Ben Barker (speedway rider)

Career summary

Barker signed for Stoke Potters in December 2006 after impressing for the Stoke club's Conference League side, Stoke Spitfires, he was part of the Spitfires team that won the Conference League Four-Team Championship, held on 24 June 2006 at Loomer Road Stadium. In October 2006, Barker finished in third place in the British Under-18 Championship. In April 2007, a month after his 19th birthday, he reached the final of the British Under-21 Championship, finishing fourth.

Barker represented Great Britain at Under-21 level, at the 2006 Team Speedway Junior World Championship. He also competed in the 2007 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship finishing seventh in Qualifying Round B at Goričan on 12 May 2007, before going out of the competition on 17 June in Semi Final B at Daugavpils, where he finished 14th.

Barker returned to the Coventry Bees in the 2008 Elite League, after riding for the Coventry Cougars in the Conference Trophy during the 2004 season. In July 2008, he agreed a permanent move to the Bees as a full asset, and returned to them for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. He continued to ride in the top two tiers of British speedway riding for various clubs. He rode for Redcar Bears in 2018. After ten years as a Coventry asset, Barker was awarded a testimonial meeting to be held at his current club Redcar on 23 March 2019.

In 2022, he rode for the Ipswich in the SGB Premiership 2022 and for Plymouth in the SGB Championship 2022. His 2022 season was curtailed after he failed a random drug test before a race meeting. Although the Speedway Control Bureau have not released the details, his club Plymouth stated that the test showed positive for a strong dosage of co-codamol and Zapain. In 2023, he re-signed for Plymouth for the SGB Championship 2023 following his return after a suspension. He later re-signed for Ipswich as well. His 2023 season culminated with a third place finish in the 2023 British Speedway Championship.

He re-signed for the Plymouth Gladiators for the 2024 season.

Major results

World Championships

• Individual U-21 World Championship
  • 2007 - 14th place in Semi-final 2
  • 2008 - 10th place in Qualifying Round 5
  • 2009 - injury in Qualifying Round 1 and was replaced in Semi-Final 1
• Team U-21 World Championship (Under-21 Speedway World Cup)
  • 2006 - 3rd place in Qualifying Round 1
  • 2007 - started in Qualifying Round 2 only
  • 2008 - 3rd place in Qualifying Round 1

References

References

1. "Ben Barker".
2. "2008 Rider index".
3. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022".
4. "2006 fixtures and results".
5. (2006-10-03). "Bridger's the boy". [[British Speedway Promoters' Association]].
6. (2007-04-29). "Kennett takes U21 crown". [[British Speedway Promoters' Association]].
7. (2007-02-14). "Oakes names test match squad". [[British Speedway Promoters' Association]].
8. (2008-12-24). "Double delight for Coventry Bees". [[BBC Sport]].
9. "Barker delighted to return to the Bears".
10. "BEN BARKER TESTIMONIAL".
11. "British Speedway rider profile".
12. . (19 November 2022). "Back on Track".
13. "Witches star 'suspended' ahead of Ipswich's derby clash with Lynn".
14. "Barker back for Gladiators".
15. "BIG RESULT FOR BEN".
16. "Covatti in to complete Gladiators".