Jim Lightfoot (speedway rider)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use British English|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Jim Lightfoot

| image =

| caption =

| nationality = British (English)

| birth_date = 11 November 1933

| birth_place = Coventry, England

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2023|3|4|1933|11|11|df=y}}{{cite web|url=https://jamesarthurlightfoot.muchloved.com/ |title=Tribute to James Arthur Lightfoot, 11 November 1933 - 4 March 2023 |website=Much Loved |access-date=11 March 2025 }}

| death_place =

| career1 = Coventry Bees

| years1 = 1953–1966

| career2 = Long Eaton Archers

| years2 = 1967

| indivyear1 = 1963

| indivhonour1 = Speedway World Championship finalist

| indivyear2 =

| indivhonour2 =

| teamyear1 = 1954

| teamhonour1 = Northern Shield

| teamyear2 = 1960, 1966

| teamhonour2 = Midland Cup

| teamyear3 = 1961

| teamhonour3 = Central Shield

}}

James Arthur Lightfoot (11 November 1933 – 4 March 2023) was an international Motorcycle speedway rider from England.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/worldfinal_l|title=WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL – RIDER INDEX|website=British Speedway|access-date=8 July 2021}} He earned one international cap for the England national speedway team and three caps for the Great Britain 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=21 December 2023}}

Speedway career

Lightfoot reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1963 Individual Speedway World Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/worldchamps1936to94.pdf|title=World Speedway finals|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=8 July 2021}}

He rode in the top tier of British Speedway from 1953 to 1966, riding for Coventry Bees.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive|title=History Archive|website=British Speedway|access-date=8 July 2021}} Jim was born within 4 miles of Coventry's Brandon Stadium and captained his team for a number of years.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1664/jim-lightfoot|title=Speedway riders, history and results|website=wwosbackup|access-date=8 July 2021}}

He helped Coventry win the Midland Cup on two occasions in 1960{{cite news |title=Bees' Sparkling Win in Midland Cup Final |work=Coventry Evening Telegraph |date=26 September 1960 | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000769/19600926/167/0016 | via = British Newspaper Archive| access-date=19 October 2023 |url-access=subscription }} and 1966.{{cite news |title=Coventry Win Midland Cup |work=Birmingham Daily Post |date=20 September 1966 | url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002135/19660920/231/0012 | via = British Newspaper Archive| access-date=19 October 2023 |url-access=subscription }}

Lightfoot died on 4 March 2023.{{cite web |url=http://www.savecoventryspeedway.com/_mobile/news.php?extend.4275 |title=In Memoriam |website=Save Coventry Speedway |access-date=6 August 2023}}

World final appearances

= Individual World Championship =

References