Craig Watson (speedway rider)
{{short description|Australian motorcycle speedway rider (born 1976)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Use Australian English|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| image =
| name= Craig Watson
| nationality = Australian
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1976|8|6}}
| birth_place = Sydney, Australia
| career1 = Great Britain
| years2 = 1997-1999, 2002-2006,
| career2 = Newport Wasps
| years3 = 2008, 2009-
| career3 =
| years4 = 2000-2001, 2007
| career4 = Poole Pirates
| years5 = 2003
| career5 = Belle Vue Aces
| years6 = 2007
| career6 = Glasgow Tigers
| years7 = 2008
| career7 = Birmingham Brummies
| years8 =
| career8 = Sweden
| years9 = 2000, 2005
| career9 = Getingarna
| years10 =
| career10 = Poland
| years11 = 2001
| career11 = RKM Rybnik
| indivyear1 = 1997, 1998, 2002
| indivhonour1 = Australian Long Track Champion
| indivyear2 = 2003
| indivhonour2 = NZ Long Track Grand Prix
| indivyear3 = 2004
| indivhonour3 = NSW State Champion
| teamyear1 = 1999
| teamhonour1 = Premier Trophy Winner
}}
Craig Watson (born 6 August 1976 in Sydney, New South Wales)Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. {{ISBN|0-948882-81-6}} is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. Watson was the winner of the 1996 NSW State Championship. He is also a triple Australian Longtrack champion, having won the championship in 1997, 1998 and 2002.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=24 June 2023}}
Career
Watson spent most of his career with the Newport Wasps.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Rider_Index_2008.pdf |title=2008 Rider index |website=British Speedway |access-date=7 April 2023}} He failed to agree terms with the Newport promotion for 2007 and was eventually signed up by former club Poole Pirates in the Elite League. However his scores were low and when he suffered an injury early in the season his replacement, Piotr Świst, did well enough to keep his place. Watson signed for Premier League team the Glasgow Tigers for the rest of the 2007 season and had a successful spell with the club.
{{cite book | last = Bamford| first = Robert | title = Methanol Press Speedway Yearbook 2008 | publisher = Methanol Press | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-9553103-5-5 }}
At the start of 2008, Watson was again signed by his parent club the Poole Pirates to ride for them at reserve. However, the BSPA found that his greensheet average was incorrect and therefore his average would be too high for him to fit into the Poole squad. Watson was left without a club, but soon after once again signed for Premier League team Newport. Newport closed in May following the death of their owner, and Watson joined the Birmingham Brummies.{{cite web | url = http://www.british-speedway.co.uk/news.php?extend.1498.3 | title = Watson Joins Brummies | publisher = BSPA | accessdate = 2008-08-09}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Craig}}
Category:Australian speedway riders
Category:Motorcycle racers from Sydney
Category:Glasgow Tigers riders
Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in Scotland
Category:Expatriate speedway riders in Wales
Category:Birmingham Brummies riders
Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in England
Category:Australian expatriate sportspeople in Wales