GB Hall of Fame - Lee Richardson

Hailing from a talented sporting family, Lee was only ever going to be an athlete and it was Speedway’s fortune that he chose a career on the shale – and what a career it was.

After bursting on the scene with Reading in 1995, Lee announced himself to the world in 1999 by becoming just the third Brit to win the World Under-21 Championship when he took Gold in Vojens, Denmark.

From that point his career went from strength to strength and two years later, in 2001, he made his GB debut in the Speedway World Cup. This was to be the first of many supreme performances Lee delivered for Great Britain, and his record of 240 points across 10 World Cup events is bettered by only one rider in British history.

He was a Speedway Grand Prix regular between 2002-06 and scored 234 points across 38 meetings, while his 17-year domestic career saw him represent Reading, Poole, Coventry, Swindon, Eastbourne, Peterborough and Lakeside and pick up a string of honours.

Lee was an incredible professional who dedicated his life to being the very best he could be, and that dedication was never more evident than when he put on the Union Jack race jacket.

Tragically, Lee died in 2012 after suffering head and chest injuries racing in Poland and left behind a wife and three young children.

Although his life was cut devastatingly short, he left behind an incredible legacy and will forever be remembered as one of the best riders to have represented his country.

Lee Richardson joins Simon Wigg as the second rider to inducted in the Great Britain Speedway Team Hall of Fame.

Major Honours:

World Under-21 Champion: 1999

Elite League Riders Champion: 2003