- Len Silver
Len Silver (born
February 2 ,1932 , East London,United Kingdom ) is a former speedway rider and is currently promoter of theRye House Rockets . [Fenn, C.(2003). "Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight". ISBN 0-7524-2737-7]Racing career
He stopped racing in 1957 but returned to the
Ipswich Witches in 1960 after a layoff due to injury. In 1961 he was transferred to Exeter where he skippered theExeter Falcons and helped them win the Provincial League Riders’ Championship in 1962. Silver made 10 successful defences of the Silver Sash Match Race Championship. In 1964 he transferred to theHackney Hawks as a Rider/Promoter but his riding career was cut short by serious injuries after a first bend crash at Hackney shortly after joining.Promoting career
Len continued as Hackney’s Promoter and Manager until the demise of the Hawks in 1983, and also promoted at Hackney’s sister track Rye House. As part of Allied Presentations, he also promoted at the
Rayleigh Rockets ,Crewe Kings ,Sunderland Stars and theReading Racers . [Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). "Homes of British Speedway". ISBN 0-7524-2210-3] He also spent a season as promoter of theEastbourne Eagles during the 1980's.He became owner of Rye House Stadium in 2000 and returned to Rye House Speedway as team owner, promoting the
Rye House Rockets in the Premier League and theRye House Cobras in the Conference League. [ Jacobs, Norman (2007). "70 Years of Rye House Speedway". ISBN 0-7524-4162-7]He is considered to be one of speedway's most colourful and controversial characters. He was once banned by the Speedway Control Board from ‘taking any part in a speedway meeting’ during the 1976 season after an altercation with a referee.
He has also served as the Team Manager for the England and Great Britain National teams and was the track curator at Wembley stadium for the 1981 World Final. [Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). "A History of the World Speedway Championship". Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5]
Has served several terms on the
British Speedway Promoters' Association management committee.Personal life
Len Silver has built up a very successful ski holiday company which has now helped him to fund his speedway interests.
External links
* [http://www.hackneyhawks.co.uk Hackney Hawks Website]
* [http://www.ryehouse.com Rye House Speedway Website]References
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