Ronnie Moore (speedway rider) facts for kids
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| Born | 8 March 1933 Hobart, Tasmania, Australia |
|---|---|
| Died | 18 August 2018 (aged 85) |
| Nationality |  New Zealand |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired |
| Career history | |
| 1950–63, 1969–72 | Wimbledon Dons |
| 1974 | Coventry Bees |
| Individual honours | |
| 1954, 1959 | World Champion |
| 1952, 1972 | London Riders' Champion |
| 1952, 1960 | Brandonapolis |
| 1952, 1955, 1956, 1960 | The Laurels |
| 1956, 1962, 1968, 1969 | New Zealand Champion |
| 1960 | Tom Farndon Memorial winner |
| Team honours | |
| 1970 | World Pairs Champion |
| 1954, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961 |
National League winner |
| 1950, 1951, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1962 |
National Trophy winner |
| 1962 | National League KO Cup winner |
| 1969, 1970 | British League KO Cup Winner |
| 1969, 1970 | London Cup Winner |
| 1954 | RAC Cup Winner |
| 1959 | Britannia Shield Winner |
Ronald Leslie Moore (born March 8, 1933 – died August 18, 2018) was a famous New Zealand speedway rider. He was known as Ronnie Moore. He won the Individual World Speedway Championship two times. These wins were in 1954 and 1959.
Contents
Early Life and Beginnings
Ronnie Moore was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, in 1933. When he was a child, his family moved to New Zealand. Even though he was born in Australia, Ronnie always felt like a true New Zealander. He proudly raced for his adopted home country.
Ronnie started riding speedway at the Aranui Speedway in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1949. He was only 15 years old then.
Speedway Career Highlights
In 1950, Ronnie moved to England to race for the Wimbledon Dons team. He stayed with them until 1956. Early in his career, he raced for Australia in some Test Matches. Later, he raced for New Zealand and even for a combined team called Australasia (Australia and New Zealand). He also represented Great Britain in the World Team Cup.
In 1957 and 1958, Ronnie tried motor racing. But he soon returned to speedway and rejoined the Wimbledon Dons in late 1958. He raced with them until 1963. He decided to stop racing after he broke his leg in a crash on the track.
However, Ronnie started riding again in New Zealand in the mid-1960s. He made an amazing comeback with Wimbledon in 1969. At 36 years old, he reached the World Final again.
In 1970, he won the World Pairs Championship with his teammate Ivan Mauger. He stopped racing in the British League at the end of 1972. He rode in a few more races for Coventry Bees in 1974. Ronnie continued to ride speedway until 1975, when he had a serious accident that ended his racing career.
Ronnie Moore also won the New Zealand Championship four times: in 1956, 1962, 1968, and 1969.
Winning the World Championship
Ronnie Moore was very talented from a young age. In 1950, when he was just 17, he became the youngest rider ever to qualify for the final of the Speedway World Championship.
He won the championship in 1954. He was only 21 years old at the time, and he won even though he had a broken leg! He achieved a perfect score in that race. He won the championship again in 1959. He also finished second three other times, showing how consistently good he was.
Major World Final Races
Ronnie Moore competed in many important world finals. Here are some of his top results:
Individual World Championship Finals
- 1954 – London, England – Winner
- 1955 – London, England – 2nd Place
- 1956 – London, England – 2nd Place
- 1959 – London, England – Winner
- 1960 – London, England – 2nd Place
World Pairs Championship Finals
- 1970 – Malmö, Sweden (with Ivan Mauger) – Winner
- 1972 – Borås, Sweden (with Ivan Mauger) – 2nd Place
World Team Cup Finals
- 1962 – Slaný, Czechoslovakia (riding for Great Britain) – 2nd Place
Life After Racing
After his speedway career, Ronnie Moore was recognized for his contributions to the sport. In 1985, he was given the Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) award by the Queen.
The Canterbury Park Motorcycle Speedway in New Zealand was renamed the Moore Park Motorcycle Speedway in his honor. There is also a special "Ronnie Moore race school" that teaches new riders at this speedway.
Ronnie Moore passed away on August 18, 2018, in Christchurch, New Zealand, at the age of 85.
