1982 British League season

Summary

Hull Vikings had disbanded following the loss of their home at the Boulevard.

After a ten-year drought Belle Vue Aces won the league pushing defending champions Cradley Heath into second place. A special performance was going to be needed to finish ahead of the star-studded Cradley Heath team and it was the consistency of the support riders which helped Belle Vue achieve this. England international Chris Morton was the heat leader but he was supported by a group of consistent scorers throughout the season that included Larry Ross (a former 5 times New Zealand champion), the former world champion Peter Collins, the Carr brothers Louis and Peter, Dane Peter Ravn and Scot Jim McMillan. Cradley Heath went on to win their third Knockout Cup in four years and the League Cup. The Midlands' club had been in position to take the league title, but their heat leader Bruce Penhall quit speedway immediately after winning his second world title in September to pursue an acting career (specifically for a role in CHiPs).

Hackney Wick Stadium was subject to a second fatal accident within three years when American Denny Pyeatt lost his life in a league match on 16 July. Pyeatt riding for Reading Racers crashed into a lamp standard. Swindon rider Martin Hewlett suffered a stroke after the Swindon versus Birmingham fixture in September and died four days later on 15 September.

Final table

Fixtures and results

Top ten riders (league averages)

British League Knockout Cup

The 1982 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 44th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners.

First round

Quarter-finals

Semi-finals

Final

First leg Erik Gundersen 15 Lance King 13 Phil Collins 7 Simon Wigg 5 Andy Reid 3 Alan Grahame 3 Wayne Jackson 0 Chris Morton 12 Peter Collins 6 Peter Ravn 6 Larry Ross 4 Louis Carr 2 Peter Carr 1 Jim McMillan 1 Second leg Chris Morton 10 Peter Collins 7 Peter Ravn 7 Larry Ross 6 Rod Hunter 6 Louis Carr 5 Andy Smith 2 Erik Gundersen 15 Lance King 8 Alan Grahame 8 Simon Wigg 2 Phil Collins 1 Andy Reid 1

Cradley were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 81-75.

League Cup

The League Cup was split into North and South sections. The two-legged final was won by Cradley Heath Heathens beating Ipswich Witches in the final 83–73 on aggregate.

North Group

South Group

Final

North Group

South Group

Riders' Championship

Kenny Carter won the British League Riders' Championship for the second consecutive year, held at Hyde Road on 16 October.

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

Final leading averages

Midland Cup

Coventry won the Midland Cup for the second consecutive year. The competition consisted of five teams.

First round

Semi final round

Final

First leg Erik Gundersen 15 Phil Collins 7 Lance King 6 Simon Wigg 6 Alan Grahame 5 Andy Reid 4 Bruce Penhall r/r Tommy Knudsen 13 Gary Guglielmi 9 Ole Olsen 5 Mitch Shirra 3 Kevin Hawkins 2 Alf Busk 2 Charlie McKinna 1

Second leg Mitch Shirra 12 Tommy Knudsen 11 Ole Olsen 11 Gary Guglielmi 5 Alf Busk 3 Kevin Hawkins 2 Charlie McKinna 0 Erik Gundersen 9 Simon Wigg 7 Lance King 5 Alan Grahame 5 Andy Reid 5 Phil Collins 3 Bruce Penhall r/r

Coventry won on aggregate 79–77

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

• 10.18
• 9.37
• 8.78
• 6.01
• 5.65
• 5.44
• 4.98
• 4.40

Birmingham

• 9.89
• 9.03
• 6.20
• 6.03
• 6.03
• 5.65
• 5.23
• 5.03
• 4.72
• 3.56
• 0.80

Coventry

• 9.22
• 9.09
• 7.38
• 6.69
• 5.79
• 5.19
• 3.48
• 3.25

Cradley Heath

• 10.74
• 10.18
• 9.22
• 7.29
• 6.67
• 6.30
• 3.45
• 3.02
• 3.00
• 2.69
• 1.78

Eastbourne

• 9.72
• 9.62
• 9.18
• 6.62
• 3.55
• 3.55
• 3.37
• 3.36
• 3.27

Hackney

• 9.38
• 7.29
• 6.59
• 6.53
• 5.96
• 5.53
• 4.00
• 3.52

Halifax

• 11.03
• 7.52
• 7.28
• 6.39
• 5.51
• 5.36
• 4.98
• 4.71
• 0.80

Ipswich

• 10.10
• 8.53
• 7.77
• 6.98
• 6.07
• 5.79
• 5.67
• 5.16
• 4.40

King's Lynn

• 9.65
• 9.09
• 7.00
• 5.78
• 4.90
• 4.04
• 3.00
• 1.76
• 1.58
• 0.44

Leicester

• 8.77
• 7.07
• 6.42
• 5.93
• 5.87
• 5.57
• 5.41
• 5.09

Poole

• 8.68
• 8.13
• 6.01
• 5.86
• 5.83
• 5.30
• 4.49
• 4.20
• 3.29

Reading

• 9.96
• 9.83
• 5.57
• 5.28
• 5.23
• 5.08
• 4.66
• 4.00
• 3.87
• 2.78

Sheffield

• 9.55
• 6.84
• 6.50
• 6.48
• 6.46
• 5.57
• 4.95
• 3.82
• 1.71

Swindon

• 9.47
• 7.58
• 6.46
• 5.97
• 5.26
• 5.19
• 4.18
• 4.13
• 3.26

Wimbledon

• 8.77
• 8.75
• 8.04
• 5.82
• 5.37
• 5.37
• 5.09
• 4.08
• 2.06

References

References

1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
2. "HISTORY ARCHIVE".
3. (17 October 1981). "Speedway battle is destined for courts".
4. "1982 league tables". Speedway GB.
5. "1982 FactFile".
6. (4 September 1982). "Penhall must keep world crown".
7. "Denny Pyeatt".
8. "Speedway Star Cover Men".
9. (16 September 1982). "Speedway ace dies".
10. "1982 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
11. "1982 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
12. "Coventry Bees 1982 season".
13. "1982 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
14. "1982 fixtures & results". Speedway Researcher.
15. (17 October 1982). "Carter's maximum". Sunday Sun (Newcastle).
16. (12 October 1982). "Heathens Misery". Sandwell Evening Mail.