The 2014 Elite League speedway season was the 80th season of the top division of UK speedway and the took place between March and October 2014. The Poole Pirates were the defending champions after winning in 2013.
Teams
Summary This season saw the first team line-up change since 2011, with the Leicester Lions replacing the Peterborough Panthers who dropped down a division. Ahead of the season the BSPA announced a new rule called the "Fast Track Scheme" which means every side has to use two British youngsters at reserve who have passed through the National League - the third tier of British speedway.
Poole Pirates won their second consecutive Elite League title, defeating Coventry Bees 90–71 in the Grand Final. Poole continued their success, their sixth league title in eleven years. Darcy Ward, Maciej Janowski, Przemysław Pawlicki and Josh Grajczonek all returned for Poole and they were backed up by Kyle Newman and Václav Milík Jr.
Final league table Club Home Away 1 Poole Pirates (Q) 32 12 2 0 2 4 1 4 3 4 1542 1333 +209 70 2 King's Lynn Stars (Q) 32 11 4 0 1 3 4 0 5 4 1528 1346 +182 70 3 Coventry Bees (Q) 32 10 3 0 3 5 2 0 2 7 1489 1406 +83 64 4 Swindon Robins (Q) 32 10 3 0 3 3 1 0 4 8 1465 1407 +58 55 5 Eastbourne Eagles 32 12 3 1 0 0 0 0 4 12 1430 1460 −30 47 6 Lakeside Hammers 32 10 3 1 2 0 1 1 3 11 1435 1445 −10 45 7 Wolverhampton Wolves 32 6 4 2 4 0 2 0 3 11 1398 1524 −126 37 8 Belle Vue Aces 32 8 3 1 4 0 0 1 1 14 1372 1524 −152 34 9 Leicester Lions 32 5 3 1 7 0 0 0 3 13 1350 1564 −214 25 Birmingham Brummies Club folded, results expunged
'A' Fixtures
'B' Fixtures
Play-offs
Draw
Semi-finals
Grand final
Knockout Cup The Knockout Cup was not held during 2014.
Riders' Championship Troy Batchelor won the Riders' Championship. The final was held at King's Lynn Stadium on 25 September.
Pos. Rider Pts Total SF Final1 Troy Batchelor 2 3 3 1 3 12332 Maciej Janowski 1 3 2 2 210223 Jason Doyle 3 1 3 3 212x14 Matej Žagar 3 T/exc 3 3 312x05 Bjarne Pedersen 2 3 3 2 11116 Hans Andersen 3 2 2 2 0907 Chris Harris 2 2 1 1 398 Václav Milík Jr. 0 2 2 3 199 Rory Schlein 3 2 1 1 1 810 Danny King 1 3 0 3 0711 Dakota North 0 1 1 2 2612 Jacob Thorssell 1 1 2 1 1 613 Richard Lawson 1 1 0 1 2 514 Peter Kildemand 2 0 1 ret - 315 Robert Lambert 0 0 0 0 3316 James Cockle 0 1117 Davey Watt 0 ret ret - -018 Scott Campos (res) 0 0 0 f=fell, exc=excluded, ret=retired ef=engine failure t-touched tapes
Final Leading averages
Rider Team Average Niels Kristian Iversen Kings Lynn 9.62 Darcy Ward Poole 9.24 Lewis Blackbird Eastbourne 8.95 Matej Žagar Belle Vue 8.84 Maciej Janowski Poole 8.70 Chris Harris Coventry 8.69 Jason Doyle Leicester 8.67 Hans Andersen Coventry 8.63 Troy Batchelor Swindon 8.46 Piotr Pawlicki Wolverhampton 8.36
Riders & averages Belle Vue
8.84 8.25 6.97 5.95 5.61 5.40 2.73 2.00
Birmingham
7.13 6.95 6.41 6.17 5.65 4.86 4.00 2.72
Coventry
8.69 8.63 7.91 6.91 6.74 6.51 5.97 5.78 5.63 5.27
Eastbourne
8.95 7.79 7.24 6.98 6.62 6.10 4.24
Kings Lynn
9.62 8.13 7.97 7.01 6.43 5.94 5.92 5.86
Lakeside
7.55 7.52 7.51 7.23 7.12 6.54 5.57 5.52 5.27
Leicester
8.67 7.42 6.76 6.51 6.34 5.67 5.64 5.52 5.11 4.58 4.50 3.48
Poole
9.24 8.70 8.67 (4 matches only) 8.30 7.23 7.20 7.09 6.91 3.00 2.38 2.15 (4 matches only) 2.14
Swindon
8.46 8.26 7.42 7.10 7.09 6.39 5.89 2.84 2.36
Wolverhampton
8.36 7.73 6.76 6.54 6.50 5.84 5.45 5.33 5.32 4.12
See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
Notes
References