Dan Gilkes
English speedway rider
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Daniel Gilkes (born 21 May 2002) is a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1][2]
Northampton, England
| Born | 21 May 2002 Northampton, England |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| Great Britain | |
| 2019, 2021 | Kent Kings/Royals |
| 2022 | Belle Vue Colts |
| 2022–2023 | Plymouth Gladiators |
| 2022 | Peterborough Panthers |
| 2023–2024 | Sheffield Tigers |
| 2024 | Redcar Bears |
| 2025 | Oxford Cheetahs |
| 2025 | Leicester Lions |
| Poland | |
| 2023–2024 | Piła |
| Team honours | |
| 2023 | SGB Premiership |
| 2024 | Knockout Cup |
Career
Gilkes was still a pupil at Campion School, Bugbrooke when he started racing.[3]
In 2019, he signed for the Kent Kings for the 2019 National Development League speedway season, helping them to National Trophy success. He was crowned the supporters rider of the year.[4]
Unable to ride during 2020 because of the COVID-19 cancelled season, he continued to ride for Kent in 2021 but appeared in both the NDL and the higher league of the SGB Championship 2021.[1]
In 2022, he signed for Plymouth Gladiators[5] and his form was so impressive that he was added to the Peterborough Panthers squad in the SGB Premiership 2022 (the highest league in Britain).[6]
He started the 2022 campaign in very good form but his season ended early when he crashed and suffered serious injuries that included five broken ribs, a broken and displaced humorous bone and a collapsed lung.[7]
In 2023, he re-signed for Plymouth for the SGB Championship 2023[8] and also signed for Sheffield Tigers for the SGB Premiership 2023, as their rising star.[9] He helped Sheffield win the league title.[10] In 2024 he re-signed for Sheffield,[11] and won the Knockout Cup with the Tigers.[12]
Gilkes signed for Oxford Cheetahs for the SGB Championship 2025[13] and then was brought in for the Leicester Lions to race in the Premiership.[14]