1998 Elite League speedway season

The 1998 Elite League speedway season was the 64th season of the top tier of speedway in the United Kingdom and the second year known as the Elite League, governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB) in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).[1]

1998 Elite League speedway season
LeagueSky Sports Elite League
ChampionsIpswich Witches
Knockout CupIpswich Witches
Craven ShieldIpswich Witches
IndividualTony Rickardsson
Highest averageTony Rickardsson
Division/s belowPremier League
Conference League

Summary

In 1998, the league decreased to nine teams with the closure of the Bradford Dukes at the end of their championship winning season in 1997. The Peterborough Panthers dropped down to the Premier League but were replaced by the Oxford Cheetahs. The league operated on a standard format without play-offs.[2]

Ipswich Witches won the league (their first since 1984) and cup double and were led by the world's leading rider Tony Rickardsson. Rickardsson topped the averages for the second consecutive season and was well supported by Pole Tomasz Gollob in his maiden British season. English riders Chris Louis and Scott Nicholls added even more strength and became British Champion and British Under-21 Champion respectively during the season.[3]

Final table
Pos M W D L F A Pts Bon Tot
1 Ipswich Witches 32 26 1 5 1653 1211 53 16 69
2 Belle Vue Aces 32 20 0 12 1524 1353 40 12 52
3 Coventry Bees 32 18 1 13 1474 1401 37 11 48
4 Swindon Robins 32 15 1 16 1429 1450 31 7 38
5 Eastbourne Eagles 32 15 0 17 1430 1449 30 7 37
6 Wolverhampton Wolves 32 14 1 17 1421 1444 29 8 37
7 Oxford Cheetahs 32 13 2 17 1388 1490 28 5 33
8 Poole Pirates 32 11 1 14 1348 1529 23 5 28
9 King's Lynn Knights 32 8 1 23 1270 1610 17 1 18

'A' Fixtures
Home \ Away BV COV EAS IPS KL OX PP SWI WOL
Belle Vue Aces 46–44 54–36 47.5–41.5 54–36 55–35 54–36 59–31 52–38
Coventry Bees 43–46 51–39 43–47 47–43 45–45 52–38 53–37 44–46
Eastbourne Eagles 49–41 49–41 42–48 48–42 60–30 52–38 52–38 57–33
Ipswich Witches 54–36 50–39 53–37 60–30 48–42 63–27 61–29 51–39
King's Lynn Knights 59–31 47–43 47–43 33–57 47–43 44–46 52–38 45–45
Oxford Cheetahs 46–44 37–53 39–51 47–43 52–38 38–51 46–44 50–40
Poole Pirates 47–43 48–42 41–49 26–64 57–33 48–41 38–52 43–47
Swindon Robins 47–4 42–47 49–41 31–59 55–35 51–39 53–37 52–38
Wolverhampton Wolves 31–59 39–50 54–36 38–40 50–40 55–35 50–40 55–35
Source: [4]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

'B' Fixtures
Home \ Away BV COV EAS IPS KL OX PP SWI WOL
Belle Vue Aces 58–32 56–34 46–44 65–25 51–39 49–41 57–33 48–42
Coventry Bees 52–38 50–40 46–44 55–35 44–46 48–42 48–42 46–44
Eastbourne Eagles 59–31 44–46 38–51 56–34 47–43 52–38 55–35 55–35
Ipswich Witches 48–42 49–41 47–43 60–30 63–27 51–39 58–32 56–34
King's Lynn Knights 41–49 47–43 46–44 27–63 40–50 40–50 42–48 53–37
Oxford Cheetahs 47–43 42–48 56–34 44–46 57–33 47–43 45–45 44–46
Poole Pirates 40–50 49–41 56–34 45–45 46–44 40–50 42–48 46–43
Swindon Robins 55–35 42–48 64–26 44–46 56–34 38–52 59–31 56–34
Wolverhampton Wolves 48–42 40–49 62–28 47–43 62–28 56–34 51–39 42–48
Source: [5]
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Elite League Knockout Cup

The 1998 Speedway Star Knockout Cup was the 60th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams and the second under its new name. Ipswich Witches were the winners of the competition.[6]

