St Austell Gulls
Encyclopedia
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
. In 1997 the team rode at the Clay Country Moto Parc until the club finally closed in 2000.
, Vic Duggan
and Bill Kitchen
.
In 1949 the track operated under an open licence but ran a series of meetings under the team names, the St Austell Pixies and St Austell Badgers before finally settling on the Gulls nickname.
In 1950 the Gulls entered National League Division Three
and competed again in 1951. In 1952 they entered the Southern League, finishing bottom and again the following season but rising just the one place. Former West Ham Hammers
and Harringay Racers
star George Newton
managed the team, having ridden for the Gulls in 1951. In 1954 the Southern League was disbanded. Without a league to race in, the Gulls applied to join the National League Division Two
. However, the Speedway Control Board decided against giving the club a licence and the riders were reallocated.
, although the Neath Dragons did finish off their 1962 Provinicial League fixtures at the stadium under promoter Trevor Redmond
. Redmond promoted the Gulls in 1963 but it turned out to be their only season of league racing until 1997.
, which was replaced eventually by a double decker bus. The Gulls entered the Amateur League, which became the Speedway Conference League
.
The track was rather rutted as it bedded in but by the start of the 1998 season, the team of mainly local riders started to become a solid outfit. Future 2007 British Speedway Grand Prix
winner Chris Harris
made his League debut at just fifteen years of age. By then end of the season the team had completed the League Championship and Knockout Cup double.
In 1999 the Gulls retained the Knockout Cup. The Gulls final season came in 2000 when it was becoming obvious the club was ready to join the Premier League
. The current owners of the club felt that they could not take the club further and the track lease was handed over to another consortium who opened up in 2001 as the Trelawny Tigers
.
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...
team which operated from 1949 until their closure in 1964 at the Cornish Stadium at Par
Par, Cornwall
Par is a town and fishing port with a harbour on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The town is situated in the civil parish of Tywardreath and Par and is approximately east of St Austell. Par has a population of around 1,400.....
, St Austell
St Austell
St Austell is a civil parish and a major town in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the south coast approximately ten miles south of Bodmin and 30 miles west of the border with Devon at Saltash...
in Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
. In 1997 the team rode at the Clay Country Moto Parc until the club finally closed in 2000.
1949-1954
The Cornish Stadium took two years to build but once in place works started on the track which was designed by famous riders, Jack ParkerJack Parker (speedway rider)
Jack Parker was an international speedway rider who made his debut at the Whitsun meeting at High Beech in 1928. He was born in Birmingham England.-Brief career summary:...
, Vic Duggan
Vic Duggan
Victor 'Vic' Duggan was a Speedway who won the London Riders' Championship in 1947 whilst with the Harringay Racers....
and Bill Kitchen
Bill Kitchen (speedway rider)
William Kitchen is a former international speedway rider who started his career with the Belle Vue Aces in 1933.-Career summary:...
.
In 1949 the track operated under an open licence but ran a series of meetings under the team names, the St Austell Pixies and St Austell Badgers before finally settling on the Gulls nickname.
In 1950 the Gulls entered National League Division Three
Speedway National League Division Three
The National League Division Three was the third division of Speedway in the United Kingdom. The league was created as a third tier in 1947 but ran for only 5 years. In 1952 it was replaced by more regional leagues such as the Southern League.-References:...
and competed again in 1951. In 1952 they entered the Southern League, finishing bottom and again the following season but rising just the one place. Former West Ham Hammers
West Ham Hammers
The West Ham Hammers were a speedway team, first promoted by Jimmy Baxter in 1929.. They operated from the West Ham Stadium until the outbreak of World War II under several different promotions, most successfully under the control of Johnnie Hoskins....
and Harringay Racers
Harringay Racers (speedway)
The Harringay Racers were a motorcycle speedway team who raced at the Harringay Stadium from 1947 until 1954 in the National League Division One....
star George Newton
George Newton (speedway rider)
George Newton is a former international speedway rider who featured in the first Speedway World Championship in final in 1936.-Career summary:...
managed the team, having ridden for the Gulls in 1951. In 1954 the Southern League was disbanded. Without a league to race in, the Gulls applied to join the National League Division Two
Speedway National League Division Two
The National League Division Two was the second tier of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. The competition was founded in 1938 following a competition named "The National Provincial League". Following World War II the second tier of racing was entitled "The Northern League" in 1946...
. However, the Speedway Control Board decided against giving the club a licence and the riders were reallocated.
1962-63
League racing was not seen again at the stadium until 1963 when the Gulls entered the Provincial LeagueSpeedway Provincial League
The Provincial League was a league competition for speedway teams in the United Kingdom which operated alongside the National League for five years between 1960 and 1964.-History:The Provincial League was formed in the winter of 1959/60...
, although the Neath Dragons did finish off their 1962 Provinicial League fixtures at the stadium under promoter Trevor Redmond
Trevor Redmond
Trevor Redmond - died 1997) was a speedway rider who mainly rode for the Aldershot Shots, and the Wembley Lions. Redmond also opened a speedway track in Neath, Wales in 1962.-Rider:...
. Redmond promoted the Gulls in 1963 but it turned out to be their only season of league racing until 1997.
1997-2000
In 1997 permission was give to build a track in a disused china clay pit. A small track was built with vey basic facilities, the referee's control room was a converted caravanTravel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
, which was replaced eventually by a double decker bus. The Gulls entered the Amateur League, which became the Speedway Conference League
Speedway Conference League
The Conference League was the third and lowest division of motorcycle speedway racing in the United Kingdom governed by the Speedway Control Board , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . The other leagues being the Elite League and Premier League. The League consisted of...
.
The track was rather rutted as it bedded in but by the start of the 1998 season, the team of mainly local riders started to become a solid outfit. Future 2007 British Speedway Grand Prix
2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain
The 2007 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain was the fifth race of the 2007 Speedway Grand Prix season. It took place on 30th June in the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, United Kingdom.- Starting positions draw :...
winner Chris Harris
Chris Harris (speedway rider)
Christopher Calvin "Chris" Harris in Truro, Cornwall, nicknamed Bomber, is a Great Britain international speedway rider for the Belle Vue Aces in the United Kingdom.- Early career :...
made his League debut at just fifteen years of age. By then end of the season the team had completed the League Championship and Knockout Cup double.
In 1999 the Gulls retained the Knockout Cup. The Gulls final season came in 2000 when it was becoming obvious the club was ready to join the Premier League
Speedway Premier League
The Premier League is the second division of Speedway in the United Kingdom and goverened by the Speedway Control Board , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . The Premier League was founded in 1995 when it replaced the British League as the first division...
. The current owners of the club felt that they could not take the club further and the track lease was handed over to another consortium who opened up in 2001 as the Trelawny Tigers
Trelawny Tigers
Trelawny Tigers operated as a British Premier League Speedway team during the 2001-2003 seasons at the Clay Country Moto Parc. The track, 230m in length, was unique in its setting being situated in a disused china clay pit near St Austell, Cornwall...
.