Dean Barker (speedway rider)
| Born | 2 August 1970 Isleworth, Middlesex, England |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 1986–1989, 1993–1995, 1997, 1999–2003, 2005–2007 | Eastbourne Eagles |
| 1987–1988 | Cradley Heathens |
| 1990–1992 | Oxford Cheetahs |
| 2004 | Arena Essex Hammers |
| Sweden | |
| 2002 | Luxo Stars |
| Team honours | |
| 1995, 2000 | PL/EL (tier 1) |
| 1994, 1997, 2002 | BL/EL KO Cup (tier 1) |
| 1986, 1987 | NL (tier 2) |
| 1986, 1987 | NL KO Cup (tier 2) |
Dean Barker (born 2 August 1970) is a former British international motorcycle speedway rider who competed at the sports highest level until his retirement in 2007.[1][2] He earned 14 caps for the England national speedway team and 4 caps for the Great Britain national speedway team.[3]
Speedway career
[edit]Barker first rode for Eastbourne Eagles during the 1986 National League season, although he only appeared in 14 matches that season he contributed to a league and cup double winning season for the south coast club.[4] The following season in 1987, Barker and Eastbourne repeated the success to record the 'double double'.[5]
He was one of Eastbourne's leading riders by the time Oxford Cheetahs came in to sign him for the 1990 British League season, where he would ride alongside Hans Nielsen.[6] In 1993 and 1994,[7] he returned to Eastbourne and was an integral part of the Eagles team that won the 1994 Knockout Cup and 1995 Premier League.[1][8]
He won another Knockout Cup in 1997 but suffered serious injuries that forced him to miss two entire seasons in 1996 with a broken leg and 1998 with a broken arm.[9] However, after making a successful comeback in 1999 he won the Elite League in 2000 and the Knockout Cup in 2002.
His farewell meeting in 2009 celebrated a career which included highlights of becoming Eastbourne Eagles captain and racing to podiums in major competitions such as the British Under 21 Championship and the British Championship.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 3 November 1986. Retrieved 27 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
- ^ Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn (2007). The Story of Oxford Speedway. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 143–144. ISBN 978-0-7524-4161-0.
- ^ "Eagles land six of England's best". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 7 March 1994. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ "Dean Barker". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
- ^ "Dean Barkwer biography". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
- ^ "Speedway star Barker bids fond farewell". Eastbourne Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2010.