Les Rumsey
| Born | 27 July 1955 Canterbury, Kent, England |
|---|---|
| Died | 27 February 2026 (aged 70) |
| Nationality | British (English) |
| Career history | |
| 1972–1978, 1982–1983 | Canterbury Crusaders |
| 1975–1976, 1978 | Exeter Falcons |
| 1979 | Cradley Heathens |
| 1979 | Oxford Cheetahs |
| 1980 | Crayford Kestrels |
| 1980 | Eastbourne Eagles |
| 1981 | Wolverhampton Wolves |
| 1981–1982 | Weymouth Wildcats |
| 1981 | Birmingham Brummies |
| Team honours | |
| 1978 | National League Champion |
| 1980 | National League Fours Champion |
| 1978 | Spring Gold Cup |
Leslie John Rumsey (27 July 1955 — 27 February 2026) was an English speedway rider.[1][2][3]
Biography
[edit]Rumsey rode in the top two tiers of British Speedway from 1972 to 1983, riding for various clubs.[4] Rumsey signed for Canterbury Crusaders in 1972 and would spend seven years at the club becoming the club captain. In 1975, he finished in the top five averages during the 1975 New National League season. He then began to consistently ride as a heat leader for teams and was regarded as one of the National League's leading riders.[5]
After the 1976 season, he stalled on signing the new contract offered by Wally Mawdsley because he was uncertain about his future in speedway but eventually decided to continue racing.[6]
He scored a 10+ average for Canterbury in 1978, a 9.92 average for Oxford in 1979 and a 10.19 average in 1981 for Weymouth.[1][7]
In 1980, he helped the Crayford Kestrels win the Fours Championship during the 1980 National League season.[8]
In 1982, he returned to his first club Canterbury and finished his career with them after the 1983 season.
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ↑ "Les Rumsey". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ↑ "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ↑ "History Archive". British Speedway. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ↑ "Les Rumsey beats them all". Kentish Express. 29 October 1976. p. 22. Retrieved 21 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "Rumsey rides again!". Maidstone Telegraph. 20 May 1977. p. 36. Retrieved 21 March 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "Year by Year". Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
- ↑ "Speedway". Daily Mirror. 28 July 1980. Retrieved 10 May 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "Oxford Speedway's post". Facebook Oxford Speedway. 6 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
- ↑ "Żużel. Nie żyje Les Rumsey. Był gwiazdą National League". SportoweFakty. 5 March 2026. Retrieved 21 March 2026.