Buxton Hitmen

Last updated

Buxton Hitmen
2007 Oxford v Buxton conference league speedway.jpg
Buxton against Oxford in 2007
Club information
Track address Buxton Raceway
Dale Head Lane
Axe Edge
Buxton
Derbyshire
CountryEngland
Founded1994
Closed2018
League National League
Website www.buxton-speedway.com
Club facts
ColoursGold, Red and Black
Track size240 metres
Track record time52.9
Track record date27 June 2004
Track record holder James Wright
Major team honours
National League KO Cup 2002, 2010
National League 2010
National Trophy 2010

The Buxton Hitmen were a motorcycle speedway team in the British National League (formerly the Conference League) from 1994 to 2018. The club stopped racing in the National League after the 2018 speedway season. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

History

The speedway track, adjacent to the Raceway View North East from Buxton Raceway Speedway Track - geograph.org.uk - 2106277.jpg
The speedway track, adjacent to the Raceway

In 1994, a team called Hi-Edge Hitmen began racing on the Buxton Raceway. Promoted by Barry Watson and former England rider Chris Morton, [5] the team's inaugural season was in the 1994 British League Division Three in which they finished in sixth place. [6] [7] The following year they finished third in the 1995 Academy League before joining the Conference League (division 3).

The speedway promotion agreed with the stock car promotion that a separate speedway track could be built adjacent to the main circuit. The team was then renamed the Buxton Hitmen from the 1996 Speedway Conference League season. [8] The first season on the new track was the [9] [10]

During the 2002 Speedway Conference League season the team won their first silverware when winning the Conference League Knockout Cup. [11] They comfortably defeated the Rye House Raiders 99–81 on aggregate in the final, with William Beveridge scoring a 15 point home leg maximum and Aidan Collins scoring 17 in the away leg. [12]

Buxton versus Oxford in 2007 Speedway 2007 Oxford v Buxton Hitmen.jpg
Buxton versus Oxford in 2007

Their best season was 2010 when they achieved the treble. After finishing second in the regular season table behind Dudley Heathens during the 2010 National League speedway season they won the playoffs, defeating Newport Wasps in the final. They also won the Knockout Cup and National Trophy. [13] The treble winning team included riders such as Craig Cook, Nick Morris and Jason Garrity.

After the 2018 season, the speedway club chairman Jayne Moss withdrew the club at the National League AGM, following financial struggles. The speedway team have not raced at the adjacent track since. [14] In the 25 years that the team raced they always competed in the third division.

Honours

Season summary

Extended content
Year and leaguePositionNotes
1994 British League Division Three 6thAs the Hi-Edge Hitmen
1995 Academy League 3rdAs the Hi-Edge Hitmen
1996 Speedway Conference League 8th
1997 Speedway Conference League 4th
1998 Speedway Conference League 5th
1999 Speedway Conference League 3rd
2000 Speedway Conference League 8th
2001 Speedway Conference League 6th
2002 Speedway Conference League 5th Knockout Cup winners
2003 Speedway Conference League 6th
2004 Speedway Conference League 6th
2005 Speedway Conference League 11th
2006 Speedway Conference League 6th
2007 Speedway Conference League 7th
2008 Speedway Conference League 6th
2009 National League speedway season 4th
2010 National League speedway season 2nd Champions (PO winners) & Knockout Cup winners
2011 National League speedway season 8th
2012 National League speedway season 7th
2013 National League speedway season 6th
2014 National League speedway season 8th
2015 National League speedway season 8th
2016 National League speedway season 12th
2017 National League speedway season 10th
2018 National League speedway season 10th

Riders previous seasons

Extended content

2007 team

2008 team

Also rode:

2009 team

Also Rode:

2010 team

2018 team

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Workington Comets</span> Speedway club based in Cumbria, UK

The Workington Comets are a British motorcycle speedway club, based in Workington, Cumbria, racing out of the Northside Speedway Track. The team previously operated from 1970 to 2018 and were based at Derwent Park Stadium which they shared with Workington Town Rugby League Football Club. They were closed at the end of the 2018 SGB Championship season, but re-opened in 2022 and competed in the 2023 National Development League speedway season. In 2024 they will return to the SGB Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Coventry Bees</span> English motorcycle speedway team

Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team that existed from 1929 to 2018. They raced at Brandon Stadium, Brandon near Coventry, England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hackney Hawks</span> Former British motorcycle speedway team

Hackney Hawks speedway opened in 1963 at Hackney Wick Stadium, Waterden Road, London, England, and operated until 1983. The team replaced the Hackney Wick Wolves who had raced at the stadium from 1935 to 1939. The Hawks were then themselves replaced by the Hackney Kestrels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Lynn Stars</span> British speedway team

King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the SGB Premiership. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team. The team was founded in 1965 and has been running continually since then, except for 1996 when King's Lynn failed to have a team competing in the British league system.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oxford Cheetahs</span> British motorcycle speedway team

The Oxford Cheetahs are a British speedway team based at Oxford Stadium, in Oxford, England. They were founded in 1939 and are five times champions of Britain, in 1964, 1985, 1986, 1989 and 2001. The club folded in 2007 but returned to racing when participating in the SGB Championship 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Newport Wasps</span> Former Welsh motorcycle speedway team

Newport Wasps were a British motorcycle speedway team based in Newport, South Wales from 1964 to 2012. They were the 1999 Conference League champions. The Wasp logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boston Barracudas</span>

The Boston Barracudas were a speedway team that competed from 1970 to 1987 and again from 2000 to 2008. the team were based at Boston Sports Stadium in New Hammond Beck Road, Boston, Lincolnshire.

The Hull Vikings were a speedway team from Hull, England, who operated from 1971 to 2005, primarily from The Boulevard (stadium) and Craven Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tai Woffinden</span> British speedway rider (born 1990)

Tai Woffinden is a British speedway rider. He is a three-time World Champion.

Benjamin Mark "Benji" Compton is a Spanish-British motorcycle speedway rider.

Adam Wayne Roynon is a British motorcycle speedway rider. He earned one international cap for the Great Britain national speedway team.

The 2010 season of the National League, the third tier of British speedway, was contested by ten teams. Buxton Hitmen beat Newport Hornets in the play-off final to become champions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Branford</span> Australian speedway rider

Robert Peter Branford is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Australia.

The 1996 Speedway Conference League was the inaugural season of the Conference League, which was the second tier of British motorcycle speedway. It was listed as the second tier of British speedway because during 1995 and 1996 the two divisions of the British League had merged into one division only. The following season it would be a third tier/division competition.

The 2015 National League was the seventh season of the National League, the third tier of British speedway. The Cradley Heathens were the defending champions after winning the competition in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ellis Perks</span> British speedway rider (born 1997)

Ellis George Perks is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England. In 2019, he became the first ever rider to win all three tiers of the British Speedway leagues in the same season; the Premiership, Championship and National League.

The 2002 Speedway Conference League was the third tier/division of British speedway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mattie Bates</span> British motorcycle speedway rider

Matthew Richard Bates is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.

Jon Thomas Armstrong is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buxton Raceway</span> Motorsport venue in Workington, England

Buxton Raceway is a motorsport venue in Buxton, Derbyshire. It is located in a remote area, three miles south of Buxton, on Dale Head Lane, off the A53 Buxton to Leek Road. The venue is primarily used for BriSCA Formula 1 Stock Cars on the 380 metre tarmac circuit but has also hosted motorcycle speedway on the adjacent Buxton Speedway track.

References

  1. "HITMEN WITHDRAW FROM LEAGUE RACING - British Speedway Official Website". speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  2. "Buxton Hitmen Speedway Official Website: HITMEN WITHDRAW FROM LEAGUE RACING". buxton-speedway.com. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  3. "Spiralling costs force Buxton Hitmen to withdraw from league racing". www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
  4. "Buxton Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  5. "Buxton Speedway is under Orders" . Manchester Evening News. 13 July 1994. Retrieved 27 February 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "1994 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  7. "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - MODERN ERA (1991-PRESENT)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  8. "Buxton Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  9. "Buxton". Speedway Plus. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  10. "Speedway" . Nottingham Evening Post. 16 September 1995. Retrieved 27 February 2024 via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. Oakes, P (2006). Speedway Star Almanac. Pinegen Ltd. ISBN   0-9552376-1-0.
  12. "Rye House 2002" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
  13. "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  14. "Hitmen withdraw from league racing". Buxton Speedway. Retrieved 27 February 2024.