Laurie Etheridge

{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}

{{Infobox speedway rider

| image = Laurie Etheridge.jpg

| name= Laurie Etheridge

| nationality = British (English)

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1948|9|12|df=yes}}

| death_date =

| birth_place = Pulborough, England

| years1 = 1967

| career1 = Exeter Falcons

| years2 = 1968–1969

| career2 = Rayleigh Rockets

| years3 = 1968–1980

| career3 = Hackney Hawks

| years4 = 1975–1982

| career4 = Crayford Kestrels

| years5 = 1979

| career5 = Sheffield Tigers

| years6 = 1980–1981

| career6 = Coventry Bees

| years7 = 1983

| career7 = Canterbury Crusaders

| indivyear1 = 1975

| indivhonour1 = New National League Riders Champion

| teamyear1 = 1971

| teamhonour1 = British League KO Cup Winner

| teamyear2 = 1971, 1973

| teamhonour2 = London Cup

| teamyear3 = 1980

| teamhonour3 = National League Fours Champion

}}

Laurie Etheridge (born 12 September 1948 in Pulborough, England) is a former international motorcycle speedway riderLawson,K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. {{ISBN|978-0-244-72538-9}} from England. He earned one international cap for the England national speedway 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=16 November 2023}}

Career

His first attempt at speedway, in 1963, was thwarted when his bike was stolen and he did not resume the sport until 1966.

In 1967, he signed for Exeter Falcons and managed three appearances for them in that season.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/494/laurie-etheridge |title=Laurie Etheridge |website=WWOS Backup |access-date=16 November 2023}} His career really started the following year, when he was signed up for Hackney Hawks by Len Silver and their partner team Rayleigh Rockets. A good season for Rayleigh resulted in a full-time contract for Hackney.{{cite web | url=http://hackneyreunion.com/Hackney-team-riders-1935-1996|title=names of riders 1935-1996 |website=Hackney Speedway |access-date=16 November 2023}}

He was a Crayford KestrelsLawson,K (2018) “The Cheetahs 1976 – The Resurrection”. {{ISBN| 978-0-244-69934-5}} regular for eight years from 1975, achieving nearly 300 league and cup appearances as a Kestrel. Crayford held a testimonial season for Etheridge in 1982.{{cite web | url=http://www.crayfordkestrels.co.uk/?page_id=10%7Bhistory | title=HISTORY |website=Crayford Kestrels |access-date=16 November 2023}}

In the 1975 National League Riders' Championship at Wimbledon on 27 September, Etheridge and Brian Collins both finished on 13 points but in the run-off for the title, Collins fell off in the first lap and Etheridge rode a solitary four laps to be crowned champion.{{cite news |title=Lee's title bid fails |work=Cambridge Daily News |date=29 September 1975 |access-date=17 June 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003740/19750929/016/0016 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

Etheridge was in the side when Crayford won their only trophy during the 1980 National League season. The Crayford team became the Fours Champions during the 1980 National League Four-Team Championship, however due to machine troubles Etheridge didn't start a race in the final of the tournament.{{cite news |title=Speedway |work=Daily Mirror |date=28 July 1980 |access-date=10 May 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000560/19800728/144/0027 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

His last race was at Newcastle for Canterbury in 1983.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=16 November 2023}}

Notable performances:

  • England v Russia (1974)
  • National League Riders Champion (1975)
  • National League series GB v Denmark (1978) – there was also a series against Australia
  • National League Four Team Tournament (1980)
  • Testimonial Year Crayford Kestrels v England (1982)

Retirement

Post-speedway, he worked in industrial plumbing and central heating. He lives in West Sussex with his wife, Denise, and they have two married daughters and four grandchildren.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}}

References