Phil Clarke (speedway rider)
{{Short description|English speedway rider}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2023}}
{{Infobox Speedway rider
| name = Phil Clarke
| image = File:Phil_Clarke_motorcycle_speedway_rider_in_1951.jpg
| caption = Clarke in 1951
| nationality = British (English)
| birth_date = {{birth-date|30 June 1922}}
| birth_place = Norwich, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2010|10|6|1922|6|30|df=y}}
| death_place =
| career1 = Norwich Stars
| years1 = 1947-1959
| career2 =
| years2 =
| indivyear1 = 1955
| indivhonour1 = Speedway World Championship finalist
| indivyear2 =
| indivhonour2 =
| teamyear1 = 1950, 1951
| teamhonour1 = National League Division II Champion
| teamyear2 = 1955
| teamhonour2 = National Trophy Winner
| teamyear3 = 1951
| teamhonour3 = National Trophy (Div 2) Winner
| teamyear4 = 1951
| teamhonour4 = Southern Shield Winner
}}
Philip Charles Clarke (30 June 1922 - 6 October 2010) was an English motorcycle speedway rider.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/worldfinal_c|title=WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX|website=British|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{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}}
Speedway career
Clarke was a leading speedway rider in the 1950s. He reached the final of the Speedway World Championship in the 1955 Individual Speedway World Championship.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/worldchamps1936to94.pdf|title=World Speedway finals|website=Speedway Researcher|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=https://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/former-norwich-speedway-captain-dies-1716714|title=Former Norwich speedway captain dies|website=Evening News24|date=12 October 2010 |access-date=5 July 2021}}
He first rode in the UK leagues during the 1947 Speedway National League Division Two, after joining the Norwich Stars and would soon establish himself as a regular at the club.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=31 October 2023}} He was their leading rider in 1950 when the club won the league title and was also instrumental in helping Norwich win the league and cup double in 1951.{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1951fixtures.pdf |title=1951 season results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=31 October 2023}}
He followed the team when they moved up to the top tier of British Speedway in 1952.{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/historyarchive|title=History Archive|website=British Speedway|access-date=5 July 2021}}{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwaymuseumonline.co.uk/phil-clark.html|title=Phil Clarke|website=Speedway Museum|access-date=5 July 2021}} His performance in the home leg of the final of the 1955 National Trophy effectively won the trophy for Norwich.{{cite news |title=Last night's speedway |work=The People |date=18 September 1955 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19550918/104/0012 | via = British Newspaper Archive| access-date=31 October 2023 |url-access=subscription }}
By 1957, he had become the chairman of the Speedway Riders' Association.{{cite news |title=Speedway rider crashes |work=The People |date=15 September 1957 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000729/19570915/170/0014 | via = British Newspaper Archive| access-date=31 October 2023 |url-access=subscription }}
At retirement he had earned 5 international caps for the England national speedway team.
World final appearances
=Individual World Championship=
- 1955 - {{Flagicon|ENG}} London, Wembley Stadium - 14th - 2pts