1968 British League season

British speedway season September 2023 August 2019 British League 1968 19 Champions Coventry Bees British League (Div 2) Knockout Cup Wimbledon Dons Individual Barry Briggs London Cup Wimbledon Dons Midland Cup Swindon Robins Ivan Mauger 1967 1969 The 1968 British League season was the 34th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the fourth season known as the British League.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/p/compet.html Historic league tables Speedway ArchiveOakes Peter 1981 Speedway Yearbook 1981 100 Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd 0-86215-017-5 Summary Edinburgh relocated to become the Coatbridge Monarchs. The Long Eaton team closed its doors, but a new team in Leicester returned to speedway to join the League. Long Eaton promoters Ron Wilson and Reg Fearman moved the speedway licence to Leicester Stadium because of concerns over increased stock car events damaging the Long Eaton Stadium speedway track.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003893/19680221/020/0020 Speedway at Long Eaton in danger Nottingham Evening Post 21 February 1968 British Newspaper Archive subscription 22 September 2024Rogers Martin The Illustrated History of Speedway 1978 129–133 Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd 0-904584-45-3 Coventry Bees secured their first title on points difference and after they scored points in the last heat of their last match away at King's Lynn. The title win came after two consecutive years as being runner-up. Coventry's Nigel Boocock was again one of the league's leading riders with his average going well above ten for the fifth consecutive year. He was well supported by Ron Mountford and Czechoslovak star Antonín Kasper Sr.https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive HISTORY ARCHIVE British Speedway 29 June 2021 Wimbledon Dons who could only manage a mid table finish went on to win the British League Knockout Cup.https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1968record.pdf Season 1968 Speedway Researcher 20 October 2023 Final table M W D L F A Pts 1 Coventry Bees 36 22 0 14 1436 1369 44 2 Hackney Hawks 36 21 2 13 1421 1383 44 3 Exeter Falcons 36 20 1 15 1556.5 1248.5 41 4 Sheffield Tigers 36 20 1 15 1463.5 1337.5 41 5 Newcastle Diamonds 36 20 0 16 1454 1350 40 6 West Ham Hammers 36 19 1 16 1454 1348 39 7 Halifax Dukes 36 19 1 16 1424 1379 39 8 Coatbridge Monarchs 36 18 1 17 1404 1397 37 9 Wimbledon Dons 36 18 0 18 1411 1384 36 10 Belle Vue Aces 36 18 0 18 1387 1417 36 11 Swindon Robins 36 17 1 18 1448 1353 35 12 Leicester Lions 36 17 1 18 1373 1430 35 13 Newport Wasps 36 17 1 18 1348 1457 35 14 Cradley Heath Heathens 36 15 4 17 1373 1430 34 15 Oxford Cheetahs 36 17 0 19 1319 1487 34 16 Wolverhampton Wolves 36 16 0 20 1388 1413 32 17 Poole Pirates 36 13 2 21 1327 1478 28 18 King's Lynn Stars 36 13 1 22 1330 1473 27 19 Glasgow Tigers 36 13 1 22 1312 1495 27M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points Fixtures & results main FBR grey BV CM COV CH EX GLA HAC HAL KL LE ND