Mark Loram
 | |
| Born |
10 January 1971 Mtarfa, Malta |
|---|---|
| Nationality |
 England |
| Current club information | |
| Career status | Retired |
| Career history | |
1987-1988 1989, 2006-2009 1990-1994 1995-1996 1997 1998 1999-2000 2001 2002-2003 2004-2005 1992, 1999-2000 1993-1997 1998, 2007 2001-2003 2004 2005 2006 1992-1997 1999-2000 2001-2004 2005-2006 |
United Kingdom Hackney Kestrels Ipswich Witches King's Lynn Stars Exeter Falcons Bradford Dukes Wolverhampton Wolves Poole Pirates Peterborough Panthers Eastbourne Eagles Arena Essex Hammers Poland Częstochowa Apator Toruń KM Ostrów Wielkopolski Polonia Bydgoszcz RKM Rybnik Stal Gorzów Unia Leszno Sweden Bysarna Smederna Luxo Stars Piraterna |
| Individual honours | |
| 2000 1989 1994 1997, 1999, 2001 1997 1999 1999 |
World Champion National League Riders Champ Commonwealth Champion British Champion Danish Grand Prix Winner Overseas Champion Swedish Grand Prix Winner |
| Team honours | |
| 1988 1997 2003 |
National League Elite League Elite League KO Cup |
Found years, Found teamhonour, Found teamyear, Found indivhonour, Found career, Found indivyear,
Mark Roysten Gregory Loram (born 10 January 1971)[1] is a former British motorcycle speedway rider who won the World Speedway Championship in 2000 and won the British Championship in 1997, 1999, and 2001.
Career
Born in Mtarfa, Malta, Mark Loram started his career with the Hackney Kestrels in 1987.[2] In 1999 Loram became the first rider in Speedway Grand Prix history to win a GP whilst being entered as a wild card, a feat only repeated three times since (as at the end of the 2012 season). He won two Grand Prix in his career; 1997 Danish Grand Prix in Vojens and 1999 when he won the Swedish Grand Prix in Linköping.
Loram became the Speedway World Champion in 2000 despite not winning any of the Grand Prix meetings held that year, the only rider to ever do so. However he was the only rider to reach the semi-finals in all six meetings which along with runner-up placings in the opening two rounds in the Czech Republic and Sweden as well as a third in Britain in Round 4 gave him enough points to secure his first and only world title. Loram scored 102 points over the six rounds to defeat 1996 champion Billy Hamill (who won the Czech Republic and European GP's) on 95 and defending champion Tony Rickardsson (who won in Poland) on 94. Loram's win saw him become the 7th British rider to win speedway's ultimate individual prize.
Loram has also been British Champion three times, in 1997, 1999 and 2001. In March 2007 Loram broke his thigh and dislocated his arm whilst riding in the opening fixture of the Elite League season for the Ipswich Witches. This ended his involvement in the sport for 2007, and he was unable to ride in 2008 and 2009. On 17 December 2009, Loram officially announced his retirement from speedway.
World Final Appearances
- 1994 -
Vojens, Speedway Center - 8th - 9pts [3]
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 6th | 77 | 3rd | Third in British Grand Prix |
| 1996 | 7th | 58 | 2nd | Second in Danish Grand Prix |
| 1997 | 5th | 81 | Winner | Won Danish Grand Prix |
| 1998 | 10th | 52 | 6th | |
| 1999 | 5th | 71 | Winner | Won Swedish Grand Prix |
| 2000 | 1st | 102 | 2nd | Only rider to make every semi-final |
| 2001 | 9th | 54 | 4th | |
| 2002 | 8th | 97 | 3rd | Third in Polish and Slovenian Grand Prix |
| 2003 | 18th | 32 | 11th | |
| 2004 | 17th | 38 | 9th |
References
- ↑ Bamford, Robert (January 2004). Tempus Speedway Yearbook 2004. NPI Media Group. ISBN 0-7524-2915-9.
- ↑ Fenn, C. (2003) Hackney Speedway, Friday at Eight, Stroud: Tempus Publishing, ISBN 0-7524-2737-7
- ↑ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
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