1988 British League season

British motorcycle speedway season November 2023 November 2023 British League 11 Champions Coventry Bees Knockout Cup Cradley Heath Heathens Individual Jan O. Pedersen Hans Nielsen 1988 National League 1987 1989 The 1988 British League season was the 54th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the 24th known as the British League.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html Historic league tables Speedway Archivehttps://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive HISTORY ARCHIVE British Speedway 3 July 2021 Summary Coventry Bees won the league for the second successive year and again by a 16-point margin. The Bees also reached the Knockout Cup final losing to Cradley Heath. Remarkably it was Cradley's seventh Cup win in 10 years. With the League Cup scrapped the Coventry team had less fixtures to ride and their pairing of Tommy Knudsen and Kelvin Tatum were once again the catalyst for the seasons success finishing 2nd and 4th respectively in the averages. Hans Nielsen topped the averages again for the sixth consecutive season.http://www.speedwaygb.co/history/leaguetables1988.php 1988 league tables Speedway GB Final table Pos Team PL W D L BP Pts1 Coventry Bees 40 31 2 7 18 822 Belle Vue Aces 40 26 1 13 13 663 Cradley Heath Heathens 39 22 1 16 15 604 Oxford Cheetahs 40 20 6 14 13 595 Reading Racers 40 20 3 17 12 556 Sheffield Tigers 39 19 2 18 8 487 Swindon Robins 40 17 1 22 8 438 Wolverhampton Wolves 40 15 3 22 8 419 King's Lynn Stars 40 14 3 23 7 3810 Ipswich Witches 39 13 0 26 4 3011 Bradford Dukes 39 10 0 29 2 22M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points Fixtures and results A fixtures main FBR grey BV BRA COV CH IPS KL OX RR SHE SWI WOL Belle Vue 61–29 42.5–46.5 47–42 50–40 48–42 47–43 54–36 55–35 53–37 51–39 Bradford 42–48 46–44 50–40 49–41 50–40 44–46 43–47 43–47 48–42 46–43 Coventry 48–42 61–29 55–35 46–44 56–34 51–39 45–45 47–43 50–40 52–38 Cradley Heath 48–42 57–33 43–47 42–48 53–37 39–51 47–43 52–38 51–39 48–42 Ipswich 52–38 46–44 36–54 40–50 46–44 44–46 47–43 37–53 52–38 46–44 King's Lynn 51–39 56–34 36–54 49–41 48–42 45–45 42–48 48–42 45–45 53–37 Oxford 45–45 49–41 46–44 49–41 54–36 53–37 45–45 49–41 49–41 45–45 Reading 48–42 52–38 43–47 46–44 53–37 42–48 46–44 53–37 56–34 60–29 Sheffield 53–37 48–42 35–55 45–45 53–37 46–44 45–45 41–49 48–42 49–41 Swindon 39–51 57–33 44–46 39–50 41–49 48–42 43–47 48–42 53–37 53–37 Wolverhampton 47–43 63–27 47–43 39–51 50–40 50–40 48–42 45–45 53–37 42–48 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1988.html Speedway Researcher 1988 fixtures & results 7 May 2025 B fixtures main FBR grey BV BRA COV CH IPS KL OX RR SHE SWI WOL Belle Vue 61–29 53–37 48–42 58–32 58–32 49–41 51–39 51.5–38.5 65–25 46–44 Bradford 40–50 40–50 43–47 n–h 62–28 46–44 41–49 49–41 42–48 57–33 Coventry 46–44 57–33 46–44 50–40 55–35 45–45 56–34 59–31 65–25 44–46 Cradley Heath 50–40 48–41 42–48 57–33 55–35 48–42 47–43 62–28 55–35 53–37 Ipswich 40–50 50–40 40–50 48–41 47–43 42–38 49–38 42–48 42–47 47–43 King's Lynn 56–34 51–39 40–50 