Dan Gilkes

Dan Gilkes

Born	(2002-05-21) 21 May 2002 (age 23) Northampton, England
Nationality	British (English)
Career history
Great Britain
2019, 2021	Kent Kings/Royals
2022	Belle Vue Colts
2022–2023	Plymouth Gladiators
2022	Peterborough Panthers
2023–2024	Sheffield Tigers
2024	Redcar Bears
2025	Oxford Cheetahs
2025	Leicester Lions
Poland
2023–2024	Piła
Team honours
2023	SGB Premiership
2024	Knockout Cup

Daniel Gilkes (born 21 May 2002) is a motorcycle speedway rider from England. ^{[1] [2]}

Career

Gilkes was still a pupil at Campion School, Bugbrooke when he started racing. ^[3]

In 2019, he signed for the Kent Kings for the 2019 National Development League speedway season, helping them to National Trophy success. He was crowned the supporters rider of the year. ^[4]

Unable to ride during 2020 because of the COVID-19 cancelled season, he continued to ride for Kent in 2021 but appeared in both the NDL and the higher league of the SGB Championship 2021. ^[1]

In 2022, he signed for Plymouth Gladiators ^[5] and his form was so impressive that he was added to the Peterborough Panthers squad in the SGB Premiership 2022 (the highest league in Britain). ^[6]

He started the 2022 campaign in very good form but his season ended early when he crashed and suffered serious injuries that included five broken ribs, a broken and displaced humorous bone and a collapsed lung. ^[7]

In 2023, he re-signed for Plymouth for the SGB Championship 2023 ^[8] and also signed for Sheffield Tigers for the SGB Premiership 2023, as their rising star. ^[9] He helped Sheffield win the league title. ^[10] In 2024 he re-signed for Sheffield, ^[11] and won the Knockout Cup with the Tigers. ^[12]

Gilkes signed for Oxford Cheetahs for the SGB Championship 2025 ^[13] and then was brought in for the Leicester Lions to race in the Premiership. ^[14]

References

1. "Gilkes, Daniel". British Speedway. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
2. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
3. "Northampton teenager Dan Gilkes is a speedway demon!". Northampton Chronicle and Echo. Retrieved 22 September 2024.
4. "2019 SOKK RIDER OF THE YEAR RESULTS". Kent Speedway. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
5. "Dan Gilkes joins the Gladiators". Plymouth Speedway. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
6. "Peterborough Panthers add a talented teenager to their squad for 2022 and 'good value' season tickets remain on sale". Peterborough Telegraph. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
7. "PLYMOUTH'S GILKES INJURED". Speedway Star. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
8. "Gilkes back with Plymouth". British Speedway. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
9. "Tigers bring in Gilkes". British Speedway. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
10. "Tigers champions in Grand Final drama". British Speedway. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
11. "Sheffield are complete". British Speedway. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
12. "Speedway: Sheffield battle back to draw at Ipswich and lift KO Cup". The Star. Retrieved 5 October 2024.
13. "Oxford Cheetahs triple signing completes 2025 line-up". Oxford Mail. 3 December 2024. Retrieved 3 December 2024.
14. "Lions bring in Gilkes". British Speedway. Retrieved 9 May 2025.