The 1937 Individual Speedway World Championship was the second edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.
An attendance of 85,000 (a record for speedway in the United Kingdom at the time) saw Jack Milne win all five races to head an all USA top three on the podium. The track was criticised and was described as being too deep with cinders.
Qualifying round Top 28 riders qualify for Championship round DateVenueWinner 24 May Wimbledon Stadium Wilbur Lamoreaux 29 May Harringay Stadium Lionel Van Praag 2 June New Cross Stadium Jack Parker 5 June Hyde Road Eric Langton 18 June Hackney Wick Stadium Cordy Milne 22 June West Ham Stadium George Newton
Championship round The top 16 riders over the 6 qualifying rounds and 7 championship rounds would qualify for the World final. DateVenueWinner 7 July New Cross Stadium Jack Milne 10 July Harringay Stadium Jack Milne 19 July Wimbledon Stadium Jack Milne & Ginger Lees 24 July Hyde Road Jack Milne 29 July Wembley Stadium Lionel Van Praag & Wilbur Lamoreaux 3 August West Ham Stadium Eric Langton 13 August Hackney Wick Stadium Arthur Atkinson
Top 16 qualifiers (2 reserves)
Pos. Rider Qual Points c/f1 Jack Milne 83 132 Eric Langton 78 123 Wilbur Lamoreaux 74 124 Cordy Milne 71 115 Eric Chitty 70 116 Lionel Van Praag 70 117 Jack Parker69 118 George Newton67 119 Frank Charles 64 1010 Ginger Lees 61 1011 Frank Varey51 812 Arthur Atkinson 50 813 Joe Abbott 49814 Morian Hansen 45715 Bob Harrison 45 716 Bill Kitchen 45 7
Pos. Rider Qual Points c/f17 Tommy Croombs 39 618 Alec Statham 39 619 Stan Greatrex 3820 Ron Johnson 3721 Wally Kilmister 3522 Dicky Case 3423 Charlie Spinks 3324 Cliff Parkinson 3125 Jack Ormston 3026 Norman Evans 2827 Broncho Dixon (res)2528 Eric Gregory 2429 Tiger Stevenson2130 Tommy Price (res) 20
World final 2 September 1937 Wembley Stadium, London
Pos. Rider c/f Points Final Points Final Heats Total Points1 Jack Milne 13 15 (3,3,3,3,3) 282 Wilbur Lamoreaux 12 13 (3,3,3,1,3) 253 Cordy Milne 11 12 (2,3,2,3,2) 234 Jack Parker 11 10 (2,3,1,2,2) 215 Ginger Lees 10 9 (1,1,2,2,3) 196 Frank Charles 10 7 (0,0,1,3,3) 177 Lionel Van Praag 11 6 (3,0,-,3,0) 178 Bill Kitchen 7 9 (1,2,2,2,2) 169 George Newton 11 5 (3,0,0,0,2) 1610 Eric Langton 12 4 (1,0,0,3,0) 1611 Morian Hansen 7 8 (1,2,3,1,1) 1512 Eric Chitty 11 4 (0,2,0,1,1) 1513 Joe Abbott 8 6 (2,1,1,2,0) 1414 Arthur Atkinson 8 6 (2,0,2,1,1) 1415 Frank Varey 8 3 (0,1,1,0,1) 1116 Tommy Croombs (res) 6 2 (0,2,0,0,0) 817 Bob Harrison 7 - -718 Alec Statham (res) 6 0 (0) 6
References