1989 British League season

British motorcycle speedway season November 2023 November 2023 Sunbrite British League Champions Oxford Cheetahs Knockout Cup Cradley Heathens Individual Shawn Moran Gold Cup Oxford Cheetahs Hans Nielsen 1989 National League 1988 1990 The 1989 British League season (also known as the Sunbrite British League for sponsorship reasons) was the 55th season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the 25th known as the British League.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html Historic league tables Speedway Archive Summary The Coventry Bees were the defending champions from 1988. The league was once again run over a 15-heat formula, with 7 riders per team.http://www.speedwaygb.co/history/leaguetables1990.php 1990 league tables Speedway GB Oxford Cheetahs bounced back to winning ways claiming their third title in five years. The team was led by their double world champion Hans Nielsen who by the end of the season would be world champion for the third time and top the averages for an incredible seventh season running. He was backed up by Simon Wigg, Martin Dugard, Andy Grahame, Marvyn Cox and Troy Butler, all of whom averaged from about 6 to 8 points for the season. The defending champions Coventry could only finish 5th after losing Tommy Knudsen for the season. Cradley Heath won their 8th Knockout Cup in 11 years (it would also be their last).https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive HISTORY ARCHIVE British Speedway 3 July 2021 Final table Pos Team PL W D L BP Pts1 Oxford Cheetahs 32 22 1 9 13 582 Wolverhampton Wolves 32 19 2 11 12 523 Cradley Heathens 32 19 3 10 10 514 Belle Vue Aces 32 19 2 11 10 505 Coventry Bees 32 15 3 14 8 416 Swindon Robins 32 12 1 19 8 337 Reading Racers 32 13 1 18 5 328 Bradford Dukes 32 9 2 21 3 239 King's Lynn Stars 32 8 1 23 3 20M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points Fixtures and results A fixtures main FBR grey BV BRA COV CH KL OX RR SWI WOL Belle Vue 49–41 57–32 49–41 54–36 42–48 42–48 49–41 39–51 Bradford 39–51 48–42 44–46 55–35 49–40 44–46 50–40 44–46 Coventry 46–44 48–40 37–53 39–51 40–50 42–48 45–45 50–40 Cradley Heath 45–45 57–33 57–33 49–41 45–45 53–37 58–32 52–38 King's Lynn 33–57 54–36 44–46 38–52 38–52 62–28 48–42 39–51 Oxford 63–27 52–38 60–30 51–38 54–36 46–43 53–37 60–30 Reading 42–48 43–47 51–39 49–41 55–35 47–43 49–41 40–50 Swindon 52–38 50–40 43–47 33–57 52–38 39–51 47–43 43–47 Wolverhampton 48–42 55–35 44–46 45–45 58–32 53–37 53–36 59–31 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1989.html Speedway Researcher 1989 fixtures & results 12 May 2025 B fixtures main FBR grey BV BRA COV CH KL OX RR SWI WOL Belle Vue 59–31 49–41 49–41 53–37 48–41 57–32 55–35 47–43 Bradford 45–45 44–46 43–46 56–34 49–41 42–48 51–39 57–33 Coventry 46–44 45–45 53–37 51–39 46–42 57–33 46–44 50–40 Cradley Heath 48–42 61–29 52–38 56–34 46–44 56–34 58.5–31.5 41–49 King's Lynn 42–47 53–37 48–42 47–43 34–56 49–41 44–46 45–45 Oxford 42–47 60–30 49–41 48–42 58–32 54–36 41–49 54–36 Reading 41–49 50–40 45–45 34–56 49–41 38–52 51–39 51–39 Swindon 56–33 55–35 42–48 54–36 54–36 44–46 51–39 47–43 Wolverhampton 51–39 60–30 57–32 48–42 46–44 43–46 61–29 49–41 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1989.html Speedway Researcher 1989 fixtures & results 12 May 2025 British League Knockout Cup The 1989 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 51st edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners for the fourth successive year if including the tied 1986 final.