44–46 46–44 53–37 42–48 41–49 50–39 46–44 Oxford 50–40 53–33 38–51 43–47 53–37 53.5–36.5 47–42 54–36 41–49 42–48 Reading 43–47 63–2 48–42 49–41 48–42 56–33 42–48 43–7 53–37 49–41 Sheffield 44–46 53–37 42–48 n–h 51–39 58–32 46–43 48–41 60–30 48–42 Swindon 44–46 46–44 40–49 46–44 51–39 40–49 47.5–42.5 46–44 46–44 46–44 Wolverhampton 51–39 64–26 51–39 47–43 52–38 45–45 37–53 47–43 44–46 42–48 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1988.html Speedway Researcher 1988 fixtures & results 7 May 2025 British League Knockout Cup The 1988 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 50th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners for the third successive year if including the tied 1986 final.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2015/01/british-league-division-one-knock-out.html 1988 British League Knockout Cup Speedway archive First round Date Team one Score Team two09/07 King's Lynn 47-43 Ipswich08/07 Ipswich 34-55 King's Lynn23/06 Sheffield 43-47 Cradley Heath18/06 Cradley Heath 51-39 Sheffield03/06 Belle Vue 53-37 Bradford28/05 Bradford 36-54 Belle Vue Quarter-finals Date Team one Score Team two13/08 King's Lynn 40-50 Cradley Heath10/08 Cradley Heath 53-37 King's Lynn19/07 Coventry 53-37 Reading15/07 Belle Vue 53-37 Wolverhampton14/07 Oxford 48-42 Swindon11/07 Reading 49-41 Coventry11/07 Wolverhampton 45-45 Belle Vue Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two14/10 Belle Vue 48-42 Cradley Heath13/10 Oxford 38-49 Coventry08/10 Coventry 44-46 Oxford14/09 Cradley Heath 49-41 Belle Vue Final First leg 22 October 1988 Coventry BeesTommy Knudsen 11Kelvin Tatum 11Rick Miller 6John Jørgensen 5Andy Hackett 5David Clarke 2Neville Tatum 0 40 - 50 https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/coventry1988.pdf Coventry Bees 1988 season Speedway Researcher 25 June 2021 Cradley HeathAlan Grahame 13Jan O. Pedersen 11Simon Cross 9Erik Gundersen 8David Walsh 7Gert Handberg 1Wayne Garratt 1 Brandon Stadium Second leg 23 October 1988 Cradley HeathAlan Grahame 10Gert Handberg 9Simon Cross 8Erik Gundersen 8Jan O. Pedersen 7David Walsh 5Wayne Garratt 3 50 - 40 Coventry BeesTommy Knudsen 13John Jørgensen 9Andy Hackett 6David Clarke 6Kelvin Tatum 5Rick Miller 1Neville Tatum 0 Dudley Wood Stadium Cradley Heath were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 100-80. Riders' Championship Jan O. Pedersen won the British League Riders' Championship. It was the held at Belle Vue Stadium on 9 October.Pedersen powers to title joy Sandwell Evening Mail 10 October 1988 5 June 2023 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002487/19881010/425/0041 British Newspaper Archive subscription Pos. Rider Heat Scores Total1 DEN Jan O. Pedersen 3 2 3 3 3 142 DEN Erik Gundersen 3 3 3 1 3 133 DEN Hans Nielsen 0 3 3 3 3 12+34 ENG Chris Morton 2 2 3 2 312+25 USA Shawn Moran 1 3 2 2 2 10 6 ENG Richard Knight 2 3 1 2 1 9 7 USA Ronnie Correy 1 2 2 3 1 9 8 ENG Simon Wigg 2 1 0 3 2 8 9 ENG Kelvin Tatum 2 0 2 2 1 7 10 SWE Per Jonsson 3 2 0 0 0 5 11 ENG Gary Havelock 1 1 0 1 2 5 12 SWE Jan Andersson 1 