NW OX PP SHE SWI WH WIM WOL Belle Vue Aces 55–23 47–31 41–37 34–44 50–28 45–33 49–29 40–38 40–38 41–37 51–27 52–26 45–33 37–41 55–23 44–34 52–26 41–37 Coventry Bees 37–41 53–25 47–31 43–35 48–30 41–36 46–32 47–31 45–33 43–35 46–32 56–22 49–29 44–34 43–35 42–36 50–28 45–33 Cradley Heathens 45–33 37–41 54–24 42–36 53–25 46–32 37–41 46–32 36–42 38–40 42–36 50–28 43–35 42–35 39–39 40–38 44–34 49–29 Coatbridge Monarchs 41–36 38–40 51–27 39–39 48–30 53–25 52–26 49–29 43–35 46–32 48–30 54–24 44–34 42–36 43–35 48–30 46–32 53–23 Exeter Falcons 46–31 51–27 53–25 53–25 50–28 51–27 58–19 59–19 56–22 47–31 53–25 50–28 52–26 50–28 49–29 41–37 49–29 51–27 Glasgow Tigers 44–34 47–31 39–39 38–40 36–42 36–42 34–44 44–34 47–31 41–37 55–23 49–29 46–32 38–40 43–35 31–47 40–38 49–29 Hackney Hawks 48–30 42–36 43–35 40–36 43–35 47–31 46–32 41–37 43–35 42–36 48–30 46–32 47–31 42–35 47–31 42–36 52–26 42–36 Halifax Dukes 52–26 42–36 56–22 51–27 43–35 50–27 54–24 44–34 47–31 40–38 47–31 52–26 42–36 39–39 45–33 43–35 50–28 49–29 King's Lynn Stars 41–37 37–41 39–39 50–28 45–33 36–42 36–42 43–35 41–37 41–37 40–38 48–30 50–28 49–29 42–36 38–40 47–26 40–38 Leicester Lions 44–34 37–41 50–27 40–38 40–38 43–35 39–39 41–37 48–30 44–34 51–27 44–34 41–37 39–37 45–33 41–37 43–35 40–38 Newcastle Diamonds 59–19 52–26 40–38 48–30 50–28 45–33 46–32 50–28 40–38 40–38 53–25 41–37 43–35 46–32 46–32 49–29 49–28 40–38 Newport Wasps 46–32 42–36 47–31 43–35 41–37 49–29 46–32 45–33 42–36 44–33 51–27 53–25 48–29 49–29 47–31 39–39 46–32 45–33 Oxford Cheetahs 43–35 41–37 30–47 43–35 43–35 42–36 45–33 51–26 43–35 43–35 41–37 54–24 42–36 42–36 38–40 46–32 43–35 44–34 Poole Pirates 36–42 43–35 39–39 38–40 40–38 45–33 39–39 42–36 45–33 43–35 44–34 43–35 49–29 43–35 38–40 41–37 45–32 42–36 Sheffield Tigers 54–24 51–27 53–25 46–32 44.5–33.5 51–27 43–35 42–36 51–27 45–33 50–27 51–27 49–29 51–27 50–28 41–37 50–28 44–34 Swindon Robins 56–22 43–34 36–42 57–20 50–28 61–17 36–42 48–30 51–27 43–35 38–39 54–24 45–33 53–24 47–31 36–42 39–38 46–32 West Ham Hammers 41–36 46–32 39–38 43–35 48–30 36–42 41–37 42–35 48–30 50–28 44–34 50–28 41–37 45–33 48–29 37–40 43–35 52–25 Wimbledon Dons 54–24 54–24 42–36 51–26 50–28 49–29 46–32 42–35 49–29 47–31 46–31 49–29 37–41 41–37 55–22 43–34 41–37 41–37 Wolverhampton Wolves 45–32 45–33 33–44 51–27 43–35 45–33 40–38 54–24 50–28 46–31 47–31 43–34 43–35 48–30 49–29 43–35 41–37 34–44 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1967fixtures.pdf Speedway Researcher 1968 fixtures & results 10 July 2024 Top Ten Riders (League averages) Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Ivan Mauger NZL Newcastle 11.40 2 Barry Briggs NZL Swindon 10.88 3 Nigel Boocock ENG Coventry 10.79 4 Martin Ashby ENG Exeter 10.68 5 Charlie Monk AUS Sheffield 10.14 6 Eric Boocock ENG Halifax 10.13 7 Anders Michanek SWE Leicester 10.07 8 Norman Hunter ENG West Ham 9.94 9 Sverre Harrfeldt NOR West Ham 9.88 10 Torbjörn Harrysson SWE Newport 9.82 British League Knockout Cup The 1968 British League Knockout Cup was the 30th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Wimbledon