Product Code Database
Newport Wasps were a British motorcycle speedway team based at Somerton Park and then the Hayley Stadium in Newport, South Wales, from 1964 to 2012. The Wasps logo incorporates the traditional black and amber colours of the City of Newport.
The speedway team would be known as the Wasps and the promoters signed the likes of Alby Golden, Peter Vandenberg and Dick Bradley, who helped them to a creditable fourth place finish, in addition to winning the division 2 version of the Knockout Cup, when winning the Provincial League Knockout Cup during their debut season.
The following season in 1965, they joined the inaugural British League season (the top division) and continued to ride in the top division for the remainder of the 1960s, although with little success. Top Swedish riders Gote Nordin and Torbjörn Harrysson led the team in 1966 and 1967/68 respectively.
Promoters Wally Mawdsley and Pete Lansdale took over the Wasps in 1969, following Mike Parker relinquishing his interest.
For the 1974 season, the Wasps signed Australian star Phil CrumpLawson, K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. Bamford, R & Jarvis J.(2001). Homes of British Speedway. and with the support of Reidar Eide and Phil Herne, the team finished third during the 1975 British League season. The entire promotion and riders moved to Bristol in 1977 and became the Bristol Bulldogs, leaving Newport with no team but speedway would continue at Somerton Park with a team called the Newport Dragons being formed and they would compete in the division below the British League known as the National League.
The Dragons only lasted the one season because before the start of the 1978 campaign, the speedway team withdrew from the league following a dispute over rent. Speedway was not seen at Somerton Park again.
The Wasps continued to compete in the Premier League until the early part of the 2008 season when they withdrew because their promoter Tim Stone died only to be saved by the Mallett family and rebranded for the 2009 season (including a junior side called the Newport Hornets) with Steve Mallett at the helm and his son Nick Mallett joining him as the youngest promoter in British speedway history. The 2009 season saw the Hornets win the national league pairs with the pairing of veteran Tony Atkin and New Zealander Grant Tregoning. The following season Newport beat Somerset for the Severn Bridge trophy and the Hornets finished third in the National league, losing out on the title by points difference.
The Wasps last season ended with a trophy, they won the 2011 Premier League Knock-Out Cup defeating Glasgow in the final.
After a disagreement with the BSPA and ring wood raceway deciding not to follow up plans to run stock cars and destroying the previous fence the club was put up for sale but after talks with the only interested party, Phil Morris, an agreement could not be reached and on 17 February 2012 promoter Steve Mallett confirmed the club would fold with immediate effect. Newport Wasps closure The club shortly after was vandalised and the victim of an arson attack which devastated the stadium leading to it being demolished and redeveloped by owners MCL and speedway was lost to the city once again.
| + |
| Wasps, Knockout Cup winners |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Dragons |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps, withdrew |
| Wasps |
| Wasps |
| Wasps, 2011 Premier League Knock-Out Cup winners |
| as the Western Warriors (with Exeter) |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks, Champions |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Mavericks |
| Hornets |
| Hornets |
| Hornets |
|
|
