Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Hull Vikings
The Hull Vikings were a speedway team from Hull, England, who operated from 1971 to 2005, primarily from The Boulevard (stadium) and Craven Park.
Speedway in Hull began in 1948 when a corporation backed application was lodged with the Speedway Control Board. The team was managed by Fred Archer and the team wore the crest of the city's coat-of-arms (3 golden crowns on a blue shield and yellow background). The team were based at Hedon Stadium in Hedon on the outskirts of Hull. Their inaugural league season was in the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three where they finished 9th.
On 27 August 1949, the Angels raced their last match at home to Liverpool Chads and then after one more away match they withdrew from the league to be replaced by Swindon Robins. The speedway promotion applied, without success, to Hull City FC to see if they could use their old Anlaby Road ground.
In 1971, promoter Ian Thomas brought speedway back to Hull, when the Vikings began to race at the Boulevard Stadium, a 380 metres (420 yards) circumference track. The initial plan to call the team the Hull Kestrels was scrapped. The Vikings raced during the 1971 British League Division Two season. The Boulevard was famous as the long time home of Rugby Football League team Hull FC. During the years of racing at The Boulevard, the Vikings had the dubious distinction of being the last league speedway team ever to appear at the famous West Ham Stadium, on 23 May 1972, when they beat the closing West Ham Hammers 40–38.
After three seasons in division 2 they applied for and gained division 1 status for the 1974 British League season. The team struggled from 1974 to 1977 despite riders over the four seasons including the likes of Joe Owen, Scots pair Jim McMillan and Bobby Beaton and former multiple world champion Barry Briggs. In 1978 they signed the legendary New Zealander Ivan Mauger, a five times world champion at the time and a young American rider Kelly Moran and the team finished third in the league during 1978.
The Vikings just missed out on becoming British champions during the 1979 British League season, led by Mauger and with solid contributions from Beaton, Moran, Owen, Dennis Sigalos, Graham Drury and Frank Auffret, the team lost by just two points from Coventry Bees. The 1979 season also saw Mauger become the world champion for a record sixth time.
A sudden decline in form and attendances during 1980 and 1981 was overshadowed when Hull FC announced that they were revoking the Boulevard's speedway licence, leaving promoters Ian Thomas and Brian Larner without a track.
In 1995, a speedway track was constructed at Craven Park, the home of the city's other rugby league team, Hull Kingston Rovers. The 346 metres (378 yards) long speedway track built by Glyn Taylor ran inside the greyhound racing track. The stadium had opened only six years previous and the Vikings signed Paul Thorp and Jan Stæchmann to spearhead the team. On 5 April 1995, the first race took place.
Hub AI
Hull Vikings AI simulator
(@Hull Vikings_simulator)
Hull Vikings
The Hull Vikings were a speedway team from Hull, England, who operated from 1971 to 2005, primarily from The Boulevard (stadium) and Craven Park.
Speedway in Hull began in 1948 when a corporation backed application was lodged with the Speedway Control Board. The team was managed by Fred Archer and the team wore the crest of the city's coat-of-arms (3 golden crowns on a blue shield and yellow background). The team were based at Hedon Stadium in Hedon on the outskirts of Hull. Their inaugural league season was in the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three where they finished 9th.
On 27 August 1949, the Angels raced their last match at home to Liverpool Chads and then after one more away match they withdrew from the league to be replaced by Swindon Robins. The speedway promotion applied, without success, to Hull City FC to see if they could use their old Anlaby Road ground.
In 1971, promoter Ian Thomas brought speedway back to Hull, when the Vikings began to race at the Boulevard Stadium, a 380 metres (420 yards) circumference track. The initial plan to call the team the Hull Kestrels was scrapped. The Vikings raced during the 1971 British League Division Two season. The Boulevard was famous as the long time home of Rugby Football League team Hull FC. During the years of racing at The Boulevard, the Vikings had the dubious distinction of being the last league speedway team ever to appear at the famous West Ham Stadium, on 23 May 1972, when they beat the closing West Ham Hammers 40–38.
After three seasons in division 2 they applied for and gained division 1 status for the 1974 British League season. The team struggled from 1974 to 1977 despite riders over the four seasons including the likes of Joe Owen, Scots pair Jim McMillan and Bobby Beaton and former multiple world champion Barry Briggs. In 1978 they signed the legendary New Zealander Ivan Mauger, a five times world champion at the time and a young American rider Kelly Moran and the team finished third in the league during 1978.
The Vikings just missed out on becoming British champions during the 1979 British League season, led by Mauger and with solid contributions from Beaton, Moran, Owen, Dennis Sigalos, Graham Drury and Frank Auffret, the team lost by just two points from Coventry Bees. The 1979 season also saw Mauger become the world champion for a record sixth time.
A sudden decline in form and attendances during 1980 and 1981 was overshadowed when Hull FC announced that they were revoking the Boulevard's speedway licence, leaving promoters Ian Thomas and Brian Larner without a track.
In 1995, a speedway track was constructed at Craven Park, the home of the city's other rugby league team, Hull Kingston Rovers. The 346 metres (378 yards) long speedway track built by Glyn Taylor ran inside the greyhound racing track. The stadium had opened only six years previous and the Vikings signed Paul Thorp and Jan Stæchmann to spearhead the team. On 5 April 1995, the first race took place.