Motorcycle speedway (often just called Speedway) is a racing sport of the motorcycle discipline in which riders compete in oval circuits for a fixed number of laps. Motorcycle speedway takes place on tracks ranging from 250-400 meters in length. There is a long track version which is held over longer tracks.
Each race is contested by four riders, and lasts for four laps. Competitions are conducted in a heats format. For each race, riders are awarded points based on their finish position, where 1st place finish carries 3 points, 2nd carries 2, and 3rd place finisher receives 1 point. The rider finishing in 4th place or who does not finish the race does not receive any points. The rider with the most points at the end of the competition is declared the winner.
The sport is very popular in some European countries and has a small presence in Australia and the United States.
All competitions have races that can be contested individually, in pairs, or teams. The FIM Speedway Grand Prix championship, which consists of a series of races, is the highest level of competition for the sport. The Speedway World Cup and the World Championship are the other two major international events held annually. Domestic competitions are conducted in several European countries, of which the United Kingdom has three major leagues, Elite, Premier, and the National League.
Similar Sports
- Long Track Motorcycle Speedway — a version of motorcycle speedway, but taking place on longer tracks at much higher speeds.
- Cycle Speedway — replicating motor speedway using bicycles.
- Ice Speedway — similar to Motorcycle Speedway Racing, though using bikes developed specifically for racing on ice. The bikes race anti-clockwise around oval tracks between 260 and 425 meters in length.
- Auto Race — a Japanese version of motorcycle speedway, but combines gambling added into it and is held on an asphalt course.
- Motorcycle Sidecar Racing — rider and a passenger compete around a track in custom-built vehicles.
Related Pages
- About Motorcycle Sports
- Complete list of sports
- The Encyclopedia of Sports