Brian Leonard (speedway rider)

Brian Leonard
BrianLeonard
Born (1946-02-19) 19 February 1946
Newbury, England
Nationality  England
Current club information
Career status Retired
Career history
1962-1965
1962, 1972-1974, 1976
1965-1969
1969
1970
1970-1971
1975, 1976
1976-1978		 Poole Pirates
Swindon Robins
West Ham Hammers
Hackney Hawks
Newport Wasps
Wembley Lions
Leicester Lions
Oxford Cheetahs
Team honours
1965
1965
1965, 1966, 1967		 British League Winner
British League Knockout Cup KO Cup Winner
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, averaging over seven points.[4] The following year he scored less well, and after two matches in 1978 he retired.

References

  1. 1 2 Oakes, Peter (1963) "A Peter Oakes Speedtale on Brian Leonard (Poole)", Speedway Star, 28 September 1963, p. 23
  2. 1 2 3 4 Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) Who's Who of World Speedway, Studio Publications, ISBN 0-904584-04-6, p. 76
  3. ↑ Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar, Automedia, p. 171
  4. ↑ Bamford,R & Shailes,G (2007). “The Story of Oxford Speedway”. ISBN 978-0-7524-4161-0


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