Derick Close
{{Short description|British speedway rider (1927–2021)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}}
{{Infobox speedway rider
| name = Derick Close
| image =
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{birth date|1927|5|13|df=y}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|10|4|1927|5|13|df=y}}
| birth_place = Bowes, County Durham, England
| years1 = 1947–1948
| career1 = Middlesbrough Bears
| years2 = 1948, 1949–1951
| career2 = Newcastle Diamonds
| years3 = 1951–1954
| career3 = Motherwell/Lanarkshire Eagles
| years4 = 1955
| career4 = Leicester Hunters
}}
Derick Tallentire Close (13 May 1927 – 4 October 2021) was a British motorcycle speedway rider, who reached the final of Speedway World Championship in 1952.Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7524-2402-5}}
Career
Close was born in Bowes, County Durham. He started his career with the Middlesbrough Bears in 1947 followed by a short spell on loan with the Newcastle Diamonds at the start of 1948. He returned to the Bears and established himself in the team.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=1 August 2023}} In 1949, he rejoined Newcastle where he spent the next three seasons{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19490610/081/0009 |title=Darling of the fans Warren can give youth its biggest speedway boost |website=Daily Mirror |date=10 June 1949 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=19 September 2024}} before joining the Lanarkshire Eagles mid season in 1951.Henry, J. & Moultray, I. (2001). Speedway in Scotland. Stroud: Tempus Publishing {{ISBN|0-7524-2229-4}}
The 1952 season proved to be the best of his career after receiving a call up to ride for England, despite riding in National League Division Two, having never ridden in the top flight.Foster, P. (2005) History of the Speedway Ashes, The History Press Ltd. {{ISBN|0-7524-3468-3}} He also reached the final of the Speedway World Championship. In 1953, he suffered a fractured skull and although he rode well again in 1954 he suffered a drop in form after joining the Leicester Hunters in 1955 and retired at the end of the season.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=31 October 2023}}
At retirement he had earned 2 international caps for the England national speedway team.
World final appearances
- 1952 – {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium – 14th – 4pts