Rider deaths in British motorcycle racing series


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 a partial list of riders known to have died competing in British national or club racing series at any level.
1932 Mr DillionUnknown Sidecar MeetingDonington Park
1933 Alfred MeadUnknownDonington Park
1955 Eric ShepardUnknownCastle Combe
1958 John ShakesphereMallory ChampionshipMallory Park
1960 Neville SmithWirrall 100 Club ChampionshipsOulton Park
1961 Norman BramhallAuto-Cycle Union ChampionshipsOulton Park
1961 John Thomas AddisAuto-Cycle Union ChampionshipsOulton Park
1962 Bob McIntyreBritish 500cc ChampionshipOulton Park
1962 J.W DeavilleUnknownOulton Park
1962 Roy MatthewBritish Road Racing ChampionshipBrands Hatch
1962 Harold ScholesUnknown Sidecar MeetingBrands Hatch
1963 Thomas SheaffUnknownBrands Hatch
1963 Blake OsborneHutchinson 100 MeetingSilverstone
1963 Gary SawardUnknownMallory Park
1963 Dave DownerUnknownBrands Hatch
1963 Gordon PillUnknownCastle Combe
1964 Paul RichardsonUnknownMallory Park
1964 Alan ParkerUnknownOulton Park
1965 Florian CamathiasUnknownBrands Hatch
1965 Alan HaighUnknownOulton Park
1965 Alex FullertonUnknownMallory Park
1965 Bernard GaynorUnknownMallory Park
1966 Robert SmithUnknownBrands Hatch
1966 Brian MadinUnknown Darley RaceDarley Moor
1967 Stuart HughesUnknownMallory Park
1967 Fritz ScheideggerSidecar Race of the YearMallory Park
1968 John HartleScarborough 500cc RaceOliver's Mount
1969 Roly CapperDarley 350cc RaceDarley Moor
1971 Peter Pritchard750cc Sidecar Race +Oulton Park
1971 Patrick Sheridan750cc Sidecar Race +Oulton Park
1971 Philip Smith750cc Sidecar Race +Oulton Park
1972 Thomas GoodfellowBritish 750cc ChampionshipMallory Park
1972 Patrick BelshawVincent Club ChampionshipsCadwell Park
1972 Roderick GoslingDarley Sidecar RaceDarley Moor
1972 John HartridgeDarley Sidecar RaceDarley Moor
1972 Cyril JonesUnknownSnetterton
1972 Graham PennyHutchinson 100 MeetingBrands Hatch
1973 Graham WillsUnknown Sidecar MeetingCadwell Park
1974 Phil HaslamUnknown MeetingOliver's Mount
1974 Steve MachinUnknown MeetingCadwell Park
1974 Dennis WestwoodUnknown Sidecar MeetingMallory Park
1974 Mick MooreSnetterton Combine Sidecar RaceSnetterton
1975 Veronica EnsorUnknown Sidecar MeetingCadwell Park
1975 Lance CaponSilver Trophy Road Race SeriesBrands Hatch
1976 Rod NorthUnknownOulton Park
1976 Derek BestUnknownOulton Park
1976 Bill HendersonRace of the YearMallory Park
1976 Thomas StandingUnknownBrands Hatch
1977 Mick PatrickMCN Superbike ChampionshipCadwell Park
1977 Piers ForesterBRC Formula 750 ChampionshipBrands Hatch
1977 Steve TomkinsBemsee Club MeetingSnetterton
1977 Phil BoscoNorth East Solo ChampionshipCroft Circuit
1977 Greg BaileyUnknownDonington Park
1978 Graham EdwardsDarley Sidecar RaceDarley Moor
1979 Dave PowellUnknown Sidecar MeetingOulton Park
1980 Hans Peter LubberingUnknown Sidecar MeetingOulton Park
1980 Geoff FawcettUnknownCadwell Park
1980 Simon CorryBMCRC Production RaceSnetterton
1981 Dave PotterBritish Superbike ChampionshipOulton Park
1981 Wayne MillsACU 125cc Clubmans ChampionshipSilverstone
1981 Mick DownsNewmarket Club ChampionshipsSnetterton
1981 William WatsonCheshire Club ChampionshipsOulton Park
1981 Neil MilesUnknown Sidecar MeetingCadwell Park
1981 William DeaconUnknownMallory Park
1981 Kevin ClementsonTransatlantic Trophy MeetingMallory Park
1982 Michael Robbins500cc Production ChampionshipDonington Park
1982 Douglas TaylorReverse DirectionKnockhill
1982 Stewart BurkhartReverse DirectionKnockhill
1982 Bill JacksonUnknownSnetterton
1982 Garry HislopClub ChampionshipSilloth
1983 John BirkettStar of Darley RaceDarley Moor
1983 Bob Smith500cc British ChampionshipOliver's Mount
