1950 Individual Speedway World Championship Explained

The 1950 Individual Speedway World Championship was the fifth edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4] ^[5] ^[6]

The title was won by Welshman Freddie Williams with the pivotal heat being the heat against Australian Graham Warren. Warren and Williams both unbeaten met in their third rides and as Warren challenged Williams for the lead he was forced to drop behind Williams. Warren then hit a bump and fell which cost him valuable points and the chance to win the title.^[7]

Ronnie Moore became the youngest finalist at the age of just 17.^[8]

First qualifying round

The top 74 riders qualify for the second qualifying round, where they will be joined by seeded division 2 riders.^[9]

width=100	Date	width=200	Venue	width=250	Winner
12 June		Jack Hughes
12 June		Ray Ellis
13 June		Hugh Geddes
15 June		Charlie New
16 June		Bob McFarlane
16 June		Les Hewitt
17 June	Rayleigh Weir Stadium	Ticker James
17 June		Reg Duval

Second qualifying round

The top 73 riders qualify for the Third qualifying round.^[9]

width=100	Date	width=200	Venue	width=250	Winner
5 July		Merv Harding
5 July		Frank Hodgson
6 July		George Wall
6 July		Pete Lansdale
7 July		Les Hewitt
8 July		Alan Hunt
8 July		Dick Campbell
8 July		Jack Young

Third qualifying round

The top 2 riders from each meeting qualify for the Championship round, where they will meet 34 seeded division 1 riders.^[9]

width=100	Date	width=200	Venue	width=300	Winner/2nd
25 July		Jack Young / Derick Close
25 July		Merv Harding / Ron Mason
25 July		Les Hewitt / Eddie Rigg
29 July		Junior Bainbridge / Mike Erskine
31 July		Geoff Pymar / Ken Sharples
31 July		Lindsay Mitchell / Dick Campbell
31 July		Jim Boyd / Tommy Miller

Championship round

9 events in Great Britain.

Scores

Top 16 qualify for World final, 17th & 18th reserves for World final

width=50% valign=top

width=25px	Pos.	width=200px	Rider	width=40px	Total pts
1		39
2		37
3		36
4		35
5		34
6		34
7		33
8		32
9		32
10		30
11		30
12		29
13		29
14		29
15		27
16		26
17		26
18		25
19		23
20		23
21		23
22		23
23		22
24		21
25		21

width=50% valign=top

width=25px	Pos.	width=200px	Rider	width=40px	Total pts
26		21
27		20
28		20
29		20
30		20
31		19
32		17
33		16
34		16
35		16
36		15
37		15
38		15
39		14
40		13
41		13
42		12
43		11
44		10
45		8
46		6
47		5
48		4
49		2

World final

22 September 1950
London, Wembley Stadium
Change: Arthur Forrest → Mike Erskine

width=25px	Pos.	width=200px	Rider	width=40px	Points	width=70px	Heats
1		14	(3,3,3,2,3)
2		13	(2,3,3,2,3)
3		12	(3,3,F,3,3)
4		10	(2,2,3,1,2)
5		8	(3,F,3,1,1)
6		8	(2,1,2,3,0)
7		8	(1,2,3,1,1)
8		7	(0,1,2,1,3)
9		7	(2,2,2,0,1)
10		7	(X,0,2,3,2)
11		6	(X,3,1,2,0)
12		5	(1,0,1,1,2)
13		4	(1,1,1,0,1)
14		3	(1,2,0,0,0)
15		3	(0,1,0,0,2)
16		0	(0,0,-,0,0)
	Cyril Roger (res)	5	(3,2)
	Mike Erskine (res)	0	(0)

Podium

1950 Podium

Notes and References

Book: Oakes, Peter. 1981 Speedway Yearbook. 1981. 20–21. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. 0-86215-017-5.
Web site: World Championship 1936-1994. Edinburgh Speedway. 5 July 2021.
Web site: WORLD FINALS 1936-1994. Speedway Researcher. 5 July 2021.
Web site: HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK. Speedway.org. 5 July 2021.
Web site: WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX. British Speedway. 5 July 2021.
Web site: Speedway riders, history and results. wwosbackup. 5 July 2021.
News: Three inches and a bump cost me the title . Sport Argus . 23 September 1950 . 5 July 2021 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
Web site: Profile. Moore Park Speedway. 5 July 2021.
News: World Championship Opens On Monday. Bristol Observer . 10 June 1950 . 2 January 2024 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .