Graham Banks
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Folkestone, England
Hopes Farm, New Romney, Kent
| Born | 15 January 1949 Folkestone, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 4 June 1978 (aged 29) Hopes Farm, New Romney, Kent |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1969–1978 | Canterbury Crusaders |
| 1975 | Wimbledon Dons |
| Team honours | |
| 1970, 1978 | League champion (tier 2) |
Graham William Banks (15 January 1949 – 4 June 1978) was an English motorcycle speedway rider.[1]
Banks, born in Folkestone, grew up in a speedway family, with his father Monty Banks being a well known grasstrack rider.[2] He began his own grasstrack career in 1969,[3] the same season that he made his conventional speedway British leagues debut, riding for Canterbury Crusaders during the 1969 British League Division Two season season.[4]
The following season in 1970 Banks became a first team regular,[5] recording 7.53 for the season and was instrumental in helping the Crusaders win the league title.[6]
Banks was a heat leader for the 1971 season and averaged 8.03[7] but after two more full seasons he requested a transfer stating that he had become stale at the club.[8] Banks finally decided to miss the 1974 season and concentrate on grasstrack instead.[9]
Banks returned to speedway for the 1975 British League season after signing for Wimbledon Dons[10] but struggled to make an impact and enjoyed a better season on the grasstrack.[11]
In 1976 he returned to Canterbury and topped the team's averages during that season. He continued to ride well for the Crusaders in 1977 and the start of 1978, averaging over 8 for both seasons.[7] On 4 June 1978 he was killed in a grasstrack racing accident at Scott's Marsh Farm, on New Romney grass track, marring the Crusaders' 1978 league winning season.[12][13]