Andrew Appleton
{{short description|British motorcycle racer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| image = Andrew Appleton 2007 grasstrack speedway.jpg
| caption = Appleton in 2007
| name= Andrew Appleton
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1982|6|18}}
| birth_place = Reading, England
| years1 = 1998–2000
| career1 = Newport Wasps
| years2 = 1998
| career2 = Arena Essex Hammers
| years3 = 1998
| career3 = Edinburgh Monarchs
| years4 = 2000
| career4 = Wolverhampton Wolves
| years5 = 2000
| career5 = Eastbourne Eagles
| years6 = 2000–2002
| career6 = Oxford Cheetahs
| years7 = 2000–2005
| career7 = Reading Bulldogs
| years8 = 2002
| career8 = Coventry Bees
| years9 = 2003
| career9 = Poole Pirates
| years10 = 2004
| career10 = Peterborough Panthers
| indivyear1 = 2002
| indivhonour1 = New Zealand Speedway Champion
| indivyear2 = 2010
| indivhonour2 = European Grasstrack Champion
| indivyear3 = 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014
| indivhonour3 = British Masters Grasstrack Champion
| teamyear1 = 2015
| teamhonour1 = World Longtrack Team Champion
| teamhonour2 = World Longtrack Team bronze
| teamyear2 = 2023
}}
Andrew Appleton (born 18 June 1982) is an English motorcycle racer.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimtae rider index, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=15 September 2024}}
Career
=Speedway=
Appleton's first full season in the British leagues was when he rode for Newport Wasps during the 1999 Premier League speedway season. The Welsh team enjoyed a good season finishing runner-up to Sheffield Tigers.{{cite web |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/other-sport/speedway-wasps-class-99-reunited-1932670 |title=Speedway: Wasps class of '99 are reunited |website=Wales Online |access-date=14 February 2023}}
He was part of the Oxford Cheetahs title winning team during the 2001 Elite League speedway season.{{cite web|url=http://www.speedwaygb.co/history/leaguetables2001.php|title=2001 league tables|publisher=Speedway GB}}{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005283/20010105/623/0078 |title=Lemon squeezed out from the Cheetahs |website=Bicester Review |date=5 January 2001 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=15 September 2024}}
=Longtrack=
In 2015, Appleton was part of the British team with Richard Hall, Glen Phillips and James Shanes that won the world championship gold medal at the 2015 Team Long Track World Championship.{{cite web |url=https://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk/sport/speedway/hall-wins-world-long-track-championship-with-gb-2217280 |title=Hall wins World Long Track Championship with GB |website=The Southern Reporter |access-date=23 September 2024 }} It was the first time that Britain had won the event.{{cite web|url=https://grasstrackgb.co.uk/world-longtrack-team-cup/|title=World Longtrack Championship|website=GrasstrackGB|access-date=17 July 2021}}{{cite web|url=http://edinburghspeedway.blogspot.com/2014/12/world-team-longtrack.html|title=World Team Long Track Championship|website=Edinburgh Speedway|access-date=17 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.acu.org.uk/news/2015/06/fim-team-world-long-track-championship/ |title=FIM Team World Long Track Championship |website=ACU |access-date=14 February 2023}}
In 2023, he was part of the British longtrack team, along with Chris Harris and Zach Wajtknecht, that won the bronze medal at the 2023 Team Long Track World Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.baansportfansite.nl/uitslagen/3078/long-track-of-nations-roden|publisher=Bahn Sport (In Dutch)|title=24 September 2023 in Roden|access-date=25 September 2023}}
=Grasstrack=
His biggest solo honour to date was his Gold medal success in the European Grasstrack Championship in 2010 and the winning Grand Prix in Eenrum the same year, along with 4 time British Master championships titles (2007, 2010,1011,2014)
Major results
=Longtrack=
World Individual Championship
- 2003 4 app (18th) 18pts
- 2004 5 app (6th) 59pts
- 2005 4 app (10th) 34pts
- 2006 2 app (16th) 12pts
- 2007 3 app (5th) 41pts
- 2008 4 app (4th) 62pts
- 2009 4 app (14th) 37pts
- 2010 4 app (6th) 102pts
- 2011 6 app (15th) 48pts
- 2012 4 app (12th) 53pts
- 2014 4 app (13th) 28pts
- 2015 4 app (15th) 21pts
- 2016 4 app (13th) 28pts
Best Grand-Prix results
- {{flagicon|NED}} Eenrum First 2010
- {{flagicon|FIN}} Forssa Second 2011
- {{flagicon|CZE}} Mariánské Lázně Second 2010
- {{flagicon|FRA}} Morizès Third 2008
- {{flagicon|GER}} Vechta Second 2008
World Team Championship
- 2007 - {{flagicon|FRA}} Morizès (with Paul Hurry, Glen Phillips & Mitch Godden) Second
- 2009 - {{flagicon|NED}} Eenrum (with Paul Hurry, Glen Phillips & Richard Hall) Fourth
- 2010 - {{flagicon|FRA}} Morizès (with Glen Phillips, Richard Hall & Chris Mills) Fourth
- 2011 - {{flagicon|GER}} Scheeßel (with Paul Cooper, Glen Phillips & Mitch Godden) Third
- 2013 - {{flagicon|ENG}} Folkestone (with Richard Hall, Glen Phillips & Paul Cooper) Third
- 2014 - {{flagicon|FIN}} Forssa (with Glen Phillips, Richard Hall & David Howe) Fifth
- 2015 - {{flagicon|GER}} Muhldorf (with Glen Phillips, Richard Hall & James Shanes) First
- 2016 - {{flagicon|CZE}} Mariánské Lázně (with Glen Phillips, Richard Hall & James Shanes) 4th
- 2017 - {{flagicon|NED}} Roden (with Edward Kennett, Richard Hall & James Shanes) 6th
=Grasstrack=
European Championship
- 2003 {{flagicon|FRA}} La Réole (13th) 7pts
- 2004 {{flagicon|NED}} Eenrum (6th) 12pts
- 2005 {{flagicon|GER}} Schwarme (Third) 12pts
- 2006 {{flagicon|FRA}} La Réole (6th) 18pts
- 2007 {{flagicon|ENG}} Folkestone (Third) 20pts
- 2008 Semi-final
- 2009 {{flagicon|GER}} Berghaupten (16th) 6pts
- 2010 {{flagicon|FRA}} La Réole (Champion) 18pts
- 2011 {{flagicon|ENG}} Skegness (Third) 15pts
- 2012 Semi-final
- 2013 Semi-final
- 2014 {{flagicon|FRA}} Saint-Macaire (8th) 12pts
- 2015 {{flagicon|NED}} Staphorst (6th) 12pts
- 2016 {{flagicon|ENG}} Folkestone (Third) 15pts
- 2017 {{flagicon|GER}} Hertingen (Second) 16pts
- 2023 {{flagicon|GER}} Werlte (third) 15pts
British Masters
Podium Finishes
- 2002 {{flagicon|ENG}} Skegness Third
- 2004 {{flagicon|ENG}} Skegness Second
- 2006 {{flagicon|ENG}} Wadebridge Champion
- 2009 {{flagicon|ENG}} Blackwater Third
- 2010 {{flagicon|ENG}} Folkestone Champion
- 2011 {{flagicon|ENG}} Folkestone Champion
- 2013 {{flagicon|ENG}} Wimborne Second
- 2014 {{flagicon|ENG}} Folkestone Champion
- 2015 {{flagicon|ENG}} Wimborne Second
- 2018 {{flagicon|ENG}} Cheshire Third