Rider deaths in British motorcycle racing series

Motorcycle racing is a popular competitor and spectator sport in Great Britain. Several meetings take place every weekend of the motorport season, at various circuits across the country. These range from club or national series, like the Thundersport GB series, to higher profile events like the British Superbike Championship. The age of competitors in cirucit racing ranges from juniors of 12 years to people in their 60s or occasionally older. Due to the large number of competitors and the hazardous nature of the sport, and despite the best efforts of organising bodies and redesign of circuits, there have been many rider deaths recorded. Often these deaths occur in series without a major media profile and therefore receive very little press coverage. The worst single incident occurred in 1971 when Peter Pritchard, Patrick Sheridan and Philip Smith all died as the result of a sidecar crash at Oulton Park.

This article is about riders who have died competing in British domestic series. For riders who have died at British circuits while competing in international series, see Rider deaths in motorcycle racing.
For the Southern 100 and Pre-TT Classic road races, see Billown Circuit.

This article is a partial list of riders known to have died competing in British national or club racing series at any level.

1932 Mr Dillion Unknown Sidecar Meeting Donington Park [1]
1933 Alfred Mead Unknown Donington Park [1]
1955 Eric Shepard Unknown Castle Combe [1]
1958 John Shakesphere Mallory Championship Mallory Park [1]
1960 Neville Smith Wirrall 100 Club Championships Oulton Park [1]
1961 Norman Bramhall Auto-Cycle Union Championships Oulton Park [1]
1961 John Thomas Addis Auto-Cycle Union Championships Oulton Park [1]
1962 Bob McIntyre British 500cc Championship Oulton Park [1]
1962 J.W Deaville Unknown Oulton Park [1]
1962 Roy Matthew British Road Racing Championship Brands Hatch [1]
1962 Harold Scholes Unknown Sidecar Meeting Brands Hatch [1]
1963 Thomas Sheaff Unknown Brands Hatch [1]
1963 Blake Osborne Hutchinson 100 Meeting Silverstone [1]
1963 Gary Saward Unknown Mallory Park [1]
1963 Dave Downer Unknown Brands Hatch [1]
1963 Gordon Pill Unknown Castle Combe [1]
1964 Paul Richardson Unknown Mallory Park [1]
1964 Alan Parker Unknown Oulton Park [1]
1965 Florian Camathias Unknown Brands Hatch [1]
1965 Alan Haigh Unknown Oulton Park [1]
1965 Alex Fullerton Unknown Mallory Park [1]
1965 Bernard Gaynor Unknown Mallory Park [1]
1966 Robert Smith Unknown Brands Hatch [1]
1966 Brian Madin Unknown Darley Race Darley Moor [1]
1967 Stuart Hughes Unknown Mallory Park [1]
1967 Fritz Scheidegger Sidecar Race of the Year Mallory Park [1]
1968 John Hartle Scarborough 500cc Race Oliver's Mount [1]
1969 Roly Capper Darley 350cc Race Darley Moor [1]
1971 Peter Pritchard 750cc Sidecar Race + Oulton Park [1]
1971 Patrick Sheridan 750cc Sidecar Race + Oulton Park [1]
1971 Philip Smith 750cc Sidecar Race + Oulton Park [1]
1972 Thomas Goodfellow British 750cc Championship Mallory Park [1]
1972 Patrick Belshaw Vincent Club Championships Cadwell Park [1]
1972 Roderick Gosling Darley Sidecar Race Darley Moor [1]
1972 John Hartridge Darley Sidecar Race Darley Moor [1]
1972 Cyril Jones Unknown Snetterton [1]
1972 Graham Penny Hutchinson 100 Meeting Brands Hatch [1]
1973 Graham Wills Unknown Sidecar Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1974 Phil Haslam Unknown Meeting Oliver's Mount [1]
