Leo McAuliffe

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Leo McAuliffe

| image =

| caption =

| nationality = British (Welsh)

| birth_date = 16 December 1933

| birth_place = Clydach, Swansea{{cite news |title=Court find a new Speed rider |work=Western Mail |date=8 November 1957 |access-date=8 July 2021 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000104/19571108/227/0010| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2017|12|13|1933|12|16|df=y}}

| death_place =

| career1 = Eastbourne Eagles

| years1 = 1956-1957

| career2 = Birmingham Brummies

| years2 = 1957

| career3 = Bradford Tudors

| years3 = 1957

| career4 = Southern Rovers

| years4 = 1957

| career5 = Southampton Saints

| years5 = 1958

| career6 = Swindon Robins

| years6 = 1959, 1964

| career7 = New Cross Rangers

| years7 = 1960–1961

| career8 = Wimbledon Dons

| years8 = 1962–1964

| career9 = Belle Vue Aces

| years9 = 1965

| career10 = Cradley Heathens

| years10 = 1965

| career11 = Oxford Cheetahs

| years11 = 1967–1969

| indivyear1 = 1963

| indivhonour1 = Speedway World Championship finalist

| indivyear2 = 1956, 1957

| indivhonour2 = Southern Area League Riders' Championship

| teamyear1 = 1962

| teamhonour1 = National Trophy winner

| teamyear2 = 1962

| teamhonour2 = National League KO Cup winner

| teamyear3 = 1957

| teamhonour3 = Southern Area League

}}

Leo Peter McAuliffe (16 December 1933 – 13 December 2017) was an international motorcycle speedway rider from Wales.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/worldfinal_m|title=WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX|website=British Speedway|access-date=7 July 2021}} He earned one international cap for the Great Britain 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=21 December 2023}}

Biography

McAuliffe was born in 1933 in the village of Clydach near Swansea. In 1948, he moved to Pontardawe and appeared in court following a motorcycle offence where the magistrate suggested that he find an appropriate place for his motorcycling. After moving to London he began training at Rye House and gained his first contract with Eastbourne Eagles.

McAuliffe won the Southern Area League Riders' Championship, held at Rye House Stadium on 30 September 1956.{{cite news |title=Surprises at the last speedway meeting |work=Eastbourne Gazette |date=10 October 1956 |access-date=10 June 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001928/19561010/160/0016 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}

Later, he became a protege of fellow Welshman Freddie Williams and went on to ride in the top tier of British Speedway for various clubs.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive|title=History Archive|website=British Speedway|access-date=8 July 2021}} He joined Oxford Cheetahs in 1967.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0005377/19670504/241/0013 |title=James Bond to ride at Brafield |website=Peterborough Evening Telegraph |date=4 May 1967 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=27 August 2024}}

His greatest moment came when he 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 was capped by Great Britain just once.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/1916/leo-mcauliffe|title=Speedway riders, history and results|website=wwosbackup|access-date=8 July 2021}}