Ray Wilson (speedway rider)
Encyclopedia
Ray Wilson is a former international speedway rider who was World Pairs Champion in 1972 and British Speedway Champion
in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final. His father Ron Wilson, was also a speedway rider for Leicester and Oxford in the early 50's.
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He is currently enjoying the role of Ambassador to his home town team, Leicester.
in 1973, and was also a member of the winning teams in 1971, 1972 and 1974. He also became the youngest Englishman to feature in a World Team Cup
final at aged twenty in 1967.
1967 also saw him appear in his first of four World Championship
finals. In 1972 he became World Pairs Champion
with partner Terry Betts
.
British Speedway Championship
The British Speedway Championship is an annual motorcycle speedway competition open to British national speedway riders. The winner of the event becomes the British Speedway Champion. It has been open in the past to riders from British dominions and was dominated in its early years by riders from...
in 1973, was also England Team Captain for 5years in the early 1970s. He was the first Englishman to record a maximum score in a World Team Cup Final. His father Ron Wilson, was also a speedway rider for Leicester and Oxford in the early 50's.
Domestic career
He started his career with the Long Eaton Archers and followed the promtion when they moved to Leicester to open the Leicester Lions. He stayed with the Lions for nine seasons, scoring over four thousand points (including bonus points). For the final three seasons of his career he joined the Birmingham BrummiesBirmingham Brummies
Birmingham Brummies are a British speedway team, who were reformed in 2006 and then accepted into the Premier League in 2007. The club race at Perry Barr Stadium ....
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He is currently enjoying the role of Ambassador to his home town team, Leicester.
International career
Ray captained England when they won the World Team CupSpeedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
in 1973, and was also a member of the winning teams in 1971, 1972 and 1974. He also became the youngest Englishman to feature in a World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
final at aged twenty in 1967.
1967 also saw him appear in his first of four 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...
finals. In 1972 he became World Pairs Champion
Speedway World Pairs Championship
The Speedway World Pairs Championship was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first competition was held in 1968 and the final competition was held in 1993. From 1994 it was merged with the World Team Cup.- Rules :...
with partner Terry Betts
Terry Betts
Terence Arnold Betts is a former international speedway rider who reached the final of theSpeedway World Championship in 1974...
.
World Final Appearances
- 19671967 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1967 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 16, 1967 London, Wembley Stadium...
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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 - 8th - 7pts - 19711971 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1971 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 10, 1971 Göteborg, UlleviNote : Vladimir Gordeev was disqualified after illegal additives were found in his fuel.-Heat by Heat Classification:...
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Göteborg, UlleviUlleviUllevi is a stadium in Gothenburg, Sweden. The stadium was built for the 1958 FIFA World Cup, but since then Ullevi has also hosted the 1995 World Championships in Athletics and the 2006 European Championships in Athletics, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup finals in 1983 and 1990, the UEFA Euro 1992...
- 4th - 11pts - 19731973 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1973 Individual Speedway World Championship.The 1973 World Final was won by Polish rider Jerzy Szczakiel following a run-off in with defending champion Ivan Mauger after both riders had finished on 13 points. In the run-off Mauger fell in turn 3 after trying a risky passing move leaving...
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ChorzówChorzówChorzów is a city in Silesia in southern Poland, near Katowice. Chorzów is one of the central districts of the Upper Silesian Metropolitan Union - a metropolis with a population of 2 million...
, Silesian Stadium - 14th - 5pts - 19751975 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1975 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*September 6, 1975 London, Wembley Stadium*Referee: Torrie Kittelsen-Classification:...
- 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 - 11th - 5pts