Larry Ross
Encyclopedia
Larry Ross in Christchurch
, New Zealand
, is a former speedway
rider who rode with the Wimbledon Dons
, Belle Vue Aces
, Halifax Dukes
and the Bradford Dukes
in the British League
.
in 1972. He moved to England in 1975 and joined the Wimbledon Dons
. He won the London Riders' Championship
twice. In 1979 he was a member of the New Zealand
team which won the World Team Cup
.
In 1980 he was third in the British League Riders championship
and the following year he rode in the World Championship
final at Wembley. From 1977 to 1986 he rode in eight finals of the World Pairs Championship
with Ivan Mauger
and Mitch Shirra
. Riding with Mauger he was runnerup in 1978 and in 1981.
During his long career, Larry Ross won the New Zealand Championship
a record nine times.
In 2006 he came out of retirement to win the New Zealand long track championship.
Christchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, is a former speedway
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 rode with the 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...
, 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...
, 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...
and the Bradford Dukes
Bradford Dukes
The Bradford Dukes were a British motorcycle speedway team which operated from the Odsal Stadium in Bradford from 1986 until their closure in 1997.-History:...
in the British League
Speedway Elite League
The Elite League is the top division of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom and is governed by the Speedway Control Bureau , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . It is sponsored by Sky Sports...
.
Career summary
Ross began riding at the Ruapuna track in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
in 1972. He moved to England in 1975 and joined the 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...
. He won the London Riders' Championship
London Riders' Championship
The London Riders' Championship was an individual speedway competition for top riders of teams from London. It was a very prestigious competition, especially in its early days. However, as the number of teams from London dwindled, so did interest in the competition. The last competition wast held...
twice. In 1979 he was a member of the New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
team which won the World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
.
In 1980 he was third in the British League Riders championship
Speedway Elite League Riders Championship
The Elite League Riders Championship is a contest between the top riders with the highest average points total from each club competing in the Speedway Elite League in the UK. The championship was inaugurated in 1960 when it was known as the Provincial League Riders Championship...
and the following year he rode in the 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...
final at Wembley. From 1977 to 1986 he rode in eight finals of the World Pairs Championship
Speedway World Pairs Championship
The Speedway World Pairs Championship was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first competition was held in 1968 and the final competition was held in 1993. From 1994 it was merged with the World Team Cup.- Rules :...
with 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...
and Mitch Shirra
Mitch Shirra
Mitchell Owen Shirra is a former motorcycle speedway rider who rode with the Coventry Bees, Reading Racers, Swindon Robins and Ipswich Witches in the British League.-Career summary:...
. Riding with Mauger he was runnerup in 1978 and in 1981.
During his long career, Larry Ross won the New Zealand Championship
New Zealand Individual Speedway Championship
The New Zealand Individual Speedway Championship is a Motorcycle speedway championship held each year to determine the New Zealand national champion. The championship has been running since 1929 though it has only been running each year since 1958...
a record nine times.
In 2006 he came out of retirement to win the New Zealand long track championship.
World Final Appearances
- 19791979 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1979 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1979 Chorzów, Silesian Stadium-Heat Results:...
-
Poland ChorzówChorzówChorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Silesian Stadium - reserve - did not ride - 19811981 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1981 Individual Speedway World Championship.1981 was the last of a record 26 times that London's famous Wembley Stadium hosted the World Final.-World final:*September 5, 1981 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: Sam Bass-Heat Results:...
-
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 - 13th - 4pts