Todd Wiltshire
Encyclopedia
Todd Wiltshire is a retired Australian motorcycle speedway
rider who competed at the highest level of the sport, finishing a career best third in the 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship
at the Odsal Stadium
in Bradford
, England
.
Mini-Cycle Club, giving his older sister Fiona the credit for getting him started in racing saying she was his inspiration through her own involvement in dirt track racing. Wiltshire won numerous junior titles before capturing the Australian 500cc championship in his first senior year in 1986.
Seeking a new challenge Wiltshire turned to Speedway in late 1986 and won the ACT
Championship in both 1987 and 1988 at the Tralee Speedway
in Australia's capital city Canberra
and quickly established himself as one of the most promising young riders in Australia. He won his first major senior title in 1990 taking out the New South Wales
Championship at his home track, the Newcastle Motordrome
, which had become the centre of Solo racing in NSW following the closure of the Liverpool Speedway
in 1989 and with the Sydney Showground Speedway
only holding one or two meetings per year. Unfortunately family commitments kept him out of the Australian Final at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground
but he was seeded directly into the Commonwealth Final at the Belle Vue Stadium
in Manchester
, England
where he finished a respectable 6th to qualify for the Intercontinental Final. Wiltshire finished 11th in Vojens
in Denmark
to be the only Australian and final qualifier for the World Final in Bradford.
Todd Wiltshire finished a surprise 3rd at the World Final in Bradford in 1990, winning 3 of his 5 rides and finishing only one point behind winner Per Jonsson
of Sweden
and Shawn Moran
of the USA
(Moran was later stripped of his 2nd place after it was revealled he had failed a drug test at the Overseas Final in Coventry
, England. The FIM
did not upgrade the standings and the official records show no second place rider). Big things were expected of him during the 1990/91 Australian season but he suffered something of a form slump. After losing his NSW crown to Craig Boyce
he would only manage 5th in the Australian Championship at the 402m Arunga Park Speedway in Alice Springs, though he paired with Boyce (who won the individual title) to win the Australian Pairs Championship a night earlier.
He did end the 90/91 Australian season on a bright note by finishing second to local rider Shane Bowes
in the West End Speedway International at the 510m Wayville Showgrounds in Adelaide
. 1980 World Champion
Michael Lee
, maing a comback after 5 years out of the sport, finished 3rd. Wiltshire then went on to become the first Australian rider to win the now defunct Mr. Melbourne title at the 610m long Royal Melbourne Showgrounds
.
Wiltshire headed back to the UK
but failed to re-capture his previous seasons form and the World #3 failed to make the World Final in 1991
. After again finishing runner up in the 1992 NSW title to Mick Poole at the Nepean Speedway in north west Sydney, Wiltshire qualified to ride in the 1992 Australian Championship to be held at the 300m North Arm Speedway
in Adelaide. During his first ride of the meeting (Heat 3), and after leading ¾ of the race he was passed on the inside of the back straight by Victoria
's Jason Lyons
. Going into turn 3 Wiltshire fell while attempting to pass Lyons and slid into the safety fence suffering terrible back injuries and multiple fractures of the Pelvis. Thankfully his Spinal Cord was not damaged, however the injuries were bad enough that the 23 year old Wiltshire decided to retire from racing.
After making a comeback to racing in Germany
during 1997, Wiltshire won his first Australian Solo Championship in 1999 at the Olympic Park Speedway in Mildura. He then went on to win the NSW Championship in 2000 and 2001 before winning his second Australian title at the Riverview Speedway
in Murray Bridge. After finishing 4th in 2002, Wiltshire returned to the podium in 2003 finishing second. He would finish 3rd in 2004 before finishing second again in 2006, following which he announced his retirement from racing.
In 2011, the Kurri Kurri
Speedway club decided to honor Wiltshire as one of the Hunter Region's former Solo riders by incorporating the Todd Wiltshire Cup for junior solo riders. The inaugural meeting was won by NSW rider Jack Holder who scored a perfect 15pt maximum. Brady Krutz from Cowra
and Max Fricke from Victoria rounded out the podium places with Wiltshire himself on hand to award the winners trophy's.
in the Premier League
, helping the Dons to finish runners-up in the Knock-Out Cup in 1988 and second in the National League
in 1989. Wiltshire also won the Scottish Open Championship in 1989.
