The 1950 Individual Speedway World Championship was the fifth edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.
The title was won by Welshman Freddie Williams with the pivotal heat being the heat against Australian Graham Warren. Warren and Williams both unbeaten met in their third rides and as Warren challenged Williams for the lead he was forced to drop behind Williams. Warren then hit a bump and fell which cost him valuable points and the chance to win the title.
Ronnie Moore became the youngest finalist at the age of just 17.
First qualifying round The top 74 riders qualify for the second qualifying round, where they will be joined by seeded division 2 riders.
DateVenueWinner 12 June Stanley Stadium Jack Hughes 12 June Wimborne Road Ray Ellis 13 June Cornish Stadium Hugh Geddes 15 June Oxford Stadium Charlie New 16 June County Ground Stadium Bob McFarlane 16 June Leicester Stadium Les Hewitt 17 June Rayleigh Weir Stadium Ticker James 17 June Abbey Stadium Reg Duval
Second qualifying round The top 73 riders qualify for the Third qualifying round. DateVenueWinner 5 July Highbury Stadium (Fleetwood) Merv Harding 5 July White City Stadium, Glasgow Frank Hodgson 6 July Pennycross Stadium George Wall 6 July Owlerton Stadium Pete Lansdale7 July The Shay Les Hewitt8 July Brandon Stadium Alan Hunt8 July Old Meadowbank Dick Campbell8 July The Firs Stadium Jack Young
Third qualifying round The top 2 riders from each meeting qualify for the Championship round, where they will meet 34 seeded division 1 riders. DateVenueWinner/2nd25 July Ashfield Stadium Jack Young / Derick Close25 July Banister Court Stadium Merv Harding / Ron Mason25 July Yarmouth Stadium Les Hewitt / Eddie Rigg29 July Sun Street Stadium Junior Bainbridge / Mike Erskine31 July Dudley Wood Stadium Geoff Pymar / Ken Sharples31 July Brough Park Stadium Lindsay Mitchell / Dick Campbell31 July Walthamstow Stadium Jim Boyd / Tommy Miller
Championship round 9 events in Great Britain.
Scores Top 16 qualify for World final, 17th & 18th reserves for World final Pos. Rider Total pts1 Jack Young 392 Graham Warren 373 Cyril Brine 364 Jack Parker 355 Aub Lawson 346 Ronnie Moore 347 Freddie Williams 338 Split Waterman 329 Vic Duggan 3210 Dent Oliver 3011 Danny Dunton 3012 Wally Green 2913 Tommy Price 2914 Ron Clarke 2915 Arthur Payne 2716 Jack Biggs 2617 Arthur Forrest 2618 Cyril Roger 2519 Mike Erskine 2320 Norman Parker 2321 Alec Statham 2322 Oliver Hart 2323 Eddie Rigg 2224 Louis Lawson 2125 Derick Close 21Pos. Rider Total pts26 George Wilks 2127 Malcolm Craven 2028 Alan Hunt 2029 Jeff Lloyd 2030 Ken Sharples 2031 Tommy Miller 1932 Bert Roger 1733 Geoff Bennett 1634 Merv Harding 1635 Bill Longley 1636 Dick Campbell 1537 Eric Chitty 1538 Charles Cullum 1539 Ron Mason 1440 Eric French 1341 Dick Seers 1342 Bill Kitchen 1243 Jack Mountford 1144 Lindsay Mitchell 1045 Junior Bainbridge 846 Les Hewitt 647 Billy Hole 548 Johnny Hole 449 Dick Bradley 2
World final 22 September 1950 London, Wembley Stadium Change: Arthur Forrest → Mike Erskine
Pos. Rider Points Heats1 Freddie Williams 14 (3,3,3,2,3)2 Wally Green 13 (2,3,3,2,3)3 Graham Warren 12 (3,3,F,3,3)4 Aub Lawson 10 (2,2,3,1,2)5 Tommy Price 8 (3,F,3,1,1)6 Jack Parker 8 (2,1,2,3,0)7 Split Waterman 8 (1,2,3,1,1)8 Jack Young 7 (0,1,2,1,3)9 Cyril Brine 7 (2,2,2,0,1)10 Ronnie Moore 7 (X,0,2,3,2)11 Dent Oliver 6 (X,3,1,2,0)12 Danny Dunton 5 (1,0,1,1,2)13 Vic Duggan 4 (1,1,1,0,1)14 Ron Clarke 3 (1,2,0,0,0)15 Jack Biggs 3 (0,1,0,0,2)16 Arthur Payne 0 (0,0,-,0,0) Cyril Roger (res) 5 (3,2) Mike Erskine (res) 0 (0)
Podium 1950 Podium: Freddie Williams Wally Green Graham Warren
References