1989 British League season

1989 British League season

League	Sunbrite British League
Season	1989
Champions	Oxford Cheetahs
British League Knockout Cup	Cradley Heathens
British League Riders' Championship	Shawn Moran, Belle Vue Aces
Highest average	Hans Nielsen, Oxford Cheetahs (10.91)
Biggest home win	Oxford Cheetahs 63-27 Belle Vue Aces
Biggest away win	King's Lynn Stars 33-57 Belle Vue Aces Swindon Robins 33/57 Cradley Heathens

The 1989 British League season (also known as the Sunbrite British League for sponsorship reasons) was the 25th since its establishment in 1965. The league operated as the top-tier of British speedway. The Coventry Bees were the defending champions from 1988. The league was once again run over a 15-heat formula, with 7 riders per team. The season ended with Oxford Cheetahs winning their third title in five years.

Final table

Team	PL	W	D	L	BP	Pts
Oxford Cheetahs	32	22	1	9	13	58
Wolverhampton Wolves	32	19	2	11	12	52
Cradley Heathens	32	19	3	10	10	51
Belle Vue Aces	32	19	2	11	10	50
Coventry Bees	32	15	3	14	8	41
Swindon Robins	32	12	1	19	8	33
Reading Racers	32	13	1	18	5	32
Bradford Dukes	32	9	2	21	3	23
King's Lynn Stars	32	8	1	23	3	20

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points

Top Ten Averages

Rider	Club	Average
Hans Nielsen	Oxford Cheetahs	10.91
Jan O. Pedersen	Cradley Heathens	10.22
Erik Gundersen	Cradley Heathens	9.97
Sam Ermolenko	Wolverhampton Wolves	9.85
Shawn Moran	Belle Vue Aces	9.68
Kelvin Tatum	Coventry Bees	9.49
Simon Cross	Cradley Heathens	9.13
Jeremy Doncaster	Reading Racers	8.61
Jimmy Nilsen	Swindon Robins	8.41
Kelly Moran	Belle Vue Aces	8.29

Team Line-Ups

BELLE VUE ACES Average Shawn Moran 9.68 Kelly Moran 8.29 Peter Ravn 7.54 Gary Hicks 7.17 Chris Morton 6.75 Joe Screen 6.40 Carl Stonehewer 5.50 Gordon Whitaker 3.41 Paul Smith 2.09 Also rode: Mike Lewthwaite 1.85 Glenn Hornby 1.00

BRADFORD DUKES Average Paul Thorp 7.79 Neil Evitts 7.51 Andy Smith 7.27 Bryan Larner 5.40 Henrik Kristensen 4.94 Glenn Doyle 4.76 Antal Kocso 4.60 Michael Graves 4.17 Also rode: Stuart Parnaby 0.00 Derek Green 0.00

COVENTRY BEES Average Kelvin Tatum 9.49 Rick Miller 6.93 Sean Wilson 6.52 John Jørgensen 6.39 Andy Hackett 5.49 Roman Matousek 5.27 Kai Niemi 4.69 Mike Bacon 2.95 Paul Smith 2.55 Also rode: Lee Coleman 1.00 Rob Homer 1.00 Wayne Broadhurst 0.00

CRADLEY HEATHENS Average Jan O. Pedersen 10.22 Erik Gundersen 9.97 Simon Cross 9.13 Gert Handberg 6.52 Greg Hancock 6.06 Alan Grahame 5.78 John Bostin 3.00 Also rode: Justin Walker 2.91

KINGS LYNN STARS Average Richard Knight 7.83 Lance King 7.67 John Davis 6.74 Allan Johansen 6.65 Armando dal Chiele 5.03 Stephen Davies 4.93 Dennis Lofqvist 4.82 Adrian Stevens 3.56 Paul Smith 3.14 Also rode: Tom Grinstead 2.00 Roger Horspool 1.50 Richard Pettman 0.00

OXFORD CHEETAHS Average Hans Nielsen 10.91 Simon Wigg 7.69 Martin Dugard 7.61 Andy Grahame 6.91 Marvyn Cox 6.80 Troy Butler 5.96 Paul Dugard 2.56 Kevin Pitts 1.64 Also rode: Paul Muchene 1.00 Colin White 0.00

READING RACERS Average Jeremy Doncaster 8.61 Mitch Shirra 7.62 Tony Olsson 6.49 Carl Blackbird 5.52 Armando Castagna 5.47 David Mullett 5.09 Malcolm Holloway 4.38 David Steen 2.56 Also rode: Steve Chambers 1.46 Scott Pulleyn 1.00 Troy Smith 0.00

SWINDON ROBINS Average Jimmy Nilsen 8.41 Brian Karger 8.09 Andrew Silver 7.38 John Davis 6.67 Peter Nahlin 6.24 Bart Bast 5.05 Gary Chessell 4.88 David Smart 3.72 Also rode: Matthew Cross 8.00 Tom Knudsen 4.00 Martin Chessell 0.00 Derrol Keats 0.00

WOLVERHAMPTON WOLVES Average Sam Ermolenko 9.85 Ronnie Correy 7.86 Neil Collins 6.88 Robert Pfetzing 6.61 Graham Jones 6.60 Jan Staechmann 6.54 Andy Phillips 5.73 Also rode: Wayne Carter 0.00 Ade Hoole 0.00 Also Rode = Less than 6 matches completed

See also