Ron Johnston
Encyclopedia
Ron Johnston in Dunedin
, New Zealand
is a former speedway
rider who rode for the Belle Vue Aces
. He also rode in four World Finals
(1955
, 1957
, 1958
and 1960
) during his career finishing a best 5th in 1960.
before establishing himself as a member of the Belle Vue team. He captained the team from 1957 until his retirement at the end of 1961. Under his captaincy Belle Vue won the Britannia Shield three times, and the Daily Mail National Trophy in 1958.
Johnston won the 1952 New Zealand Championship
, and he rode for Australasian teams in England and on the continent.
Dunedin
Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...
, 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 for the 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...
. He also rode in four World Finals
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...
(1955
1955 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1955 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1955 London, Wembley Stadium...
, 1957
1957 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*21 September 1957 London, Wembley Stadium...
, 1958
1958 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 20, 1958 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: E. G. Cope-Classification:...
and 1960
1960 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1960 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 8, 1960 London, Wembley Stadium...
) during his career finishing a best 5th in 1960.
Career
Johnston began riding at the Tahuna Park track in Dunedin in 1949. He moved to England in 1950 and joined the Belle Vue Aces. In his first season he was at first loaned out to the Belfast Bees and the Sheffield TigersSheffield 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...
before establishing himself as a member of the Belle Vue team. He captained the team from 1957 until his retirement at the end of 1961. Under his captaincy Belle Vue won the Britannia Shield three times, and the Daily Mail National Trophy in 1958.
Johnston won the 1952 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...
, and he rode for Australasian teams in England and on the continent.
World Final Appearances
- 19551955 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1955 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1955 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 - 12th - 6pts - 19571957 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*21 September 1957 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 - 6th - 9pts - 19581958 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1958 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 20, 1958 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: E. G. Cope-Classification:...
- 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 - 8pts - 19601960 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1960 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 8, 1960 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 - 5th - 10pts