Rye House Rockets

British motorcycle speedway team

Rye House Rockets

Club information
Track address| Rye House Stadium
Rye Road
Hoddesdon
Hertfordshire
EN11 0EH
Country| England
Founded| 1934
Closed| 2018[1]
Club facts
Colours| Black, Chrome and Orange
Track size| 262 metres (287 yd)
Track record time| 54.7 seconds
Track record date| 1 August 2015
Track record holder| Robert Lambert
Major team honours
| National/Premier League champions (tier 2)| 1980, 2005, 2007

|

National League KO Cup winners (tier 2)| 1979
Premier Trophy winners (tier 2)| 2005
Southern Area League Champions (tier 3)| 1955, 1956
Southern Area League Cup Winners (tier 3)| 1956

The Rye House Rockets were a speedway team based at Rye House Stadium, Hoddesdon, England. They competed in various British speedway leagues from 1954 to 2018.[2]

## History[edit]

### Origins & 1930s[edit]

Rye House began life in 1934, hosting open meetings on a circuit that had been converted from an former running track.[3] Under the charge of the Harringay Light Car and Motor Cycle Club, the track soon became known as a training school for riders.[4][5] The first Rye House team competed in several challenge matches throughout 1936.[6]

Whilst at Hackney in September 1937, Dicky Case purchased the lease of the sixty acre estate of Rye House and continued the training school at Rye House Stadium, operating under the name of the Hackney Motor Club.[7] The school operated until 1938, when a Rye House team staged Sunday Dirt-track League matches. In 1939, various challenge matches were held.[8][9][10]

### 1940s[edit]

Rye House stadium continued to operate speedway from 1940 to 1943, despite the disruption caused by World War II. After the end of the war the track was re-opened by Arthur Elvin (the Wembley Stadium Managing Director) and was once again used as a training school, this time for the Wembly Lions riders.[11] The site remained under the lease ownership of Dicky Case until he returned to his native Australia. It was the foremost venue for aspiring speedway riders throughout the decade.[12]

### 1950s[edit]

Mike Broadbank

The team competed in a league for the first time since 1938, when they joined the 1954 Southern Area League (the third tier of British speedway). Riding as the Rye House Roosters they finished third in a six team league.[13] The team then won two league titles; the 1955 Southern Area League and the 1956 Southern Area League.[14] The team was led by Mike Broadbank, who also won the Riders' Championship at Rye House on 25 September.[15][16]

### 1960s[edit]

In 1960, Jack Carter agreed a lease with stadium owner L. H. Lawrence and the speedway track was rebuilt by Mike Broadbank, along with his father Alfred.[17] Broadbank ran the speedway team known as the Red Devils who raced in challenge matches from 1960 unil 1966.

### 1970s[edit]

The Rockets in 1976

In 1974, Rayleigh Rockets closed down but the promotion, riders and nickname moved to Rye House. It was the first season of league speedway at Rye House since the 1959 Southern Area League.[18] After struggling for two seasons they progressed to 5th place in 1976 before competing for the title from 1977 to 1979 and winning the 1979 Knockout Cup.[19]

### 1980s[edit]

* Karl Fiala

* Kelvin Mullarkey

The consistency and stability of the team paid dividends in 1980, when the Rockets won the 1980 National League.[20][21] Bobby Garrad, Karl Fiala and Kelvin Mullarkey all averaged over nine for the season.[22]

The success could not be repeated for the rest of the decade as the team experienced mediocrity.

### 1990s[edit]

After finishing 8th during the 1993 British League Division Two season the promoters Roger Shute and Peter Redfern left the club leaving Ronnie Russell in sole charge. Russell failed to secure the necessary funding to continue and the Rockets were disbanded.[23]

In 1999, the team returned to league action in the Conference League (the 3rd division) but they soon moved up to division 2 in 2002 and formed a junior side called the Raiders' to compete in the Conference League.[24] The Raiders won the Conference League Four-Team Championship in 2003.[25]

After three years of competing in the Premier League from 2002 to 2004, the Rockets re-signed Edward Kennett and together with Stuart Robson, Chris Neath, Brent Werner, they helped secure the Premier League title. Two years later, Robson and Neath were still part of the Rockets team that won another league title. The 2007 team included new signing Tai Woffinden.