1984 Jack GordonSidecar RaceKnockhill
1986 Suzzana BergUnknown Sidecar MeetingCadwell Park
1986 Brian WhittakerUnknown Sidecar MeetingOulton Park
1987 Carl DugdaleCheshire Club ChampionshipsOulton Park
1988 Kenny IronsBritish Superstock ChampionshipCadwell Park
1988 Peter WardenUnknownCadwell Park
1988 Les BurganUnknownSnetterton
1988 Paul BlanksChampion of Brands SeriesBrands Hatch
1989 Dave BurfordUnknownBrands Hatch
1989 Paul KernanDarley Ministock ChampionshipDarley Moor
1990 Paul WalshF5 Club ChampionshipsCadwell Park
1990 Rob ButlerChampion of Snetterton Sidecar RaceSnetterton
1990 Eric MartinNewmarket Club Sidecar RaceSnetterton
1990 Mike GrayKen Redfern TrophyKnockhill
1992 Kevin LowndesUnknown Sidecar MeetingCadwell Park
1992 Norman FrancisUnknown Vintage EventMallory Park
1992 Drew HoggUnknownEast Fortune Raceway
1993 David CollinsForgotten Era ChampionshipMallory Park
1994 Gary WalkerBritish 250cc Supercup ChampionshipBrands Hatch
1995 Stephen GraysonUnknownCadwell Park
1996 Richard EverettThunderbike ChampionshipOulton Park
1997 Stephen LeeBritish 125cc ChampionshipMallory Park
1998 Dave TillsBemsee Club Open Junior RacePembrey
1999 Ian HamiltonClassic Racing Bike Club MeetingCadwell Park
1999 David MorrisBritish Supermono ChampionshipCroft Circuit
2000 Kevin ScottClassic Racing Club Sidecar RacePembrey
2001 Bob BradleyBoxing Day MeetingMallory Park
2001 Tim LevyBritish 250cc ChampionshipCadwell Park
2002 Rod ClaphamCRMC Sidecar eventCadwell Park
2002 Mark LingardUnknownOliver's Mount
2002 Gavin TurnerPowerbike Southern ChampionshipBrands Hatch
2003 Lee JohnsonBMCRC Club GP250 championshipCadwell Park
2003 Ross CampbellClub Supersport 600 ChampionshipSnetterton
2003 Danny WhalinBMCRC Yamaha Past MastersBrands Hatch
2004 Darren MitchellBritish Superstock ChampionshipBrands Hatch
2004 Ross CouzensBMCRC MinitwinsLydden Hill
2004 Ian McdonaldScottish Production ChampionshipKnockhill
2005 Chris JonesBritish 125cc ChampionshipCadwell Park
2005 James FenningsBMCRC Rookie 400sLydden Hill
2005 Miles TrippNG Club Streetstock ChampionshipPembrey
2005 Gareth CuttsDerby Phoenix Club ChampionshipsCadwell Park
2005 Ross PaineDerby Phoenix Club ChampionshipsMallory Park
2006 Matt HorneDerby Phoenix Club ChampionshipsMallory Park
2006 Ashley MartinBritish Supersport ChampionshipCadwell Park
2006 Richard MoretonEast Midlands Club EventsMallory Park
2007 Ollie BridewellBritish Superbike ChampionshipMallory Park
2008 Richard GammonDerby Phoenix Club ChampionshipsCadwell Park
2008 Ben LightowlerBMCRC Junior Stocksport 600Brands Hatch
2009 Terry McConnachieDerby Phoenix Club ChampionshipsCadwell Park
2009 Richard SlaterHottrax Endurance ChampionshipSnetterton
2009 Roy ParburyBMCRC Yamaha Past MastersLydden Hill
2010 Simon ExtonBMCRC Thunderbike ChampionshipSnetterton
2011 Benjamin GautreyBritish Superstock ChampionshipCadwell Park
2011 Dave WellsSidecar FestivalMallory Park
2012 Steven HixAuto 66Oliver's Mount
2013 Karl-Heinz KalbfellBMCRC Lansdowne Classic SeriesBrands Hatch
2013 Matt PolanskiReverse DirectionKnockhill
2014 Ian AllkinsThundersport GB 500 seriesDonington Park
2014 Jake HingleyNo Limits RacingCadwell Park
2015 Michael McKenzieThundersport GB StocktwinsDonington Park
2016 Billy RedmayneSpring CupOliver's Mount
2016 John SchoenemannBritish Historic RacingCadwell Park
2017 Fran FletcherClassic 350cc Over 55s ChampionshipBrands Hatch
2017 Mick WhalleyDucati Tri-options ChampionshipDonington
2017 Mark FinchamBritish Superstock 1000 ChampionshipThruxton
2017 Frank DignanMelville Motor ClubEast Fortune Raceway
2018 Kyle O'DonovanBMCRC PowerbikesBrands Hatch
2019 Dan ThomasBMCRC Rookie MinitwinsBrands Hatch

+ = Multiple riders to have died as the result of a single incident