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Wolverhampton Olympique
The Wolverhampton Olympique was an individual motorcycle speedway event that was hosted annually in the Midlands. History The event was first run in October 1966 by the Newcastle Diamonds club at their home venue Newcastle Stadium, Brough Park. At the time both Newcastle Diamonds and Wolverhampton Wolves were owned by the same promoter Mike Parker. In 1969, Parker sold his interest in Newcastle Diamonds and a number of his assets were transferred to Wolverhampton Wolves, two of which were the Olympique event and the licence of speedway rider Ole Olsen (speedway rider), Ole Olsen. With the closure of Wolverhampton in 1980 the meeting was transferred to Birmingham but when Wolves re-opened in 1984 Peter Adams brought it back to Monmore Green Stadium in Wolverhampton. The last Olympique was held in 2023, because Monmore Green's owners Entain announced that the venue would only be used by greyhound racing during 2024. It was won by Ausralian Zach Cook. Past winners Results by Ri ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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 clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that use only one gear and have no brakes. Racing takes place on a flat oval track usually consisting of soil, dirt, loosely packed shale, or crushed rock (mostly used in Australia and New Zealand). Competitors use this surface to slide their machines sideways, powersliding or broadsiding into the bends. On the straight sections of the track, the motorcycles reach speeds of up to . There are now both domestic and international competitions in a number of countries, including the Speedway World Cup, whilst the highest overall scoring individual in the Speedway Grand Prix events is pronounced the world champion. Speedway is popular in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe and to a lesser extent in Australia and North America. A variant of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Peter Collins (speedway Rider)
Peter Spencer Collins (born 24 March 1954) is an English former speedway rider who spent his whole career (1971–1986) with the Belle Vue Aces, the team he supported as a child. During his career, Peter Collins won 10 World Championships in speedway competition (one Individual, four Pairs and five World Team Cups) making him the most successful British rider in history. At retirement he had earned 118 international caps for the England national speedway team (a record) and 9 caps for Great Britain. Early life Collins was born on 24 March 1954 at the Davyhulme Hospital in Urmston, Manchester.Lanning, Russell (1985) "Rider Profile: Peter Collins", '' Speedway Star'', 18 May 1985, p. 20-21 He worked at a market garden while at school to save up for a bike, and spent two years as an apprentice fitter with Shell before leaving to concentrate on his speedway career. Career Belle Vue Aces In 1971, Collins rode for Belle Vue and the now defunct Rochdale Hornets on loan (Belle ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tommy Knudsen
Tommy Knudsen (born 9 November 1961 in Roager, Denmark) is a former Motorcycle speedway rider who won eight Speedway World Team Cups, and two World Pairs. He earned 81 caps for the Denmark national speedway team. He is not to be confused with Tom P. Knudsen (born 1968), another rider from the period. Career Knudsen first became known when he won the Danish Under-16 Championships of 1975 and 1976 before becoming the Danish Under-21 Champion in 1978. Knudsen started racing in the United Kingdom during second half meetings in 1978. He was signed up by Coventry Bees in 1979 and was touted as a future champion. Knudsen won the 1980 Individual Speedway Junior European Championship and recorded an 8.10 average for Coventry during the 1980 British League season. Knudsen also raced in Australia during the 1980s, winning the "Mr Melbourne" title at the Melbourne Showgrounds in January 1987, and a week later finished third behind fellow Dane Hans Nielsen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bobby Schwartz
Robert Benjamin Schwartz (born August 10, 1956) is an American professional motorcycle speedway rider. He became Speedway World Pairs Championship, World Pairs Champion with Bruce Penhall in 1981 Speedway World Pairs Championship, 1981 and Dennis Sigalos in 1982 Speedway World Pairs Championship, 1982. He earned 74 caps for the United States national speedway team. Career Born in Santa Barbara, California, Schwartz was introduced to speedway by the boss of his local bike shop, ex-rider Sonny Nutter. His father bought him a Jawa Moto, Jawa motorcycle for his 17th birthday and he was soon progressing around the Irwindale Raceway in California. It took a few years before he was persuaded to come to England though, despite many approaches. He came with a sparkling reputation as one of America's brightest young stars, and that was enhanced by the recommendation by none other than Bruce Penhall. He finally came to ride in England for Cradley Heath Heathens during the 1979 British L ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Les Collins
Leslie Collins (born 24 May 1958) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He finished runner-up in the 1982 Speedway World Championship as well as winning the Intercontinental Final in 1982, the British Under-21 Championship in 1977 and the British League Riders' Championship in 1980. At retirement he had earned 31 international caps for the England national speedway team. Career Crewe, Stoke & Belle Vue Born in Manchester, England, Collins started his career with the Crewe Kings before moving Belle Vue Aces. He was loaned to the Stoke Potters in 1976 but in 1977 he made a place with the Aces his own, riding alongside brother Peter and family friend Chris Morton. Leicester Lions & 1982 World Individual Final He moved to the Leicester Lions in 1980 where he stayed until 1983. He won the British League Riders' Championship, held at Hyde Road on 18 October 1980. During the 1982 season he qualified for his first and only Speedway World Championship final, winn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jan Andersson (speedway Rider)
Jan Hakan Andersson (born 7 May 1955) is a Swedish former speedway rider. He earned 39 caps for the Sweden national speedway team. Speedway career Andersson was a leading speedway rider during the 1980s reaching six Speedway World Championship finals in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984 and 1985. He was the Swedish champion on four occasions (1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984) and Nordic Champion in 1979. He rode in the top tier of British Speedway riding for the Swindon Robins from 1975 until 1978. He left Swindon to join Reading because his international commitments would have meant missing some of Swindon's Saturday night fixtures. Andersson rode for Reading Racers from 1979 until 1992 and is regarded as a club legend. Andersson also starred with his brother Björn Andersson and Pierre Brannefors, during Kaparna's league championship title win, during the 1984 Swedish speedway season. World final appearances Individual World Championship * 1978 – London, Wembley Stadi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bruce Penhall
