Workington Comets
Workington Comets | |||||||||||||||||||
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Club information | |||||||||||||||||||
Track address |
Derwent Park Stadium Workington Cumbria | ||||||||||||||||||
Country | England | ||||||||||||||||||
Founded | 1970, 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||
Closed | 1981 | ||||||||||||||||||
Team manager | Tony Jackson | ||||||||||||||||||
League | Premier League | ||||||||||||||||||
Website |
www | ||||||||||||||||||
Club facts | |||||||||||||||||||
Colours | Blue and White | ||||||||||||||||||
Track size | 364 metres (398 yd) | ||||||||||||||||||
Track record time | 61.7 seconds | ||||||||||||||||||
Track record date | 31 May 2014 | ||||||||||||||||||
Track record holder | Richard Lawson | ||||||||||||||||||
Current team | |||||||||||||||||||
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Major team honours | |||||||||||||||||||
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Workington Comets is a speedway club based in Workington, Cumbria. Their track is at Derwent Park Stadium, which they share with Workington Town Rugby League Football Club.[1]
They compete in the British speedway Premier League. The clubs most notable and honourable rider is Carl Stonehewer, who still holds the record for the most Comets appearances and remains the only Premier League rider to qualify for the Speedway Grand Prix series.
The Comets have won the Premier League Four-Team Championship four times, in 2001, 2004, 2006[2] and 2008. The club also won the Young Shield in 2008.[3] The Derwent Park track record is 61.7 seconds, set by Richard Lawson on 31 May 2014.
In 2012, former owner Keith Denham revealed he had sold the club to local businesswoman Laura Morgan, who took over the club for the 2013 season - Present. Morgan appointed club team manager Tony Jackson as co-promoter as well as her brother Steve Whitehead. Morgan used her own money which she received as compensation for a car accident - which left her paralysed from the chest down - to complete the takeover. Morgan, of Crosby, Maryport, who has been a fan of speedway since the 1970s was keen to return glory to the Cumbrian side.
2016 Team
- Adam Roynon
- Matt Williamson
2015 Team
2014 Team
2013 Team
- Richard Lawson
- Tero Aarnio
- Rusty Harrison
- Kyle Howarth
- Rene Bach
- Ashley Morris
- Chris Mills
- Mason Campton
2011 Team
- Simon Nielsen
- Richard Lawson
- Tomas Topinka
- Peter Kildemand
- Rusty Harrison
- Kenny Ingalls
- Gary Irving
2010 Team
- Craig Cook
- Rusty Harrison
- Andre Compton
- Peter Kildemand
- Chris Schramm (C)
- Richard Lawson
- Kenny Ingalls
(Adam Roynon - Released)
(John Branney - Released)
2009 Team
Also Rode:
Adam Roynan (Injured)
Luke Priest (Released)
Charles Wright (Out For 28 Or More Days)
2008 Team
2007 Team
- Kauko Nieminen
- James Wright
- Ulrich Ostergaard
- Mattia Carpanese
- Craig Branney
- Charles Wright
- John Branney
Also Rode
- Kenneth Hansen
- Jamie Robertson
- Carl Stonehewer (injured back)
2006 Team
- James Wright
- Garry Stead
- Paul Thorp
- Ritchie Hawkins
- Alan Mogridge
- Rusty Harrison
- Aidan Collins
- Lee Derbyshire
2005 Team
- Carl Stonehewer
- Kauko Nieminen
- Shaun Tacey
- James Wright
- Scott Robson
- Tomasz Piszcz
- Aidan Collins
Also Rode
- Scott James
- Jamie Courtney
Change of Ownership Following 2007 Season
At the end of the 2007 season, the club was sold by founding promoter Tony Mole to local Workington businessman Keith Denham.[4][5] Some of the rider assets have not been purchased and have been transferred to the Birmingham Brummies retained list. Riders who were not included in the sale were James Wright, Rusty Harrison, Mattia Carpanese, Lee Derbyshire, Charlie Venegas, Charlie Ermolenko and James Mann, the latter six riders having all retired from British speedway at that time.[6]
Honours
Young Shield
Winners : 2008, 2009, 2010
Premier League Four-Team Championship
Winners : 2001, 2004, 2006, 2008,2009
Premier League Pairs Championship
- 1999 Carl Stonehewer with Brent Werner
- 2000 Carl Stonehewer with Mick Powell
- 2001 Carl Stonehewer with Peter I. Karlsson
- 2003 Carl Stonehewer with Simon Stead
- 2008 Kauko Nieminen with Daniel Nermark
- 2012 Rene Bach with Adam Roynon
References
- ↑ Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. ISBN 0-7524-2210-3
- ↑ Bamford, Robert (2007-03-01). Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2007. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524-4250-3.
- ↑ "Workington Comets beat Berwick to win speedway's Young Shield". News and Star. 2008-10-30. Retrieved 2008-10-30.
- ↑ "My Plans for the Comets". News and Star. 1 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ↑ "I'll rev up the Comets". News and Star. 31 October 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-02.
- ↑ "Wrighty may ride off to the Elite". News and Star. 2 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-11-02.