Buxton Speedway


Buxton Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team that returned to racing in 2026 in the British National Development League. The club previously raced in the Conference League from 1994 to 2018.

History

Origins and 1990s

In 1994, a team called Hi-Edge Hitmen began racing on the Buxton Raceway. Promoted by Barry Watson and former England rider Chris Morton, the team's inaugural season was in the 1994 British League Division Three in which they finished in sixth place. The following year they finished third in the 1995 Academy League before joining the Conference League.
The speedway promotion agreed with the stock car promotion that a separate speedway track could be built adjacent to the main circuit. The team was then renamed the Buxton Hitmen from the 1996 Speedway Conference League season. The first season on the new track in 1996 ended with an eighth-place finish.
Two Buxton riders, Mike Hampson and Jon Armstrong won consecutive Riders' Championships in 1996 and 1997 respectively.

2000s

During the 2002 Speedway Conference League season the team won their first silverware when winning the Conference League Knockout Cup. They comfortably defeated the Rye House Raiders 99–81 on aggregate in the final, with William Beveridge scoring a 15-point home leg maximum and Aidan Collins scoring 17 in the away leg.
The remainder of the decade was spent in mid-table positions, with the highlight being the Riders' Championship successes by James Wright in 2004 Adam Roynon in 2006 and Craig Cook in 2009.

2010s

Their best season was 2010, when they achieved the treble. After finishing second in the regular season table behind Dudley Heathens during the 2010 National League speedway season they won the playoffs, defeating Newport Wasps in the final. They also won the Knockout Cup and National Trophy. The treble winning team included riders such as Craig Cook, Nick Morris, Robert Branford and Jason Garrity.
The Hitmen struggled to compete in the league in the following years, finishing last in 2016 and enduring a disastrous campaign during 2018. After the 2018 season, the speedway club chairman Jayne Moss withdrew the club at the National League AGM, following financial struggles. The speedway team has not raced since. In the 25 years that the team raced they always competed in the third division.
The team under the name Buxton Bulls, returned to compete in the 2026 National Development League.

Honours

  • Conference Knockout Cup 2002
  • National League Champions 2010
  • National League Knockout Cup 2010
  • National Trophy 2010

    Season summary

Year and leaguePositionNotes
1994 British League Division Three6thAs the Hi-Edge Hitmen
1995 Academy League3rdAs the Hi-Edge Hitmen
1996 Speedway Conference League8th
1997 Speedway Conference League4th
1998 Speedway Conference League5th
1999 Speedway Conference League3rd
2000 Speedway Conference League8th
2001 Speedway Conference League6th
2002 Speedway Conference League5thKnockout Cup winners
2003 Speedway Conference League6th
2004 Speedway Conference League6th
2005 Speedway Conference League11th
2006 Speedway Conference League6th
2007 Speedway Conference League7th
2008 Speedway Conference League6th
2009 National League speedway season4th
2010 National League speedway season2ndChampions & Knockout Cup winners
2011 National League speedway season8th
2012 National League speedway season7th
2013 National League speedway season6th
2014 National League speedway season8th
2015 National League speedway season8th
2016 National League speedway season12th
2017 National League speedway season10th
2018 National League speedway season10th

Notable riders