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Swindon Robins

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Template:Speedway team infobox The Swindon Speedway team, known as The Swindon Robins, is an English Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League.

The club have raced on their home track at the Abbey Stadium, Lady Lane, Blunsdon since their inception. The formation of this club followed the sport's prehistory in the town at the now demolished Gorse Hill Aerodrome, where dirt track racing had taken place since 1928.

History

The birth of the Robins was a product of the partnership of Bristol speedway manager Reg Witcomb and businessman Bert Hearse. Under their direction, a 410 yard cinder track was built. The first meeting, a non-league home challenge match, took place on the 23rd July 1949 against future rivals Oxford, and an official attendance figure of 8,000 was given, although employees of the club believe that 10,000 would be closer to the truth. The Robins lost their debut meeting 39-45 in a meeting that saw Ginger Nicholls top score for the home side with 11 points on his wedding day. In the process he won the first ever race, was beaten by an opponent only once, and set the first ever track record at 82.8 seconds.

Club Details

Swindon Speedway
Abbey Stadium, Lady Lane
Blunsdon
Swindon
Wiltshire
SN25 4DN

Club Honours

  • 1956 National League Division Two Champions
  • 1957 National League Champions
  • 1967 Midland Cup Winners
  • 1967 British league Champions
  • 1968 Midland Cup Winners
  • 1994 Midland Cup Winners
  • 1994 BL Division two Pairs Champions (Tony Olsson and Tony Langdon)
  • 2000 Jack Young Shield Winners
  • 2000 Premier League KO Cup Winners
  • 2003 Premier League 4-Team Champions
  • 2004 Elite League Best Pairs (Leigh Adams and Charlie Gjedde)
  • 2005 Elite League Best Pairs (Leigh Adams and Lee Richardson)

Individual Honours

  • World Champion: Barry Briggs (1964 and 1966)
  • World U21 Champions: Peter Nahlin (1988) & Leigh Adams (1992)
  • World Ice Champion: Erik Stenlund (1988)
  • British Champions: Barry Briggs (1964, 1965, 1966, 1967 & 1969) & Steve Bastable (1981)
  • British League Riders' Champion: Barry Briggs (1965, 1966 & 1967)
  • BL Division 1 Riders' Champion: Barry Briggs (1968, 1969 & 1970)
  • BL Division 2 Riders' Champion: Gary Allan (1993)

References

  • Bamford, Robert (2005). Swindon Speedway: The Definitive History of the Robins. Stroud: Tempus. ISBN 0752427482.
  • Bamford, Robert (2003). 50 Greats: Swindon Speedway. Stroud: Tempus. ISBN 0752427482. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
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