1998 Elite League speedway season

British motorcycle speedway season February 2024 February 2024 Sky Sports Elite League Champions Ipswich Witches Knockout Cup Ipswich Witches Craven Shield Ipswich Witches Individual Tony Rickardsson Tony Rickardsson Premier LeagueConference League 1997 1999 The 1998 Elite League speedway season was the 64th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the second year known as the Elite League, governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB) in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).https://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html Historic league tables Speedway Archive Summary In 1998, the league decreased to nine teams with the closure of the Bradford Dukes at the end of their championship winning season in 1997. The Peterborough Panthers dropped down to the Premier League but were replaced by the Oxford Cheetahs. The league operated on a standard format without play-offs.http://www.speedwaygb.co/history/leaguetables1998.php 1998 league tables Speedway GB Ipswich Witches won the league (their first since 1984) and cup double and were led by the world's leading rider Tony Rickardsson. Rickardsson topped the averages for the second consecutive season and was well supported by Pole Tomasz Gollob in his maiden British season. English riders Chris Louis and Scott Nicholls added even more strength and became British Champion and British Under-21 Champion respectively during the season.https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive HISTORY ARCHIVE British Speedway 4 July 2021 Final table Pos M W D L F A Pts Bon Tot1 Ipswich Witches 32 26 1 5 1653 1211 53 16 692 Belle Vue Aces 32 20 0 12 1524 1353 40 12 523 Coventry Bees 32 18 1 13 1474 1401 37 11 484 Swindon Robins 32 15 1 16 1429 1450 31 7 385 Eastbourne Eagles 32 15 0 17 1430 1449 30 7 376 Wolverhampton Wolves 32 14 1 17 1421 1444 29 8 377 Oxford Cheetahs 32 13 2 17 1388 1490 28 5 338 Poole Pirates 32 11 1 14 1348 1529 23 5 289 King's Lynn Knights 32 8 1 23 1270 1610 17 1 18 'A' Fixtures main FBR grey BV COV EAS IPS KL OX PP SWI WOL Belle Vue Aces 46–44 54–36 47.5–41.5 54–36 55–35 54–36 59–31 52–38 Coventry Bees 43–46 51–39 43–47 47–43 45–45 52–38 53–37 44–46 Eastbourne Eagles 49–41 49–41 42–48 48–42 60–30 52–38 52–38 57–33 Ipswich Witches 54–36 50–39 53–37 60–30 48–42 63–27 61–29 51–39 King's Lynn Knights 59–31 47–43 47–43 33–57 47–43 44–46 52–38 45–45 Oxford Cheetahs 46–44 37–53 39–51 47–43 52–38 38–51 46–44 50–40 Poole Pirates 47–43 48–42 41–49 26–64 57–33 48–41 38–52 43–47 Swindon Robins 47–4 42–47 49–41 31–59 55–35 51–39 53–37 52–38 Wolverhampton Wolves 31–59 39–50 54–36 38–40 50–40 55–35 50–40 55–35 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1998fixtures.pdf Speedway Researcher 1998 fixtures & results 31 May 2024 'B' Fixtures main FBR grey BV COV EAS IPS KL OX PP SWI WOL Belle Vue Aces 58–32 56–34 46–44 65–25 51–39 49–41 57–33 48–42 Coventry Bees 52–38 50–40 46–44 55–35 44–46 48–42 48–42 46–44 Eastbourne Eagles 59–31 44–46 38–51 56–34 47–43 52–38 55–35 55–35 Ipswich Witches 48–42 49–41 47–43 60–30 63–27 51–39 58–32 56–34 King's Lynn Knights 41–49 47–43 46–44 27–63 40–50 40–50 42–48 53–37 Oxford Cheetahs 47–43 42–48 56–34 