1 1 1 1 5 13 USA Kelly Moran 0 0 2 1 2 5 14 DEN Brian Karger 3 1 1 0 0 515 DEN Tommy Knudsen 0 1 0 116 ENG Paul Smith (res) 0 0 0 17 ENG Carl Stonehewer (res) 0 0 0 18 ENG Jeremy Doncaster 0 0 0 0 ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired Leading final averages Rider Team Average DEN Hans Nielsen Oxford 11.03 DEN Tommy Knudsen Coventry 10.08 DEN Erik Gundersen Cradley Heath 10.06 ENG Kelvin Tatum Coventry 10.04 DEN Jan O. Pedersen Cradley Heath 9.88 USA Shawn Moran Sheffield 9.51 USA Sam Ermolenko Wolverhampton 9.40 ENG Jeremy Doncaster Ipswich 9.34 ENG Chris Morton Belle Vue 9.01 ENG Steve Bastable Bradford 9.00 Riders & final averages Belle Vue 22em ENG Chris Morton 9.01 USA Mike Faria 8.18 DEN Peter Ravn 7.70 ENG Paul Thorp 7.22 SWE Roland Danno 6.92 ENG Andy Smith 6.83 ENG Paul Smith 4.97 ENG Glenn Hornby 3.12 Bradford 22em ENG Gary Havelock 8.30 ENG Neil Evitts 7.44 ENG Sean Willmott 6.02 USA Rob Pfetzing 5.67 ENG Michael Graves 5.29 USA Randy Green 5.15 FIN Olli Tyrväinen 4.64 ENG Anthony Hulme 3.57 Coventry 22em DEN Tommy Knudsen 10.08 ENG Kelvin Tatum 10.04 DEN John Jørgensen 7.49 USA Rick Miller 7.02 ENG Neville Tatum 5.00 ENG David Clarke 4.85 ENG Andy Hackett 4.79 Cradley Heath 22em DEN Erik Gundersen 10.06 DEN Jan O. Pedersen 9.88 ENG Simon Cross 8.22 ENG Alan Grahame 6.92 DEN Gert Handberg 5.10 ENG David Walsh 4.50 ENG Wayne Garratt 3.45 Ipswich 22em ENG Jeremy Doncaster 9.34 FIN Kai Niemi 6.87 ITA Armando Castagna 6.75 ENG Carl Blackbird 6.19 GER Gerd Riss 6.07 AUS Steve Regeling 5.40 ITA Paolo Salvatelli 4.97 ENG Robbie Fuller 2.50 ENG Nigel Flatman 2.40 ENG Jonathan Cooper 1.45 King's Lynn 22em USA Lance King 7.75 ENG John Davis 7.69 ENG Richard Knight 7.45 DEN Bo Petersen 7.26 DEN Allan Johansen 6.33 AUS Stephen Davies 6.24 ENG Gordon Kennett 6.00 ENG Adrian Stevens 3.90 ENG Roger Horspool 1.28 Oxford 22em DEN Hans Nielsen 11.03 ENG Simon Wigg 8.64 ENG Marvyn Cox 7.24 ENG Martin Dugard 6.97 ENG Nigel De'ath 4.32 ENG Alastair Stevens 3.91 ENG Jon Surman 3.81 DEN Lars Munkedal 2.80 ENG Peter Lloyd 2.65 Reading 22em SWE Per Jonsson 8.98 SWE Jan Andersson 8.93 NZL Mitch Shirra 8.20 SWE Tony Olsson 6.95 ENG Malcolm Holloway 5.63 ENG Dave Mullett 5.22 ENG Gary Tagg 3.09 ENG Rodney Payne 2.81 Sheffield 22em USA Shawn Moran 9.51 USA Kelly Moran 8.67 ENG Neil Collins 7.16 ENG Peter Carr 5.78 ENG Sean Wilson 5.30 ENG Ian Stead 4.58 USA Randy Green 4.00 ENG Gordon Whitaker 3.60 ITA Valentino Furlanetto 3.60 NOR Einar Kyllingstad 3.38 Swindon 22em SWE Peter Nahlin 7.68 (6 matches only) DEN Brian Karger 7.48 ENG Andrew Silver 7.23 SWE Jimmy Nilsen 7.22 SWE Erik Stenlund 6.56 SWE Richard Hellsen 5.94 ENG Alun Rossiter 5.87 ENG Gary Chessell 5.41 Wolverhampton 22em USA Sam Ermolenko 9.40 DEN Bo Petersen 7.67 USA Ronnie Correy 7.24 DEN Jan Stæchmann 6.11 DEN Preben Eriksen 5.94 ENG Andy Grahame 5.73 ENG Andy Phillips 5.51 DEN Lars Munkedal 5.46 DEN Peter Glanz 4.42 See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway) References Category:British League Category:1988 in British motorsport Category:1988 in speedway