The British League Division Two Riders Championship was a motorcycle speedway contest between the top riders from each club (with the highest average points) competing in the second tier of British speedway.
History The championship was inaugurated in 1968 when it was known as the British League Division Two Riders Championship. The competition was known as the British League Division Two Riders' Championship between 1968 and 1974 and again between 1991 and 1994. From 1975 until 1990 it was known as the National League Riders' Championship.
The competition was held at Hackney between 1968 and 1971, then it was moved to Wimbledon and held there between 1972 and 1984. The last year of the tournament was 1994, after which speedway was restructured with the top two leagues combining to form the Premier League. After two seasons the Premier League became the second tier/division of British speedway in 1997, this resulted in the Premier League Riders Championship effectively being a continuation of the British League Division Two Riders Championship from 1997.
Winners YearWinnerTeam2ndTeam3rdTeamBritish League Division Two Riders' Championship1968Graham Plant Middlesbrough TeessidersKen Eyre Belle Vue ColtsGraeme Smith Rayleigh Rockets1969Geoff Ambrose Crayford HighwaymenMick Bell Reading RacersRoss Gilbertson Romford Bombers1970Dave Jessup Eastbourne EaglesBarry Crowson Canterbury CrusadersGary Peterson Bradford Northern1971John Louis Ipswich WitchesMalcolm Shakespeare Long Eaton ArchersHugh Saunders Rayleigh Rockets1972Phil Crump Crewe KingsArthur Price Boston BarracudasBob Coles Barrow Happy Faces1973Arthur Price Boston BarracudasBobby McNeil Eastbourne EaglesLou Sansom Workington Comets1974Carl Glover Boston BarracudasTed Hubbard Canterbury CrusadersPhil Herne Birmingham BrummiesNational League Riders' Championship1975Laurie Etheridge Crayford KestrelsBrian Collins Coatbridge TigersArthur Browning Birmingham Brummies1976Joe Owen Newcastle DiamondsJohn Jackson Ellesmere Port GunnersTed Hubbard Rye House Rockets1977Colin Richardson Eastbourne EaglesMartin Yeates Oxford CheetahsTom Owen Newcastle Diamonds1978Steve Koppe Canterbury CrusadersJohn Jackson Ellesmere Port GunnersTed Hubbard Rye House Rockets1979Ian Gledhill Stoke PottersSteve Wilcock Middlesbrough TigersAndy Grahame Milton Keynes Knights1980Wayne Brown Berwick BanditsMartin Yeates Weymouth WildcatsSteve Finch Ellesmere Port Gunners1981Mike Ferreira Canterbury CrusadersSimon Wigg Weymouth WildcatsBruce Cribb Wolverhampton Wolves1982Joe Owen Newcastle DiamondsSteve Lomas Boston BarracudasBob Garrad Rye House Rockets1983Steve McDermott Berwick BanditsRichard Knight Mildenhall Fen TigersMartin Yeates Weymouth Wildcats1984Ian Barney Peterborough PanthersDave Perks Long Eaton InvadersMartin Yeates Weymouth Wildcats1985Neil Middleditch Arena Essex HammersKevin Hawkins Peterborough PanthersTrevor Banks Hackney Hawks1986Paul Thorp Stoke PottersSteve Schofield Poole PiratesLes Collins Edinburgh Monarchs1987Andrew Silver Arena Essex HammersNigel Crabtree Stoke PottersDavid Blackburn Newcastle Diamonds1988Troy Butler Milton Keynes KnightsMark Loram Hackney HawksKenny McKinna Glasgow Tigers1989Mark Loram Ipswich WitchesKenny McKinna Glasgow TigersDavid Blackburn Berwick Bandits1990Andy Grahame Wimbledon DonsChris Louis Ipswich WitchesCraig Boyce Poole PiratesBritish League Division Two Riders' Championship1991Jan Stæchmann Long Eaton InvadersDavid Bargh Newcastle DiamondsTroy Butler Milton Keynes Knights1992Róbert Nagy Glasgow TigersMick Poole Peterborough PanthersRichard Green Exeter Falcons1993Gary Allan Swindon RobinsMick Poole Peterborough PanthersTony Langdon Oxford Cheetahs1994Paul Bentley Middlesbrough BearsTony Olsson Swindon RobinsTony Langdon Swindon Robins
Sponsors Gauloises (1976–1977, 1979) Toshiba (1980) Daily Mirror (1982) Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (1983) Jawa Moto & Barum (1987–1994)
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Riders' champions Speedway in the United Kingdom
References