Karl Fiala

Karl Fiala

Fiala in 1977
Born	(1956-01-30) 30 January 1956 (age 69) Harlow, England
Nationality	British (English)
Career history
1975-1980	Rye House Rockets
1976-1980	Hackney Hawks
Team honours
1979	National League KO Cup Winner
1980	National League Champion

Karol Roman Fiala (born 30 January 1956) better known as Karl Fiala, is a former motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1][2]

Career

Fiala began grasstrack racing in 1973 and began his league racing career with Rye House Rockets during the 1975 National League season.[3] The following season he doubled up with parent club Hackney Hawks, for whom he rode sporadically.[4]

On 1 May 1977, Fiala won a World Championship qualifying round at Rye House with a 15-point maximum.[5] Fiala continued to ride primarily for Rye House and won the silver hemlet match race twice in 1979 and helped his team win the 1979 Knockout Cup.[6]

The 1980 season resulted in Fiala helping Rye House to win against Middlesbrough Bears on 9 October, with a paid 15 point maximum. He won the last race of the match to secure the league title for Rye House during the 1980 National League season.[7]

Personal life

Karl also worked as an engineer for a company that made Life Support and Anaesthetic Equipment.^[citation needed]

In 1988, he joined a Direct Mail Print Company and, in 2002, started his own business in this line, which is still running today.^[citation needed] A keen squash player until knee-joint problems forced retirement from league competition.^[citation needed]

References

1. "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
2. Lawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. ISBN 978-0-244-72538-9
3. "Rockets hit by injury". Herts and Essex Observer. 10 July 1975. Retrieved 20 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Karl Fiala". World Speedway riders Sport. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
5. "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 2 May 1977. Retrieved 21 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. Bott, Richard (1980). The Peter Collins Speedway Book No.4. Stanley Paul & Co Ltd. p. 99. ISBN 0-09-141751-1.
7. Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.

• Fenn, C. (2003). Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight. ISBN 0-7524-2737-7.
• Jacobs, Norman (2007). 70 Years of Rye House Speedway. ISBN 978-0-7524-4162-7