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Poole Pirates

Poole Pirates
Poolespeedwaylogo.png
Club information
Track address Poole Stadium
Wimborne Road
Poole
Dorset
Country England
Founded 1948
Team manager Neil Middleditch
League SGB Premiership
Website www.poolepirates.co
Club facts
Colours Blue and white
Track size 299.1 metres (327.1 yd)
Track record time 56.91 seconds
Track record date 14 June 2006
Track record holder Antonio Lindback
Current team
Rider CMA
Poland Krzysztof Kasprzak 11.08
Denmark Hans Andersen 10.00
Australia Brady Kurtz 7.65
Australia Jack Holder 7.16
England Lewis Kerr 5.98
Denmark Nicolai Klindt 5.42
England James Shanes 2.00
Total 49.29
Major team honours
Elite League Champions 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
Elite League KO Cup Winners 2003, 2004, 2010, 2011, 2012
Elite League Pairs Champions 2007, 2009, 2011
British League Cup Winners 2003
Craven Shield Winners 2001, 2002, 2006
British League Champions 1969, 1994
National League Champions 1989, 1990
National League Div 2 Champions 1952, 1955
National League Div 3 Champions 1951
Provincial League Champions 1961, 1962
National League KO Cup Winners 1990
Elite Shield 2015

Poole Pirates (also known as Poole Speedway) are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the SGB Premiership. Since 2001 the club has won eleven major trophies, including the Elite League Championship in 2003, 2004, 2008, 2011, 2013 and 2014.

Poole Speedway is promoted by local businessman Matt Ford, who took over promoting rights of the club in 1998. The team is managed by past rider and former Great Britain team manager Neil Middleditch. Wimborne Road Stadium has been home to the club since it was founded in 1948. In August 2004, Poole hosted the Speedway World Cup final which was won by Sweden.

Poole Stadium (also known as Wimborne Road Stadium), has been the Pirates home track since the club was created in 1948. It is situated near to the town centre and is owned by Poole Borough Council. The stadium's capacity was limited to 5,500 people in 2008 for safety reasons. Prior to 1948, the stadium had been used as a cycle track and had been home to Poole Town Football Club since 1933. There is an all seater grandstand on the home straight, and a glass fronted grandstand on the back straight. The viewing areas on the track bends are un-sheltered and standing only.

At the start of 1948 the tarmac cycle track was dug up and replaced with a 384 metres (420 yd) speedway track. A steel safety fence was erected around the outside of the track and the football pitch remained within the centre of the track. The first speedway meeting took place in the stadium on 26 April 1948, in tragic circumstances. The match against the Yarmouth Bloaters, which Poole won 74–32, saw Yarmouth's Reg Craven killed in the first race in the very first match at the track. A sheltered 1,100 seat grandstand was erected on the home straight in 1960 and is still in use. The terracing on the back straight of the speedway track was demolished in 1997 and replaced with a new glass fronted grandstand incorporating a 440 seat restaurant, two bars, Tote betting facilities and multiple viewing screens. The speedway track was reduced in size to 299.1 metres (981 ft) to accommodate a new greyhound track. Stadia UK were issued a long term lease on the stadium by the council, with the Pirates promotion sub-leasing use of the stadium and facilities from Stadia UK.


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