44–46 57–33 47–43 45–45 44–46 Poole Pirates 40–50 49–41 56–34 45–45 46–44 40–50 42–48 46–43 Swindon Robins 55–35 42–48 64–26 44–46 56–34 38–52 59–31 56–34 Wolverhampton Wolves 48–42 40–49 62–28 47–43 62–28 56–34 51–39 42–48 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1998fixtures.pdf Speedway Researcher 1998 fixtures & results 31 May 2024 Elite League Knockout Cup The 1998 Speedway Star Knockout Cup was the 60th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams and the second under its new name. Ipswich Witches were the winners of the competition.https://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2014/07/elite-league-ko-cup-1998.html 1998 Elite League Knockout Cup Speedway archive First round Group A Date Team one Score Team two27/03 Belle Vue 50-40 Coventry28/03 Coventry 51-39 Belle Vue29/03 Swindon 41-49 Wolverhampton30/03 Wolverhampton 47-42 Oxford03/04 Oxford 45-45 Coventry06/04 Wolverhampton 50-40 Swindon10/04 Swindon 46-44 Oxford11/04 Coventry 47-43 Swindon12/04 Belle Vue 43-47 Wolverhampton13/04 Wolverhampton 45-45 Belle Vue17/04 Belle Vue 46-43 Oxford18/04 Coventry 48-42 Oxford20/04 Wolverhampton 45-45 Coventry24/04 Belle Vue 41-48 Swindon24/04 Oxford 39-51 Wolverhampton25/04 Coventry 54-36 Wolverhampton30/04 Swindon 40-50 Belle Vue03/05 Oxford 48-42 Belle Vue08/05 Oxford 58-32 Swindon11/05 Swindon 41-49 Coventry Pos Team P W D L1 Wolverhampton 85212 Coventry 85213 Belle Vue 83144 Oxford 82155 Swindon 8206 Group B Date Team one Score Team two19/03 Ipswich 60-30 Kings Lynn22/03 Eastbourne 65-25 Kings Lynn26/03 Ipswich 56-33 Poole29/03 Eastbourne 52-38 Poole01/04 Kings Lynn 41-31 Eastbourne02/04 Ipswich 49-41 Eastbourne11/04 Eastbourne 44-46 Ipswich22/04 Kings Lynn 34-55 Ipswich22/04 Poole 47-43 Eastbourne24/04 Kings Lynn 47-43 Poole26/04 Poole 48-42 Kings Lynn06/05 Poole 39-51 Ipswich Pos Team P W D L1 Ipswich 66002 Eastbourne 62043 King's Lynn 62044 Poole 6204 Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two22/08 Coventry 54-36 Wolverhampton29/06 Wolverhampton 49-41 Coventry16/07 Ipswich 57-33 Eastbourne04/07 Eastbourne 42-48 Ipswich Final The first leg was due to be held on 9 October at Foxhall Stadium but was abandoned after 5 heats due to heavy rain. Coventry were leading 17-13 at the time. First leg 10 October 1998 Coventry BeesJason Crump (guest) 15Greg Hancock 13Brian Andersen 8Shaun Tacey 6Andreas Jonsson 1Stuart Robson 0 43 - 47 https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/coventry1998.pdf Coventry Bees 1998 season Speedway Researcher 25 June 2021 Ipswich WitchesTony Rickardsson 15Tomasz Gollob 11Scott Nicholls 10Chris Louis 6Antonín Šváb Jr. 3Savalas Clouting 2 Brandon Stadium Second leg 15 October 1998 Ipswich WitchesTomasz Gollob 12Tony Rickardsson 11Chris Louis 10Scott Nicholls 6Antonín Šváb Jr. 5Savalas Clouting 4 48 - 42 Coventry BeesGreg Hancock 18Brian Andersen 12Mark Loram (guest) 5Shaun Tacey 3Andreas Jonsson 2Stuart Robson 2 Foxhall Stadium Ipswich were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 95-85. Craven Shield End of season competition for the top 6 league teams First Round Team one Team two Score Wolverhampton Coventry 40–50, 41–49Swindon Eastbourne 68–22, 41–49 Semi-final Team one Team two ScoreBelle