were the winners.http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2013/05/british-league-division-one-ko-cup.html 1968 British League Knockout Cup Speedway archive First round Date Team one Score Team two27/04 Coatbridge 66–42 Glasgow27/04 Halifax 57–51 Exeter16/04 West Ham 55–52 Hackney Second round Date Team one Score Team two01/06 Belle Vue 64–44 West Ham14/05 Leicester 52–56 Coventry20/05 Newcastle 77–30 Coatbridge23/05 Sheffield 71–37 Cradley Heath25/05 Swindon 58–50 Oxford23/05 Wimbledon 60–48 Kings Lynn22/05 Poole 56–52 Newport17/05 Wolverhampton 60–47 Halifax Third round Date Team one Score Team two17/08 Belle Vue 65–42 Sheffield26/07 Poole 54–54 Swindon27/06 Wimbledon 64–44 Newcastle28/06Wolverhampton 58–50 Coventry23/08replay Swindon 60–47 Poole Semi-finals Date Team one Score Team two20/09 Wolverhampton 67–40 Belle Vue12/09 Wimbledon 80–28 Swindon Final First leg 18 October 1968 Wolverhampton WolvesHasse Holmqvist 15Jim Airey 14Peter Vandenberg 8James Bond 6Dave Hemus 6Doug White 3Mick Handley 1Pete Jarman 0 53–55 https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/result-archive/heatdetails/season1968.pdf Season 1968 British Speedway 25 June 2021 Wimbledon DonsOlle Nygren 14Trevor Hedge 12Reg Luckhurst 10Bob Dugard 9Alan Cowland 4Jim Tebby 3Peter Murray 3Garry Middleton 0 Monmore Green Stadium Second leg 31 October 1968 Wimbledon DonsTrevor Hedge 17Olle Nygren 14Reg Luckhurst 12Garry Middleton 8Alan Cowland 6Bob Dugard 2Jim Tebby 2Peter Murray 2 63–45 Wolverhampton WolvesHasse Holmqvist 12James Bond 10Peter Vandenberg 8Jim Airey 7Mick Handley 5Pete Jarman 3Dave Hemus 0Doug White 0 Wimbledon Stadium Wimbledon Dons were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 118-98. Riders' Championship Barry Briggs won the British League Riders' Championship for the fourth consecutive year, held at Hyde Road on 19 October. Briggs defeated Boocock in a run off for the title.Briggs foils Boocock bid Derby Daily Telegraph 21 October 1968 1 June 2023 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19681021/015/0015 British Newspaper Archive subscription Pos. Rider Heat Scores Total1 NZL Barry Briggs 3 3 3 2 3 142 ENG Nigel Boocock 3 3 3 3 2143 NZL Ivan Mauger 2 3 3 3 2 134 SWE Torbjörn Harrysson 3 2 3 3 f 11 5 ENG Martin Ashby 3 2 2 1 3 116 ENG Terry Betts 1 2 1 3 1 87 SWE Sören Sjösten 2 r 2 1 3 88 SWE Anders Michanek 0 3 1 2 2 89 SWE Hasse Holmqvist 2 1 1 2 1 710 SWE Bernt Persson 1 1 2 2 1 711 AUS Charlie Monk 2 2 0 0 1 512 ENG Norman Hunter 1 1 ef 0 3 5 13 ENG Nigel Boocock ef 0 2 1 2 514 SWE Olle Nygren 0 1 ef 1 0 2 15 ENG Colin Pratt 1 ef 1 0 0 2 16 ENG Roy Trigg ef ns 0 0 0 0 ef=engine failure, f=fell, exc=excluded Final leading averages Rider Nat Team C.M.A. 1 Ivan Mauger NZL Newcastle 11.37 2 Barry Briggs NZL Swindon 10.87 3 Nigel Boocock ENG Coventry 10.74 4 Martin Ashby ENG Exeter 10.72 5 Anders Michanek SWE Leicester 10.19 6 Eric Boocock ENG Halifax 10.17 7 Charlie Monk AUS Sheffield 10.07 8 Sverre Harrfeldt NOR West Ham 9.78 9 Torbjörn Harrysson SWE Newport 9.82 10 Norman Hunter ENG West Ham 9.71 11 