The 1997 Elite League speedway season was the 63rd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom. It was the first season of a new league known as the Elite League and was governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).
Season summary In 1997, the single speedway league in Great Britain separated after two seasons, forming a new top division. The inaugural league consisted of ten teams. The league operated on a standard format without play-offs. The Craven Shield was introduced as an end of season cup competition for the top eight teams in the league standings.
Bradford Dukes finally won the league, their first success since 1966 when they raced as Halifax Dukes. Bradford retained top English riders Gary Havelock and Joe Screen but crucially brought in Mark Loram from Exeter Falcons. Loram had a superb season that included becoming the new British Champion.
Final table Pos M W D L F A Pts Bon Tot1 Bradford Dukes 36 23 1 12 1733 1506 47 15 622 Eastbourne Eagles 36 20 0 16 1665 1570 40 11 513 Swindon Robins 36 20 1 15 1662 1578 41 9 504 Ipswich Witches 36 16 2 17 1671 1616 34 13 475 King's Lynn Knights 36 18 3 15 1592 1645 39 8 476 Belle Vue Aces 36 18 0 18 1646 1587 36 9 457 Wolverhampton Wolves 36 18 0 18 1572 1658 36 6 428 Coventry Bees 36 15 1 20 1582 1653 31 7 389 Poole Pirates 36 13 2 21 1551 1684 28 6 3410 Peterborough Panthers 36 14 0 22 1556 1679 28 5 33
'A' Fixtures
'B' Fixtures
Elite League Knockout Cup The 1997 Elite League Knockout Cup, sponsored by the Speedway Star, was the 59th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams but the first under its new name. Eastbourne Eagles were the winners of the competition.
First round
Group A Date Team one Score Team two15/03 Coventry 51-40 Swindon16/03 Swindon 41-49 Coventry21/03 Belle Vue 48-42 Coventry22/03 Coventry 45-45 Wolverhampton22/03 Bradford 56-34 Swindon23/03 Swindon47-42 Bradford24/03 Wolverhampton 52-38 Swindon28/03 Belle Vue 56-33 Wolverhampton29/03 Swindon 56-34 Belle Vue29/03 Bradford 58-32 Wolverhampton31/03 Coventry 49-41 Bradford31/03 Wolverhampton 52-38 Belle Vue04/04 Belle Vue 46-44 Bradford05/04 Bradford 52-38 Coventry05/04 Swindon 65-25 Wolverhampton11/04 Belle Vue 52-40 Swindon12/04 Coventry 51-41 Belle Vue14/04 Wolverhampton 50-40 Coventry19/04Bradford 57-33 Belle Vue28/04 Wolverhampton 44-46 Bradford Pos Team P W D L1 Bradford 85032 Coventry 84133 Belle Vue 84044 Wolverhampton 83145 Swindon 8305 Group B Date Team one Score Team two20/03 Ipswich 47-43Peterborough21/03 Peterborough 41-49 Kings Lynn23/03 Eastbourne 53-37 Ipswich28/03 Ipswich 50-40 Kings Lynn28/03 Peterborough 62-27 Eastbourne30/03 Eastbourne 54-36 Poole02/04 Poole 53-37 Kings Lynn03/04 Ipswich 44-46 Eastbourne06/04 Eastbourne 55-35 Kings Lynn09/04 Kings Lynn 46-44 Eastbourne09/04 Poole 52-38 Peterborough10/04 Ipswich 41-49 Poole11/04 Peterborough 38-52 Poole12/04 Kings Lynn 37-52 Poole16/04 Kings Lynn 47-43 Peterborough16/04 Poole 57-33 Ipswich18/04 Peterborough 48-42 Ipswich19/04 Eastbourne 52-37 Peterborough23/04 Poole 73-17 Eastbourne30/04 Kings Lynn 41-49 Ipswich Pos Team P W D L1 Poole 87012 Eastbourne 85033 King's Lynn 83054 Peterborough 83055 Ipswich 8206 Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two02/07 Poole 53-37 Coventry15/06 Coventry 48-42 Poole15/07 Bradford 56-34 Eastbourne13/04 Eastbourne 58-32 Bradford
Final First leg
Second leg
Eastbourne Eagles were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 116-66.
Craven Shield End of season competition for the top eight league teams
First Round Team one Team two ScoreIpswich King's Lynn 50–40, 39–51Bradford Coventry 55–35, 34–56Eastbourne Wolverhampton 52–38, 51–38Swindon Belle Vue 60–30, n–h
Semi-final Team one Team two ScoreCoventry Swindon 50–40, 49–41King's Lynn Eastbourne 53–36, 37–52
Final Team one Team two ScoreKing's Lynn Coventry 41–49, 32–58
Riders' Championship Greg Hancock won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at Odsal Stadium on 11 October.
Pos. Rider Total Total SF Final1 Greg Hancock 2 1 3 3 312x32 Tony Rickardsson 2 3 2 3 313x23 Chris Louis 3 3 1 2 211214 Simon Wigg 1 0 3 2 3 9305 Mark Loram 1 2 3 1 291 6 Billy Hamill 3 TX 0 3 3 9 07 Sam Ermolenko 3 1 2 0 2 8 8 Craig Boyce 1 1 3 2 1 8 9 Joe Screen 2 3 1 1 1 8 10 Jason Crump 0 2 2 3 0 7 11 Martin Dugard 2 3 0 0 1 6 12 Brian Andersen 0 2 1 2 1 6 13 Peter Karlsson0 1 2 1 26 14 Mikael Karlsson 3 0 1 TX 04 15 Garry Stead (res) 2 0 2 16 Leigh Adams 1 0 0 0 0 1 17 Steve Johnston 0 0 0 1 0 1 tx-touched tapes, excluded
Fours Peterborough Panthers won the Elite League Four Team Tournament, which was held on 3 August 1997, at the East of England Arena.
FinalPosTeamPtsRiders1 Peterborough 27Crump 9, Sullivan 62 Bradford 21Screen 103 Swindon 15Adams 104 Belle Vue 15 Hamill 6
Final leading averages Rider Team Average Tony RickardssonIpswich10.09 Billy HamillBelle Vue10.07 Greg HancockCoventry9.85 Joe ScreenBradford9.77 Leigh Adams Swindon9.76 Jason CrumpPeterborough9.71 Mark LoramBradford9.59 Craig BoycePoole9.43 Chris LouisIpswich9.42 Brian AndersenCoventry9.02
Riders & final averages Belle Vue
10.07 8.48 7.74 5.58 5.56 4.17 1.62 0.97
Bradford
9.77 9.59 7.59 5.78 5.70 4.45
Coventry
9.85 9.02 6.90 5.84 5.67 5.13 4.15 1.44
Eastbourne
8.44 8.24 7.32 6.97 6.57 4.56
Ipswich
10.09 9.42 7.74 6.25 6.17 6.11 3.62
King's Lynn
8.07 7.48 7.24 6.91 6.26 5.14 3.11
Peterborough
9.71 7.80 7.71 7.22 7.08 4.95 4.90 2.52
Poole
9.43 7.48 7.30 6.43 6.18 4.80 4.77 4.45
Swindon
9.76 8.96 8.12 6.68 4.68 2.53
Wolverhampton
8.62 8.37 7.08 5.45 4.76 4.55 4.16
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway)
References