Ronald Hillary Henderson (born 27 February 1957) 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. He earned two international caps for the Australia national speedway team.

Career

Henderson born in Brisbane, Australia, joined the Newcastle Diamonds training school as a 17-year-old in 1975. He began his British leagues career riding for the Diamonds during the

1975 New National League season The 1975 National League was contested as the second division/tier of Speedway in the United Kingdom when British League Division Two was renamed. It was subsequently named the National League. Summary The league increased by one team for the fou ...

. The following season in 1976, he helped Newcastle to the National League Championship. The Diamonds were his chief team, but he was also given rides with Hull and Swindon, as guest rider to cover absences. He quit the United Kingdom after the 1977 season. Returning to Australia, his last race was at Tivoli in Queensland in 1984, riding in four heats and winning all four.

After speedway

Spent some time as an auto-upholsterer before a 22 year career as a Paramedic, which included being a Flight Intensive Paramedic in rescue helicopters. Forced from the career because of back problems, he retrained as a Drug and Alcohol Counsellor, completing a degree in Social Science. Married to Sarah, with two daughters, he lives in

Hobart Hobart ( ; Nuennonne/Palawa kani: ''nipaluna'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Home to almost half of all Tasmanians, it is the least-populated Australian state capital city, and second-small ...

, Tasmania.

References

External links

* https://www.retro-speedway.com/backtrack-backissues-92-101 (issue 100:RON HENDERSON - exclusive interview.In a revealing new four-page interview with a key member of Newcastle's all-conquering class of '76, Ron Henderson tells KEITH McGHIE why he only sparkled briefly for Diamonds, talks about the fatal incident that led him to quit racing and the extraordinary diverse career path that followed.) {{DEFAULTSORT:Henderson, Ron Living people 1957 births Australian motorcycle racers Australian speedway riders Hull Vikings riders Australian expatriate speedway riders in England Newcastle Diamonds riders Swindon Robins riders