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Alan Wilkinson (speedway rider)

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Alan Wilkinson
Born3 May 1949 (1949-05-03)
Penrith, Cumbria, England
Died24 July 2020(2020-07-24) (aged 71)
Career history
1970-1971Rochdale Hornets
1971-1978Belle Vue Aces
Individual honours
1975, 1977British Championship finalist
Team honours
1971, 1972British League Champion
1972, 1973, 1975British League KO Cup Winner
1975, 1976, 1977, 1978Northern Trophy

John Alan Wilkinson (3 May 1949 – 24 July 2020) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1][2] He earned 12 international caps for the England national speedway team.[3]

Speedway career

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Wilkinson rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1970 to 1978, riding for various clubs.[4]

Wilkinson began his league career with Rochdale Hornets during the 1970 British League Division Two season,[5] going on to captain the team before claiming a full time place in the Belle Vue Aces team.[6]

He reached the final of the British Speedway Championship on two occasions in 1975 and 1977.[1][7]

During 1978 he was paralysed when crashing into the wooden boards that surrounded the track, while riding for Belle Vue Aces.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  2. ^ a b "ALAN WILKINSON". SpeedwayGB. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  4. ^ "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  5. ^ "Rochdale Hornets formerly Belle Vue Colts". Berwick Advertiser. 14 May 1970. Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "So easy for Aces". Manchester Evening News. 7 June 1971. Retrieved 11 October 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 21 July 2021.