1982 British League season

Hull Vikings had disbanded following the loss of their home at the Boulevard. After a ten-year drought Belle Vue Aces won the league pushing defending champions Cradley Heath into second place. A special performance was going to be needed to finish ahead of the star-studded Cradley Heath team and it was the consistency of the support riders which helped Belle Vue achieve this. England international Chris Morton was the heat leader but he was supported by a group of consistent scorers throughout the season that included Larry Ross (a former 5 times New Zealand champion), the former world champion Peter Collins, the Carr brothers Louis and Peter, Dane Peter Ravn and Scot Jim McMillan. Cradley Heath went on to win their third Knockout Cup in four years and the League Cup. The Midlands' club had been in position to take the league title, but their heat leader Bruce Penhall quit speedway immediately after winning his second world title in September to pursue an acting career (specifically for a role in CHiPs). Hackney Wick Stadium was subject to a second fatal accident within three years when American Denny Pyeatt lost his life in a league match on 16 July. Pyeatt riding for Reading Racers crashed into a lamp standard. Swindon rider Martin Hewlett suffered a stroke after the Swindon versus Birmingham fixture in September and died four days later on 15 September. ==Final table==

M = Matches; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; Pts = Total Points == Fixtures and results ==

== Top ten riders (league averages) ==

== British League Knockout Cup ==

The 1982 Speedway Star British League Knockout Cup was the 44th edition of the Knockout Cup for tier one teams. Cradley Heath Heathens were the winners. First round Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final First leg Second leg Cradley were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 81-75. == League Cup ==

The League Cup was split into North and South sections. The two-legged final was won by Cradley Heath Heathens beating Ipswich Witches in the final 83–73 on aggregate. North Group South Group Final North Group South Group == Riders' Championship ==

Kenny Carter won the British League Riders' Championship for the second consecutive year, held at Hyde Road on 16 October. • ef=engine failure, f=fell, x=excluded r-retired == Final leading averages ==

Coventry won the Midland Cup for the second consecutive year. The competition consisted of five teams. First round Semi final round Final First leg Second leg Coventry won on aggregate 79–77 ==Riders & final averages==

Belle Vue • 10.18 • 9.37 • 8.78 • 6.01 • 5.65 • 5.44 • 4.98 • 4.40 Birmingham • 9.89 • 9.03 • 6.20 • 6.03 • 6.03 • 5.65 • 5.23 • 5.03 • 4.72 • 3.56 • 0.80 Coventry • 9.22 • 9.09 • 7.38 • 6.69 • 5.79 • 5.19 • 3.48 • 3.25 Cradley Heath • 10.74 • 10.18 • 9.22 • 7.29 • 6.67 • 6.30 • 3.45 • 3.02 • 3.00 • 2.69 • 1.78 Eastbourne • 9.72 • 9.62 • 9.18 • 6.62 • 3.55 • 3.55 • 3.37 • 3.36 • 3.27 Hackney • 9.38 • 7.29 • 6.59 • 6.53 • 5.96 • 5.53 • 4.00 • 3.52 Halifax • 11.03 • 7.52 • 7.28 • 6.39 • 5.51 • 5.36 • 4.98 • 4.71 • 0.80 Ipswich • 10.10 • 8.53 • 7.77 • 6.98 • 6.07 • 5.79 • 5.67 • 5.16 • 4.40 '''King's Lynn''' • 9.65 • 9.09 • 7.00 • 5.78 • 4.90 • 4.04 • 3.00 • 1.76 • 1.58 • 0.44 Leicester • 8.77 • 7.07 • 6.42 • 5.93 • 5.87 • 5.57 • 5.41 • 5.09 Poole • 8.68 • 8.13 • 6.01 • 5.86 • 5.83 • 5.30 • 4.49 • 4.20 • 3.29 Reading • 9.96 • 9.83 • 5.57 • 5.28 • 5.23 • 5.08 • 4.66 • 4.00 • 3.87 • 2.78 Sheffield • 9.55 • 6.84 • 6.50 • 6.48 • 6.46 • 5.57 • 4.95 • 3.82 • 1.71 Swindon • 9.47 • 7.58 • 6.46 • 5.97 • 5.26 • 5.19 • 4.18 • 4.13 • 3.26 Wimbledon • 8.77 • 8.75 • 8.04 • 5.82 • 5.37 • 5.37 • 5.09 • 4.08 • 2.06 ==See also==