Boston Barracudas

British speedway team

Boston Barracudas

Club information
Track address| Boston Sports Stadium (1970–1987)
King's Lynn Stadium (2000–2008)
Country| England
Founded| 1970
Closed| 2008
Club facts
Colours| Blue and White
Track size| 342 metres
Major team honours
| BL Div. 2| 1973

|

BL Div. 2 KO Cup| 1973
NL Pairs| 1977
Conference League KO Cup| 2000
Conference League Pairs| 2007, 2008

The Boston Barracudas were a speedway team that competed from 1970 to 1987 and again from 2000 to 2008. the team were based at Boston Sports Stadium in New Hammond Beck Road, Boston, Lincolnshire.[1]

## History

[edit]

### Origins and 1970s

[edit]

The 1976 team

The Boston Barracudas were founded mid-season in 1970 by promoters Cyril Crane and Gordon Perkins. Planning permission was received to construct a track at the Boston Sports Stadium and the promoters bought the second tier team known as the King's Lynn Starlets from Maurice Littlechild.[2] The Barracudas first home fixture was an inter-counties cup match against Peterborough Panthers on 16 August.[3] The team fulfilled the remaining King's Lynn fixtures and finished the season in 13th place.[4]

The team continued to compete in the second division and during the 1973 British League Division Two season completed the league and cup double by finishing 1st in the league table and winning the Knockout Cup.[5][6] The team led by Arthur Price was backed up by Carl Glover, who had improved his average significantly to 9.62 and six other riders who posted averages from 8.42 to 6.88.[7]

The remainder of the decade was less successful and from 1975 they competed in the National League (the new name for division 2). Also in 1975, the Barracudas signed 16-year-old Michael Lee on loan from King's Lynn. Lee would be a world champion just 5 years later.[8] With no Price, Glover or Lee, the team could only record a best finish of 7th in 1977.

### 1980s

[edit]

Boston vs Ellesmere Port on 31 May 1981

With riders such as David Gagen and Rob Hollingworth, Boston were consistent but were unable to challenge for honours. In late 1984 promoter Cyril Crane was unhappy over new rules and wanted to sell his promotion rights.[9] Despite signing riders for 1985, the club withdrew from the league just days before the start of the season, when Crane relinquished his interests.[10]

The team soon returned for the 1986 season, under a new promotion team of Richard Green, David Cox and Glen Norton.[11] However, after just one season the team entered 1987 and suffered heavy defeats and financial issues. This resulted in the Barracudas withdrawing mid-season with the last fixture being a heavy home defeat to Eastbourne on 1 August 1987, the Barracudas results were expunged.[12][13]

### 2000s

[edit]

Boston against Oxford in 2007

In 2000 the club was reformed and entered the third tier Conference League but riding at King's Lynn Stadium because the Boston Sports Stadium had closed in 1987. During the 2000 Speedway Conference League the team finished 4th and won the Conference League Knockout Cup defeating Rye House Rockets in the final.[14][15]

The team won the 2003 Conference Trophy riding as the Boston Barracuda-Braves and competed up to the end of the 2008 Speedway Conference League season. The last honours for the club were two consecutive Pairs Championship wins in 2007, won by Paul Cooper and Simon Lambert [16] and 2008, when won by James Cockle and Lambert.[17]

## Season summary

[edit]

Extended content

| Year and league  | Position  | Notes

|
|

1970 British League Division Two season | 13th |
1971 British League Division Two season | 4th |
1972 British League Division Two season | 2nd |
1973 British League Division Two season | 1st | Champions & Knockout Cup winners
1974 British League Division Two season | 3rd |
1975 New National League season | 5th |
1976 National League season | 12th |
1977 National League season | 7th |
1978 National League season | 17th |
1979 National League season | 16th |
1980 National League season | 6th |
1981 National League season | 6th |
1982 National League season | 8th |
1983 National League season | 16th |
1984 National League season | 6th |
1986 National League season | 12th |
1987 National League season | N/A | withdrew, results expunged
2000 Speedway Conference League | 4th | Knockout Cup winners
2001 Speedway Conference League | 3rd |
2002 Speedway Conference League | 6th |
2003 Speedway Conference League | 4th | rode as Barracuda-Braves
2004 Speedway Conference League | 5th | rode as Barracuda-Braves
2005 Speedway Conference League | 9th | rode as Barracuda-Braves
2006 Speedway Conference League | 5th | rode as Barracuda-Braves
2007 Speedway Conference League | 4th | Pairs winners
2008 Speedway Conference League | 2nd | rode as Barracuda-Braves, pairs winners

## Notable riders

[edit]

*   * James Cockle
*   * Paul Cooper
*   * David Gagen
*   * Carl Glover
*   * Rob Hollingworth
*   * Simon Lambert
*   * Michael Lee
*   * Arthur Price

## See also

[edit]

* Category:Boston Barracudas riders
* List of United Kingdom Speedway League Champions
* Knockout Cup (speedway)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Boston Speedway". Defunct Speedway. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
2. ^ "Battling Boston get the go-ahead". Sunday Mirror. 14 June 1970. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
3. ^ "1970 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
4. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129\. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
5. ^ "British League Tables - British League Era (1965-1990)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
6. ^ Oakes, P (2006). Speedway Star Almanac. Pinegen Ltd. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0.
7. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 29 September 2024.
8. ^ "Teenager joins 'Cudas". Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian. 7 February 1975. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
9. ^ "Speedway boss plans takeover talks". Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian. 20 December 1984. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ "Cudas' future hangs in balance". Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian. 28 February 1985. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
11. ^ "Cudas back in action". Skegness Standard. 6 December 1985. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
12. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
13. ^ "Speedway shutdown". Sleaford Standard. 13 August 1987. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
14. ^ "Speedway". Shropshire Star. 24 October 2000. Retrieved 29 September 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
15. ^ "Conference League Knockout Cup Winners". Speedway Archive.
16. ^ "2007 fixtures & results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 3 July 2023.
17. ^ "2008 fixtures & results" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 3 July 2023.

* v
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Speedway in the United Kingdom

Current leagues|

* SGB Premiership
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* List of champions

Former leagues|

* Elite League
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* Southern League (1929–1931)
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Current team competitions|

* Knockout Cup
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Former team competitions|

* London Cup
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Current individual competitions|

* British Speedway Championship
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Former individual competitions|

* London Riders'
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See also|

* Speedway
* British Speedway Promoters' Association
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United Kingdom Speedway Seasons

Tier One League
Top division|

* 1929
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Tier Two League
Second division|

* 1934
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Tier Three League
Third division|

* 1947
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Champions|

* League champions
* Cup winners

* v
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Conference League

Teams|

* Boston Barracudas
* Buxton Hitmen
* Cleveland Bays
* Oxford Cheetahs
* Plymouth Devils
* Rye House Raiders
* Scunthorpe Scorpions
* Sittingbourne Crusaders
* Stoke Spitfires
* Weymouth Wildcats

Seasons|

* 1996
* 1997
* 1998
* 1999
* 2000
* 2001
* 2002
* 2003
* 2004
* 2005
* 2006
* 2007
* 2008

Domestic cups|

* Conference League Riders' Championship
* Conference League Four-Team Championship

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