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2015/01/british-league-division-one-knock-out_3.html 1989 British League Knockout Cup Speedway archiveHeathens scent cup glory Sandwell Evening Mail 17 October 1989 1 October 2021 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002488/19891017/522/0038 British Newspaper Archive subscription Speedway Sandwell Evening Mail 27 October 1989 1 October 2021 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002488/19891027/650/0063 British Newspaper Archive subscription First round Date Team one Score Team two21/04 Belle Vue 57-33 King's Lynn08/04 King's Lynn 38-52 Belle Vue Quarter-finals Date Team one Score Team two26/06 Reading 51-39 Belle Vue10/06 Cradley Heath 50-40 Oxford09/06 Belle Vue 45.5-44.5 Reading09/06 Oxford 45-45 Cradley Heath13/05 Coventry 45-45 Bradford06/05 Bradford 46-44 Coventry22/04 Swindon 45-45 Wolverhampton10/04 Wolverhampton 49-41 Swindon Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two26/08 Bradford 57-33 Wolverhampton19/08 Cradley Heath 42-48 Reading07/08 Wolverhampton 60-30 Bradford31/07 Reading 40-50 Cradley Heath Final First leg 16 October 1989 Wolverhampton WolvesRonnie Correy 9Robert Pfetzing 8Andy Phillips 7Graham Jones 7Jan Stæchmann 3Brian Karger (guest) 3Neil Collins 3 41 - 49 https://www.cradleyspeedway.co.uk/years/1989.htm Cradley Speedway 1989 season Cradley Speedway 25 June 2021 Cradley HeathKelvin Tatum (guest) 13Greg Hancock 11Jimmy Nilsen (guest) 10Gert Handberg 6Alan Grahame 6Simon Cross 2John Bostin 1 Monmore Green Stadium Second leg 26 October 1989 Cradley HeathShawn Moran (guest) 14Simon Cross 12Kelvin Tatum (guest) 7Gert Handberg 5Greg Hancock 5Alan Grahame 3John Bostin 0 46 - 44 Wolverhampton WolvesJimmy Nilsen (guest) 10Graham Jones 9Andy Phillips 6Robert Pfetzing 6Ronnie Correy 5Neil Collins 4Jan Stæchmann 4 Dudley Wood Stadium Cradley Heath were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 95-85. Riders' Championship Shawn Moran won the British League Riders' Championship. It was the held at Belle Vue Stadium on 1 October.Sad day for Doncaster and Shirra Reading Evening Post 2 October 1989 5 June 2023 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002471/19891002/240/0018 British Newspaper Archive subscription Pos. Rider Heat Scores Total1 USA Shawn Moran 3 3 3 3 3 152 DEN Hans Nielsen 3 3 3 3 2 143 DEN Brian Karger 2 3 2 2 3 124 ENG Martin Dugard 1 2 1 2 3 9 5 USA Ronnie Correy 3 2 3 0 0 86 SWE Jimmy Nilsen 0 1 3 1 3 8 7 ENG Kelvin Tatum 2 0 1 3 2 8 8 ENG Alan Grahame 0 2 2 2 2 89 ENG Richard Knight 2 0 2 2 1 7 10 USA Rick Miller 3 1 1 1 1 7 11 ENG Simon Wigg 1 1 2 3 0 712 USA Lance King 1 3 0 0 1 513 ENG Jeremy Doncaster 1 2 0 1 1 514 DEN Peter Ravn 2 0 0 1 2 5 15 ENG Paul Thorp 0 1 1 0 0 216 ENG Glenn Hornby (res) 0 0 0 17 ENG Scott Smith (res) 0 0 0 18 NZL Mitch Shirra 0 r(inj) 0 ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired Leading final averages Rider Club Average DEN Hans Nielsen