Junior Bainbridge Explained

Junior Bainbridge
Nationality:Australian
Birth Date: 26 April 1924
Birth Place:Melbourne, Australia
Death Place:Melbourne, Australia
Career1:Glasgow Tigers
Years1:1947–1953
Career2:Ipswich Witches
Years2:1954–1957
Teamhonour1:Scottish Cup
Teamyear1:1952, 1953

Ronald Arthur Bainbridge (26 April 1924 – 5 November 2000) was an Australian motorcycle speedway rider. During his speedway career he rode as Junior Bainbridge and earned 9 international caps for the Australia national speedway team.[1] [2]

Biography

Bainbridge, born in Melbourne, was spotted riding by Charlie Spinks in 1946.[2] before beginning his British leagues career riding for Glasgow during the 1947 Speedway National League Division Two season.[3] After two moderate seasons his average improved significantly during 1949, when he hit 8.17 and then increased this to 8.68 in 1950.[4] He became a crowd favourite and expectations were high when he rode for them.[5]

He reached the Championship round of the 1950 Individual Speedway World Championship and the 1951 Individual Speedway World Championship[6] and averaged an impressive 9.18 in 1952 for Glasgow.[7]

His final season at Glasgow was in the 1953 Speedway National League Division Two, because the following year he signed for Ipswich Witches at a cost of £500, to help clear the debts of the Scottish club.[2]

He would spend four years with the Suffolk club, recording 9.32 and topping the team's averages during his first season with them.[6]

He retired form British speedway after the 1957 season but returned to Australia and continued to ride for a few years, riding for Australia against England as late as January 1960.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 10 January 2024.
  2. Web site: Bainbridge, Ronald Junior . Speedway Plus . 10 January 2024.
  3. Web site: 1947 season . Speedway Researcher . 10 January 2024.
  4. Web site: Rider averages 1929 to 2009 . Speedway Researcher . 10 January 2024.
  5. News: Junior faces a tough speedway job here . Daily Mirror . 23 May 1949 . 10 January 2024 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  6. News: Bainbridge qualifies . Daily Record . 8 July 1950 . 10 January 2024 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  7. Web site: Year by Year . Speedway Researcher . 10 January 2024.