Wiltshire moved up to the first division
in 1990 with Reading
where he was voted British speedway rider of the year after finishing third in the World Final at Bradford. While with Reading, Wiltshire would win both the British League
and Elite League Knockout Cup
in 1990.
Although Wiltshire retired at the end of the 2006 season, he made a short-lived but successful comeback in 2006 for the Oxford Cheetahs
before retiring for the last time.
in a bid to gain a place in the Speedway Grand Prix
after being denied a license to race in the United Kingdom
. Though he won the German Individual Championship
in both 1997 and 1998, he failed to qualify for the SGP until 2000
.
to be held at the Odsal Stadium
in Bradford
, England
. He would surprise further by finishing 3rd, only 1 point behind Per Jonsson
of Sweden
and Shawn Moran
of the United States
(Moran was later stripped of 2nd place after failing a drug test at the Overseas Final 3 months prior to the World Final).
Wiltshire followed up his 3rd placing in the Individual Final with 2nd in the 1990 Speedway World Pairs Championship
in Landshut
, Germany paired with fellow Aussie Leigh Adams
. The pair finished 2 points behind defending champions Jan O. Pedersen
and Hans Nielsen
of Denmark
. Wiltshire was the meetings top point scorer with 25 points from his 6 rides (3 wins, a second and two third placings).
Following his win in the Australian Championship in 1999, Wiltshire was given a birth in the Overseas Final. He finished 4th to easily qualify for the Intercontinental Final. He won the 1999 IC Final which gave him an automatic berth in the 2000 Speedway Grand Prix. He would ride in the SGP from 2000 until 2003 though he never managed to achieve higher than second place in a Grand Prix event.
Wiltshire was also part of the Australian team which won the 1999 Speedway World Team Cup
, the first time since 1976 that Australia had won the title. He repeated the success in both 2001
and 2002
(the Speedway World Team Cup
was replaced after 1999 with the Speedway World Cup
).
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 competed at the highest level of the sport, finishing a career best third in the 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship
1990 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Continental Final:*August 12, 1990 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond-North American Final:*June 2, 1990 Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium-Scandinavian Final:*June 9, 1990 Linköping, Motorstadium...
at the Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Australia
Todd Wiltshire started racing in 1979 at the Lake MacquarieLake Macquarie
The City of Lake Macquarie is a Local Government Area in New South Wales, Australia, approximately north of Sydney. It is immediately adjacent to the city of Newcastle and was proclaimed as a city from 7 September 1984.-The City of Lake Macquarie:...
Mini-Cycle Club, giving his older sister Fiona the credit for getting him started in racing saying she was his inspiration through her own involvement in dirt track racing. Wiltshire won numerous junior titles before capturing the Australian 500cc championship in his first senior year in 1986.
Seeking a new challenge Wiltshire turned to Speedway in late 1986 and won the ACT
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
Championship in both 1987 and 1988 at the Tralee Speedway
Tralee Speedway
The Tralee Speedway was a Dirt track racing venue located in Jerrabomberra on the New South Wales side of the ACT/NSW border near Canberra, the capital city of Australia. The speedway was home to several drivers who went on to become Australian national and state champions...
in Australia's capital city Canberra
Canberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
and quickly established himself as one of the most promising young riders in Australia. He won his first major senior title in 1990 taking out the 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...
Championship at his home track, the Newcastle Motordrome
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...
