Steve Bishop (speedway rider)

Steve Bishop
Born26 November 1963 (1963-11-26) (age 61)
Bristol, England
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
1981Canterbury Crusaders
1981–1983, 1999Swindon Robins
1982–1986, 1989–1990Exeter Falcons
1984Stoke Potters
1987Arena Essex Hammers
1988Poole Pirates
1988–1989Long Eaton Invaders
1998St Austell Gulls
2002–2004Somerset Rebels
Individual honours
1998Conference League Riders' Champion
Team honours
1983National League KO Cup Winner

Steve Bishop (born 26 November 1963) is a former grasstrack, longtrack and motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1][2][3][4]

Career

Bishop started racing in the British leagues in 1981[5] but it was not during the 1982 National League season that he became a regular rider, when riding for the Exeter Falcons.[6] He helped Exeter win the Knockout Cup in 1983 and rode for them when they were in the top division in 1984. Also in 1984, he doubled up for Stoke Potters.[1]

Following a season with Arena Essex Hammers in 1987, he rode for Poole Pirates and Long Eaton Invaders in 1988. He returned to Exeter for the 1989 and 1990 seasons before he began to concentrate on grasstrack and longtrack racing.[4] As a longtrack rider he reached the final of the European Championship and the final of the 1995 Individual Long Track World Championship.[7] As a grasstrack rider he won the 1998 British Best Pairs.[4]

He returned to conventional speedway in 1998, riding for St Austell Gulls and became the Conference League Riders' Champion. The final was held on 12 July at the Clay Country Moto Parc in St Austell.[8]

He rode for the Swindon Robins in 1999 and finished his career with Somerset Rebels from 2002 to 2004.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022, Steve Bishop" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  2. ^ Oakes, Peter (1990). Speedway Yearbook 1990, rider profile Steve Bishop. Front Page Books. ISBN 0-948882-15-8.
  3. ^ Oakes, Peter (2004). British Speedway Who's Who, Profile Steve Bishop. Peter Oakes, Peterborough. ISBN 0-948882-81-6.
  4. ^ a b c "Steve Bishop". Grasstrack GB. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  5. ^ "Wildcat key to Robins' title bid". Western Daily Press. 19 June 1981. Retrieved 15 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Steve Bishop". WWOS Backup. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  7. ^ "SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 29 June 2023.
  8. ^ "1998 fixtures" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 28 June 2023.