1997 Elite League speedway season explained

Competition:Sky Sports Elite League
Domesticcup1:Champions
Domesticcup2:Knockout Cup
Domesticcup2 Winners:Eastbourne Eagles
Domesticcup3:Craven Shield
Domesticcup3 Winners:Coventry Bees
Domesticcup4:Individual
Domesticcup4 Winners:Greg Hancock
Domesticcup5:Fours
Domesticcup5 Winners:Peterborough Panthers
Highest Average:Tony Rickardsson
Prevseason:1996
Nextseason:1998

The 1997 Elite League speedway season was the 63rd season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom. It was the first season of a new league known as the Elite League and was governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).[1] [2]

Season summary

In 1997, the single speedway league in Great Britain separated after two seasons, forming a new top division. The inaugural league consisted of ten teams. The league operated on a standard format without play-offs.[3] The Craven Shield was introduced as an end of season cup competition for the top eight teams in the league standings.[4] [5]

Bradford Dukes finally won the league, their first success since 1966 when they raced as Halifax Dukes. Bradford retained top English riders Gary Havelock and Joe Screen but crucially brought in Mark Loram from Exeter Falcons. Loram had a superb season that included becoming the new British Champion.[6]

Final table

PosMWDLFAPtsBonTot
1Bradford Dukes362311217331506471562
2Eastbourne Eagles362001616651570401151
3Swindon Robins36201151662157841950
4Ipswich Witches361621716711616341347
5King's Lynn Knights36183151592164539847
6Belle Vue Aces36180181646158736945
7Wolverhampton Wolves36180181572165836642
8Coventry Bees36151201582165331738
9Poole Pirates36132211551168428634
10Peterborough Panthers36140221556167928533

'B' Fixtures

Elite League Knockout Cup

The 1997 Elite League Knockout Cup, sponsored by the Speedway Star, was the 59th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams but the first under its new name. Eastbourne Eagles were the winners of the competition.[7]

First round

Group A

width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
15/03Coventry 51-40 Swindon
16/03Swindon 41-49 Coventry
21/03Belle Vue 48-42 Coventry
22/03Coventry 45-45Wolverhampton
22/03Bradford 56-34 Swindon
23/03Swindon47-42 Bradford
24/03Wolverhampton 52-38 Swindon
28/03Belle Vue 56-33 Wolverhampton
29/03Swindon 56-34 Belle Vue
29/03Bradford 58-32 Wolverhampton
31/03Coventry 49-41Bradford
31/03Wolverhampton 52-38 Belle Vue
04/04Belle Vue 46-44 Bradford
05/04Bradford 52-38 Coventry
05/04Swindon 65-25 Wolverhampton
11/04Belle Vue 52-40 Swindon
12/04Coventry 51-41Belle Vue
14/04Wolverhampton 50-40Coventry
19/04Bradford 57-33Belle Vue
28/04Wolverhampton 44-46 Bradford
width=20Poswidth=200Teamwidth=20Pwidth=20Wwidth=20Dwidth=20L
1 Bradford 8503
2 Coventry 8413
3 Belle Vue 8404
4 Wolverhampton 8314
5 Swindon 8305
Group B
width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
20/03Ipswich 47-43Peterborough
21/03Peterborough 41-49Kings Lynn
23/03Eastbourne 53-37 Ipswich
28/03Ipswich 50-40 Kings Lynn
28/03Peterborough 62-27 Eastbourne
30/03Eastbourne 54-36 Poole
02/04Poole 53-37Kings Lynn
03/04Ipswich 44-46 Eastbourne
06/04Eastbourne 55-35 Kings Lynn
09/04Kings Lynn 46-44Eastbourne
09/04Poole 52-38 Peterborough
10/04Ipswich 41-49 Poole
11/04Peterborough 38-52 Poole
12/04Kings Lynn 37-52Poole
16/04Kings Lynn 47-43 Peterborough
16/04Poole 57-33Ipswich
18/04Peterborough 48-42 Ipswich
19/04Eastbourne 52-37 Peterborough
23/04Poole 73-17 Eastbourne
30/04Kings Lynn 41-49 Ipswich
width=20Poswidth=200Teamwidth=20Pwidth=20Wwidth=20Dwidth=20L
1 Poole 8701
2 Eastbourne 8503
3 King's Lynn 8305
4 Peterborough 8305
5 Ipswich 8206
Semi-finals
width=80Datewidth=250Team onewidth=80Scorewidth=250Team two
02/07Poole 53-37 Coventry
15/06Coventry 48-42 Poole
15/07Bradford 56-34 Eastbourne
13/04Eastbourne 58-32 Bradford

Final

First leg

Second leg

Eastbourne Eagles were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 116-66.

Riders' Championship

Greg Hancock won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at Odsal Stadium on 11 October.[8]

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=100pxTotal width=50pxTotal width=50pxSF width=50pxFinal
1 2 1 3 3 312x3
2 2 3 2 3 313x2
3 3 3 1 2 21121
4 1 0 3 2 3 930
5 1 2 3 1 291
6 3 TX 0 3 3 9 0
7 3 1 2 0 28
8 1 1 3 2 18
9 2 3 1 1 1 8
10 0 2 2 3 0 7
11 2 3 0 0 1 6
12 0 2 1 2 1 6
13 Peter Karlsson0 1 2 1 26
14 3 0 1 TX 04
15 Garry Stead (res) 2 0 2
16 1 0 0 0 0 1
17 0 0 0 1 01

Fours

Peterborough Panthers won the Elite League Four Team Tournament, which was held on 3 August 1997, at the East of England Arena.[9] [10]

Final
width=20Poswidth=90Teamwidth=20Ptswidth=350Riders
1 Peterborough27Crump 9, Sullivan 6
2 Bradford 21Screen 10
3 Swindon 15Adams 10
4 Belle Vue 15Hamill 6

Final leading averages

width=200Riderwidth=200Teamwidth=40Average
Tony RickardssonIpswich10.09
Billy HamillBelle Vue10.07
Greg HancockCoventry9.85
Joe ScreenBradford9.77
Swindon9.76
Jason CrumpPeterborough9.71
Mark LoramBradford9.59
Craig BoycePoole9.43
Chris LouisIpswich9.42
Brian AndersenCoventry9.02

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

Bradford

Coventry

Eastbourne

Ipswich

King's Lynn

Peterborough

Poole

Swindon

Wolverhampton

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Historic league tables. Speedway Archive.
  2. Web site: HISTORY ARCHIVE. British Speedway. 4 July 2021.
  3. Web site: 1997 league tables. Speedway GB.
  4. News: Wheelie Good Trophy for Champs . Reading Evening Post . 30 June 1997 . 10 December 2021 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  5. Web site: History Archive. Official British Speedway website. 10 December 2021.
  6. Web site: British Final Roll of Honour. BSPA. 31 July 2021.
  7. Web site: 1997 Elite League Knockout Cup. Speedway archive.
  8. News: Double triumph for Greg . Coventry Evening Telegraph . 13 October 1997 . 7 June 2023 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  9. News: Speedway . Birmingham Daily Post . 4 August 1997 . 6 July 2023 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  10. Web site: 1997 fixtures and results . Speedway Researcher . 6 July 2023.

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