Dean Barker (speedway rider)

Dean Barker (born 2 August 1970) is a former British international motorcycle speedway rider who competed at the sports highest level until his retirement in 2007.[1][2]

Dean Barker
Born(1970-08-02)2 August 1970
Isleworth, Middlesex, England
NationalityBritisg (English)
Career history
1986–1989
1993–1995, 1997
1999–2003
2005–2007		Eastbourne Eagles
1987–1988Cradley Heathens
1990–1992Oxford Cheetahs
2004Arena Essex Hammers
Team honours
1995, 2000PL/EL (tier 1)
1994, 1997, 2002BL/EL KO Cup (tier 1)
1986, 1987NL (tier 2)
1986, 1987NL KO Cup (tier 2)

Speedway career

Barker first rode for Eastbourne Eagles during the 1986 National League season, although he only appeared in 14 matches that season he contributed to a league and cup double winning season for the south coast club.[3] The following season in 1987, Barker and Eastbourne repeated the success to record the 'double double'.[4]

He was one of Eastbourne's leading riders by the time Oxford Cheetahs came in to sign him for the 1990 British League season, where he would ride alongside Hans Nielsen.[5] In 1993, he returned to Eastbourne and was an integral part of the Eagles team that won the 1994 Knockout Cup and 1995 Premier League.[1][6]

He won another Knockout Cup in 1997 but suffered serious injuries that forced him to miss two entire seasons in 1996 with a broken leg and 1998 with a broken arm.[7] However, after making a succesful comeback in 1999 he won the Elite League in 2000 and the Knockout Cup in 2002.

His farewell meeting in 2009 celebrated a career which included highlights of becoming Eastbourne Eagles captain and racing to podiums in major competitions such as the British Under 21 Championship and the British Championship.[8] At retirement he had earned 14 caps for England and 4 caps for Great Britain.[9]

References
  1. "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  2. "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  3. "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 3 November 1986. Retrieved 27 October 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  4. "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 1 August 2021.
  5. Bamford/Shailes, Robert/Glynn (2007). The Story of Oxford Speedway. Tempus Publishing Ltd. pp. 143–144. ISBN 978-0-7524-4161-0.
  6. "Dean Barker". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 17 February 2023.
  7. "Dean Barkwer biography". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  8. "Speedway star Barker bids fond farewell". Eastbourne Herald. Retrieved 23 January 2010.
  9. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
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