Michael William Lanham (born 2 August 1951) is a 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 from England, who had a long career with

Ipswich Witches The Ipswich Witches are a British speedway club based at Foxhall Stadium near Ipswich, Suffolk. They compete in the British SGB Premiership. Meetings are staged on most Thursdays from March until October, normally commencing at 7.30pm (first ra ...

Career

Lanham took up speedway in 1971 at the training school at Rye House, and was given a competitive ride the same year by Canterbury Crusaders.Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) ''Who's Who of World Speedway'', Studio Publications, , p. 73 He won the BSSC Junior Trophy in his first season. In 1972 he was given rides by West Ham Hammers, Glasgow Tigers, Birmingham Brummies (for whom he rode in 24 matches at an average close to six points), and

, the team for which he would go on to ride for eleven seasons until 1982. In 1973 he continued to split his racing between Birmingham and Ipswich and in 1974 doubled up for Peterborough Panthers. In 1983 he moved to Eastbourne Eagles and later Leicester Lions. A broken arm, leg and pelvis in a crash while racing towards the end of the season at Leicester Stadium put him in hospital for five weeks and led to his retirement from the sport.Jones, Alan (2010) ''Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar'', Automedia, p. 170"Rogers Looks to 1985", '' Speedway Star'', 3 December 1983, p. 11Linden, Eric (1983) "Track Review: Leicester", '' Speedway Star'', 3 December 1983, p. 12-13 Lanham rode in the Second Division 'Young England' team in 1973 and 1974. He reached the British Final in 1976, 1979, and 1980.

Family

Lanham's son

Leigh Leigh may refer to: Places In England Pronounced : * Leigh, Greater Manchester, Borough of Wigan ** Leigh (UK Parliament constituency) * Leigh-on-Sea, Essex Pronounced : * Leigh, Dorset * Leigh, Gloucestershire * Leigh, Kent * Leigh, Sta ...

followed him into a career in speedway.

References

1951 births Living people Sportspeople from Ipswich British speedway riders English motorcycle racers Ipswich Witches riders Birmingham Brummies riders Peterborough Panthers riders Eastbourne Eagles riders Leicester Lions riders {{England-speedway-bio-stub