Dave Perks

British speedway rider

Dave PerksBorn| 16 December 1951 (1951-12-16) (age 72)
Halesowen, West Midlands, England

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Nationality| British (English)
Career history
1972–1981| Cradley Heathens/United
1979| Nottingham Outlaws
1980–1981, 1984| Oxford Cheetahs
1982–1985, 1989| Long Eaton Invaders
1982–1983| Reading Racers
1986| Newcastle Federation Specials
1987| Stoke Potters
Individual honours
1980| Highest league average
1984| National League Riders' runner-up
Team honours
1979| British League KO Cup Winner
1984| National League Champion

David Ernest Perks (born 16 December 1951) known as Dave Perks is a former speedway rider from England.[1][2][3]

## Speedway career

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Perks rode in the top two tiers of British Speedway from 1972 to 1987, riding for various clubs.[4]

He began a cycle speedway career with a team called the Oldbury Lions and after one appearance for Scunthorpe Saints joined the Cradley Heathens in 1972. He won the Ivor Hughes Trophy for best novice during his inaugural season at Dudley Wood.[2] In 1980, he joined Oxford Cheetahs and topped the league averages during the 1980 National League season with a 10.82 season average before sustaining a serious back injury in July. He became the club captain and exceeded a 10 point average again during the 1981 National League season. He returned to Long Eaton in 1982 but never reached the heights of his two years at Oxford.[5]

In 1984, he won the silver medal at the National League Riders' Championship.[1][6]

Cradley at home to Oxford, British League 1975

## References

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1. ^ a b "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
2. ^ a b "Dave Perks rider profile". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
3. ^ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
4. ^ "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
5. ^ Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn (2007). The Story of Oxford Speedway. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 119–124. ISBN 978-0-7524-4161-0.
6. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 12 September 2021.