1961 Speedway National League

Last updated

1961 Speedway National League
LeagueNational League
No. of competitors10
Champions Wimbledon Dons
National Trophy Southampton Saints
Highest average Ove Fundin
Division/s below 1961 Provincial League

The 1961 National League was the 27th season and the sixteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain. [1]

Contents

Summary

The entry list was identical to the previous year and although Wimbledon Dons won their seventh title in eight years, it would be their last. [2] [3] [4]

Final table

PosTeamPLWDLPts
1 Wimbledon Dons 18150330
2 Southampton Saints 18132328
3 Coventry Bees 18101721
4 Belle Vue Aces 18100820
5 Swindon Robins 18801016
6 Ipswich Witches 18711015
7 Norwich Stars 18701114
8 New Cross Rangers 18701114
9 Oxford Cheetahs 18611113
10 Leicester Hunters 1841139

Top Ten Riders (League only)

RiderNatTeamC.M.A.
1 Ove Fundin Flag of Sweden.svg Norwich11.51
2 Ronnie Moore Flag of New Zealand.svg Wimbledon11.17
3 Peter Craven Flag of England.svg Belle Vue10.95
4 Björn Knutson Flag of Sweden.svg Southampton10.79
5 Arne Pander Flag of Denmark.svg Oxford10.60
6 Barry Briggs Flag of New Zealand.svg Southampton10.13
7 Ron How Flag of England.svg Wimbledon10.05
8 Ron Johnston Flag of New Zealand.svg Belle Vue10.00
9 Ken McKinlay Flag of Scotland.svg Leicester9.57
10 Bob Duckworth Flag of New Zealand.svg Belle Vue9.48

National Trophy

The 1961 National Trophy was the 23rd edition of the Knockout Cup. Southampton were the winners. [5]

First round

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
15/06Oxford43-40Southampton
13/06Southampton58-26Oxford
10/06Belle Vue55-28New Cross
07/06New Cross46-37Belle Vue

Second round

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
17/08Ipswich44-40Coventry
09/08Norwich43-40Swindon
08/08Southampton52-32Belle Vue
29/07Belle Vue47-37Southampton
24/07Wimbledon46-38Norwich
22/07Norwich52-32Wimbledon
22/07Swindon66-18Leicester
21/07Leicester38-45Swindon

Semifinals

DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
09/09Swindon56-28Norwich
29/08Southampton57-27Coventry
26/08Coventry49-35Southampton
09/08Norwich43-40Swindon

Final

First leg

Southampton Saints
Björn Knutson 15
Barry Briggs 14
Dick Bradley 9
Alby Golden 6
Peter Vandenberg 4
Cyril Roger 4
Chum Taylor 3
55 – 29 Swindon Robins
Tadeusz Teodorowicz 7
Neil Street 6
Ian Williams 5
Brian Brett 4
George White 4
Mike Broadbank 2
Brian Meredith 1
[6]

Second leg

Swindon Robins
Tadeusz Teodorowicz 9
Mike Broadbank 8
George White 8
Brian Meredith 5
Ian Williams 4
Brian Brett 4
Neil Street 3
41 – 43 Southampton Saints
Björn Knutson 15
Barry Briggs 13
Chum Taylor 8
Peter Vandenberg 4
Dick Bradley 3
Cyril Roger 0
Alby Golden 0
[6]

Southampton were National Trophy Champions, winning on aggregate 98–70.

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

Coventry

Ipswich

Leicester

New Cross

Norwich

Oxford

Southampton

Swindon

Wimbledon

See also

Related Research Articles

The 1965 British League season was the 31st season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom. It was also first known as the new British League which was formed in 1965, along with the British Speedway Promoters Association (BSPA). The league was an amalgamation of the National League and the Provincial League.

The 1966 British League season was the 32nd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the second season known as the British League. Halifax Dukes won the league and then secured the league and cup double.

The 1967 British League season was the 33rd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the third season known as the British League.

The 1950 National League Division One was the 16th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the fifth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1952 National League Division One was the 18th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the seventh post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1953 National League Division One was the 19th season of speedway in the United Kingdom and the eighth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1955 Speedway National League was the 21st season and tenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The National League was formed in 1932 combining teams from the Northern League and Southern League. It was the fourth season of speedway in the United Kingdom.

The 1949 National League Division Three was the third season of British speedway's National League Division Three.

The 1957 National League was the 23rd season and the twelfth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1954 National League Division Two was the ninth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1955 National League Division Two was the tenth post-war season of the second tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1958 National League was the 24th season and the thirteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1959 National League was the 25th season and the fourteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1960 National League was the 26th season and the fifteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1962 National League was the 28th season and the seventeenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1963 National League was the 29th season and the eighteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.

The 1964 National League was the 30th season and the nineteenth post-war season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain, but the final season of the National League being the highest tier.

The 1953 Southern League was the second season of the regional third tier of speedway racing in the United Kingdom for Southern British teams. It was the final season before being replaced by the Southern Area League.

1956 was the final season of the Speedway National League Division Two.

References

  1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  3. Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN   0-904584-45-3.
  4. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  5. "1961 National Trophy". Speedway archive.
  6. 1 2 "1961 National Trophy". Speedway Archive. Retrieved 12 August 2021.