, which had become the centre of Solo racing in NSW following the closure of the Liverpool Speedway
Liverpool Speedway
Liverpool Speedway was located in Green Valley, Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Liverpool was opened by Frank Oliveri, the mayor of Liverpool at the time, and ran until its sudden and unexpected closure in 1989...
in 1989 and with the Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway
Sydney Showground Speedway, originally known as the Speedway Royal and later the Speedway Royale but often referred to as just The Royale or The Showground, was a dirt Dirt track racing venue at the old Sydney Showground used from 1926 until 1996....
only holding one or two meetings per year. Unfortunately family commitments kept him out of the Australian Final at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground
Brisbane Exhibition Ground
The Brisbane Exhibition Ground , is a showground established in Brisbane during 1875 especially for Ekka . The Exhibition ground is owned and operated by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland...
but he was seeded directly into the Commonwealth Final at the Belle Vue Stadium
Belle Vue Stadium
Belle Vue Stadium is a greyhound racing track in Belle Vue, Manchester where the very first race around an oval track in Britain was held on 24 July 1926. It is also used for speedway as the home ground of Elite League team Belle Vue Aces since 1988 and since 1999 has British Stock Car Association...
in Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he finished a respectable 6th to qualify for the Intercontinental Final. Wiltshire finished 11th in Vojens
Vojens
Vojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
to be the only Australian and final qualifier for the World Final in Bradford.
Todd Wiltshire finished a surprise 3rd at the World Final in Bradford in 1990, winning 3 of his 5 rides and finishing only one point behind winner Per Jonsson
Per Jonsson
Per Jonsson is a former speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1990, and finished runner-up in 1992.In 1985, his second season with the Reading Racers, the team won six major trophies...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Shawn Moran
Shawn Moran
Shawn Moran is a retired former professional speedway rider who was one of the most popular and talented riders ever to race for Sheffield Tigers who also represented USA....
of the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Moran was later stripped of his 2nd place after it was revealled he had failed a drug test at the Overseas Final in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, England. The FIM
Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme
The Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme is the governing body of motorcycle racing. It represents 103 national motorcycle federations that are divided into six regional continental unions....
did not upgrade the standings and the official records show no second place rider). Big things were expected of him during the 1990/91 Australian season but he suffered something of a form slump. After losing his NSW crown to Craig Boyce
Craig Boyce
Craig Boyce was a motorcycle speedway rider who primarily rode for the Poole Pirates in the British Elite League...
he would only manage 5th in the Australian Championship at the 402m Arunga Park Speedway in Alice Springs, though he paired with Boyce (who won the individual title) to win the Australian Pairs Championship a night earlier.
He did end the 90/91 Australian season on a bright note by finishing second to local rider Shane Bowes
Shane Bowes
Shane Bowes is a former Motorcycle speedway rider. Bowes was a finalist in the 1990 Under-21 Speedway World Championship, finishing in eighth place...
in the West End Speedway International at the 510m Wayville Showgrounds in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
. 1980 World Champion
1980 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1980 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 5, 1980 Göteborg, Ullevi...
Michael Lee
Michael Lee (speedway rider)
Michael Andrew Lee is a former international speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1980...
, maing a comback after 5 years out of the sport, finished 3rd. Wiltshire then went on to become the first Australian rider to win the now defunct Mr. Melbourne title at the 610m long Royal Melbourne Showgrounds
Royal Melbourne Showgrounds
The Melbourne Showgrounds is located in the inner north-western suburb of Ascot Vale, Victoria, Australia, next door to Flemington Racecourse. Is the home of the annual Royal Melbourne Show, as well as major exhibitions, trade shows, and music concerts....
.
Wiltshire headed back to the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
but failed to re-capture his previous seasons form and the World #3 failed to make the World Final in 1991
1991 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1991 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 31, 1991 Göteborg, Ullevi...
. After again finishing runner up in the 1992 NSW title to Mick Poole at the Nepean Speedway in north west Sydney, Wiltshire qualified to ride in the 1992 Australian Championship to be held at the 300m North Arm Speedway
North Arm Speedway
North Arm Speedway was the first dedicated motorcycle speedway ever built in Adelaide, South Australia and was located in the industrial suburb of Gillman...
in Adelaide. During his first ride of the meeting (Heat 3), and after leading ¾ of the race he was passed on the inside of the back straight by Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
's Jason Lyons
Jason Lyons
Jason Rodney Lyons is an Australian international Motorcycle speedway rider currently riding for the Redcar Bears in the British Premier League. Jason is the son of former rider Rod Lyons...
