Brian Leonard (speedway rider)
 BrianLeonard | |
| Born | 19 February 1946 Newbury, England |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired |
| Career history | |
| 1962-1965 | Poole Pirates |
| 1962, 1972-1974, 1976 | Swindon Robins |
| 1965-1969 | West Ham Hammers |
| 1969 | Hackney Hawks |
| 1970 | Newport Wasps |
| 1970-1971 | Wembley Lions |
| 1975, 1976 | Leicester Lions |
| 1976-1978 | Oxford Cheetahs |
| Team honours | |
| 1965 | British League Winner |
| 1965 | British League Knockout Cup KO Cup Winner |
| 1965, 1966, 1967 | London Cup Winner |
Brian John Leonard (born 19 February 1946) is a British former motorcycle speedway rider.
Born in Newbury, Leonard followed his father Maurice into speedway.[1] He started his career with second half rides at Oxford in 1962, and made his league debut later that year, riding for Poole Pirates and Swindon Robins.[2] His first two years in speedway were marred by injury, suffering two collarbone breaks, and he missed four and a half months in 1963 with two broken bones in his left leg.[1] In 1965 he signed for West Ham Hammers, where he steadily improved, averaging over seven points per match in the 1967 season.[2] After a spell with Hackney Hawks in 1969, he moved on to Wembley Lions in 1970, also riding for Newport Wasps for a period.[2] He moved to Swindon Robins in 1972, but by 1974 his average had dropped below four points.[2] He was signed by Leicester Lions in 1975 but released after a poor run of results, due in part to a back injury, which led to his retirement from the sport.[3] He returned in 1976 and fared better after dropping down to the National League with Oxford Cheetahs,[4] averaging over seven points. The following year he scored less well, and after two matches in 1978 he retired.[5]
References[]
- ^ a b Oakes, Peter (1963) "A Peter Oakes Speedtale on Brian Leonard (Poole)", , 28 September 1963, p. 23
- ^ a b c d Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) Who's Who of World Speedway, Studio Publications, ISBN 0-904584-04-6, p. 76
- ^ Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar, Automedia, p. 171
- ^ Lawson, K (2018) “The Cheetahs – The Resurrection”. ISBN 978-0-244-69934-5
- ^ Bamford, R & Shailes, G (2007). "The Story of Oxford Speedway". ISBN 978-0-7524-4161-0
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- 1946 births
- Living people
- British speedway riders
- English motorcycle racers
- Poole Pirates riders
- Swindon Robins riders
- West Ham Hammers riders
- Wembley Lions riders
- Newport Wasps riders
- Leicester Lions riders
- Hackney Hawks riders
- Oxford Cheetahs riders
- English speedway biography stubs