Lee Richardson (speedway rider)

Lee Stewart Richardson (25 April 1979 – 13 May 2012)[1] was a British international motorcycle speedway rider.[2][3]

Lee Richardson
Born(1979-04-25)25 April 1979
Hastings, England
Died13 May 2012(2012-05-13) (aged 33)
Wrocław, Poland
NicknameRico
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
Great Britain
1995, 1997-1999Reading Racers
1996, 1999Poole Pirates
1997, 2004Peterborough Panthers
1997King's Lynn Stars
2000-2003Coventry Bees
2005–2007Swindon Robins
2008Eastbourne Eagles
2009–2012Lakeside Hammers
Poland
1999Piła
2000Grudziądz
2001, 2004–2005Zielona Góra
2002Wrocław
2003Lublin
2006–2009Częstochowa
2010–2012Rzeszów
Sweden
2004-2010Vetlanda
2011-2012Vargarna
Individual honours
1999World Under-21 Champion
2002GP Challenge
2003Elite League Riders Champion
Team honours
1997Premier League Champion
1998Premier League KO Cup Champion
2005Elite League Pairs Champion
2008,2009Elite League KO Cup winner

Career

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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

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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

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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

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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

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References

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  1. ^ Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-81-6
  2. ^ "Lee Stewart Richardson Wielka Brytania". Polish Speedway Database. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  4. ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 2 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Lee grabs junior title". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 9 August 1999. Retrieved 10 March 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ Montague, Trevor (2004). The A-Z of Sport. Little, Brown. p. 528. ISBN 0-316-72645-1.
  7. ^ "HISTORICAL LIST OF RESULTS 1995-2013 Speedway Grand Prix - Qualifications". Speedway History. Retrieved 8 January 2023.
  8. ^ "Richardson claims ELRC". Crash.net. 19 October 2003. Retrieved 9 June 2023.
  9. ^ Bamford, R.(2007). Speedway Yearbook 2007. ISBN 978-0-7524-4250-1
  10. ^ "British speedway star dies after crash in Poland". Eurosport. 13 May 2012. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 13 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Speedway rider Lee Richardson dies in crash". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 October 2024.