1979 British League season

Summary

The league was sponsored by Gulf Oil for a fifth season. It comprised 18 teams - one fewer than the previous season. White City Rebels had folded and their riders became Eastbourne Eagles assets as Eastbourne were promoted from the National League. Bristol Bulldogs also dropped out after only two seasons back in the top flight.

Coventry Bees won the league for the second year running. Hull Vikings' second place was their best ever finish. The Coventry Bees team was similar to the previous season with a young 18 year-old Danish newcomer Tommy Knudsen replacing Jiří Štancl from the previous season. Alan Molyneux once again backed up the Coventry overseas contingent with a solid average. Cradley Heath won the Knockout Cup mainly thanks to their USA superstar Bruce Penhall. The Cradley team also had their own young Danish newcomer in 20 year-old Erik Gundersen and 20 year-old Hans Nielsen posted a 10 plus average for the season riding for Wolves. The future looked extremely bright for Denmark.

During the new British League Fours tournament a horrific accident took place at Hackney Wick Stadium on Friday 8 June. In the final heat between Hackney and Eastbourne all four riders were competing when Hackney's Vic Harding and Eastbourne's Steve Weatherley touched and their bikes became locked together. They were both thrown from their bikes into the fence and the metal post supporting one of the track lights. Both riders were taken to hospital but Harding died later that night and Weatherley was left paralysed. Further bad news filtered though in December after the season had finished, when Poole Pirate's Christer Sjösten died following serious injuries sustained in a race in Australia.

Final table

Fixtures and results

Top ten riders (league averages)

British League Knockout Cup

The 1979 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 41st edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath were the winners.

First round

Second round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

First leg Bruce Penhall 11 Alan Grahame 11 Phil Collins 9 Erik Gundersen 9 Dave Perks 9 Bobby Schwartz 6 Kristian Praestbro 4 John Hack 3 Ivan Mauger 14 Bobby Beaton 13 Joe Owen 6 Dennis Sigalos 6 Frank Auffret 6 Nigel Close 1 Brian Havelock 0 Graham Drury 0

Second leg Dennis Sigalos 13 Kelly Moran 8 Louis Carr 7 Bobby Beaton 6 Joe Owen 5 Frank Auffret 4 Nigel Close 4 Ivan Mauger 3 Bruce Penhall 13 Bobby Schwartz 11 Kristian Praestbro 9 Phil Collins 9 Alan Grahame 6 Erik Gundersen 5 John Hack 5 Dave Perks 0

Cradley Heath were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 120-96.

Riders' Championship

John Louis won the British League Riders' Championship, held at Hyde Road on 20 October and sponsored by Gauntlet (Leyland Used Cars).

• ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired

Final leading averages

The top ten averages recorded at the end of the season.

Gold Cup

East Group

West Group

East Group

West Group

Final

Northern Trophy

Midland Cup

Coventry won the Midland Cup for the fourth consecutive year. The competition consisted of six teams and was sponsored by the Trustee Savings Bank.

First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg Mike Farrell 12 John Boulger 8 John Titman 7 Chris Turner 4 Dave Gooderham 2 Tom Godal 2 Colin Cook 0 Ole Olsen 12 Alf Busk 12 Tommy Knudsen 7 Gary Guglielmi 7 Mick Bell 4 Mitch Shirra 1 Kevin Hawkins 0 Alan Molyneux r/r

Second leg Ole Olsen 13 Mitch Shirra 8
Alf Busk 8 Tommy Knudsen 8 Gary Guglielmi 5 Mick Bell 5 Kevin Hawkins 3 Alan Molyneux r/r John Titman 9 Colin Cook 7 John Boulger 6 Rob Henry 4 Ian Clark 1 Tom Godal 1 Mike Farrell 0

Coventry won on aggregate 93–63

London Cup

Hackney won the London Cup but the competition consisted of just Wimbledon and Hackney.

Results

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

• 9.76
• 9.06
• 7.60
• 6.00
• 5.56
• 5.17
• 4.81
• 4.25
• 4.21
• 3.08
• 0.86

Birmingham

• 9.15
• 7.91
• 7.60
• 6.14
• 5.90
• 5.05
• 5.05
• 4.33
• 2.72

Coventry

• 9.92
• 9.13
• 8.00
• 6.62
• 6.41
• 5.93
• 5.73
• 4.95

Cradley Heath

• 9.88
• 8.34
• 7.85
• 7.83
• 7.71
• 7.54
• 7.35
• 6.84
• 4.77
• 4.76

Eastbourne

• 9.91
• 8.76
• 6.98
• 5.59
• 5.09
• 4.27
• 3.91
• 3.75
• 3.41
• 3.09
• 2.96

Exeter

• 10.83
• 8.49
• 6.94
• 6.47
• 6.40
• 6.17
• 6.06
• 6.05

Hackney

• 7.78
• 7.74
• 7.70
• 5.09
• 4.33
• 4.00
• 3.80
• 3.63

Halifax

• 8.95
• 8.13
• 7.59
• 6.93
• 6.87
• 5.18
• 4.84
• 4.24

Hull

• 10.38
• 8.62
• 8.47
• 8.40
• 7.46
• 6.75
• 6.01

Ipswich

• 9.32
• 9.21
• 7.51
• 7.43
• 7.33
• 6.43
• 4.95
• 4.45
• 4.00
• 3.76
• 3.41
• 3.27
• 2.10

King's Lynn

• 10.21
• 9.72
• 8.58
• 5.98
• 5.24
• 5.00
• 4.97
• 4.26
• 3.87
• 2.27

Leicester

• 8.47
• 6.28
• 5.99
• 5.88
• 5.40
• 4.75
• 4.14
• 3.49
• 3.47

Poole

• 9.04
• 8.58
• 6.49
• 6.48
• 6.06
• 5.82
• 4.33
• 2.57

Reading

• 10.32
• 8.64
• 7.75
• 6.31
• 5.65
• 5.23
• 5.16
• 5.12
• 3.75

Sheffield

• 8.74
• 7.57
• 6.47
• 6.03
• 4.92
• 4.84
• 4.52
• 4.37
• 4.17
• 3.61
• 3.33

Swindon

• 10.34
• 7.65
• 6.98
• 6.30
• 6.06
• 5.92
• 4.66
• 3.52

Wimbledon

• 9.26
• 8.97
• 7.89
• 7.38
• 6.91
• 5.47
• 5.39
• 4.35
• 1.86
• 1.38

Wolverhampton

• 10.29
• 7.93
• 6.81
• 6.73
• 6.39
• 5.84
• 5.44
• 5.23
• 3.52

References

References

1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
2. Bott, Richard. (1980). "The Peter Collins Speedway Book No.4". Stanley Paul & Co Ltd.
3. Oakes, Peter. (1981). "1981 Speedway Yearbook". Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd.
4. "HISTORY ARCHIVE".
5. "1979 league tables". Speedway GB.
6. (9 June 1979). "Vic Harding killed".
7. "Vic Harding".
8. "1979 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
9. "1979 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
10. (21 October 1979). "Speedway". The People.
11. Bott, Richard. (1980). "The Peter Collins Speedway Book No.4". Stanley Paul & Co Ltd.
12. "1979 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
13. "1979 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
14. "1979 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
15. (15 October 1979). "...and they're cup kings, too!". Coventry Evening Telegraph.
16. "1979 fixtures and results".