Frank Charles (speedway rider)
Encyclopedia
Frank Charles was a former international motorcycle speedway
rider who rode in the first ever World Championship
final in 1936
.
tempted him out of retirement but in 1934 Charles' father died, so he returned to the family business. In 1935 Wembley Lions
paid £1,000 to sign Charles, where he became the clubs top scorer and was selected to ride for England
against Australia
. In 1936 he topped the clubs scoring again and qualified for World Championship
final. He qualified again for the 1937
final. At the end of the 1938 season he decided to retire to concentrate on gliding
.
team. However, after being excused a test call up on 15 July 1939, Charles was killed whilst taking part in a national gliding competition.
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider who rode in the first ever World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
final in 1936
1936 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship was the first ever Speedway World Championship and was won by Lionel Van Praag of Australia. It was the first of a record 26 times that London's Wembley Stadium would host the World Final with the last being in 1981.*1936 Podium# Lionel Van Praag # ...
.
Career summary
In 1931 Charles rode for Leeds but was badly injured and so retired from the sport. In 1933, the Belle Vue AcesBelle Vue Aces
The Belle Vue Aces are a British speedway team from Manchester in the north west of England.-Brief history:Racing first took place in 1928 at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane before moving the following year to a specially built stadium nearby on Hyde Road. The club raced there...
tempted him out of retirement but in 1934 Charles' father died, so he returned to the family business. In 1935 Wembley Lions
Wembley Lions (speedway)
The Wembley Lions were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1929 until their closure in 1971. Their track was located at Wembley Stadium, London. The original stadium which hosted speedway has been redeveloped.-Pre-war:...
paid £1,000 to sign Charles, where he became the clubs top scorer and was selected to ride for England
Great Britain national speedway team
The Great Britain national speedway team are one of the major teams in international speedway. The team is managed by Poole Pirates manager Neil Middleditch and the captain is Chris Harris of the Belle Vue Aces....
against Australia
Australia national speedway team
Australia are one of the major teams in international speedway. The team is managed by former rider, three time Australian Champion and 1994 World #3 Craig Boyce and captained by three time Speedway World Champion Jason Crump...
. In 1936 he topped the clubs scoring again and qualified for World Championship
Speedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
final. He qualified again for the 1937
1937 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1937 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1937 London, Wembley Stadium...
final. At the end of the 1938 season he decided to retire to concentrate on gliding
Gliding
Gliding is a recreational activity and competitive air sport in which pilots fly unpowered aircraft known as gliders or sailplanes using naturally occurring currents of rising air in the atmosphere to remain airborne. The word soaring is also used for the sport.Gliding as a sport began in the 1920s...
.
World Final appearances
- 19361936 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship was the first ever Speedway World Championship and was won by Lionel Van Praag of Australia. It was the first of a record 26 times that London's Wembley Stadium would host the World Final with the last being in 1981.*1936 Podium# Lionel Van Praag # ...
-
United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 15th - 11pts - 19371937 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1937 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 2, 1937 London, Wembley Stadium...
- United Kingdom LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, Wembley Stadium - 5th - 19pts
Death
On 15 June 1939 he made a return to the Wembley LionsWembley Lions (speedway)
The Wembley Lions were a motorcycle speedway team which operated from 1929 until their closure in 1971. Their track was located at Wembley Stadium, London. The original stadium which hosted speedway has been redeveloped.-Pre-war:...
team. However, after being excused a test call up on 15 July 1939, Charles was killed whilst taking part in a national gliding competition.