Danny King (speedway rider)

Daniel Robert King (born 14 August 1986) is a British speedway rider.^[1][2]

Danny King

Born	(1986-08-14) 14 August 1986 (age 37) Maidstone, England
Nationality	British (English)
Career history
Great Britain
2001–2003	Peterborough Pumas
2002	Swindon Sprockets
2003, 2014	Arena Essex/Lakeside
2003	Reading Racers
2003–2004, 2006	Mildenhall Fen Tigers
2003–2006, 2009–2010, 2015–2023	Ipswich Witches
2005	Rye House Rockets
2007–2008	Peterborough Panthers
2011–2014	Birmingham Brummies
2014	Newcastle Diamonds
2015–2016	Coventry Bees
2017–2018	Leicester Lions
2019	Sheffield Tigers
2020–2022	Poole Pirates
2023	Redcar Bears
Poland
2008	Ostrów
Denmark
2015	Munkebo
Individual honours
2016	British Champion
2004	British Under 18 Champion
Team honours
2022	tier 1 Pairs winner
2005, 2021, 2022	tier 2 league champions
2021, 2022	tier 2 KO Cup winner
2005	tier 2 Premier Trophy
2015	tier 2 Pairs winner
2002, 2003, 2004	tier 3 league champions
2003	tier 3 KO Cup winner
2007	Elite Shield Winner

Career

Born in Maidstone, King began his career in 2001 with Peterborough Pumas.^[3] He has raced for Ipswich Witches, Birmingham Brummies, Lakeside Hammers, and Coventry Bees in the Elite League.^[1] His brother Jason was also a speedway rider.^[1]

In 2007 he finished fifth in the British Championship and qualified as a reserve for the 2007 British Grand Prix. In September 2007, King was selected to represent Great Britain for the 2007 Under 21-World Cup Final.

King captained the Birmingham Brummies in 2011, when the club were accepted into the Elite League.

In 2015, he won the Premier League Pairs Championship partnering Rohan Tungate, for Ipswich Witches during the 2015 Premier League speedway season.^[4]

On 13 June 2016, King became British Champion for the first time in his career after winning the 2016 British Speedway Championship.^[1][5] During the 2016 Elite League he finished 8th in the division 1 averages riding for Coventry Bees and 2nd in the averages riding for Ipswich Witches.^[6] The following season he joined the Leicester Lions in division 1 and spent two seasons with them, while still impressing for Ipswich in division 2. In 2019, Ipswich moved up a division to the SGB Premiership 2019, which resulted in King riding for them in the top tier and joining Sheffield Tigers in division 2.

During 2021 and 2022, King rode for the Ipswich Witches in the SGB Premiership and the Poole Pirates in the SGB Championship.^[7] His move to Poole resulted in a collection of silverware as he captained the Pirates to league and cup double during the SGB Championship 2021. The following season (with King as captain again) Poole successfully defended their League and British Division 2 KO Cup titles.^[8] In addition he won the Premiership pairs with Ipswich.^[9]

In 2023, he signed for Ipswich for the SGB Premiership 2023, it was a 7th consecutive season with the club.^[10] He also signed for Redcar Bears for the SGB Championship 2023 after being released by Poole.^[11]

Honours and international competitions

• British Under-18 Champion (2004)
• British Champion (2016) – Belle Vue (13 points)^[1]

Speedway Grand Prix

1 SGP, 7 points (2016).^[1]

Others

• Individual U-21 World Championship
  • 2005 –   AUT Wiener Neustadt – 15th place (4 points)
  • 2007 –   ITA Terenzano – 9th place (3 points)
• Team U-21 World Championship:
  • 2007 –   GER Abensberg – Silver medal (5 points)
• Speedway World Cup
  • 2016 - 2nd^[12]

References

1. "Rider Index", speedwaygb.co. Retrieved 24 March 2017
2. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
3. "2008 Rider index" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
4. "PAIR-FECTION FOR WITCHES". British Speedway. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
5. Damerell, Richard (2016) "Danny King wins British speedway final at Belle Vue", Sky Sports, 14 June 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017
6. "Hard work pays off for Coventry Bees star Danny King". Coventry Observer. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
7. "Danny King". Ipswich Witches. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
8. "Pirates are Cup Kings". British Speedway. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
9. "Witches win Premiership Pairs". British Speedway. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
10. "King returns for Ipswich". British Speedway. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
11. "Bears name full side". British Speedway. Retrieved 6 December 2022.
12. "Coventry Bees star Danny King helps Great Britain secure silver at Speedway World Cup Final", Coventry Observer, 3 August 2016. Retrieved 24 March 2017