James Wright (speedway rider)

James Wright
Born (1986-06-13) 13 June 1986 (age 38)
Stockport, England
NicknameTurbo toucher
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
Great Britain
2002–2004Buxton Hitmen
2003, 2005–2007, 2009–2010Belle Vue Aces
2004–2007, 2011Workington Comets
2008Swindon Robins
2011, 2023Birmingham Brummies
2011–2012Somerset Rebels
2013Glasgow Tigers
2014–2015Plymouth Devils
2020-2021Newcastle Diamonds
2021Sheffield Tigers
2022Scunthorpe Scorpions
Sweden
2007Västervik
Poland
2008Tarnów
Individual honours
2004Conference League Riders Champion
2007Premier League Riders Champion
2009Scottish Open Champion
Team honours
2006Premier League Fours Winner
2004Conference League KO Cup

James Philip Wright (born 13 June 1986 in Stockport, Greater Manchester),[1] is a speedway rider in the United Kingdom.[2][3]

Career history

He started his career with the Buxton Hitmen before progressing to Belle Vue Aces in 2003.[4] Also in 2004, he became the Conference League Riders' Champion as a Workington Comets rider. The riders' final was held on 28 August at Rye House Stadium.[5]

He stayed with Workington and Belle Vue for several years and was part of the Workington four who won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, held on 7 October 2006, at Derwent Park.[6]

In June 2007, Wright signed for Vastervik to ride in the Swedish Elite League and he represented Great Britain for the 2007 Under 21-World Cup Final. Also in 2007, Wright become Premier League Riders' Champion, after winning the Riders' Championship held on 30 September at Abbey Stadium.[7][8]

In November 2007, Wright announced he had signed a two-year deal to ride for Unia Tarnów in the Polish Liga I, along with his Belle Vue team mates Steve Boxall and Patrick Hougaard.[9] The Swindon Robins announced that Wright would ride for them in 2008 in the Elite League.[2] After Swindon couldn't fit James into their 2009 team he was returned to Belle Vue to continue his career in the Elite League for 2009 and 2010.[2]

Wright was consistently scoring well and averaged 8.14 for Workington in 2011 before joining Somerset Rebels for the remainder of 2011 and the 2012 Premier League speedway season. He spent 2013 at Glasgow and reached his fifth British final during the same year. After the 2014 and 2015 seasons with Plymouth he left speedway for five years before making a surprise return for the 2021 season. He spent the 2021 season with Newcastle and Sheffield.[10]

In 2022, he rode for the Scunthorpe Scorpions in the SGB Championship 2022.[11] In 2023, he signed for Birmingham Brummies for the SGB Championship 2023, eleven years after first appearing for the club back in 2011.[12]

Family

His grandfather, Jim Yacoby rode for the Belle Vue Aces from 1959 until 1967. James' brother Charles is also a speedway rider.

Honours

References

  1. ^ Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-81-6
  2. ^ a b c "James Wright". WWOS backup. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  4. ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  5. ^ "Ulrich Ostergaard is back!". The Northern Echo. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  6. ^ "2006 season fixtures and results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
  7. ^ "James the first". News and Star. 1 October 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2007. [dead link‍]
  8. ^ "Wright hits top form to become Riders' No 1". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  9. ^ "James joins Unia Tarnów". Wrighty Racing. 13 November 2007. Archived from the original on 16 November 2007. Retrieved 13 November 2007.
  10. ^ "DIAMONDS SPRING WRIGHT SURPRISE". Speedway Star. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  11. ^ "British Speedway rider profile". British Speedway. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  12. ^ "Wright move for Brummies". British Speedway. Retrieved 7 December 2022.