. Going into turn 3 Wiltshire fell while attempting to pass Lyons and slid into the safety fence suffering terrible back injuries and multiple fractures of the Pelvis. Thankfully his Spinal Cord was not damaged, however the injuries were bad enough that the 23 year old Wiltshire decided to retire from racing.
After making a comeback to racing in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
during 1997, Wiltshire won his first Australian Solo Championship in 1999 at the Olympic Park Speedway in Mildura. He then went on to win the NSW Championship in 2000 and 2001 before winning his second Australian title at the Riverview Speedway
Riverview Speedway
Riverview Speedway, sometimes referred to as Murray Bridge Speedway is a Dirt track racing venue that is located in the town of Murray Bridge, South Australia, only 66 km from Adelaide. Racing at the speedway generally takes place between September and May meetings are held every second...
in Murray Bridge. After finishing 4th in 2002, Wiltshire returned to the podium in 2003 finishing second. He would finish 3rd in 2004 before finishing second again in 2006, following which he announced his retirement from racing.
In 2011, the Kurri Kurri
Kurri Kurri, New South Wales
Kurri Kurri is a small town in the Hunter Region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Cessnock LGA. At the 2006 census its population was 5,644...
Speedway club decided to honor Wiltshire as one of the Hunter Region's former Solo riders by incorporating the Todd Wiltshire Cup for junior solo riders. The inaugural meeting was won by NSW rider Jack Holder who scored a perfect 15pt maximum. Brady Krutz from Cowra
Cowra, New South Wales
Cowra is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia in the Cowra Shire. It is located on the Mid-Western Highway, 317 kilometres west of Sydney on the banks of the Lachlan River at an altitude of 310 metres above sea level. At the 2006 census Cowra had a population of 8,430...
and Max Fricke from Victoria rounded out the podium places with Wiltshire himself on hand to award the winners trophy's.
England
Starting in 1988, Todd Wiltshire rode for the Wimbledon DonsWimbledon 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...
in 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...
, helping the Dons to finish runners-up in the Knock-Out Cup in 1988 and second 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...
in 1989. Wiltshire also won the Scottish Open Championship in 1989.
Wiltshire moved up to the first division
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
in 1990 with Reading
Reading Racers
Reading Racers were a British motorcycle speedway team. Formed in 1968, they won four British League titles during their history...
where he was voted British speedway rider of the year after finishing third in the World Final at Bradford. While with Reading, Wiltshire would win both the British League
Speedway British League
The British League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1965 until 1995 when it became known as the Premier League. Prior to 1965 the division had been known as the National League....
and Elite League Knockout Cup
Elite League Knockout Cup
The Elite League Knockout Cup is a speedway cup competition in the United Kingdom governed by the Speedway Control Board in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . The teams from the top division of league racing, the Elite League, take part...
in 1990.
Although Wiltshire retired at the end of the 2006 season, he made a short-lived but successful comeback in 2006 for the Oxford Cheetahs
Oxford Cheetahs
The Oxford Cheetahs were a British Speedway team based in Oxford, England. From 1972 to 1975 they were known as Oxford Rebels, which was the name the team took to White City in 1976 as White City Rebels. The new Oxford team, in the National League, took back the name of Cheetahs...
before retiring for the last time.
Germany
Following his crash at the 1992 Australian Championships which had forced his retirement, Todd Wiltshire made a comeback in 1997, riding in GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in a bid to gain a place in the Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
after being denied a license to race in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. Though he won the German Individual Championship
German Individual Speedway Championship
The German Individual Speedway Championship is a Motorcycle speedway championship held each year to determine the German national champion.-Winners since 1969:...
in both 1997 and 1998, he failed to qualify for the SGP until 2000
2000 Speedway Grand Prix
The 2000 Speedway Grand Prix season was the sixth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes...
.
International
Todd Wiltshire first made his mark on the international scene when he was a surprise qualifier for the 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship1990 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Continental Final:*August 12, 1990 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond-North American Final:*June 2, 1990 Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium-Scandinavian Final:*June 9, 1990 Linköping, Motorstadium...
to be held at the Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium
Odsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. He would surprise further by finishing 3rd, only 1 point behind Per Jonsson
Per Jonsson
Per Jonsson is a former speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1990, and finished runner-up in 1992.In 1985, his second season with the Reading Racers, the team won six major trophies...
of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and Shawn Moran
Shawn Moran
Shawn Moran is a retired former professional speedway rider who was one of the most popular and talented riders ever to race for Sheffield Tigers who also represented USA....
of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(Moran was later stripped of 2nd place after failing a drug test at the Overseas Final 3 months prior to the World Final).
