Lionel William Levy (16 October 1916 – 21 February 1968) was a motorcycle speedway rider from Australia. He was twice champion of Australia in 1952 and 1953 and earned 16 international caps for the Australia national speedway team.[1]

Lionel Levy
Born16 October 1916 (1916-10-16)
Sydney, Australia
Died21 February 1968(1968-02-21) (aged 51)
NationalityAustralian
Career history
1948Wimbledon Dons
1948–1950, 1952Coventry Bees
1953Southampton Saints
Individual honours
1952, 1953Australian champion
1957New South Wales champion

Biography edit

Levy, born in Sydney, was discovered by Norman Parker and Parker brought him to England in 1948.[2] He began his British leagues career riding for Wimbledon Dons during the 1948 Speedway National League season[3] and Coventry Bees in the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three, where he recorded a 7.43 average.[4]

He spent four seasons with Coventry (but missed the 1951 season)[5] before riding a few times for Southampton Saints in 1953.[6][7]

He gained valuable experience from his competition in the British leagues and became the Australian champion, after winning the Australian Solo Championship in 1952 and 1953.[8]

He also won the New South Wales champion in 1957 and went on to be the Australian team manager. He died in 1968, after fracturing his skull in a race at the Sydney Showground Speedway.[9]

See also edit

Rider deaths in motorcycle speedway

References edit

  1. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Bright Wimbledon speedway hopes". Daily News (London). 25 February 1948. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "1948 fixtures". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Brandon Bees will be without Lionel Levy". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 24 February 1951. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Missed Holland but got Levy". Portsmouth Evening News. 17 July 1953. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Individual Australian Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Ex-Bee dies in Australia". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 24 February 1968. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.