1978 British League season

The 1978 Gulf British League season was the fourteenth season of the highest tier of motorcycle speedway in Great Britain.[1]

1978 British League season
LeagueBritish League
Season1978
ChampionsCoventry Bees
No. of competitors19
Knockout CupIpswich Witches
Division/s below1978 National League

Summary

The list of nineteen teams that competed in the league was identical to the previous season. The league was sponsored by Gulf Oil for a fourth season. Coventry Bees won their second title and their first for ten years. Belle Vue Aces were runners-up for the fourth time in five seasons.


League table
Team M W D L Pts
Coventry Bees 36270954
Belle Vue Aces 362601052
Hull Vikings 362221246
Wimbledon Dons 362211345
Cradley Heathens 362111443
Ipswich Witches 362111443
Exeter Falcons 362011541
Sheffield Tigers 361921540
Bristol Bulldogs 361901738
Poole Pirates 361731637
Leicester Lions 361701934
Halifax Dukes 361431931
King's Lynn Stars 361422030
Reading Racers 361332029
White City Rebels 361232127
Swindon Robins 361232127
Wolverhampton Wolves 361112423
Birmingham Brummies 361112423
Hackney Hawks 361012521

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points

Top Ten Riders
Rider Nat Team C.M.A.
1 Malcolm Simmons Poole Pirates 10.78
2 Ole Olsen Coventry Bees 10.71
3 Scott Autrey Exeter Falcons 10.45
4 Peter Collins Belle Vue Aces 10.44
5 Michael Lee King's Lynn Stars 10.40
6 Chris Morton Belle Vue Aces 10.31
7 Dave Jessup Reading Racers 10.24
8 Billy Sanders Ipswich Witches 10.23
9 Phil Crump Bristol Bulldogs 9.99
10 Ivan Mauger Hull Vikings 9.91


British League Knockout Cup

The 1978 British League Knockout Cup was the 40th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Ipswich Witches were the winners.[2]

First Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
29/04Kings Lynn40-38Hull
26/04Hull39-39Kings Lynn
10/04Exeter44-34Coventry
08/04Coventry44-34Exeter
17/04Birmingham37-41Poole
12/04Poole48-30Birmingham
15/06Coventry37.5-40.5Exeter
01/06Exeter48-30Coventry

Second Round
Date Team One Score Team Two
19/07Poole49-29Swindon
15/07Swindon37-41Poole
09/06Hackney51-26Kings Lynn
03/06Kings Lynn31-46Hackney
06/07Sheffield45-33Exeter#
Exeter52-26Sheffield
10/06Swindon36-42Poole
21/06Poole36-42Swindon
03/06Belle Vue44-34Wimbledon
08/06Wimbledon41-37Belle Vue
23/06Bristol35-43Leicester
06/06Leicester39-39Bristol
10/06Cradley Heath38-40Reading
05/06Reading37-41Cradley Heath
13/06White City52-26Halifax
10/06Halifax43-34White City
09/06Wolverhampton40-38Ipswich
08/06Ipswich43-34Wolverhampton

Quarter Finals
Date Team One Score Team Two
09/08White City23-54Ipswich
05/08Belle Vue44-34Poole
04/08Poole34-43Belle Vue
29/07Cradley Heath48-30Leicester
27/07Ipswich52-26White City
21/07Hackney34-44Exeter
11/07Leicester39-39Cradley Heath
17/07Exeter58-20Hackney

Semi Finals
Date Team One Score Team Two
14/09Ipswich44-34Cradley Heath
13/09Cradley Heath40-38Ipswich
26/08Belle Vue57-21Exeter
25/08Exeter51-27Belle Vue

Final
Date Team One Score Team Two
19/10Ipswich53-25Belle Vue
14/10Belle Vue39-39Ipswich

See also

List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions

References
  1. "Historic league tables". Speedway Archive.
  2. "1978 British League Knockout Cup". Speedway archive.
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