Wiltshire followed up his 3rd placing in the Individual Final with 2nd in the 1990 Speedway World Pairs Championship
1990 Speedway World Pairs Championship
The 1990 Speedway World Pairs Championship was the twenty-first FIM Speedway World Pairs Championship. The final took place in Landshut, Germany...
in Landshut
Landshut
Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany, belonging to both Eastern and Southern Bavaria. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the...
, Germany paired with fellow Aussie Leigh Adams
Leigh Adams
Leigh Scott Adams is an Australian motorcycle speedway rider. He is a multiple Speedway Grand Prix winner and World Team Champion...
. The pair finished 2 points behind defending champions Jan O. Pedersen
Jan O. Pedersen
Jan Osvald Pedersen is a former Speedway rider who became Speedway World Champion in 1991 after finishing runner-up in 1986 and in third place in 1988 behind fellow Danes Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen...
and Hans Nielsen
Hans Nielsen (speedway rider)
Hans Hollen Nielsen - a prominent speedway rider active from the 1970s to the late 1990s; a former World Champion....
of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. Wiltshire was the meetings top point scorer with 25 points from his 6 rides (3 wins, a second and two third placings).
Following his win in the Australian Championship in 1999, Wiltshire was given a birth in the Overseas Final. He finished 4th to easily qualify for the Intercontinental Final. He won the 1999 IC Final which gave him an automatic berth in the 2000 Speedway Grand Prix. He would ride in the SGP from 2000 until 2003 though he never managed to achieve higher than second place in a Grand Prix event.
Wiltshire was also part of the Australian team which won the 1999 Speedway World Team Cup
1999 Speedway World Team Cup
-Venue : Veenord, Holland:Holland, Austria and Croatia to Quarter-Final-Venue : Lonigo, Italy:Australia to Semi-Final-Venue : Abensberg, Germany:Germany to Semi-Final-Venue : Poole, England:Great Britain to World Final...
, the first time since 1976 that Australia had won the title. He repeated the success in both 2001
2001 Speedway World Cup
The 2001 Speedway World Cup was the 1st FIM Speedway World Cup season. The Final took place on 7 July 2008 in Wrocław, Poland. The tournament was won by Australia and they beat host team Poland , Sweden , Denmark and United States in the Final.-Qualification:The two group winners and runners-up...
and 2002
2002 Speedway World Cup
The 2002 Speedway World Cup was the 2nd FIM Speedway World Cup season. The Final took place on August 10, 2002 in Peterborough, Great Britain...
(the Speedway World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
was replaced after 1999 with the Speedway World Cup
Speedway World Cup
The Speedway World Cup is an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first edition of the competition in the current format was in 2001 and it replaced the old World Team Cup competition.-Format:...
).
World Final Appearances
- 19901990 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Continental Final:*August 12, 1990 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond-North American Final:*June 2, 1990 Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium-Scandinavian Final:*June 9, 1990 Linköping, Motorstadium...
-
United Kingdom BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Odsal StadiumOdsal StadiumOdsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
- 3rd - 12pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Round Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 2000 Speedway Grand Prix The 2000 Speedway Grand Prix season was the sixth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
8th | 63 | Third | 16,18,7,7,3,12 |
| 2001 2001 Speedway Grand Prix The 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season was the seventh season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
8th | 56 | Sixth | 14,14,14,6,3,5 |
| 2002 2002 Speedway Grand Prix The 2002 Speedway Grand Prix season is the eighth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
15th | 63 | Second | 11,8,20,6,1,2,7,2,2,4 |
| 2003 2003 Speedway Grand Prix The 2003 Speedway Grand Prix season is the ninth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
19th | 30 | Fourteenth | 2,5,5,2,1,6,3,3,3 |