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Newport Wasps

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Newport Wasps
Newport Wasps
Club information
Track addressHayley Stadium
Queensway Meadows
Newport NP19 4SZ
CountryUnited Kingdom
Founded1964
Closed2012
LeaguePremier League
Websitewww.newportwasps.co
Club facts
ColoursBlack and amber
Track size285 metres (312 yd)
Track record time57.37 seconds
Track record date19 September 2010
Track record holderKim Nilsson
Major team honours
Provincial League KO Cup1964
Premier League Knockout Cup2011
Premier Trophy1999
Conference League1999
Spring Gold Cup1974, 1975

Newport Wasps were a British motorcycle speedway team based in Newport, South Wales from 1964 to 2012. They were the 1999 Conference League champions.[1] The Wasp logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport.

History

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1964–1977

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Newport Wasps first competed in the 1964 Provincial Speedway League (division 2), they finished a creditable fourth and also won the division 2 version of the Knockout Cup, when winning the Provincial League Knockout Cup during their debut season.[2]

The following season they joined the inaugural British League season (the top division). Wally Mawdsley and Pete Lansdale took over the Wasps in 1969, following Mike Parker relinquishing his interest.[3] Newport would remain in the top division until 1977.[4] The team was based at the Somerton Park stadium, which was also the home of football and greyhound racing. The tight speedway track meant that turf had to be brought on to make the corner flag area for football matches and removed once the match had finished.[5]

The 'Wasps' nickname was dropped after 1972 with the team simply called Newport. Stars of the former team included Australian Phil Crump,[6] father of world champion Jason Crump.[7] The team finished third during the 1975 British League season. The promotion and riders moved to Bristol in 1977 as the Bristol Bulldogs but speedway continued at Somerton Park for one more season after dropping down to the National League in 1977, at which point they rode as the Newport Dragons for one season.[8]

1997–2011

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Hayley Stadium

The modern incarnation of the team was founded in 1997, when the Wasps entered the Premier League and the junior side called the Western Warriors (a combined team from Newport and Exeter competed in the Conference League. The teams were based at the purpose built Hayley Stadium. The following season (1998) a junior side known as the Newport Mavericks joined the Conference League and then won the 1999 Speedway Conference League.[9]

The Wasps continued to compete in the Premier League until the early part of the 2008 season when they withdrew because their promoter Tim Stone died only to be saved by the Mallett family and rebranded for the 2009 season (including a junior side called the Newport Hornets) with Steve Mallett at the helm and his son Nick Mallett joining him as the youngest promoter in British speedway history.[10] The 2009 season saw the Hornets win the national league pairs with the pairing of veteran Tony Atkin and New Zealander Grant Tregoning. The following season Newport beat Somerset for the Severn Bridge trophy[citation needed] and the Hornets finished third in the National league, losing out on the title by points difference.

The Wasps last season ended with a trophy, they won the 2011 Premier League Knock-Out Cup defeating Glasgow in the final.

After a disagreement with the BSPA and ring wood raceway deciding not to follow up plans to run stock cars and destroying the previous fence the club was put up for sale but after talks with the only interested party, Phil Morris, an agreement could not be reached and on 17 February 2012 promoter Steve Mallett confirmed the club would fold with immediate effect.[11] The club shortly after was vandalised and the victim of an arson attack which devastated the stadium leading to it being demolished and redeveloped by owners MCL and speedway was lost to the city once again.

Season summary

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Extended content
Year and league Position Notes
1964 Provincial Speedway League 4th Wasps, Knockout Cup winners
1965 British League season 6th Wasps
1966 British League season 17th Wasps
1967 British League season 12th Wasps
1968 British League season 13th Wasps
1969 British League season 17th Wasps
1970 British League season 19th Wasps
1971 British League season 8th Wasps
1972 British League season 18th Wasps
1973 British League season 10th
1974 British League season 6th
1975 British League season 3rd
1976 British League season 8th
1977 National League season 12th Dragons
1997 Premier League speedway season 14th Wasps
1998 Premier League speedway season 8th Wasps
1999 Premier League speedway season 2nd Wasps
2000 Premier League speedway season 10th Wasps
2001 Premier League speedway season 15th Wasps
2002 Premier League speedway season 12th Wasps
2003 Premier League speedway season 10th Wasps
2004 Premier League speedway season 14th Wasps
2005 Premier League speedway season 15th Wasps
2006 Premier League speedway season 14th Wasps
2007 Premier League speedway season 14th Wasps
2008 Premier League speedway season N/A Wasps, withdrew
2009 Premier League speedway season 14th Wasps
2010 Premier League speedway season 10th Wasps
2011 Premier League speedway season 5th Wasps, 2011 Premier League Knock-Out Cup winners

Season summary (juniors)

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Riders previous seasons

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References

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  1. ^ Oakes, P (2006). Speedway Star Almanac. Pinegen Ltd. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0.
  2. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Speedway Change". Western Daily Press. 31 December 1969. Retrieved 12 January 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
  5. ^ "Newport Speedway (Somerton Park)". Defunct Speedway Tracks. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  6. ^ Lawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. ISBN 978-0-244-72538-9
  7. ^ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
  8. ^ "British League Tables - British League Era (1965-1990)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Newport Hayley Stadium Speedway 1997 - 2011". Speedway Museum Online.
  10. ^ "Rebels offer deal to Wasps fans". BBC Sport. 16 May 2008. Retrieved 17 October 2008.
  11. ^ Newport Wasps closure