Dave Gifford

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Dave Gifford
Born18 April 1944 (1944-04-18) (age 80)
Herne Bay, England
NicknameGiffy
NationalityNew Zealander/British
Career history
1965–1970 Newcastle Diamonds
1972–1973 Wolverhampton Wolves
1973–1974 Coatbridge Tigers
1974 Hull Vikings
1975–1978 Berwick Bandits

David John Gifford (born 18 April 1944) is a former international motorcycle speedway rider from New Zealand and Great Britain. He earned 19 international caps for the New Zealand national speedway team and two caps for the Great Britain national speedway team. [1] [2]

Biography

Gifford was born in Herne Bay but emigrated to New Zealand in 1953. He arrived back in the United Kingdom in 1965, with fellow rider Rim Malskaitis [3] and began his British leagues career riding for Newcastle Diamonds during the 1965 British League season. [4]

He raced for Newcastle from 1965 to 1970, [5] regularly riding alongside his teammate Ivan Mauger and eventually becoming the Newcastle captain. [6] When Newcastle closed at the end of the 1970 British League season, he decided to spend 1971 racing in California. [7] [8]

He returned to British speedway in 1972, joining his old boss Mike Parker at Wolverhampton Wolves but left during 1973 to join Coatbridge Tigers. [7] [9] He topped the Coatbridge Tigers averages in 1973. [10]

In 1975, he joined the Berwick Bandits where he spent his final four seasons in British speedway. [1] After his speedway career he returned to New Zealand, where he restored old speedway bikes and exhibited bikes, memorabilia and trophies. [7]

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References

  1. 1 2 "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  2. ↑ "Dave Gifford". WWOS backup. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  3. ↑ "Dave Gifford, a New Plymouth Solo Bike Rider". Historic Speedway. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  4. ↑ "1965 season results". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  5. ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  6. ↑ "Michanek sparkles" . Newcastle Journal. 27 June 1970. Retrieved 9 December 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. 1 2 3 "Dave Gifford 'Giffy'". Newcastle Speedway. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  8. ↑ "Dave wants to come back with Wolves" . Sports Argus. 19 February 1972. Retrieved 19 January 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ↑ "Rush could be on for Dave" . Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 25 January 1972. Retrieved 9 December 2023– via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ↑ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
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