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Tom Black (speedway rider)

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Tom Black
Born11 July 1941 (1941-07-11)
Christchurch, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealander
Career history
1973, 1974Teesside Tigers
1974Leicester Lions

Thomas John Black (born c. 1940) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from New Zealand. He earned one cap for the New Zealand national speedway team.[1]

Career

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Black began racing in the mid-1960s, and he won the South Island Championship in 1969 and 1970.[2] He rode in the third Test of 1969/70 against England at Christchurch and also rode for New Zealand against Sweden in 1972.[2]

In 1973 he travelled to England where he rode for Teesside Tigers,[3] but only rode in seven meetings before his season was ended by a broken collarbone and arm.[2] After regaining his fitness in the 1973/74 New Zealand season, he returned to the United Kingdom in 1974 to ride for Leicester Lions.[4][2][5] Disappointing results for Leicester saw him return to Teesside, but in his first match back for the team he suffered a broken ankle, ending his British league career.[2] He continued to ride in New Zealand for several years before retiring.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Holmes, Tracy "Riders to Remember...Tom Black", Speedway Plus, retrieved 2012-03-15
  3. ^ "Teesside start with great win". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 2 April 1973. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ "Kiwi back at No.7 for Lions". Leicester Daily Mercury. 21 March 1974. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar, Automedia, p. 159