Ronnie Moore (speedway rider)
Encyclopedia
Ronnie Moore MBE
(born 8 March 1933 in Hobart
, Tasmania
) is a former international Speedway
rider. His family moved to New Zealand
when he was still a child and although Moore was born in Australia
, he has always considered himself to be a New Zealander
.
, New Zealand in 1949 at the age of 15. He moved to England and rode for the Wimbledon Dons
from 1950 to 1956. In 1957 and 1958 he switched his attention to motor racing, but returned to ride for the Dons in late 1958 and stayed with them until 1963 when he decided to retire from racing after breaking his leg in a track crash. He began riding again in New Zealand in the mid 1960s and made a comeback with Wimbledon in 1969 and reached the World Final
at the age of thirty-six. In 1970 he won the World Pairs Championship
with Ivan Mauger
. He retired from racing in the British League at the end of 1972 but continued riding speedway until 1975 when he suffered severe head injuries in a crash at Jerilderie Park Speedway
in New South Wales
.
Moore won the New Zealand Championship
in 1956, 1962, 1968 and 1969.
. He won the championship in 1954 and again in 1959. Ronnie also finished runner up on three further occasions. His first win was all the more notable given the facts that he was still only twenty-one years of age, that he was riding with a broken leg and that he won with a maximum score.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 8 March 1933 in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
) is a former international 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. His family moved to 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...
when he was still a child and although Moore was born in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, he has always considered himself to be a New Zealander
New Zealanders
New Zealanders, colloquially known as Kiwis, are citizens of New Zealand. New Zealand is a multiethnic society, and home to people of many different national origins...
.
Career
Ronnie began riding at the Aranui Speedway 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...
, New Zealand in 1949 at the age of 15. He moved to England and rode for 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...
from 1950 to 1956. In 1957 and 1958 he switched his attention to motor racing, but returned to ride for the Dons in late 1958 and stayed with them until 1963 when he decided to retire from racing after breaking his leg in a track crash. He began riding again in New Zealand in the mid 1960s and made a comeback with Wimbledon in 1969 and reached the World Final
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...
at the age of thirty-six. In 1970 he won 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...
. He retired from racing in the British League at the end of 1972 but continued riding speedway until 1975 when he suffered severe head injuries in a crash at Jerilderie Park Speedway
Newcastle Motordrome
Newcastle Motordrome was a Dirt track racing venue located on the Old Punt Road in Tomago, New South Wales, just north of the Hunter River and north of the city of Newcastle. The ¼ Mile speedway operated from its opening in 1977 until it was sold in 2002...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Moore 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...
in 1956, 1962, 1968 and 1969.
World Individual Championship
In 1950 at the age of 17, Ronnie was the youngest rider ever to qualify for the final of the Speedway World ChampionshipSpeedway 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...
. He won the championship in 1954 and again in 1959. Ronnie also finished runner up on three further occasions. His first win was all the more notable given the facts that he was still only twenty-one years of age, that he was riding with a broken leg and that he won with a maximum score.
World final appearances
- 19501950 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1950 Individual Speedway World Championship.Speedway riders from New Zealand, Wales and Republic of Ireland was started in World Championship first time.:# Freddie Williams# Wally Green# Graham Warren-Qualification:...
- 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 - 10th - 7pts - 19511951 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1951 Individual Speedway World Championship.Speedway riders from Sweden, Scotland and Republic of South Africa was started in World Championship first time...
- 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 - 4th - 11pts - 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...
- 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 - 4th - 10pts - 19531953 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1953 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*17 September 1953 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 - 19541954 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1954 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1954 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 - Winner - 15pts - 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 - 2nd - 12pts + 3pts - 19561956 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1956 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 22, 1956 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 - 2nd - 12pts - 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 - 6th - 9pts - 19591959 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1959 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 19, 1959 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 - Winner - 15pts - 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 - 2nd - 14pts + 2pts - 19611961 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1961 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 15, 1961 Malmö, Malmö Stadion...
- Sweden MalmöMalmöMalmö , in the southernmost province of Scania, is the third most populous city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg.Malmö is the seat of Malmö Municipality and the capital of Skåne County...
, Malmö StadionMalmö StadionMalmö Stadion is a multi-purpose stadium in Malmö, Sweden which is currently the home of Swedish football Division 4 club IFK Malmö and athletics club MAI...
- 6th - 10pts - 19621962 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1962 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 8, 1962 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: C. H. King-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 - 5th - 9pts - 19691969 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1969 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 5, 1969 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 - 11th - 6pts - 19701970 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1970 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1970 Wrocław, Olympic Stadium...
- Poland WroclawWroclawWrocław , situated on the River Oder , is the main city of southwestern Poland.Wrocław was the historical capital of Silesia and is today the capital of the Lower Silesian Voivodeship. Over the centuries, the city has been part of either Poland, Bohemia, Austria, Prussia, or Germany, but since 1945...
, Olympic StadiumOlympic Stadium (Wroclaw)Olympic Stadium in Wrocław is a multi-purpose stadium in Wrocław, Poland. It is currently used mostly for football matches and speedway racing. It serves as the home stadium of Atlas Wrocław. The stadium has a capacity of 35,000 people and was opened in 1935. The stadium was supposed to be used...
- Reserve - Did Not Ride - 19711971 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1971 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 10, 1971 Göteborg, UlleviNote : Vladimir Gordeev was disqualified after illegal additives were found in his fuel.-Heat by Heat Classification:...
- Sweden Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 10th - 5pts