Lionel Levy

Lionel Levy
Born16 October 1916 (1916-10-16)[citation needed]
Sydney, Australia
Died21 February 1968(1968-02-21) (aged 51)
NationalityAustralian
Career history
1948Wimbledon Dons
1948–1950, 1952Coventry Bees
1953Southampton Saints
Individual honours
1952, 1953Australian champion
1957New South Wales champion

Lionel William Levy (16 October 1916 – 21 February 1968) was an Australian motorcycle speedway rider. He was twice champion of Australia in 1952 and 1953 and earned 16 international caps for the Australia national speedway team.[1]

Biography

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Levy, born in Sydney, was discovered by Norman Parker and Parker brought him to England in 1948.[2] He began his British leagues career riding for Wimbledon Dons during the 1948 Speedway National League season[3] and Coventry Bees in the 1948 Speedway National League Division Three, where he recorded a 7.43 average.[4]

He spent four seasons with Coventry (but missed the 1951 season)[5] before riding a few times for Southampton Saints in 1953.[6][7]

He gained valuable experience from his competition in the British leagues and became the Australian champion, after winning the Australian Solo Championship in 1952 and 1953.[8]

He also won the New South Wales champion in 1957 and went on to be the Australian team manager. He died in 1968, after fracturing his skull in a race at the Sydney Showground Speedway.[9]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  2. ^ "Bright Wimbledon speedway hopes". Daily News (London). 25 February 1948. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "1948 fixtures". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  4. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Brandon Bees will be without Lionel Levy". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 24 February 1951. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  7. ^ "Missed Holland but got Levy". Portsmouth Evening News. 17 July 1953. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Individual Australian Championship". Historia Sportu Zuzlowego. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  9. ^ "Ex-Bee dies in Australia". Coventry Evening Telegraph. 24 February 1968. Retrieved 18 February 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.