Michael Farrell (born 20 April 1955) is an Australian former

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only ...

rider who rode for the

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 ...

and

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 ...

. Farrell rode in short-track and

scrambling Scrambling is a mountaineering term for ascending steep terrain using one's hands to assist in holds and balance.''New Oxford American Dictionary''. It is also used to describe terrain that falls between hiking and rock climbing (as a “scramb ...

competition in the late 1960s and early 1970s before taking up speedway, while also working as a motorcycle mechanic.Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) ''Who's Who of World Speedway'', Studio Publications, , p. 125 He won the

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

Junior Championship in 1974 and also the Barrier Reef Championship. During the 1974–75 British Lions tour of Australia he was spotted in a North Qld vs Great Britain meeting by Lions team manager Wally Mawdsley and made his

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 ...

debut with the

in 1975 alongside then four time

World Champion A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...

Ivan Mauger Ivan Gerald Mauger (4 October 1939 – 16 April 2018) was a New Zealand motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six Speedway World Championship, World Championships (Finals), a feat equalled only with the inclusion of the Speedway GP Champi ...

. A broken wrist meant that he missed most of the 1976 season but he progressed on his return, reaching the

Intercontinental Final The Intercontinental Final was a Motorcycle speedway Final sanctioned by the FIM as the final qualifying round for the Speedway World Championship between 1975 and 2001. After being introduced in 1975, it replaced the European Final as the final qu ...

in 1978.Jones, Alan (2010) ''Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar'', Automedia, p. 164 He requested a transfer at the end of the season and in 1979 joined his friend

John Titman John Charles Titman (born 26 January 1951) is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider who was Australian Champion in 1977. Biography Born in Brisbane, Queensland, Titman initially worked as a mechanic, making his speedway debut at the ...

. A hand injury limited his season and the following season only lasted until April, when he suffered a broken leg while riding in a Midland League match against Birmingham, complications from the injury ending his career.Oakes, Peter (1981) ''1981 Speedway Yearbook'', Studio Publications, , p.167

Career record

All figures relate to the British League.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Farrell, Mike 1955 births Australian speedway riders Exeter Falcons riders Leicester Lions riders Living people