1974 Steve Machin Unknown Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1974 Dennis Westwood Unknown Sidecar Meeting Mallory Park [1]
1974 Mick Moore Snetterton Combine Sidecar Race Snetterton [1]
1975 Veronica Ensor Unknown Sidecar Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1975 Lance Capon Silver Trophy Road Race Series Brands Hatch [1]
1976 Rod North Unknown Oulton Park [1]
1976 Derek Best Unknown Oulton Park [1]
1976 Bill Henderson Race of the Year Mallory Park [1]
1976 Thomas Standing Unknown Brands Hatch [1]
1977 Mick Patrick MCN Superbike Championship Cadwell Park [1]
1977 Piers Forester BRC Formula 750 Championship Brands Hatch [1]
1977 Steve Tomkins Bemsee Club Meeting Snetterton [1]
1977 Phil Bosco North East Solo Championship Croft Circuit [1]
1977 Greg Bailey Unknown Donington Park [1]
1978 Graham Edwards Darley Sidecar Race Darley Moor [1]
1979 Dave Powell Unknown Sidecar Meeting Oulton Park [1]
1980 Hans Peter Lubbering Unknown Sidecar Meeting Oulton Park [1]
1980 Geoff Fawcett Unknown Cadwell Park [1]
1980 Simon Corry BMCRC Production Race Snetterton [1]
1981 Dave Potter British Superbike Championship Oulton Park [1]
1981 Wayne Mills ACU 125cc Clubmans Championship Silverstone [1]
1981 Mick Downs Newmarket Club Championships Snetterton [1]
1981 William Watson Cheshire Club Championships Oulton Park [1]
1981 Neil Miles Unknown Sidecar Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1981 William Deacon Unknown Mallory Park [1]
1981 Kevin Clementson Transatlantic Trophy Meeting Mallory Park [1]
1982 Michael Robbins 500cc Production Championship Donington Park [1]
1982 Douglas Taylor Reverse Direction Knockhill [1]
1982 Stewart Burkhart Reverse Direction Knockhill [1]
1982 Bill Jackson Unknown Snetterton [1]
1982 Garry Hislop Club Championship Silloth [1]
1983 John Birkett Star of Darley Race Darley Moor [1]
1983 Bob Smith 500cc British Championship Oliver's Mount [1]
1984 Jack Gordon Sidecar Race Knockhill [1]
1986 Suzzana Berg Unknown Sidecar Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1986 Brian Whittaker Unknown Sidecar Meeting Oulton Park [1]
1987 Carl Dugdale Cheshire Club Championships Oulton Park [1]
1988 Kenny Irons British Superstock Championship Cadwell Park [1]
1988 Peter Warden Unknown Cadwell Park [1]
1988 Les Burgan Unknown Snetterton [1]
1988 Paul Blanks Champion of Brands Series Brands Hatch [1]
1989 Dave Burford Unknown Brands Hatch [1]
1989 Paul Kernan Darley Ministock Championship Darley Moor [1]
1990 Paul Walsh F5 Club Championships Cadwell Park [1]
1990 Rob Butler Champion of Snetterton Sidecar Race Snetterton [1]
1990 Eric Martin Newmarket Club Sidecar Race Snetterton [1]
1990 Mike Gray Ken Redfern Trophy Knockhill [1]
1992 Kevin Lowndes Unknown Sidecar Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1992 Norman Francis Unknown Vintage Event Mallory Park [1]
1992 Drew Hogg Unknown East Fortune Raceway [1]
1993 David Collins Forgotten Era Championship Mallory Park [1]
1994 Gary Walker British 250cc Supercup Championship Brands Hatch [1]
1995 Stephen Grayson Unknown Cadwell Park [1]
1996 Richard Everett Thunderbike Championship Oulton Park [1]
1997 Stephen Lee British 125cc Championship Mallory Park [1]
1998 Dave Tills Bemsee Club Open Junior Race Pembrey [1]
1999 Ian Hamilton Classic Racing Bike Club Meeting Cadwell Park [1]
1999 David Morris British Supermono Championship Croft Circuit [1]
2000 Kevin Scott Classic Racing Club Sidecar Race Pembrey [1]
2001 Bob Bradley Boxing Day Meeting Mallory Park [1]
2001 Tim Levy British 250cc Championship Cadwell Park [1]
