Lee Richardson (speedway rider)
| Born | 25 April 1979 Hastings, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 13 May 2012 (aged 33) Wrocław, Poland |
| Nickname | Rico |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 1995, 1997-1999 | Reading Racers |
| 1996, 1999 | Poole Pirates |
| 1997, 2004 | Peterborough Panthers |
| 1997 | King's Lynn Stars |
| 2000-2003 | Coventry Bees |
| 2005–2007 | Swindon Robins |
| 2008 | Eastbourne Eagles |
| 2009–2012 | Lakeside Hammers |
| Poland | |
| 1999 | Piła |
| 2000 | Grudziądz |
| 2001, 2004–2005 | Zielona Góra |
| 2002 | Wrocław |
| 2003 | Lublin |
| 2006–2009 | Częstochowa |
| 2010–2012 | Rzeszów |
| Sweden | |
| 2004-2010 | Vetlanda |
| 2011-2012 | Vargarna |
| Individual honours | |
| 1999 | World Under-21 Champion |
| 2002 | GP Challenge |
| 2003 | Elite League Riders Champion |
| Team honours | |
| 1997 | Premier League Champion |
| 1998 | Premier League KO Cup Champion |
| 2005 | Elite League Pairs Champion |
| 2008,2009 | Elite League KO Cup winner |
Lee Stewart Richardson (25 April 1979 – 13 May 2012)[1] was a British international motorcycle speedway rider.[2][3]
Career
[edit]Richardson made his British debut for the Reading Racers in 1995.[4]
Richardson represented Great Britain at senior and under-21 level and featured in several World Cup tournaments. Richardson was World Under 21 champion in 1999.[5][6]
In October 2002, during the Speedway Grand Prix Qualification he won the GP Challenge, which ensured that he claimed a permanent slot for the 2003 Grand Prix.[7] He won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at Brandon Stadium on 18 October 2003.[8]
He was also a fully fledged Grand Prix rider for four seasons from 2003 until 2006.[9] Richardson joined the Lakeside Hammers for the 2009 season.
Death
[edit]On 13 May 2012, Richardson died of internal bleeding in a Wrocław hospital following a collision with a safety fence during a Polish League match.[10][11]
Family
[edit]Richardson's mother Julie was a presenter for ScreenSport Television. His father Colin is a former rider. His uncle Steve Weatherley, another rider, was paralysed in a crash with Vic Harding whilst racing in a meeting at the Hackney Wick Stadium (Harding later died in hospital).
Speedway Grand Prix results
[edit]| Year | Position | Points | Best finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 31st | 3 | 19th | 1 wild card appearance |
| 2002 | 25th | 17 | 5th | 2 wild card appearances. 5th in British Grand Prix |
| 2003 | 16th | 45 | 7th | Missed 2 Grands Prix through injury |
| 2004 | 11th | 76 | 3rd | 3rd in British Grand Prix |
| 2005 | 13th | 55 | 2nd | 2nd in Polish Grand Prix |
| 2006 | 15th | 39 | 8th |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-81-6
- ^ "Lee Stewart Richardson Wielka Brytania". Polish Speedway Database. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
- ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
- ^ "Lee grabs junior title". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 9 August 1999. Retrieved 10 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Montague, Trevor (2004). The A-Z of Sport. Little, Brown. p. 528. ISBN 0-316-72645-1.
- ^ "HISTORICAL LIST OF RESULTS 1995-2013 Speedway Grand Prix - Qualifications". Speedway History. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
- ^ "Richardson claims ELRC". Crash.net. 19 October 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
- ^ Bamford, R.(2007). Speedway Yearbook 2007. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1
- ^ "British speedway star dies after crash in Poland". Eurosport. 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
- ^ "Speedway rider Lee Richardson dies in crash". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 October 2024.