1936 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1936 Speedway World Final programme.

The 1936 Individual Speedway World Championship was the first ever Speedway World Championship and was won by Lionel Van Praag of Australia. It was the first of a record 26 times that London's Wembley Stadium would host the World Final with the last being in 1981.

Despite being unbeaten in the Final, Australian Bluey Wilkinson only finished third as the Championship was decided by bonus points accumulated in previous rounds plus the score from the final. Van Praag defeated England's Eric Langton in a runoff to be declared the inaugural Speedway World Champion.

As they lined up at the tapes for the runoff, Langton broke them which would ordinarily lead to disqualification. However, Van Praag stated he did not want to win the title by default and insisted that a race should take place. At the restart Langton made it to the first bend in front and led until the final bend on the last lap when Van Praag darted through the smallest of gaps to win by less than wheel length.^[1]

Afterwards, controversial allegations were abound that the two riders had 'fixed' the match race, deciding between them that the first person to the first bend would win the race and the Championship and split the prize money; Langton led into the first bend but was overtaken by Van Praag.^[1] Van Praag reportedly paid Langton £50 "conscience money" after the race for going back on the agreement.^[1]

• 1936 Podium

1. Lionel Van Praag (Australia)
2. Eric Langton (Great Britain)
3. Bluey Wilkinson (Australia)

World final

• 10 September 1936
• London, Wembley Stadium

Pos.	Rider	Semi-Final Points	Final Points	Final Heats	Total Points
1	Lionel Van Praag	12	14	(3,3,3,2,3)	26
2	Eric Langton	13	13	(3,3,3,2,2)	26
3	Bluey Wilkinson	10	15	(3,3,3,3,3)	25
4	Cordy Milne	9	11	(2,2,1,3,3)	20
5	Frank Charles	12	8	(3,3,0,2,0)	20
6	Dicky Case	9	8	(2,0,3,1,2)	17
7	Jack Ormston	9	8	(1,1,2,3,1)	17
8	Vic Huxley	10	7	(1,2,0,2,2)	17
9	George Newton	12	4	(0,0,3,1,0)	16
10	Jack Milne	9	6	(1,2,1,0,2)	15
11	Morian Hansen	10	5	(2,1,2,0,0)	15
12	Bob Harrison	10	5	(0,0,2,0,3)	15
13	Wal Phillips	7	5	(1,1,0,2,1)	12
14	Jack Parker	12	-	-	12
15	Ginger Lees	7	4	(2,0,1,0,1)	11
16	Arthur Atkinson	6	3	(0,2,1,0,0)	9
17	Bill Pitcher	6	2	(0,1,X/-,0,1)	8
18	Norman Parker	6	1	(1)	7

See also

References