Sunderland Stars
Encyclopedia
The Sunderland Stars were a motorcycle speedway
team who raced at the Sunderland Greyhound Stadium from 1971 until 1974 in the National League
when Len Silver
acted as promoter on behalf of Allied Presentations Ltd.
In 1974 the club came under new ownership and were nicknamed the "Gladiators".
Speedway
was also in operation at the venue for part of one season when 8 meetings were staged in 1964 under the "Saints" nickname. The Saints introduced Aussies Jim Airey
and Gordon Gausco to British 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...
team who raced at the Sunderland Greyhound Stadium from 1971 until 1974 in the National League
Speedway National League
The National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second division...
when Len Silver
Len Silver
Len Silver is a former speedway rider and is currently promoter of the Rye House Rockets.-Racing career:Silver stopped racing in 1957 but returned to the Ipswich Witches in 1960 after a layoff due to injury...
acted as promoter on behalf of Allied Presentations Ltd.
In 1974 the club came under new ownership and were nicknamed the "Gladiators".
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...
was also in operation at the venue for part of one season when 8 meetings were staged in 1964 under the "Saints" nickname. The Saints introduced Aussies Jim Airey
Jim Airey
James Sydney "Jim" Airey is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the 1971 World Final in Göteborg, Sweden and was a member of the Great Britain team that won the 1971 Speedway World Team Cup in Wrocław, Poland.-Australia:Jim Airey started racing Speedway in the early-1960s,...
and Gordon Gausco to British Speedway.
Notable riders
- Jim AireyJim AireyJames Sydney "Jim" Airey is a former international motorcycle speedway rider who rode in the 1971 World Final in Göteborg, Sweden and was a member of the Great Britain team that won the 1971 Speedway World Team Cup in Wrocław, Poland.-Australia:Jim Airey started racing Speedway in the early-1960s,...
- Brian HavelockBrian HavelockRobert Brian Havelock is a former motorcycle speedway rider is the current team manager of the Redcar Bears who compete in the Premier League. His son Gary Havelock is captain of the Bears and was the 1992 World Champion....
- Gordon GuascoGordon GuascoGordon Guasco is a former Australian Motorcycle speedway rider who was a favourite at both the Sydney Showground Speedway and Liverpool Speedway...
- Vic HardingVic HardingVic Harding was a motorcycle speedway rider.-Career:Harding began at the Rye House training school in 1970 run by Len Silver and spent several seasons trying to break into a league team....
- Russ Dent
- Jack Millen
- George BarclayGeorge Barclay (speedway rider)George Barclay is a former speedway rider who started his career with the West Ham Hammers in the British League in 1966....