Vue Coventry 43–47, 38–52Ipswich Swindon 49–41, 50–40 Final Team one Team two ScoreIpswich Coventry 59–31, 37–53 Riders' Championship Tony Rickardsson won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at the Abbey Stadium in Swindon on 11 October.Screen provides the chief thrills Manchester Evening News 12 October 1998 8 June 2023 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19981012/053/0053 British Newspaper Archive subscription Pos. Rider Pts Total SF Final1 SWE Tony Rickardsson 3 2 2 3 3 13x32 AUS Jason Crump 3 3 3 3 2 14x23 ENG Joe Screen 3 2 1 2 3 11214 AUS Leigh Adams 2 1 3 3 2 11305 SWE Jimmy Nilsen 2 2 2 3 2 11 16 AUS Todd Wiltshire 3 3 2 2 0 10 07 USA Greg Hancock 2 3 0 2 3 10 8 DEN Brian Andersen 0 3 3 0 1 7 9 USA Ronnie Correy 2 1 3 1 0 7 10 ENG Chris Louis 1 1 0 1 3 6 11 ENG Mark Loram 1 0 1 2 2 6 12 ENG Martin Dugard 1 0 2 1 1 5 13 AUS Craig Boyce 1 0 1 1 0 3 14 AUS Ryan Sullivan 0 2 0 0 0 2 15 ENG David Norris 0 1 0 0 1 2 16 AUS Shane Parker X 0 1 R 1 2 *exc=excluded Leading final averages Rider Team Average SWE Tony RickardssonIpswich10.35 USA Billy HamillCoventry10.07 USA Greg HancockCoventry9.58 AUS Jason CrumpOxford9.54 POL Tomasz GollobIpswich9.38 ENG Chris LouisIpswich9.35 USA Ronnie CorreyBelle Vue9.02 ENG Joe ScreenBelle Vue8.99 ENG Martin DugardEastbourne8.70 AUS Leigh AdamsSwindon8.53 SWE Mikael Karlsson Wolverhampton 8.53 Riders & final averages Belle Vue 22em USA Ronnie Correy 9.02 ENG Joe Screen 8.99 AUS Jason Lyons 7.50 AUS Frank Smart 6.00 CZE Zdeněk Tesař 5.83 ENG Andy Smith 5.57 SWE Niklas Klingberg 5.25 ENG Sean Wilson 4.87 SWE Robert Eriksson 4.00 SVN Matej Ferjan 2.24 Coventry 22em USA Billy Hamill 10.07 USA Greg Hancock 9.58 DEN Brian Andersen 7.67 SWE Andreas Jonsson 5.63 ENG Shaun Tacey 4.44 ENG Stuart Robson 3.42 ENG David Walsh 3.19 Eastbourne 22em ENG Martin Dugard 8.70 ENG Glenn Cunningham 7.33 ENG David Norris 7.15 SWE Stefan Dannö 6.86 ENG Gary Havelock 6.59 SWE Stefan Andersson 6.32 SWE Peter Nahlin 6.00 ENG Scott RobsonS 2.82 SWE Robert Johansson 2.36 Ipswich 22em SWE Tony Rickardsson 10.35 POL Tomasz Gollob 9.38 ENG Chris Louis 9.35 ENG Scott Nicholls 6.41 CZE Antonín Šváb Jr. 4.98 ENG Savalas Clouting 4.19 King's Lynn 22em AUS Shane Parker 6.81 POL Piotr Protasiewicz 6.64 CZE Bohumil Brhel 5.80 CZE Tomáš Topinka 5.59 ENG Simon Wigg 5.53 ENG Lee Richardson 5.09 ENG Ben Howe 4.72 ENG Scott Swain 2.78 Oxford 22em AUS Jason Crump 9.54 AUS Todd Wiltshire 6.80 AUS Steve Johnston 6.31 ENG Paul Hurry 6.18 DEN Jan Stæchmann 5.87 ENG Steve Schofield 5.27 ENG Lawrence Hare 3.48 Poole 22em ENG Gary Havelock 8.17 AUS Ryan Sullivan 7.59 AUS Craig Boyce 7.12 AUS Mark Lemon 6.40 ENG Kelvin Tatum 5.56 NOR Lars Gunnestad 5.46 ENG Marvyn Cox 5.25 SWE Magnus Zetterström 4.61 Swindon 22em AUS Leigh Adams 8.53 SWE Jimmy Nilsen 8.32 ENG Andy Smith 7.55 DEN John Jørgensen 6.93 DEN Brian Karger 6.27 DEN Charlie Gjedde 4.78 ENG Steve Masters 3.37 Wolverhampton 22em SWE Mikael Karlsson 8.53 ENG Mark Loram 8.02 USA Sam Ermolenko 7.42 CZE George Štancl 6.23 DEN Jesper B. Jensen 4.73 ENG Garry Stead 3.77 SCO James Grieves 3.65 See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway) References Category:SGB Premiership Category:1998 in British motorsport