Chris Morton
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Born | Davyhulme, England | 22 July 1956
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Nationality | ![]() |
Current club information | |
Career status | Manager |
Manager | Belle Vue Aces |
Career history | |
1973 | Ellesmere Port Gunners |
1973–1990 | Belle Vue Aces |
1993 | Sheffield Tigers |
Individual honours | |
1980 | Intercontinental Champion |
1983 | British Champion |
1983, 1987, 1993 | Northern Riders Champion |
1984 | British League Riders' Champion |
1974 | British Under-21 Champion |
1978 | Volkswagen/Daily Mirror Grand Prix |
1988 | Ace of Aces Grasstrack Champion |
1980 | Manpower Trophy |
1980 | Daily Mirror Golden Hammer |
Team honours | |
1973, 1975 | British League KO Cup winner |
1980 | World Team Cup Winner |
1984 | World Pairs Champion |
1984 | British League Pairs Champion |
1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 | Northern Trophy |
Christopher John Morton, MBE (born 22 July 1956[1]) is a former motorcycle speedway rider.[2] He rode bikes from a young age at the farm of Peter Collins' parents.
Brief career summary[]
Born in Davyhulme, Lancashire, Morton made his debut for Ellesmere Port Gunners (on loan from Belle Vue Aces) on 15 May 1973. He showed rapid improvement then following an injury to Aces Captain Chris Pusey in June 1973 he was drafted into the Belle Vue team scoring 6 points on his debut in an away meeting at Cradley Heath. The following season he became British Under-21 Champion at just 17 years of age.
During the late 1970s, Morton was a guest resident international rider at the famous Rowley Park Speedway in Adelaide, South Australia where he often rode against the likes of home town hero John Boulger and Mildura's Phil Crump.
He rode for the England team at test level and represented them in the World Team Cup, winning the competition in 1980.
Morton became British Champion in 1983 and World Pairs Champion with best friend Peter Collins in 1984.
After retirement[]
He retired from riding in 1990, becoming manager of Berwick Bandits in 1991.[3] He also played a major role in the introduction of speedway to Buxton in 1994.
In 2005 he returned to Belle Vue as commercial manager and then in December 2006 he was part of a consortium who bought the Aces and currently holds the position of Operations Director, having previously also acted as team manager.[4][5]
He was awarded his MBE for services to speedway in 1992.
Brother Dave was also a speedway rider.
World Final Appearances[]
Individual World Championship[]
- 1976 -
Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 11th - 6pts
- 1980 -
Gothenburg, Ullevi - 9th - 8pts
- 1981 -
London, Wembley Stadium - 11th - 5pts
- 1983 -
Norden, - 10th - 7pts
- 1986 -
Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 9th - 8pts
- 1987 -
Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium - 13th - 9pts
- 1988 -
Vojens, Speedway Center - 10th - 6pts[6]
World Pairs Championship[]
- 1981 -
Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Dave Jessup) - 6th - 17pts (10)
- 1984 -
Lonigo, (with Peter Collins) - Winner - 27pts (14)
World Team Cup[]
- 1980 -
Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Michael Lee / Peter Collins / Dave Jessup) - Winner - 40pts (11)
- 1981 -
Olching, (with Dave Jessup / Kenny Carter / John Davis / Gordon Kennett) - 2nd - 29pts (11)
- 1983 -
Vojens, Speedway Center (with Kenny Carter / Michael Lee / Dave Jessup / Peter Collins) - 2nd - 29pts (7)
- 1984 -
Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Peter Collins / Simon Wigg / Phil Collins / Neil Collins) - 2nd - 24pts (4)
- 1986 -
Gothenburg, Ullevi,
Vojens, Speedway Center,
Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Simon Wigg / Kelvin Tatum / Jeremy Doncaster / Neil Evitts / Marvyn Cox) - 3rd - 81pts (20)
- 1988 -
Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Simon Wigg / Simon Cross / Kelvin Tatum / Gary Havelock) - 4th - 22pts (4)
World Longtrack Championship[]
Finalist
- 1980 -
Scheeßel 5pts (14th)
- 1982 -
Esbjerg 4pts (14th)
- 1985 -
Esbjerg 0pts (20th) Reserve
- 1987 -
Muhldorf 2pts (17th)
- 1988 -
Scheeßel 31pts (Third)
- 1989 -
Marianske Lazne 8pts (15th)
References[]
- ^ Oakes, P & Rising, P (1986). 1986 Speedway Yearbook. ISBN 0-948882-00-X
- ^ Lawson,K (2018) "Riders, Teams and Stadiums". ISBN 978-0-244-72538-9
- ^ Morton C. (2005). Until The Can Ran Out. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524-3473-X
- ^ Frost, Richard (2006) "Morton in Takeover", , 14 October 2006, p. 3
- ^ "Karlsson out to tame the Wolves", Middleton Guardian, 1 April 2010, retrieved 22 July 2012
- ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
External links[]
- 1956 births
- Living people
- British speedway riders
- English motorcycle racers
- British Speedway Championship winners
- Speedway promoters
- Members of the Order of the British Empire
- People from Davyhulme
- Speedway World Pairs Champions
- Belle Vue Aces riders
- Sheffield Tigers riders
- Ellesmere Port Gunners riders