George Newton (speedway rider)
Encyclopedia
George Newton is a former international speedway
rider who featured in the first Speedway World Championship in final in 1936
.
in 1932 and stayed with the promotion when they moved to New Cross
in 1934. He made his England
debut in 1936 and qualified for the World final, his first of three. At the end of the 1938 season Newton retired due to illness, but not before helping New Cross to the National League
championship.
After the war Newton made a surprise comeback, after a benefit meeting was arranged for him in 1947 as he was still suffering from illness. He returned to the New Cross team in 1948 as they won the Championship for the second time.
Further surgery at the end of 1948 was needed and it was assumed that Newton would retire but in 1949 he joined the Fleetwood Flyers
in the National League Division Two
where he recorded eight maximum scores in fifty appearances.
1950 saw Newton at Walthamstow Wolves
followed by a season with the Liverpool Chads
in 1951. He started 1952 with the Chads but moved to St Austell Gulls
of the Southern League for the remainder of the season, before becoming their team manager for the following two seasons.
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 who featured in the first Speedway World Championship in final in 1936
1936 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship was the first ever Speedway World Championship and was won by Lionel Van Praag of Australia. It was the first of a record 26 times that London's Wembley Stadium would host the World Final with the last being in 1981.*1936 Podium# Lionel Van Praag # ...
.
Career summary
Newton started his career with the Crystal Palace GlaziersCrystal Palace Glaziers
Crystal Palace Glaziers were a British speedway team that existed from 1928 to 1940-Brief history:They first competed in the Southern League in 1929 and were based at Crystal Palace Exhibition Grounds, Sydenham, South London....
in 1932 and stayed with the promotion when they moved to New Cross
New Cross Rangers
The New Cross Rangers were a Speedway team which operated from 1937 until their closure in 1953. The track reopened in 1959 under Johnnie Hoskins for a series of open meetings and then in 1960 and 1961 operated in the National League...
in 1934. He made his 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....
debut in 1936 and qualified for the World final, his first of three. At the end of the 1938 season Newton retired due to illness, but not before helping New Cross to the National League
Speedway National League
The National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second division...
championship.
After the war Newton made a surprise comeback, after a benefit meeting was arranged for him in 1947 as he was still suffering from illness. He returned to the New Cross team in 1948 as they won the Championship for the second time.
Further surgery at the end of 1948 was needed and it was assumed that Newton would retire but in 1949 he joined the Fleetwood Flyers
Fleetwood Flyers
Fleetwood Flyers were a speedway team in Fleetwood, England which operated from 1948 until 1952. Home meetings were raced at Highbury Stadium stadium, Park Avenue in Fleetwood.-Seasons:...
in the National League Division Two
Speedway National League
The National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second division...
where he recorded eight maximum scores in fifty appearances.
1950 saw Newton at Walthamstow Wolves
Walthamstow Wolves
The Walthamstow Wolves were a Speedway team which operated from 1934 and again from 1949 until their closure in 1951.The club opened in 1934 when Lea Bridge were forced to find a new venue. The Wolves competed in the National League but were forced to relocate again at the end of the season due to...
followed by a season with the Liverpool Chads
Liverpool Chads
Liverpool Chads are a defunct motorcycle speedway team who were based at the Stanley Stadium in Prescot Road, Fairfield, Liverpool, England.-History:...
in 1951. He started 1952 with the Chads but moved to St Austell Gulls
St Austell Gulls
The St Austell Gulls were a Speedway team which operated from 1949 until their closure in 1964 at the Cornish Stadium at Par, St Austell in Cornwall...
of the Southern League for the remainder of the season, before becoming their team manager for the following two seasons.
World Final Appearances
- 19361936 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship was the first ever Speedway World Championship and was won by Lionel Van Praag of Australia. It was the first of a record 26 times that London's Wembley Stadium would host the World Final with the last being in 1981.*1936 Podium# Lionel Van Praag # ...
-
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 - 9th - 4pts + 16 semi-final points - 19371937 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1937 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1937 London, Wembley Stadium...
- 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 - 8th - 5pts + 11 semi-final points - 19381938 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1938 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 1, 1938 London, Wembley Stadium...
- 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 - 2pts + 5 semi-final points