Bruce Lee Penhall (born May 10, 1957) is an American former professional motorcycle speedway racer who later starred in television and in film. He was the World Speedway Champion in 1981 and 1982 and rode for the successful Cradley Heath Heathens speedway team in the United Kingdom. He retired from speedway racing the night he won his second World Championship in 1982 in front of his home crowd at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. In his relatively short career, Penhall appeared in 7 World Finals in all speedway competitions, including riding for the United States in the World Pairs Championship and the World Team Cup. He would win 4 World Championships in total, adding the 1981 World Pairs and 1982 World Team Cup to his individual titles. Speedway career Penhall first rode speedway when he was 16 at Irwindale Raceway on the American west coast. From novice status, he quickly established himself in the US National Championships, twice finishing in the top three positi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phil Crump
Philip John Crump (born 9 February 1952 in Mildura, Victoria) is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. who attained third place in the 1976 World Championship. He also won the 1976 Speedway World Team Cup with Australia in the same year. Career Australia Crump who gained the nicknames Crumpy and the Mildura Marvel, started racing speedway in his late teens at his local Mildura track Olympic Park Speedway. He won his first Australian Solo Championship in 1975 at the Sydney Showground Speedway and would go on to win another three national championships in 1979 and 1984 at Olympic Park and in 1988, at the Riverview Speedway in Murray Bridge. He would also finish second on five occasions (1976, 1977, 1980, 1981 and 1985) while he would finish third in the championship in 1983. The 1983 championship at Adelaide's Speedway Park and had easily won his first three races, including setting a new 3 lap track record along the way. In his fourth race he came against ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ila Teromaa
Ilkka "Ila" Teromaa (3 September 1953 – 21 June 2017) was a Finnish speedway rider who rode in the British League.Oakes, Peter (1981) ''1981 Speedway Yearbook'', Studio Publications, , p. 132 He earned 8 caps for the Finland national speedway team. Career After riding for three years for the Tampere Aces, Teromaa joined Leicester Lions in 1975, becoming a heat leader by the end of the year and winning the 1975 Finnish individual championship.Jones, Alan (2010) ''Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar'', Automedia, p. 178-9 In 1976 he was the top scorer for the Lions. His season was interrupted by injury in 1977 but he continued to score well in 1978. He stayed until 1979 when he was transferred to the Heathens during the season after his form had dropped, averaging below 6 points.Oakes, Peter (1980) ''1980 Speedway Yearbook'', Studio Publications, , p. 107, 147-8 A disappointing 1980 season for the Heathens saw his average drop below 5 points. Teromaa rode in the 1978 World ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Dave Jessup
David John Jessup (born 7 March 1953) is an English former motorcycle speedway rider. He was a world championship runner-up, world pairs champion, world cup winner and British champion. He earned 97 international caps for the England national speedway team. Career Jessup commenced his speedway career in 1969, when he rode for Eastbourne Eagles recording 6.62 average during the 1969 British League Division Two season. The following season, he won the British League Division Two Riders Championship, held at Hackney Wick Stadium on 25 September 1970. Jessup was aged just 17 at the time. He also rode for Wembley Lions in the British League. In 1972, he joined Leicester Lions and spent four years with the Midlands club. In 1974, he won the first of three World Team Cups with the England national speedway team and in 1975, he won the London Riders' Championship in 1975, despite being in his fourth and final season with Leicester. He recorded an average of 10.45 in his last ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gordon Kennett
Gordon William Kennett (2 September 1953 – 11 September 2023) was an English motorcycle speedway rider. In 1978, he won the World Pairs Championship and finished runner-up to Ole Olsen in the 1978 Individual Speedway World Championship, at Wembley.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. He earned 53 international caps for the England national speedway team. Career Kennett began his speedway career during the 1970 British League Division Two season, after he joined the Eastbourne Eagles. He soon established himself as a heat leader and the following season in 1971, was instrumental in helping Eastbourne win the league title. Kennett, along with Malcolm Ballard and his brother Dave Kennett formed a strong trio of riders at the top of the Eastbourne averages. In 1972, he continued to ride for Eastbourne and made his first Oxford appearance in the higher league, riding for the rebranded Oxford Rebels ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chris Morton
Christopher John Morton, MBE (born 22 July 1956) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England. He earned 115 international caps for the England national speedway team and 7 caps for the Great Britain team, making him the third most capped England & British rider of all-time. Career Born in Davyhulme, Lancashire, he rode bikes from a young age at the farm of Peter Collins' parents. Morton made his debut for Ellesmere Port Gunners (on loan from Belle Vue Aces) on 15 May 1973. He showed rapid improvement then following an injury to Aces Captain Chris Pusey in June 1973 he was drafted into the Belle Vue team scoring 6 points on his debut in an away meeting at Cradley Heath. The following season he became British Under-21 Champion at just 17 years of age. During the late 1970s, Morton was a guest resident international rider at the famous Rowley Park Speedway in Adelaide, South Australia where he often rode against the likes of home town hero John Boulger and Mildura's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
