John Roy Dook (23 August 1907 – June 1980) was an English

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.

Biography

Dook, born in West Ham, London, began his British leagues career riding for

Lea Bridge Lea Bridge is a district in the London Borough of Hackney and the London Borough of Waltham Forest in London, England. It lies 7 miles (11.3 km) northeast of Charing Cross. The area it takes its name from a bridge built over the River Le ...

during the

1929 Speedway Southern League The 1929 Southern League was the inaugural season of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams. There was also a Northern League called the 1929 Speedway English Dirt Track League that started during the same year. ...

season. He was a pioneer rider appearing during the first season of league racing in Britain. The following season in 1930, he was signed by his home town club

West Ham Hammers The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team that raced at West Ham Stadium in London, England, from 1929 to 1971. The team were twice champions of the United Kingdom. History Origins and 1920s Speedway arrived at West Ham in 1928, the ina ...

but struggled to cement a place in the team and returned to ride for Lea Bridge in 1931. After impressing around the

Lythalls Lane Stadium Lythalls Lane Stadium was a greyhound racing and Motorcycle speedway stadium in Coventry. It is sometimes referred to as Foleshill Stadium or Coventry Stadium but should not be confused with Brandon Stadium. Origins In 1928 the Coventry Gr ...

at the end of the 1932 season, he was duly signed by

Coventry Coventry ( or rarely ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands (county), West Midlands county, in England, on the River Sherbourne. Coventry had been a large settlement for centurie ...

, where he spent two seasons averaging a solid 6.18 and 6.19 respectively. His career stalled somewhat after joining New Cross Lambs in 1934, although he did win his first team honours when the Lambs won the London Cup. In 1935, his season was interrupted by a dislocated shoulder and a significant muscle injury and while with New Cross in 1936, he doubled up for

Bristol Bulldogs The Bristol Bulldogs were a British motorcycle speedway team based at the Knowle Stadium, Bristol, England from 1928 to 1961Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). ''Homes of British Speedway''. and later Eastville Stadium from 1977 to 1978. History ...

to race in the

1936 Provincial Speedway League The 1936 Provincial Speedway League was the first season of the Provincial League, introduced as a second tier to the National League. It was formed after Mr B. Southouse (the Cardiff speedway manager for the Greyhound Racing Association) prop ...

. It was at Bristol that he gained most of his success, helping the team to become the 1937 Provincial league champions. Dook averaged an impressive 9.01 from 41 matches. Dook continued to ride for Bristol until the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and would not return to racing until 1946, riding with the

Birmingham Brummies Birmingham Brummies are a British Motorcycle speedway, speedway team founded in 1928. They were inaugural members of the Southern League (1929–31), Southern League in 1929. The team have twice finished runner-up in the highest tier of Britis ...

. In his final season with Birmingham in 1948, he contributed towards the Brummies winning both the National Trophy and Anniversary Cup for division 2 teams. Dook gave up riding and in 1950 took over as manager of

Shelbourne Park Shelbourne Park is a greyhound racing stadium in the south Dublin inner city suburb of Ringsend. Greyhound Racing Opening The plans to open a greyhound track in Dublin were drawn up by Paddy O’Donoghue, Jerry Collins, Patsy McAlinden and J ...

in Dublin. He had previously performed the same role at Leicester. In 1951, he became manager of the

Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds were a motorcycle speedway team that raced in the British speedway leagues from 1929 to 2022. They were based at Newcastle Stadium on the Fossway, Byker. The Stadium was previously known as Brough Park. History Origins and ...

and made several appearances for the club.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dook, Roy 1907 births 1980 deaths British speedway riders Birmingham Brummies riders Bristol Bulldogs riders Coventry Bees riders Lea Bridge speedway riders Newcastle Diamonds riders New Cross Rangers riders People from West Ham