Scott Nicholls
Encyclopedia
Scott Nicholls is a British
speedway
rider who is participating in the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix
competition and is the captain of the Great Britain speedway team.
racing becoming National Schoolboy champion in 1993. His first international appearance came in 1996 when he was selected to ride for Great Britain in the Speedway World Cup
final. He then became British Under-21 Champion
in 1998 and again in 1999.
His first experience of the Speedway Grand Prix
series came with a wild card ride in Britain, with similar rides following in 2000 and 2001. He qualified as a full time Grand Prix
rider in 2002 and capped that season with a second place in the season ending event in Australia
. That year he also won the first of his five British Championships
. His fifth British Championship win occurred in 2008.
Scott Nicholls was the most successful ever Coventry Bees
captain, skippering them to five trophies in three seasons between 2004 and 2007, including two Elite League championships. Despite initially quitting the British Elite League
to reduce his racing schedule in 2009, Nicholls returned to the Coventry Bees in May 2009 as temporary cover for the injured Olly Allen
.
Scott led his home club, the Ipswich Witches for the 2010 elite league season, as well as riding for Vargarna in the Swedish league and Miskolc a Hungarian team in the Polish league.
With Ipswich dropping down a division, Nicholls has signed for Swindon Robins
for 2011.
have a daughter born in May 2007, Maya. They are expecting their second child in May 2011.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
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...
rider who is participating in the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix
2009 Speedway Grand Prix
The 2009 Speedway Grand Prix season will be the 15th season of the Speedway Grand Prix era, and will decide the 64th Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme Speedway World Championship...
competition and is the captain of the Great Britain speedway team.
Career biography
Nicholls began his speedway career in grasstrackGrasstrack
Motorcycle Grasstrack is a form of motorcycle racing which typically, in its current form, takes place on a flat track consisting of two straights and two bends usually constructed in a field. Mountain and hillside tracks are also common in the UK, creating more technically demanding circuits...
racing becoming National Schoolboy champion in 1993. His first international appearance came in 1996 when he was selected to ride for Great Britain in the Speedway World Cup
Speedway World Cup
The Speedway World Cup is an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The first edition of the competition in the current format was in 2001 and it replaced the old World Team Cup competition.-Format:...
final. He then became British Under-21 Champion
British Speedway Under 21 Championship
The British Speedway Under-21 Championship is an annual speedway competition open to riders of British nationality aged at least fifteen on the date of the first meeting, and under twenty-one on 1 January in the year of the competition...
in 1998 and again in 1999.
His first experience of the Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
series came with a wild card ride in Britain, with similar rides following in 2000 and 2001. He qualified as a full time Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
rider in 2002 and capped that season with a second place in the season ending event in Australia
Speedway Grand Prix of Australia
The Speedway Grand Prix of Australia was a speedway event that was a part of the Speedway Grand Prix Series.-Winners:-See also:...
. That year he also won the first of his five British Championships
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...
. His fifth British Championship win occurred in 2008.
Scott Nicholls was the most successful ever Coventry Bees
Coventry Bees
The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane...
captain, skippering them to five trophies in three seasons between 2004 and 2007, including two Elite League championships. Despite initially quitting the British Elite League
Speedway Elite League
The Elite League is the top division of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom and is governed by the Speedway Control Bureau , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association . It is sponsored by Sky Sports...
to reduce his racing schedule in 2009, Nicholls returned to the Coventry Bees in May 2009 as temporary cover for the injured Olly Allen
Oliver Allen (speedway rider)
Oliver James Allen is a speedway rider in the United Kingdom, riding with the King's Lynn Stars in the Elite League.His brother Tommy currently rides for the Somerset Rebels.- References :...
.
Scott led his home club, the Ipswich Witches for the 2010 elite league season, as well as riding for Vargarna in the Swedish league and Miskolc a Hungarian team in the Polish league.
With Ipswich dropping down a division, Nicholls has signed for Swindon Robins
Swindon Robins
The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League....
for 2011.
Personal life
Nicholls and his partner Sophie BlakeSophie Blake
Sophie Blake , is an English television presenter and former model.-Career:Blake studied drama, and then travelled working in bars and restaurants for a few years. She did some modelling, and put a home-made show-reel together which United Sports picked up, and got her interviewing footballers in...
have a daughter born in May 2007, Maya. They are expecting their second child in May 2011.
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 1999 Speedway Grand Prix The 1999 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fifth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
27th | 3 | 19th | A single wild card ride in Coventry |
| 2001 2001 Speedway Grand Prix The 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season was the seventh season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
33rd | 4 | 17th | Wild card ride in Cardiff |
| 2002 2002 Speedway Grand Prix The 2002 Speedway Grand Prix season is the eighth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
13th | 72 | 2nd | First podium in Australia (2nd place) |
| 2003 2003 Speedway Grand Prix The 2003 Speedway Grand Prix season is the ninth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
7th | 102 | 2nd | Second in Sweden |
| 2004 2004 Speedway Grand Prix The 2004 Speedway Grand Prix season is the tenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.-Event format:The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
12th | 66 | 6th | Missed Czech GP through injury |
| 2005 2005 Speedway Grand Prix The 2005 Speedway Grand Prix season is the 11th season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :... |
9th | 72 | 5th | |
| 2006 2006 Speedway Grand Prix The 2006 Speedway Grand Prix season is the twelfth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :... |
11th | 83 | 2nd | Missed Czech GP through injury, 2nd in Italy |
| 2007 2007 Speedway Grand Prix The 2007 Speedway Grand Prix season was the thirteenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion... |
8th | 91 | 2nd | Finished 2nd in Slovenia, qualified for 2008 GPs after a race-off |
| 2008 2008 Speedway Grand Prix The 2008 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fourteenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era used to determine the Speedway World Champion. It was the second under the promotion of IMG.- Event format :... |
9th | 77 | 4th |