Lee Richardson (speedway rider)

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

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

Career

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

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

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

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

References

  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.