1951 Speedway National League Division Two

Summary

The League was extended again with 18 teams starting the season. New entrants were Motherwell Eagles and there were again three teams promoted from Division Three - the champions Oxford Cheetahs, third-place finishers Leicester Hunters and Liverpool Chads (despite finishing 8th). Plymouth Devils moved back down in the opposite direction.

Norwich Stars retained their league title, while Cradley Heath, Edinburgh and Norwich won the early season shield competitions.

Another rider was killed at the Firs Stadium (a fourth in five years). Twenty-one-year-old Bob Howes died after hitting the fence during a training practice race on 10 November 1951.

Southampton Saints and Sheffield Tigers resigned in mid-season and their records were expunged. Jimmy Baxter Director of Southern Speedways withdrew Southampton from the league largely due to 45% entertainment duty imposed by the government. and they had their results expunged.

Final table

Fixtures & results

Top five riders (league only)

National Trophy Stage Two

• For Stage One - see Stage One
• For Stage Three - see Stage Three

The 1951 National Trophy was the 14th edition of the Knockout Cup. The Trophy consisted of three stages; stage one was for the third division clubs, stage two was for the second division clubs and stage three was for the top-tier clubs. The winner of stage one would qualify for stage two and the winner of stage two would qualify for the third and final stage. Norwich won stage two and therefore qualified for stage three.

Second Division qualifying first round

Second Division Qualifying Second round

Second Division Qualifying quarterfinals

Second Division Qualifying semifinals

Second Division Qualifying final

First leg Phil Clarke 17 Bob Leverenz 16 Paddy Mills 11 Fred Pawson 10 Jack Freeman 10 Alec Hunter 9 Fred Rogers 6 Bill Codling 4 Benny King 7 Pete Lansdale 6 Harry Edwards 5 Jimmy Grant 3 Alby Smith 2 Sid Clarke 1 Jim Boyd 1 Reg Reeves 0 Second leg Jim Boyd 12 Benny King 12 Archie Windmill 7 Reg Reeves 6 Harry Edwards 5 Pete Lansdale 4 Sid Clarke 2 Jimmy Grant 2 Bob Leverenz 18 Fred Rogers 10 Phil Clarke 9 Jack Freeman 7 Fred Pawson 6 Alec Hunter 6 Paddy Mills 2 Bill Codling 0

Shields

Southern Shield

Central Shield

Northern Shield

Midland Cup

Leicester won the inaugural Midland Cup, which consisted of eight teams. There was one team from division 1, five teams from division 2 and two teams from division 3.

First round

Second round

Semi final round

Final

First leg Graham Warren 14 Alan Hunt 11 Ron Mountford 10 Eric Boothroyd 7 Lionel Watling 3 Cyril Page 2 Roy Browning 1 Jim Tolley 0 Len Williams 14 Les Beaumont 10 Fred Perkins 7 Johnny Carpenter 7 Lionel Benson 4 Laurie Holland 4 Harwood Pike 2 Vic Pitcher 0

Second leg Len Williams 13 Lionel Benson 10 Fred Perkins 9 Johnny Carpenter 7 Les Beaumont 3 Harwood Pike 2 Laurie Holland 4 Jock Grierson 2 Graham Warren 11 Alan Hunt 10 Eric Boothroyd 6 Ron Mountford 10 Cyril Page 4 Lionel Watling 3 Jim Tolley 2 Roy Browning 0

Leicester won on aggregate 98–94

Riders & final averages

Ashfield

• 9.02
• 8.57
• 7.30
• 6.20
• 6.17
• 6.07
• 5.61
• 4.46
• 4.39
• 2.74

Coventry

• 8.48
• 8.21
• 8.04
• 6.99
• 6.24
• 5.91
• 5.63
• 5.85
• 5.58
• 5.26
• 4.73

Cradley Heath

• 9.00
• 6.76
• 8.56
• 7.86
• 6.55
• 6.51
• 6.14
• 5.15
• 4.43
• 4.00
• 3.52
• 1.74

Edinburgh

• 11.72
• 8.45
• 8.15
• 7.36
• 7.11
• 5.74
• 5.38
• 3.45
• 3.00
• 2.53
• 2.45

Fleetwood

• 8.00
• 7.93
• 7.13
• 6.25
• 3.88
• 3.40
• 3.04
• 2.51
• 2.09

Glasgow

• 10.70
• 9.18
• 5.86
• 6.43
• 6.29
• 6.09
• 4.62
• 4.55
• 4.37

Halifax

• 10.30
• 9.03
• 7.70
• 6.08
• 5.71
• 5.18
• 4.86
• 4.59
• 2.71

Hanley

• 8.71
• 7.10
• 6.65
• 6.65
• 6.36
• 6.34
• 6.32
• 5.80
• 1.00

Leicester

• 9.42
• 8.43
• 8.24
• 7.93
• 6.86
• 6.55
• 6.17
• 5.30
• 4.92
• 4.65
• 3.45
• 3.30

Liverpool

• 8.80
• 7.83
• 7.43
• 7.39
• 5.75
• 5.50
• 5.39
• 4.23
• 3.71
• 2.40

Motherwell

• 10.18
• 8.86
• 8.37
• 7.48
• 6.32
• 5.50
• 5.20
• 5.00
• 4.59
• 2.35
• 2.24
• 1.95

Newcastle

• 10.25
• 6.80
• 6.10
• 6.00
• 5.49
• 5.46
• 4.56
• 4.45
• 4.20
• 4.19
• 4.00
• 2.93
• 2.91

Norwich

• 10.84
• 9.50
• 8.38
• (Horace Burke) 7.91
• 7.82
• 7.73
• 7.93
• 5.88 1.00

Oxford

• 9.10
• 7.23
• 7.15
• 7.06
• 7.03
• 6.62
• 5.53
• 5.52
• 5.49
• 5.35
• 3.64

Sheffield (withdrew mid-season)

• 8.60
• 8.00
• 7.24
• 6.10
• 5.89
• 5.40
• 4.40
• 4.32
• 2.60

Southampton (withdrew mid-season)

• 8.71
• 8.71
• 7.43
• 6.71
• 6.43
• 6.25
• 5.89
• 3.16

Walthamstow

• 9.03
• 8.21
• 8.11
• 7.92
• 7.86
• 6.73
• 6.49
• 4.50
• 2.96

Yarmouth

• 9.57
• 9.28
• 6.53
• 5.63
• 4.75
• 4.45
• 4.23
• 3.80
• 3.70
• 2.59
• 1.73

References

References

1. Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn. (2007). "The History of Oxford Speedway". Tempus Publishing Ltd.
2. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
3. (12 May 1951). "Cradley Heath win Shield". Sports Argus.
4. (7 May 1951). "Chance To Be Second". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette.
5. (10 November 1951). "Speedway death". Hartlepool Northern Daily Mail.
6. "Norwich The Firs Stadium".
7. (5 July 1951). "Well Rewarded".
8. (8 June 1951). "Tracks Tax".
9. (14 June 1951). "Southampton out of speedway league".
10. "1951 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
11. "1951 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
12. (29 July 1951). "Walthamstow Are Swamped". Weekly Dispatch (London).
13. "Norwich 1951 results".
14. (31 July 1951). "Sport Summary". Daily News (London).
15. "1951 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
16. "1951 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
17. "1951 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
18. (20 October 1951). "Hunters' Cup Win in Last heat". Leicester Daily Mercury.