In 2008, the junior team were renamed the Cobras.

### 2010s[edit]

The Rockets line up for the 2017 season

The Rockets continued to compete in the Premier League from 2010 to 2016 before entering the highest tier of British speedway for the first time in their history for the 2017 season. The team competed in the SGB Premiership and featured riders such as Chris Harris and Scott Nicholls.[26] Mid-way through the 2018 season the Rockets results were annulled by the Speedway Control Bureau, due to the teams withdrawal due to financial issues.[27]

In September 2018, the Lakeside Hammers, a speedway team in the SGB Championship, moved to the Rye House Stadium, following the closure of the Arena Essex Raceway.[28]

### 2020s[edit]

In December 2020, the Rye House stadium was demolished.[29]

## Riders[edit]

### Rider of the year[edit]

* 2002:  David Mason
* 2003:  Scott Robson
* 2004:  Tommy Allen
* 2005:  Stuart Robson
* 2006:  Steve Boxall
* 2007:  Tai Woffinden
* 2008:  Luke Bowen
* 2009:  Luke Bowen
* 2010:  Linus Sundstrom
* 2011:  Chris Neath
* 2012:  Jason Garrity
* 2013:  Tyson Nelson[30]
* 2014:  Edward Kennett[31]
* 2015:  Edward Kennett[32]
* 2016:  Stuart Robson[33]
* 2017:  Scott Nicholls[34]

### Notable riders[edit]

*   * Brian Brett
*   * Mike Broadbank
*   * Marvyn Cox
*   * Karl Fiala
*   * Bob Garrad
*   * Martin Goodwin
*   * Chris Harris
*   * Ted Hubbard
*   * Edward Kennett
*   * Kelvin Mullarkey
*   * Chris Neath
*   * Scott Nicholls
*   * Ashley Pullen
*   * Jens Rasmussen
*   * Stuart Robson
*   * Hugh Saunders
*   * Andrew Silver
*   * Kevin Smith
*   * Tai Woffinden

## Season summary[edit]

Extended content

| Year and league  | Position  | Notes

|
|

1938 Sunday Dirt-Track League | 4th |
1954 Southern Area League | 3rd | rode as Rye House Roosters
1955 Southern Area League | 1st | Champions
1956 Southern Area League | 1st | Champions & cup winners
1957 Southern Area League | 3rd |
1959 Southern Area League | 4th |
1974 British League Division Two season | 16th |
1975 New National League season | 14th |
1976 National League season | 5th |
1977 National League season | 2nd |
1978 National League season | 3rd |
1979 National League season | 2nd | Knockout Cup winners
1980 National League season | 1st | Champions
1981 National League season | 16th |
1982 National League season | 6th |
1983 National League season | 11th |
1984 National League season | 8th |
1985 National League season | 13th |
1986 National League season | 11th |
1987 National League season | 16th |
1988 National League season | 14th |
1989 National League season | 14th |
1990 National League season | 15th |
1991 British League Division Two season | 9th |
1992 British League Division Two season | 5th |
1993 British League Division Two season | 8th |
1999 Speedway Conference League | 4th |
2000 Speedway Conference League | 6th |
2001 Speedway Conference League | 4th |
2002 Premier League speedway season | 13th |
2002 Speedway Conference League | 4th | Raiders (junior side)
2003 Premier League speedway season | 14th |
2003 Speedway Conference League | 2nd | Raiders (junior side)
2004 Premier League speedway season | 6th |
2004 Speedway Conference League | 2nd | Raiders (junior side)
2005 Premier League speedway season | 1st | Champions
2005 Speedway Conference League | 6th | Raiders (junior side)
2006 Premier League speedway season | 4th |
2006 Speedway Conference League | 3rd | Raiders (junior side)
2007 Premier League speedway season | 3rd | Champions (play off winners)
2007 Speedway Conference League | 6th | Raiders (junior side)
2008 Premier League speedway season | 4th |
2008 Speedway Conference League | 7th | Cobras (junior side)
2009 Premier League speedway season | 9th |
2009 National League speedway season | 10th | Cobras (junior side)
2010 Premier League speedway season | 5th |
2010 National League speedway season | 4th | Cobras (junior side)
2011 Premier League speedway season | 8th |
2012 Premier League speedway season | 11th |
2013 Premier League speedway season | 9th |
2014 Premier League speedway season | 13th |
2015 Premier League speedway season | 12th |
2016 Premier League speedway season | 9th |
SGB Premiership 2017 | 5th |
SGB Premiership 2018 | N/A | record annulled