2002 Rod Clapham CRMC Sidecar event Cadwell Park [1][2]
2002 Mark Lingard Unknown Oliver's Mount [1]
2002 Gavin Turner Powerbike Southern Championship Brands Hatch [1]
2003 Lee Johnson BMCRC Club GP250 championship Cadwell Park [1]
2003 Ross Campbell Club Supersport 600 Championship Snetterton [1]
2003 Danny Whalin BMCRC Yamaha Past Masters Brands Hatch [1]
2004 Darren Mitchell British Superstock Championship Brands Hatch [1]
2004 Ross Couzens BMCRC Minitwins Lydden Hill [1]
2004 Ian Mcdonald Scottish Production Championship Knockhill [1]
2005 Chris Jones British 125cc Championship Cadwell Park [1]
2005 James Fennings BMCRC Rookie 400s Lydden Hill [1]
2005 Miles Tripp NG Club Streetstock Championship Pembrey [1]
2005 Gareth Cutts Derby Phoenix Club Championships Cadwell Park [1]
2005 Ross Paine Derby Phoenix Club Championships Mallory Park [1]
2006 Matt Horne Derby Phoenix Club Championships Mallory Park [1]
2006 Ashley Martin British Supersport Championship Cadwell Park [1]
2006 Richard Moreton East Midlands Club Events Mallory Park [1]
2007 Ollie Bridewell British Superbike Championship Mallory Park [1]
2008 Richard Gammon Derby Phoenix Club Championships Cadwell Park [1]
2008 Ben Lightowler BMCRC Junior Stocksport 600 Brands Hatch [1]
2009 Terry McConnachie Derby Phoenix Club Championships Cadwell Park [1]
2009 Richard Slater Hottrax Endurance Championship Snetterton [1]
2009 Roy Parbury BMCRC Yamaha Past Masters Lydden Hill [1]
2010 Simon Exton BMCRC Thunderbike Championship Snetterton [1]
2011 Benjamin Gautrey British Superstock Championship Cadwell Park [3]
2011 Dave Wells Sidecar Festival Mallory Park [1]
2012 Steven Hix Auto 66 Oliver's Mount [1]
2013 Karl-Heinz Kalbfell BMCRC Lansdowne Classic Series Brands Hatch [4]
2013 Matt Polanski Reverse Direction Knockhill [1]
2014 Ian Allkins Thundersport GB 500 series Donington Park [1]
2014 Jake Hingley No Limits Racing Cadwell Park [1]
2015 Michael McKenzie Thundersport GB Stocktwins Donington Park [1]
2016 Billy Redmayne Spring Cup Oliver's Mount
2016 John Schoenemann British Historic Racing Cadwell Park
2017 Fran Fletcher Classic 350cc Over 55s Championship Brands Hatch
2017 Mick Whalley Ducati Tri-options Championship Donington [5]
2017 Mark Fincham British Superstock 1000 Championship Thruxton [6]
2017 Frank Dignan Melville Motor Club East Fortune Raceway
2018 Kyle O'Donovan BMCRC Powerbikes Brands Hatch
2019 Dan Thomas BMCRC Rookie Minitwins Brands Hatch


+ = Multiple riders to have died as the result of a single incident (see previous/following entry)

References
  1. MotorSportMemorial.org Motorcycle deaths (retrieved 8 November 2011)
  2. Source - eye witness; I was there, racing at this meeting with the Classic Racing Motorcycle Club (CRMC)
  3. Press Association (29 August 2011), "Ben Gautrey killed in race accident at British Superbike meeting", The Guardian, retrieved 2011-08-30
  4. "Ex-BMW motorsport boss Karl-Heinz Kalbfell dies in motorcycle crash". Autosport.com. Haymarket. 17 August 2013. Retrieved 17 August 2013.
  5. "MSVR STATEMENT: PIRELLI NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK 1000 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE". britishsuperbike.com. BSB/MotorSport Vision Racing. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
  6. "MSVR STATEMENT: PIRELLI NATIONAL SUPERSTOCK 1000 CHAMPIONSHIP RACE". britishsuperbike.com. BSB/MotorSport Vision Racing. 6 August 2017. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
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