Ron Mountford ENG Coventry 9.62 12 Hasse Holmqvist SWE Wolverhampton 9.58 13 Colin Pratt ENG Hackney 9.58 14 Terry Betts ENG King's Lynn 9.45 15 Malcolm Simmons ENG King's Lynn 9.40 16 Ole Olsen DEN Newcastle 9.39 17 Ray Wilson ENG Leicester 9.37 18 Olle Nygren ENG Wimbledon 9.39 19 Bernt Persson SWE Edinburgh 9.28 20 Jim Airey AUS Wolverhampton 9.24 London Cup Wimbledon won the London Cup.https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/wimbledon1968.pdf Wimbledon 1968 Speedway Researcher 30 September 2023 Pos Team P W D L F A Pts1 Wimbledon Dons 430123319862 West Ham Hammers 4211 22520753 Hackney Hawks 40 1 3 1892421 main FBR grey HAC WH WIM Hackney 54–54 42–66 West Ham 59–49 60–48 Wimbledon 63–44 56–52 complete https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1968fixtures.pdf Speedway Researcher 1968 fixtures & results 15 July 2025 Midland Cup Swindon won the Midland Cup for the second consecutive season. The competition consisted of six teams.Lions Lode By Point On Aggregate Leicester Daily Mercury 16 October 1968 https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000760/19681016/024/0024 British Newspaper Archive 19 October 2023 subscription First round Team one Team two ScoreOxford Wolverhampton 42–36, 41–37LeicesterCradley 45–32, 41–37 Semi final round Team one Team two ScoreLeicester Cradley 45–32, 36–42 Swindon Oxford46–32, 39–38 Final First leg 5 October 1968 SwindonBarry Briggs 11 Bob Kilby 10Clive Hitch 6Pete Munday 5 Frank Shuter 5 Mike Keen 5 Mike Broadbank 0 42–35 Leicester Anders Michanek 10 John Boulger 9 Ray Wilson 9 John Hart 5 Graham Plant 2George Major 0Norman Storer 0 Abbey Stadium Second leg 15 October 1968 LeicesterRay Wilson 12Anders Michanek 10 Norman Storer 6 John Boulger 6 John Hart 3 Graham Plant 3George Major 2 42–36 SwindonBarry Briggs 9 Frank Shuter 7Clive Hitch 6Mike Broadbank 6Mike Keen 3Bob Kilby 3 Pete Munday 2 Leicester Stadium Swindon won on aggregate 78–77 Riders and final averages Belle Vue 22em SWE Sören Sjösten 9.13 ENG Tommy Roper 8.50 HUN Sándor Lévai 7.40 ENG Cyril Maidment 7.34 ENG Bill Powell 5.62 ENG Norman Nevitt 5.56 WAL Taffy Owen 4.48 ENG Ken Eyre 4.29 ENG Chris Pusey 3.65 ENG Eric Broadbelt 2.78 Coatbridge 22em SWE Bernt Persson 9.28 NOR Reidar Eide 9.02 SCO George Hunter 6.48 SCO Bert Harkins 6.36 SCO Doug Templeton 6.05 SCO Brian Collins 4.39 SCO Alec Hughson 3.62 Coventry 22em ENG Nigel Boocock 10.74 ENG Ron Mountford 9.62 CZE Antonín Kasper Sr. 7.51 ENG Col Cottrell 7.09 ENG Les Owen 6.46 ENG Rick France 6.13 ENG Roger Hill 5.46 ENG Tom Ridley 4.73 ENG Chris Harrison 3.40 ENG Dave Callington 1.88 Cradley Heath 22em ENG Roy Trigg 8.91 ENG Bob Andrews 7.70 NZL Graham Coombes 6.71 ENG Chris Julian 6.32 SWE Lars Jansson 6.20 ENG Ivor Brown 5.67 SWE Tommy Bergqvist 5.02 ENG Ken Wakefield 5.02 ENG Archie Wilkinson 4.19 ENG Peter Wrathall 3.62 ENG Alan Totney 3.16 Exeter 22em ENG Martin Ashby 10.72 NZL Wayne Briggs 7.70 AUS Neil Street 7.51 ENG Jimmy Squibb 7.46 ENG Tommy Sweetman 7.31 ENG Mike Cake 6.37 CAN Chris Blewett 5.71 ENG Chris Bass 4.64 Glasgow 22em