Derick Close
Encyclopedia
Derek Close was a former international motorcycle speedway
rider reached the final of Speedway World Championship
in 1952.
in 1947 followed by a short spell on loan with the Newcastle Diamonds
at the start of 1948. He returned to the Bears and established himself in the team. In 1949 he rejoined Newcastle where he spent the next three seasons before joining the Motherwell Eagles
mid season in 1951.
The 1952 season proved to be the best of his career after receiving a call up to ride for England
despite riding in National League Division Two
, having never ridden in the top flight. He also reached the final of the Speedway World Championship
. In 1953 he suffered a fractured skull and although he rode well again in 1954 he suffered a drop in form after joining the Leicester Hunters
in 1955 and retired at the end of the season.
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...
rider reached the final of Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
in 1952.
Career
Close started his career with the Middlesbrough BearsMiddlesbrough Bears
The Middlesbrough Bears were a British speedway team which operated under various names from 1939 until their closure in 1996.-Brief history:The team was initially nicknamed the Bears in 1939...
in 1947 followed by a short spell on loan with the 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...
at the start of 1948. He returned to the Bears and established himself in the team. In 1949 he rejoined Newcastle where he spent the next three seasons before joining the Motherwell Eagles
Motherwell Eagles
The Motherwell Eagles were a motorcycle speedway team based in Motherwell in Scotland that participated in the British National League Division Two from 1951 and 1954.-Brief history:...
mid season in 1951.
The 1952 season proved to be the best of his career after receiving a call up to ride for England
Great Britain national speedway team
The Great Britain national speedway team are one of the major teams in international speedway. The team is managed by Poole Pirates manager Neil Middleditch and the captain is Chris Harris of the Belle Vue Aces....
despite riding in National League Division Two
Speedway National League Division Two
The National League Division Two was the second tier of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. The competition was founded in 1938 following a competition named "The National Provincial League". Following World War II the second tier of racing was entitled "The Northern League" in 1946...
, having never ridden in the top flight. He also reached the final of the Speedway World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
. In 1953 he suffered a fractured skull and although he rode well again in 1954 he suffered a drop in form after joining the Leicester Hunters
Leicester Hunters
The Leicester Hunters were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1948 until 1962.-History:Speedway had operated before the war at both Leicester Stadium and the Leicester Super track. Speedway was proposed to return to Leicester in 1948 at Leicester Stadium, led by A. D...
in 1955 and retired at the end of the season.
World final appearances
- 19521952 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1952 Individual Speedway World Championship.Speedway riders from Sweden, Scotland and Republic of South Africa was starters in World Championship first time.# Jack Young # Freddie Williams # Bob Oakley...
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United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 14th - 4pts