Wolverhampton Wolves

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Wolverhampton Wolves
WolverhamptonWolves.JPG
Club information
Track addressMonmore Green Stadium
Wolverhampton
CountryEngland
Founded1928/1951
Team manager
Team captainRory Schlein
LeagueSGB Premiership
Websitewww.wolverhamptonwolves.co
Club facts
ColoursOld Gold and Black
Track size264 metres (288.7 yd)
Track record time52.69
Track record date29 August 2016
Track record holderNiels Kristian Iversen
Current team
Rider CMA
Australia Sam Masters 7.35
Sweden Jacob Thorssell 7.33
Australia Rory Schlein 6.65
Australia Nick Morris 5.38
United States Luke Becker 5.27
Australia Ryan Douglas 4.66
United States Broc Nicol 4.00
Total 40.64
Major team honours
League Champions1991, 1996, 2002
2009, 2016
KO Cup Winners1996
Div 2 League Champions1963
Provincial Midland League1962
Gold Cup1997
Midland Cup1973

Wolverhampton Wolves are a British speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and signed a deal with owner Dave Parry (previous speedway rider for the Wolverhampton Wolves) for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van Straaten.

History[]

1928–1960[]

The club was founded in 1928 racing at Monmore Green Stadium, and after a brief flirtation with speedway, saw its last pre-war meeting in 1930. It was 20 years later that the sport returned to the town.

During 1948 and the post-war optimism, record crowds were attending speedway events up and down the country. With towns keen to cash in on the boom, Wolverhampton's stadium owners applied to the local council for a track to be re-built at the original site. Australian Arthur Simcock set the ball rolling and was granted permission to promote speedway in Wolverhampton and finally his dream came true on 14 October 1950. The first to test the new track were some visiting Norwich riders, en route to a meeting. They declared themselves satisfied. Officially once again founded in 1951, known as the Wolverhampton Wasps, the racing keen fans saw a Wolverhampton team defeat Sheffield 58-26 (old 14-heat formula). With all parties happy, Wolverhampton were admitted into Division Three of the National League of the same year.[1]

However the winter of 1952/3 was a tumultuous one for speedway in the Black Country. Cradley Heath had endured a tough season in the Second Division, but meanwhile Wolverhampton had enjoyed a solid Third Division campaign. Due to the events at Cradley, a merger took place between the two promotions and saw a new formed team racing in the Second Division at Monmore Green. (Dudley Wood closed and didn't hear the roar of speedway bikes until 1959). Wolverhampton were pleased with this 'promotion' and saw the only meeting where supporters had been 'locked out'. It was reported 12,000 fans turned up with many more scaling the walls. The first meeting against Stoke in their new form saw the Potters demolished 52-32.

This was however short lived and the side was thumped home and away in the early part of the 1954 season. A decision was made by the promotion and in early May of the same year, Wolverhampton closed its doors to speedway.

1961–1990[]

It wasn't until 1961 when the sport returned to the venue again. In 1963, the team secured their first silverware, winning the 1963 Provincial Speedway League.[2]

Since 1965 Wolverhampton have competed in the top tier of British speedway with the exception of 1981 (second tier) and 1982/3 (inactive).[3]

1991–2000[]

They won their first highest league title (and second ever title) in 1991, after winning the 1991 British League season. They were led by their American star Sam Ermolenko, who became the first rider to push Hans Nielsen from the top of the averages after eight consecutive years at the top. The Wolves team relied on two more American riders, Ronnie Correy and Sam's younger brother Charles Ermolenko, in addition to Englishman Graham Jones to seal the title from Bradford.[4][5] The Wolves won the title for the second time in six years in 1996, with American Ronnie Correy being the sole survivor of the 1991 winning team. In a strange coincidence a new set of two brothers helped Wolves win the title, back in 1991 it was the Ermolenko brothers but now it was the Swedish Karlsson brothers. Peter Karlsson and Mikael Karlsson both scored heavily and ended the season with averages around the 10 mark.[6][7]

2001–2009[]

The Wolverhampton Wolves were the Sky Sports Elite League champions in 2002. Although they only finished 2nd in the regular season table they defeated Eastbourne Eagles in the play off final. It was Wolves third title success in 11 years and the Swedish Karlsson brothers, Peter and Mikael were once again integral to the Wolves team throughout the season.[8] After a play off final loss in 2004 they regained the champion status in the 2009 season, beating the Swindon Robins 95-90 on aggregate in the 2009 play-offs.[9]

2010–2019[]

On 10 August 2015 Swindon Robins rider Darcy Ward broke the track record time held by Tai Woffinden. Darcy's new record time 53.45 seconds. Then on 29 August 2016 Niels-Kristian Iversen broke the track record again with a time of 52.69 seconds. The team became UK champions for the fifth time in 2016, beating the top of the table finishing Belle Vue Aces. After winning by an 18-point margin at home in the first leg by beating the Belle Vue Aces 54-36, the second leg was a win for Belle Vue of 50-42, meaning victory for the Wolves by a 10-point margin with the aggregate scores 96-86.