SCO Jimmy McMillan 8.31 NOR Oyvind Berg 7.91 NZL Alf Wells 7.43 SWE Bo Josefsson 6.79 ENG Russ Dent 5.78 SWE Lars Jansson 5.68 SCO Willie Templeton 4.92 SCO Bill McMillan 4.79 SWE Åke Andersson 4.17 AUS Brian Whaley 2.37 Hackney 22em ENG Colin Pratt 9.58 SWE Bengt Jansson 8.99 ENG Les McGillivray 6.74 ENG Des Lukehurst 6.24 AUS Jack Biggs 6.08 ENG Malcolm Brown 5.31 ENG Alan Jackson 4.40 ENG Gary Everett 4.08 ENG Laurie Etheridge 3.17 Halifax 22em ENG Eric Boocock 10.17 ENG Dave Younghusband 8.83 ENG Eric Boothroyd 7.95 ENG Alan Jay 6.27 AUS Greg Kentwell 5.94 AUS Dennis Gavros 5.43 AUS Les Sharpe 3.88 AUS Bob Jameson 3.75 ENG Maury Robinson 3.69 King's Lynn 22em ENG Terry Betts 9.45 ENG Malcolm Simmons 9.40 ENG Clive Featherby 6.11 WAL Howard Cole (Kid Bodie) 5.94 ENG Brian Davies 5.24 ENG David Crane 5.10 ENG Geoff Penniket 4.34 ENG Alan Bellham 4.29 NZL Allan Brown 4.00 Leicester 22em SWE Anders Michanek 10.19 ENG Ray Wilson 9.37 AUS John Boulger 6.62 ENG George Major 5.51 ENG John Hart 5.43 ENG Norman Storer 5.24 ENG Vic White 4.06 ENG Graham Plant 2.80 ENG Roger Mills 2.58 Newcastle' 22em NZL Ivan Mauger 11.37 DEN Ole Olsen 9.39 NZL Dave Gifford 6.86 ENG Alan Butterfield 6.08 NZL Goog Allan 5.76 ENG Mike Watkin 5.48 NZL Alf Wells 5.09 ENG Alan Jay 5.05 AUS Alan Paynter 3.67 NZL Gary Peterson 3.56 NZL Murray Burt 2.24 Newport 22em SWE Torbjörn Harrysson 9.73 ENG Jimmy Gooch 7.97 ENG Jon Erskine 6.56 ENG Norman Strachan 6.47 WAL Bob Hughes 6.26 WAL Cyril Francis 5.69 ENG Alby Golden 5.72 NZL Terry Shearer 2.00 Oxford 22em ENG Ronnie Genz 8.53 ENG Eddie Reeves 7.32 ENG Colin Gooddy 6.87 WAL Leo McAuliffe 6.58 NZL Rick Timmo 5.52 ENG John Bishop 4.38 ENG Peter Seaton 2.77 Poole 22em NZL Bill Andrew 8.32 AUS Geoff Mudge 7.67 ENG Pete Smith 7.46 NOR Odd Fossengen 6.94 NZL Bruce Cribb 5.71 POL Ted Laessing 5.25 ENG Maury Mattingley 5.14 ENG Tim Bungay 4.53 ENG Tony Lewis 4.36 Sheffield 22em AUS Charlie Monk 10.07 SWE Bengt Larsson 7.97 ENG Arnold Haley 7.54 ENG Bob Paulson 6.79 ENG John Dews 6.39 ENG Brian Maxted 6.13 ENG Billy Bales 4.76 ENG Dave Baugh 1.49 Swindon 22em NZL Barry Briggs 10.87 ENG Mike Broadbank 8.51 ENG Bob Kilby 8.20 ENG Mike Keen 6.18 ENG Clive Hitch 5.99 NZL Frank Shuter 5.25 ENG Pete Munday 4.94 ENG Peter Jackson 4.29 West Ham 22em NOR Sverre Harrfeldt 9.78 ENG Norman Hunter 9.71 SCO Ken McKinlay 9.11 ENG Brian Leonard 5.36 ENG Tony Clarke 4.95 ENG Stan Stevens 4.46 ENG George Barclay 3.33 ENG Barry Crowson 2.57 Wimbledon 22em SWE Olle Nygren 9.31 ENG Trevor Hedge 9.15 ENG Reg Luckhurst 7.93 AUS Garry Middleton 5.87 ENG Jim Tebby 5.61 ENG Alan Cowland 5.49 ENG Bob Dugard 5.18 ENG Peter Murray 3.54 Wolverhampton 22em SWE Hasse Holmqvist 9.58 AUS Jim Airey 9.24 NED Peter Vandenberg 7.68 ENG James Bond 6.82 ENG Pete Jarman 5.97 ENG Dave Hemus 4.86 ENG Mick Handley 4.30 AUS Doug White 2.86 ENG Geoff Ambrose 2.35 ENG Dave Parry 2.29 See also List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions Knockout Cup (speedway) References Category:British League Category:1968 in British motorsport Category:1968 in speedway