Dean Barker (born 2 August 1970) is a former British international

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 ...

rider who competed at the sports highest level until his retirement in 2007. He earned 14 caps for the

England national speedway team The Great Britain national speedway team (formerly the England speedway team) is one of the major teams in international motorcycle speedway. The team is managed by former Great Britain riders Oliver Allen and Simon Stead, and captained by th ...

and 4 caps for the

Great Britain national speedway team The Great Britain national speedway team (formerly the England speedway team) is one of the major teams in international motorcycle speedway. The team is managed by former Great Britain riders Oliver Allen and Simon Stead, and captained by th ...

Speedway career

Barker first rode for

Eastbourne Eagles The Eastbourne Eagles were a British motorcycle speedway team, based at Arlington Stadium, near Eastbourne, England. They were founded in 1929 and are two times champions of Britain in 1995 and 2000. The team last raced on 31 July 2021. Hist ...

during the 1986 National League season, although he only appeared in 14 matches that season he contributed to a league and cup double winning season for the south coast club. The following season in 1987, Barker and Eastbourne repeated the success to record the 'double double'. He was one of Eastbourne's leading riders by the time

Oxford Cheetahs The Oxford Cheetahs are a British Motorcycle speedway, speedway teamLawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964 Speed ...

came in to sign him for the

1990 British League season The 1990 British League season was the 56th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 26th known as the British League. Summary Reading Racers won the league for the first time since 1980. The domination of speedway i ...

, where he would ride alongside Hans Nielsen. In 1993 and 1994, he returned to Eastbourne and was an integral part of the Eagles team that won the 1994 Knockout Cup and 1995 Premier League. He won another Knockout Cup in 1997 but suffered serious injuries that forced him to miss two entire seasons in 1996 with a broken leg and 1998 with a broken arm. However, after making a successful comeback in 1999 he won the Elite League in 2000 and the Knockout Cup in 2002. His farewell meeting in 2009 celebrated a career which included highlights of becoming Eastbourne Eagles captain and racing to podiums in major competitions such as the British Under 21 Championship and the British Championship.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barker, Dean 1970 births Living people British speedway riders Cradley Heathens riders Eastbourne Eagles riders Oxford Cheetahs riders