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Statement:Rye House Speedway". speedwaygb.co. Retrieved 6 July 2018.
2. ^ Bamford, Robert (1 March 2007). Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2007. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524-4250-3.
3. ^ "1934 season". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
4. ^ "Ginger Lees to ride again". The People. 12 April 1936. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
5. ^ "Plan for training young speedway riders". Daily Mirror. 16 April 1936. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
6. ^ "1936 season" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
7. ^ Jacobs, N. (2003) Speedway in the South-East, Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-2725-3
8. ^ Jacobs, Norman (2007). 70 Years of Rye House Speedway. Stroud: Tempus Publishing ISBN 978-0-7524-4162-7
9. ^ "Cinder Star Plans". Daily Mirror. 14 September 1937. Retrieved 23 January 2022 - via British Newspaper Archive.
10. ^ Jacobs, N. (2003) Speedway in the South-East, Tempus Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0-7524-2725-3
11. ^ "Finding new talent". Daily Mirror. 7 June 1945. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
12. ^ "Crazy but it's fun". Daily Mirror. 15 December 1949. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
13. ^ "BRITISH LEAGUE TABLES - POST-WAR ERA (1946-1964)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
14. ^ Rogers, Martin (1978). The Illustrated History of Speedway. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 129\. ISBN 0-904584-45-3.
15. ^ "Trophy ends the Speedway season". Eastbourne Gazette. 5 October 1955. Retrieved 10 June 2023 - via British Newspaper Archive.
16. ^ "Southern Area League Riders Championship". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
17. ^ "Red Devils enter a new era". Hertford Mercury and Reformer. 26 August 1960. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
18. ^ "Lightning ban lifted just in time". South Eastern Gazette. 26 March 1974. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
19. ^ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
20. ^ "British League Tables - British League Era (1965-1990)". Official British Speedway website. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
21. ^ "1976 to 1981". Cyber Morotcycles. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
22. ^ "Rider averages 1929 to 2009" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
23. ^ "Rocket's Monday deadline". Harlow Star. 13 January 1994. Retrieved 24 May 2024 - via British Newspaper Archive.
24. ^ Jacobs, Norman (2007). 70 Years of Rye House Speedway. ISBN 978-0-7524-4162-7
25. ^ Oakes, P (2006). Speedway Star Almanac. Pinegen Ltd. ISBN 0-9552376-1-0.
26. ^ "2017 Rye House Rockets". Rye House speedway. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
27. ^ "STATEMENT: RYE HOUSE SPEEDWAY - British Speedway Official Website". www.speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
28. ^ "LAKESIDE CLUB STATEMENT - British Speedway Official Website". www.speedwaygb.co.uk. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
29. ^ "Speedway fans devastated by 'huge loss' as iconic Hoddesdon Rye House track is ripped up". Hertforshire Mercury. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
30. ^ "Tyson Nelson named Rye House Rockets rider of year", Harlow Star, 6 October 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2014
31. ^ "Kennett and Garrity set to stay at Rye House Rockets next season Archived 29 November 2014 at the Wayback Machine", Hertfordshire Mercury, 10 November 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2014
32. ^ "Rye House Speedway Official Website: MASTERS AND BRANFORD WIN ACES!". ryehouserockets.co. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
33. ^ "KENNETT SKIPPERS ROCKETS". Speedway World Championships. Retrieved 12 January 2018.
34. ^ "Rye House Speedway Official Website: SCOTT IS MR ROCKET!". ryehouserockets.co. Retrieved 11 January 2018.

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