First round

Group A

Date Team one Score Team two
27/03Belle Vue50-40Coventry
28/03Coventry51-39Belle Vue
29/03Swindon41-49Wolverhampton
30/03Wolverhampton47-42Oxford
03/04Oxford45-45Coventry
06/04Wolverhampton50-40Swindon
10/04Swindon46-44Oxford
11/04Coventry47-43Swindon
12/04Belle Vue43-47Wolverhampton
13/04Wolverhampton45-45Belle Vue
17/04Belle Vue46-43Oxford
18/04Coventry48-42Oxford
20/04Wolverhampton45-45Coventry
24/04Belle Vue41-48Swindon
24/04Oxford39-51Wolverhampton
25/04Coventry54-36Wolverhampton
30/04Swindon40-50Belle Vue
03/05Oxford48-42Belle Vue
08/05Oxford58-32Swindon
11/05Swindon41-49Coventry
Pos Team P W D L
1Wolverhampton8521
2Coventry8521
3Belle Vue8314
4Oxford8215
5Swindon8206

Group B

Date Team one Score Team two
19/03Ipswich60-30Kings Lynn
22/03Eastbourne65-25Kings Lynn
26/03Ipswich56-33Poole
29/03Eastbourne52-38Poole
01/04Kings Lynn41-31Eastbourne
02/04Ipswich49-41Eastbourne
11/04Eastbourne44-46Ipswich
22/04Kings Lynn34-55Ipswich
22/04Poole47-43Eastbourne
24/04Kings Lynn47-43Poole
26/04Poole48-42Kings Lynn
06/05Poole39-51Ipswich
Pos Team P W D L
1Ipswich6600
2Eastbourne6204
3King's Lynn6204
4Poole6204

Semi-finals

Date Team one Score Team two
22/08Coventry54-36Wolverhampton
29/06Wolverhampton49-41Coventry
16/07Ipswich57-33Eastbourne
04/07Eastbourne42-48Ipswich

Final

The first leg was due to be held on 9 October at Foxhall Stadium but was abandoned after 5 heats due to heavy rain. Coventry were leading 17-13 at the time.

First leg

Coventry Bees
Jason Crump (guest) 15
Greg Hancock 13
Brian Andersen 8
Shaun Tacey 6
Andreas Jonsson 1
Stuart Robson 0		43 - 47Ipswich Witches
Tony Rickardsson 15
Tomasz Gollob 11
Scott Nicholls 10
Chris Louis 6
Antonín Šváb Jr. 3
Savalas Clouting 2
[7]

Second leg

Ipswich Witches
Tomasz Gollob 12
Tony Rickardsson 11
Chris Louis 10
Scott Nicholls 6
Antonín Šváb Jr. 5
Savalas Clouting 4		48 - 42Coventry Bees
Greg Hancock 18
Brian Andersen 12
Mark Loram (guest) 5
Shaun Tacey 3
Andreas Jonsson 2
Stuart Robson 2
[7]

Ipswich were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 95-85.

Riders' Championship

Tony Rickardsson won the Elite League Riders' Championship, held at the Abbey Stadium on 11 October.[8]

Pos.RiderPtsTotalSFFinal
1 Tony Rickardsson3 2 2 3 313x3
2 Jason Crump3 3 3 3 214x2
3 Joe Screen3 2 1 2 31121
4 Leigh Adams2 1 3 3 21130
5 Jimmy Nilsen2 2 2 3 2111
6 Todd Wiltshire3 3 2 2 0100
7 Greg Hancock2 3 0 2 310
8 Brian Andersen0 3 3 0 17
9 Ronnie Correy2 1 3 1 07
10 Chris Louis1 1 0 1 36
11 Mark Loram1 0 1 2 26
12 Martin Dugard1 0 1 2 26
13 Craig Boyce1 0 1 1 03
14 Ryan Sullivan0 2 0 0 02
15 David Norris0 1 0 0 12
16 Shane Parkerexc 0 1 0 12
17 Garry Stead (res)2 02
  • exc=excluded

Leading final averages
Rider Team Average
Tony RickardssonIpswich10.35
Billy HamillCoventry10.07
Greg HancockCoventry9.58
Jason CrumpOxford9.54
Tomasz GollobIpswich9.38
Chris LouisIpswich9.35
Ronnie CorreyBelle Vue9.02
Joe ScreenBelle Vue8.99
Martin DugardEastbourne8.70
Leigh AdamsSwindon8.53
Mikael KarlssonWolverhampton8.53

Riders & final averages

Belle Vue

Coventry

Eastbourne

Ipswich

King's Lynn

Oxford

Poole

Swindon

Wolverhampton

See also

References
  1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. "1998 league tables". Speedway GB.
  3. "HISTORY ARCHIVE". British Speedway. Retrieved 4 July 2021.
  4. "1998 fixtures & results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  5. "1998 fixtures & results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 31 May 2024.
  6. "1998 Elite League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
  7. "Coventry Bees 1998 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  8. "Screen provides the chief thrills". Manchester Evening News. 12 October 1998. Retrieved 8 June 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
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