ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rayleigh Rockets
The Rayleigh Rockets were a Speedway team which operated from 1949 until their closure in 1973 from the Rayleigh Weir Stadium in Rayleigh, Essex . History The Rockets inaugural league season was in 1949 Speedway National League Division Three, where they finished in 12th place. After two more seasons in Division Three they joined the Southern League (which was a new name for the third division). The became champions of the league in 1952 and 1953. The Rockets closed in 1958 but re-opened again in 1960 and entered the Provincial League. The Provincial league was the second division of speedway at the time and Rayleigh won their third piece of silverware after winning the 1960 Provincial Speedway League. In 1964, they entered a regional Metropolitan League but this was the last league racing seen until 1968, when Len Silver took over as promoter. The Rockets rode at the stadium until 1973 when it was announced that the stadium had been sold to developers and the Rockets would ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
