Danny Kennedy (speedway rider)

Danny Kennedy

Born	18 June 1958 (1958-06-18) Ballarat, Australia
Died	14 June 1993(1993-06-14) (aged 34)
Nationality	Australian
Career history
1976	Newport
1976–1978	Weymouth Wizards/Wildcats
1977	Bristol Bulldogs
1978–1982	Poole Pirates
Individual honours
1981	Australasian Championship silver medal
1978	Warners Grand National

Daniel Gerard Kennedy (18 June 1958 – 14 June 1993) was an Australian motorcycle speedway rider.[1][2][3]

Career

Kennedy made his British leagues debut during the 1976 British League season, where he rode for Newport Wasps, after riding once match for Canterbury.[4] He cracked his collar bone riding for the Crusaders.[5] He also doubled up for Weymouth Wizards in the 1976 National League.[6] In the 1975-76 Australian season, he won the Victorian Individual Speedway Championship.[7]

He continued to double up, staying with Weymouth in the National League and hitting a 9.16 average during the 1978 National League season.[6] In the British league, he rode for Bristol Bulldogs before joining Poole Pirates for the 1978 British League season.[8][9]

In 1980, he represented the Australia national speedway team during the 1980 Speedway World Team Cup[10] and won the silver medal at the 1981 Australasian Individual Speedway Championship. He rode again for Australia in the 1981 Speedway World Team Cup[11] and would ride for Australia ten times in total.[9]

He died of a brain tumour in 1993.

References

1. Oakes, Peter (1978). 1978 Speedway Yearbook, Rider Bio Danny Kennedy. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 978-0904584509.
2. Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook, profile Danny Kennedy. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
3. Oakes, Peter (1990). Speedway Yearbook 1990, Rider Bio Danny Kennedy. Front Page Books. ISBN 0-948882-15-8.
4. "Danny set to make debut". Kentish Express. 2 April 1976. Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. "Injured Kennedy to rest". Kentish Express. 9 April 1976. Retrieved 23 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Danny Kennedy". WWOS Backup. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
7. "Reg is fit". Kentish Express. 23 April 1976. Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. "Wild Cat Silver in transfer strke". Daily Mirror. 23 March 1978. Retrieved 22 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
9. "Ultimate Rider Index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
10. "1980 Speedway World Team Cup". International Speedway. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
11. "1981 Speedway World Team Cup". International Speedway. Retrieved 28 April 2023.