Les Owen (speedway rider)

Owen, born in Coventry, attended Barkers' Butts School before riding in cycle speedway for a team called Alvis Aces.^[2] He began his British leagues career riding for Coventry Bees during the 1957 Speedway National League.^[3]

He would spend his entire career at one club, which was extremely unusual in British speedway and during his time with Coventry his average would peak at 7.61 in 1962.^[4] He rode 17 years for the team until the end of the 1973 season.^[5]

Successes with Coventry included winning the Knockout Cup in 1967 and becoming league champions during the 1968 British League season. He also won five Midland Cups with the team, the first in 1960^[6] and the last in 1971.^[7]

His career came to an end following a serious crash,^[8] which saw him suffer a brain injury leaving him paralysed down one side and with short-term memory loss.^[2] After speedway he ran the Ace Garage business that he bought in 1969. He was killed in a rail level crossing accident on 15 January 2004.^[2]