Current team performances in Speedway's First Division since 2013[10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

Teams no longer participating in the league are not included on the graph. When a team's figure rises from zero, that indicates having moved up to the Premiership after the previous season

Season summary[]

Extended content
Year and league Position Notes
1951 Speedway National League Division Three 10th rode as the Wasps
1952 Speedway Southern League 4th rode as the Wasps
1953 Speedway National League Division Two 7th rode as the Wasps
1961 Provincial Speedway League 9th
1962 Provincial Speedway League 10th
1963 Provincial Speedway League 1st Champions
1964 Provincial Speedway League 3rd
1965 British League season 7th
1966 British League season 9th
1967 British League season 8th
1968 British League season 16th
1969 British League season 16th
1970 British League season 9th
1971 British League season 12th
1972 British League season 9th
1973 British League season 7th
1974 British League season 11th
1975 British League season 13th
1976 British League season 11th
1977 British League season 15th
1978 British League season 17th
1979 British League season 11th
1980 British League season 15th
1981 National League season 13th
1984 British League season 10th
1985 British League season 10th
1986 British League season 3rd
1987 British League season 10th
1988 British League season 8th
1989 British League season 2nd
1990 British League season 2nd
1991 British League season 1st Champions
1992 British League season 5th
1993 British League season 2nd
1994 British League season 3rd
1995 Premier League speedway season 5th
1996 Premier League speedway season 1st Champions & Knockout Cup winners
1997 Elite League speedway season 7th
1998 Elite League speedway season 6th
1999 Elite League speedway season 10th
2000 Elite League speedway season 6th
2001 Elite League speedway season 8th
2002 Elite League speedway season 2nd Champions (won PO final)
2003 Elite League speedway season 5th
2004 Elite League speedway season 2nd PO final
2005 Elite League speedway season 8th
2006 Elite League speedway season 6th
2007 Elite League speedway season 6th
2008 Elite League speedway season 9th
2009 Elite League speedway season 2nd Champions (won PO final)
2010 Elite League speedway season 2nd PO final
2011 Elite League speedway season 8th
2012 Elite League speedway season 9th
2013 Elite League speedway season 3rd PO semi final
2014 Elite League speedway season 7th
2015 Elite League speedway season 7th
2016 Elite League 3rd Champions (won PO final)
SGB Premiership 2017 2nd PO final
SGB Premiership 2018 6th
SGB Premiership 2019 3rd PO semi final
SGB Premiership 2021 2nd PO semi final

Riders previous seasons[]

Extended content

2019 team

2018 team

2017 team

2016 team

2015 team

2014 team

2013 team

2012 team

2011 team

2010 team

Doubling-up between Premier and Elite League.
AS Covering for Adam Skornicki.

2009 team

Also Rode:

Doubling-up between Premier and Elite League.
Sustained a neck injury during an individual event in May 2009.

2008 team

Also Rode:

2007 team

Also Rode:

2006 team

2005 team

2004 team

1975 team

Notable riders[]

George Hunter with Gary Peterson
Finn Thomsen and Ole Olsen

Olympique[]

Wolves host the Olympique annually.

Individual Honours[]

World Championship

World Under-21 Championship

Long Track World Championship

British Speedway Championship

British League Riders' Championship

Elite League Riders' Championship

Australian Championship

Danish Championship'

United States Championship

British Under 21 Championship

British Under 19 Championship

South Australian Championship

References[]

  1. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  2. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  3. ^ "British League Tables - British League Era (1965-1990)". Official British Speedway website. 3 March 2017. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
  4. ^ "1991 league tables". Speedway GB. 3 March 2017.
  5. ^ "1991 Season Review". Cradley Speedway.
  6. ^ "1996 league tables". Speedway GB. 3 March 2017.
  7. ^ http://www.british-speedway.co.uk/
  8. ^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  9. ^ Bamford, Robert (1 March 2007). Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2007. NPI Media Group. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1.
  10. ^ Elite League 2013 Table
  11. ^ Elite League 2014 Table
  12. ^ Elite League 2015 Table
  13. ^ Elite League 2016 Table
  14. ^ Premiership 2017 Table
  15. ^ Premiership 2018 Table
  16. ^ Premiership 2019 Table
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