Oxford 10.91 DEN Jan O. Pedersen Cradley 10.22 DEN Erik Gundersen Cradley 9.97 USA Sam Ermolenko Wolverhampton 9.85 USA Shawn Moran Belle Vue 9.68 ENG Kelvin Tatum Coventry 9.49 ENG Simon Cross Cradley 9.13 ENG Jeremy Doncaster Reading 8.61 SWE Jimmy Nilsen Swindon 8.41 USA Kelly Moran Belle Vue 8.29 Gold Cup North Group Pos Team P W D L Pts1Cradley Heath 6 4 0 2 82 Bradford 6 3 0 3 63 Belle Vue 6 3 0 3 64 Wolverhampton 6 2 0 4 4 South Group Pos Team P W D L Pts1Oxford 8 6 1 1 132 Reading 8 5 0 3 103 Coventry 8 2 2 4 64 King's Lynn 6 2 2 4 65 Swindon 8 2 1 5 5 North Group main FBR grey BV BRA CH WOL Belle Vue 43–47 55–35 49–41 Bradford 51–39 55–35 43–47 Cradley Heath 47–43 46–44 49–41 Wolverhampton 42–47 51–39 39–51 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1989.html Speedway Researcher 1989 fixtures & results 14 October 2025 South Group main FBR grey COV KL OX RR SWI Coventry 41–49 49–40 50–39 45–45 King's Lynn 45–45 45–45 42–48 51–39 Oxford 58–32 59–31 53–36 56–34 Reading 46–44 49–41 41–49 46–43 Swindon 46–44 48–42 41–49 44–46 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1989.html Speedway Researcher 1989 fixtures & results 14 October 2025 Final Team one Team two ScoreCradleyOxford42–48, 36–54 Riders and final averages Belle Vue 22em USA Shawn Moran 9.68 USA Kelly Moran 8.29 DEN Peter Ravn 7.54 USA Gary Hicks 7.17 ENG Chris Morton 6.75 ENG Joe Screen 6.40 ENG Carl Stonehewer 5.50 ENG Gordon Whitaker 3.41 ENG Paul Smith 2.09 ENG Mike Lewthwaite 1.85 Bradford 22em ENG Paul Thorp 7.79 ENG Neil Evitts 7.51 ENG Andy Smith 7.27 ENG Bryan Larner 5.40 DEN Henrik Kristensen 4.94 AUS Glenn Doyle 4.76 HUN Antal Kocso 4.60 ENG Michael Graves 4.17 Coventry 22em ENG Kelvin Tatum 9.49 USA Rick Miller 6.93 ENG Sean Wilson 6.52 DEN John Jørgensen 6.39 ENG Andy Hackett 5.49 CZE Roman Matoušek 5.27 FIN Kai Niemi 4.69 ENG Mike Bacon 2.95 ENG Paul Smith 2.55 Cradley Heath 22em DEN Jan O. Pedersen 10.22 DEN Erik Gundersen 9.97 ENG Simon Cross 9.13 DEN Gert Handberg 6.52 USA Greg Hancock 6.06 ENG Alan Grahame 5.78 ENG John Bostin 3.00 Kings Lynn 22em ENG Richard Knight 7.83 USA Lance King 7.67 ENG John Davis 6.74 DEN Allan Johansen 6.65 ITA Armando Dal Chiele 5.03 AUS Stephen Davies 4.93 SWE Dennis Löfqvist 4.82 ENG Adrian Stevens 3.56 ENG Paul Smith 3.14 ENG Roger Horspool 1.50 Oxford 22em DEN Hans Nielsen 10.91 ENG Simon Wigg 7.69 ENG Martin Dugard 7.61 ENG Andy Grahame 6.91 ENG Marvyn Cox 6.80 AUS Troy Butler 5.96 ENG Paul Dugard 2.56 ENG Kevin Pitts 1.64 Reading 22em ENG Jeremy Doncaster 8.61 NZL Mitch Shirra 7.62 SWE Tony Olsson 6.49 ENG Carl Blackbird 5.52 ITA Armando Castagna 5.47 ENG Dave Mullett 5.09 ENG Malcolm Holloway 4.38 RSA David Steen 2.56 Swindon 22em SWE Jimmy Nilsen 8.41 DEN Brian Karger 8.09 ENG Andrew Silver 7.38 ENG John Davis 6.67 SWE Peter Nahlin 6.24 USA Bart Bast 5.05 ENG Gary Chessell 4.88 DEN Tom P. Knudsen 4.00 (2 matches only) ENG David Smart 3.72 Wolverhampton 22em USA Sam Ermolenko 9.85 USA Ronnie Correy 7.86 ENG Neil Collins 6.88 USA Robert Pfetzing 6.61 ENG Graham Jones 6.60 DEN Jan Staechmann 6.54 ENG Andy Phillips 5.73 See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway) References Category:British League Category:1989 in British motorsport Category:1989 in speedway