John Dews
British motorcycle racer (1945–1995)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
John Dews (26 March 1945 – 7 August 1995) was a motorcycle speedway rider from England.[1][2]
Wakefield, England
| |
| Born | 26 March 1945 Wakefield, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 7 August 1995 (aged 50) |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1962-1963 | Belle Vue Aces |
| 1962-1970 | Sheffield Tigers |
| 1971-1972 | Wimbledon Dons |
| 1973-1975 | Oxford Rebels |
| 1976 | White City Rebels |
| Team honours | |
| 1962, 1963, 1964 | Provincial Northern League Champion |
| 1975 | Midland Cup winner |
Career
Born in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England, Dews started his speedway career as a trainee at Belle Vue Aces, had his longest team history with Sheffield Tigers, scoring over 1,300 points for the club. Speedway rules required a change of team due to his averages and he moved to Wimbledon Dons for two years,[3] before Oxford in 1973, as a replacement for Dave Hemus,[4] He won the Radio Oxford Best Pairs match at Oxford in May 1974,[4] partnering Richard Greer.
He was a member of the Midland Cup winning team in 1975, after drawn matches with Swindon Robins in the first round requiring reruns.[5] He then moved with the Rebels under promoters Danny Dunton and Bob Dugard to White City Stadium in 1976,[6][7] where he ended his racing career as a popular rider.[8]
He rode 270 matches in his career, having 1033 rides, with a match average of 6.29. He went back to Sheffield to be the team manager in 1977 until 1980.
John Dews died in August 1995, aged only 50, after a short illness.
Gallery
Dews in action at Oxford
Oxford Best Pairs Champions
