1968 British Speedway League
Encyclopedia
The 1968 British Speedway League was the fourth season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway
in Great Britain.
Edinburgh relocated to become the Coatbridge Monarchs. The Long Eaton team closed its doors, but a new team in Leicester returned to Speedway to join the League. Coventry Bees
secured their first title on points scored in the last heat of their last match away at King's Lynn
M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
in Great Britain.
Edinburgh relocated to become the Coatbridge Monarchs. The Long Eaton team closed its doors, but a new team in Leicester returned to Speedway to join the League. Coventry Bees
Coventry Bees
The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane...
secured their first title on points scored in the last heat of their last match away at King's Lynn
King's Lynn Stars
King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Elite League. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team...
Final table
M | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
1 | Coventry Bees Coventry Bees The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane... |
36 | 22 | 0 | 14 | 1436 | 1369 | 44 |
2 | Hackney Hawks Hackney Hawks Hackney Hawks speedway opened in 1963 at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, London and operated until 1983.-Early days:Originally opened by Mike Parker, the promotion was then sold to Len Silver who was the club's promoter for the next twenty seasons.... |
36 | 21 | 2 | 13 | 1421 | 1383 | 44 |
3 | Exeter Falcons Exeter Falcons The Exeter Falcons were a speedway team which operated from 1947 until their closure in 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. The track first operated in 1929.-Track:... |
36 | 20 | 1 | 15 | 1556.5 | 1248.5 | 41 |
4 | Sheffield Tigers Sheffield Tigers The Sheffield 'Window Centre' Tigers are a speedway team based in Sheffield, England. They currently race in the British Premier League and their home meetings take place at Owlerton Stadium which is the fastest track in British speedway... |
36 | 20 | 1 | 15 | 1463.5 | 1337.5 | 41 |
5 | Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Premier League. The club has a reputation of importing young foreign talent and have given starts to the British careers of six times World Champion Ivan Mauger, three times World Champion Ole Olsen, 1974 World Champion... |
36 | 20 | 0 | 16 | 1454 | 1350 | 40 |
6 | West Ham Hammers West Ham Hammers The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.. They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins.... |
36 | 19 | 1 | 16 | 1454 | 1348 | 39 |
7 | Halifax Dukes Halifax Dukes The Halifax Dukes were a Speedway team which operated from 1949-1951 and again from 1965 until their closure in 1985 at The Shay Stadium in Halifax... |
36 | 19 | 1 | 16 | 1424 | 1379 | 39 |
8 | Coatbridge Monarchs | 36 | 18 | 1 | 17 | 1404 | 1397 | 37 |
9 | Wimbledon Dons Wimbledon Dons The Wimbledon Dons were a professional motorcycle speedway team who operated from the Wimbledon Stadium, Plough Lane in London.The track opened in 1928 and the Dons operated there from 1929 until 1991. They were closed during the Second World War but upon their re-opening in 1946 there were 42,000... |
36 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 1411 | 1384 | 36 |
10 | Belle Vue Aces Belle Vue Aces The Belle Vue Aces are a British speedway team from Manchester in the north west of England.-Brief history:Racing first took place in 1928 at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane before moving the following year to a specially built stadium nearby on Hyde Road. The club raced there... |
36 | 18 | 0 | 18 | 1387 | 1417 | 36 |
11 | Swindon Robins Swindon Robins The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League.... |
36 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 1448 | 1353 | 35 |
12 | Leicester Lions | 36 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 1373 | 1430 | 35 |
13 | Newport Wasps Newport Wasps Newport Wasps are a British motorcycle speedway team based in Newport, South Wales. They were the 1999 Conference League champions.-History:The Wasp logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport... |
36 | 17 | 1 | 18 | 1348 | 1457 | 35 |
14 | Cradley Heath Heathens Cradley Heath Heathens Cradley Heath Heathens are a defunct motorcycle speedway team from Dudley, England.-History:Cradley Heath speedway team was formed in 1947 and first raced at Dudley Wood Stadium on 21 June 1947 after a number of away appearances prior to the opening of the newly built stadium... |
36 | 15 | 4 | 17 | 1373 | 1430 | 34 |
