1982 British League season


The 1982 British League season was the 48th season of the top tier of motorcycle speedway in the United Kingdom and the 18th known as the British League.

Summary

Hull Vikings had disbanded following the loss of their home at the Boulevard.
After a ten-year drought Belle Vue Aces won the league pushing defending champions Cradley Heath into second place. A special performance was going to be needed to finish ahead of the star-studded Cradley Heath team and it was the consistency of the support riders which helped Belle Vue achieve this. England international Chris Morton was the heat leader but he was supported by a group of consistent scorers throughout the season that included Larry Ross, the former world champion Peter Collins, the Carr brothers Louis and Peter, Dane Peter Ravn and Scot Jim McMillan. Cradley Heath went on to win their third Knockout Cup in four years and the League Cup. The Midlands' club had been in position to take the league title, but their heat leader Bruce Penhall quit speedway immediately after winning his second world title in September to pursue an acting career.
Hackney Wick Stadium was subject to a second fatal accident within three years when American Denny Pyeatt lost his life in a league match on 16 July. Pyeatt riding for Reading Racers crashed into a lamp standard. Swindon rider Martin Hewlett suffered a stroke after the Swindon versus Birmingham fixture in September and died four days later on 15 September.

Final table

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points

British League Knockout Cup

The 1982 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 44th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners.
First round
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
08/06Leicester45-33Kings Lynn
06/06 Eastbourne46-32Swindon
05/06 Kings Lynn48-30Leicester
29/05 Halifax45-33Hackney
28/05 Hackney38-40Halifax
28/05 Ipswich46-31Coventry
27/05 Sheffield42-36Cradley Heath
22/05 Coventry40-38Ipswich
22/05 Cradley Heath43-35Sheffield
22/05 Swindon38-40Eastbourne
17/05 Reading38-40Belle Vue
15/05 Belle Vue57-18Reading
12/05 Poole44-34Birmingham
30/04 Birmingham48-30Poole

Quarter-finals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
19/08 Wimbledon40-38Eastbourne
09/08 Cradley Heath41-37Ipswich
01/08 Eastbourne 43-35Wimbledon
29/07 Ipswich38.5-39.5Cradley Heath
19/07 Birmingham43-35Kings Lynn
17/07 Kings Lynn43-35Birmingham
11/07 Halifax41-37Belle Vue
10/07 Belle Vue44-34Halifax
25/09 Kings Lynn42-36Birmingham
13/09 Birmingham40-38Kings Lynn

Semi-finals
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
03/10 Kings Lynn36-42Belle Vue
02/10 Belle Vue49-29Kings Lynn
19/09 Eastbourne41-36Cradley Heath
18/09 Cradley Heath48-30Eastbourne

Final
First leg
Second leg
Cradley were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 81-75.

League Cup

The League Cup was split into North and South sections. The two-legged final was won by Cradley Heath Heathens beating Ipswich Witches in the final 83–73 on aggregate.
North Group
PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Cradley Heathens1282218
2Coventry Bees1290318
3Belle Vue Aces1262414
4Halifax Dukes1161413
5Birmingham Brummies123187
6Leicester Lions113177
7Sheffield Tigers122195

South Group
PosTeamPLWDLPts
1Ipswich Witches14120224
2Eastbourne Eagles1482418
3Wimbledon Dons1481517
4Poole Pirates1460812
5Hackney Hawks1460812
6Reading Racers1460812
7King's Lynn Stars1450910
8Swindon Robins1431107

Final
DateTeam oneScoreTeam two
19/06 Cradley Heath 42–36Ipswich
24/06 Ipswich37–41Cradley Heath

North Group
'''South Group'''

Riders' Championship

Kenny Carter won the British League Riders' Championship for the second consecutive year, held at Hyde Road on 16 October.
Pos.RiderHeat ScoresTotal
1

Midland Cup

Coventry won the Midland Cup for the second consecutive year. The competition consisted of five teams.
First round
Team oneTeam twoScore
SwindonBirmingham44–34, 41–37

Semi final round
Team oneTeam twoScore
CoventryLeicester37–41, 44–34
CradleySwindon49–29, 54–24

Final

First leg
Second leg
Coventry won on aggregate '''79–77'''

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue
  • 10.18
  • 9.37
  • 8.78
  • 6.01
  • 5.65
  • 5.44
  • 4.98
  • 4.40
Birmingham
  • 9.89
  • 9.03
  • 6.20
  • 6.03
  • 6.03
  • 5.65
  • 5.23
  • 5.03
  • 4.72
  • 3.56
  • 0.80
Coventry
  • 9.22
  • 9.09
  • 7.38
  • 6.69
  • 5.79
  • 5.19
  • 3.48
  • 3.25
Cradley Heath
  • 10.74
  • 10.18
  • 9.22
  • 7.29
  • 6.67
  • 6.30
  • 3.45
  • 3.02
  • 3.00
  • 2.69
  • 1.78
Eastbourne
  • 9.72
  • 9.62
  • 9.18
  • 6.62
  • 3.55
  • 3.55
  • 3.37
  • 3.36
  • 3.27
Hackney
  • 9.38
  • 7.29
  • 6.59
  • 6.53
  • 5.96
  • 5.53
  • 4.00
  • 3.52
Halifax
  • 11.03
  • 7.52
  • 7.28
  • 6.39
  • 5.51
  • 5.36
  • 4.98
  • 4.71
  • 0.80
Ipswich
  • 10.10
  • 8.53
  • 7.77
  • 6.98
  • 6.07
  • 5.79
  • 5.67
  • 5.16
  • 4.40
King's Lynn
  • 9.65
  • 9.09
  • 7.00
  • 5.78
  • 4.90
  • 4.04
  • 3.00
  • 1.76
  • 1.58
  • 0.44
Leicester
  • 8.77
  • 7.07
  • 6.42
  • 5.93
  • 5.87
  • 5.57
  • 5.41
  • 5.09
Poole
  • 8.68
  • 8.13
  • 6.01
  • 5.86
  • 5.83
  • 5.30
  • 4.49
  • 4.20
  • 3.29
Reading
  • 9.96
  • 9.83
  • 5.57
  • 5.28
  • 5.23
  • 5.08
  • 4.66
  • 4.00
  • 3.87
  • 2.78
Sheffield
  • 9.55
  • 6.84
  • 6.50
  • 6.48
  • 6.46
  • 5.57
  • 4.95
  • 3.82
  • 1.71
Swindon
  • 9.47
  • 7.58
  • 6.46
  • 5.97
  • 5.26
  • 5.19
  • 4.18
  • 4.13
  • 3.26
Wimbledon
  • 8.77
  • 8.75
  • 8.04
  • 5.82
  • 5.37
  • 5.37
  • 5.09
  • 4.08
  • 2.06