The Leicester Hunters were a motorcycle speedway

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...

 team which operated from 1948 until 1962.

History

Speedway had operated before the war at both Leicester Stadium

Leicester Stadium

Leicester Stadium was a sports stadium on Parker Drive in Leicester which opened in 1923. It was demolished in 1984 after the land was sold to Barratt Homes. The stadium was initially used for greyhound racing with motorcycle speedway starting there five years later...

 and the Leicester Super track. Speedway was proposed to return to Leicester in 1948 at Leicester Stadium, led by A. D. Sanderson with Bob Peett managing the team, but concerns from local residents over noise levels delayed the return until the following year, with the newly formed team limited to away challenge matches in 1948. The Hunters joined the National League

Speedway National League

The National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competing within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second division...

 in Division 3. Former rider Cyril "Squib" Burton

Cyril "Squib" Burton

Cyril "Squib" Burton was a motorcycle speedway rider who was one of the sport's early stars, becoming a leading rider for the Leicester Stadium team and for Rochdale, and going on to represent England.-Biography:...

, who had been one of the top riders of the Leicester Stadium team in the early 1930s, took over as manager in 1950 and the team were promoted to division 2 at the end of the season. By 1957, the dwindling number of teams meant that the National League operated as a single division and the Hunters stayed in the top division until 1961, their best placing being as runners up in 1959. Mike Parker then took over the club, and opted to join the Provincial League

Speedway Provincial League

The Provincial League was a league competition for speedway teams in the United Kingdom which operated alongside the National League for five years between 1960 and 1964.-History:The Provincial League was formed in the winter of 1959/60...

 in 1962, finishing in 12th position. This was to be the Hunters' final season, with the team transferring to Long Eaton for the 1963 season.

Notable riders

Notable Hunters riders include Ken McKinlay

Ken McKinlay

John Robert Vickers McKinlay was an international speedway rider, captaining Scotland, England, Great Britain and Europe teams. He also finished on the rostrum of the British Speedway Championship finals twice, second in 1964 and third in 1965...

, who was the team's top rider for eight seasons between 1954 and 1961, Harwood Pike, Len Williams, Charlie Barsby, Paweł Waloszek, Harry Bastable

Harry Bastable

Harry Bastable is a former international motorcycle speedway rider and promoter.- Career summary :Harry Bastable's was a novice at the Alan Hunt 1949 winter training school when he was signed up by Cradley Heath Heathens...

, Jack Geran, Ivor Brown

Ivor Brown (speedway rider)

Ivor John Brown was a motorcycle speedway rider and captain of Cradley Heath Heathens speedway team during the 1960s. After retiring from riding he became promoter of Long Eaton and Scunthorpe speedway...

, and Norman Hunter

Norman Hunter (speedway rider)

Norman Hunter is a former motorcycle speedway rider who won the London Riders' Championship in 1963 and again in 1966 and the Midland Riders' Championship in 1969...

.