15 | Oxford Cheetahs Oxford Cheetahs The Oxford Cheetahs were a British Speedway team based in Oxford, England. From 1972 to 1975 they were known as Oxford Rebels, which was the name the team took to White City in 1976 as White City Rebels. The new Oxford team, in the National League, took back the name of Cheetahs... |
36 | 17 | 0 | 19 | 1319 | 1487 | 34 |
16 | Wolverhampton Wolves Wolverhampton Wolves The Wolverhampton Wolves are a British Speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and have signed a new deal with owner Dave Parry for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van... |
36 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 1388 | 1413 | 32 |
17 | Poole Pirates Poole Pirates Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League... |
36 | 13 | 2 | 21 | 1327 | 1478 | 28 |
18 | King's Lynn Stars King's Lynn Stars King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Elite League. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team... |
36 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 1330 | 1473 | 27 |
19 | Glasgow Tigers Glasgow Tigers (speedway) The Glasgow Tigers are a motorcycle speedway team from Glasgow, Scotland. Formed in 1928, the club adopted the Tigers nickname in 1946 and compete in the British Premier League... |
36 | 13 | 1 | 22 | 1312 | 1495 | 27 |
Top Ten Riders
Team | C.M.A. | ||
1 | Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger Ivan Mauger, OBE, MBE, is a retired motorcycle speedway rider. He won a record six World Championships, a feat only equalled by Tony Rickardsson of Sweden... |
Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds Newcastle Diamonds are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Premier League. The club has a reputation of importing young foreign talent and have given starts to the British careers of six times World Champion Ivan Mauger, three times World Champion Ole Olsen, 1974 World Champion... |
11.40 |
2 | Barry Briggs Barry Briggs Barry Briggs MBE from Christchurch, New Zealand is a former Speedway rider.He won the World Individual Championship title four times - in 1957, 1958, 1964 and 1966. He appeared in a record 17 consecutive World Individual finals , and a record 18 in all, during which he scored a record 201 points... |
Swindon Robins Swindon Robins The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League.... |
10.88 |
3 | Nigel Boocock Nigel Boocock Nigel Boocock is a former speedway rider who appeared in eight Speedway World Championship finals and was a reserve in one other .-Career:... |
Coventry Bees Coventry Bees The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane... |
10.79 |
4 | Martin Ashby Martin Ashby Martin Ashby is a former international speedway rider who reached the final of theSpeedway World Championship in 1968... |
Exeter Falcons Exeter Falcons The Exeter Falcons were a speedway team which operated from 1947 until their closure in 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. The track first operated in 1929.-Track:... |
10.68 |
5 | Charlie Monk | Sheffield Tigers Sheffield Tigers The Sheffield 'Window Centre' Tigers are a speedway team based in Sheffield, England. They currently race in the British Premier League and their home meetings take place at Owlerton Stadium which is the fastest track in British speedway... |
10.14 |
6 | Eric Boocock Eric Boocock Eric Boocock is a former Speedway rider who appeared in three Speedway World Championship finals.-Career:... |
Halifax Dukes Halifax Dukes The Halifax Dukes were a Speedway team which operated from 1949-1951 and again from 1965 until their closure in 1985 at The Shay Stadium in Halifax... |
10.13 |
7 | Anders Michanek Anders Michanek Anders Michanek is a Speedway rider. In 1974 he won the Speedway World Championship in his Swedish homeland with a maximum score of 15 points. He also won the World Pairs Championship with the late Tommy Jansson in 1973 and 1975 and with Sören Sjösten in 1974.Michanek had a very successful career... |
Leicester Lions | 10.07 |
8 | Norman Hunter Norman Hunter (speedway rider) Norman Hunter is a former motorcycle speedway rider who won the London Riders' Championship in 1963 and again in 1966 and the Midland Riders' Championship in 1969... |
West Ham Hammers West Ham Hammers The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.. They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins.... |
9.94 |
9 | Sverre Harrfeldt | West Ham Hammers West Ham Hammers The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.. They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins.... |
9.88 |
10 | Torbjorn Harryson | Newport Wasps Newport Wasps Newport Wasps are a British motorcycle speedway team based in Newport, South Wales. They were the 1999 Conference League champions.-History:The Wasp logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport... |
9.82 |