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Danny Kennedy (speedway rider)

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Danny Kennedy
Born18 June 1958 (1958-06-18)
Ballarat, Australia
Died14 June 1993(1993-06-14) (aged 34)
NationalityAustralian
Career history
1976Newport
1976–1978Weymouth Wizards/Wildcats
1977Bristol Bulldogs
1978–1982Poole Pirates
Individual honours
1981Australasian Championship silver medal
1978Warners Grand National

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

Career

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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

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  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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "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.