Leicester Stadium
Encyclopedia
Leicester Stadium was a sports stadium on Parker Drive in Leicester
which opened in 1923. It was demolished in 1984 after the land was sold to Barratt Homes. The stadium was initially used for greyhound racing
with motorcycle speedway
starting there five years later. It was also a venue for stock car racing
.
in 1930. The speedway track was relaid before the 1932 season, but speedway only operated intermittently in the years that followed. Speedway returned to the stadium in 1949 with the Leicester Hunters
who continued there until 1962, after which the speedway promotion of the day moved to Long Eaton due to low attendances. A few meetings were staged in 1963, but regular speedway did not return until 1968 when the Long Eaton operation transferred to Leicester, beginning the first era of the Leicester Lions. The speedway track was also used for stock car racing. After the end of the 1983 season, the stadium site was sold to Barratt Homes for housing, and while greyhound and stock car racing continued into 1984, the speedway operation was closed down.
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
which opened in 1923. It was demolished in 1984 after the land was sold to Barratt Homes. The stadium was initially used for greyhound racing
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
with motorcycle 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...
starting there five years later. It was also a venue for stock car racing
British stock car racing
British stock car racing has many different formulas. Currently, the three main branches of the sport are 'hot rods', 'stock cars' and 'bangers'. Within each of these three branches there are many variants.-Hot Rods:...
.
History
Built in 1923, the stadium (often referred to as Blackbird Road) initially staged greyhound racing. The increasing popularity of speedway (or dirt-track racing as it was then known) led to a track being constructed inside the dog track at a cost of 30,000, and the stadium first staged a speedway meeting on 6 September 1928, with sidecar racing also staged that year. The stadium lent its name to the speedway team, known as 'Leicester Stadium', which competed in the English Dirt Track LeagueSpeedway English Dirt Track League
The English Dirt Track League was created in 1929 and was the inaugural season of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Northern English teams. The season was littered with mid-season withdrawals but eventually the Leeds Lions were crowned champions. In 1930, the league was renamed the Northern...
in 1930. The speedway track was relaid before the 1932 season, but speedway only operated intermittently in the years that followed. Speedway returned to the stadium in 1949 with 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...
who continued there until 1962, after which the speedway promotion of the day moved to Long Eaton due to low attendances. A few meetings were staged in 1963, but regular speedway did not return until 1968 when the Long Eaton operation transferred to Leicester, beginning the first era of the Leicester Lions. The speedway track was also used for stock car racing. After the end of the 1983 season, the stadium site was sold to Barratt Homes for housing, and while greyhound and stock car racing continued into 1984, the speedway operation was closed down.