John McNeill

John Daniel McNeill (born 4 August 1955) is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider. Speedway career Born in Footscray, Victoria, McNeill took up motorcycle racing at Brooklyn Speedway, Melbourne in 1971. At age sixteen he rode for the Victorian team touring Tasmania and broke the track speed record at Bendigo. He completed studies as an engineer before commencing his British speedway career four years later in 1975, signing with New National League Mildenhall Fen Tigers, where after a three-month wait his big break came as several riders from Crewe Kings travelling together had gotten lost travelling to the newly opened venue; McNeill was drafted quickly into the Crewe team as replacement winning two races and helping for an away team win. He became an overnight sensation, splashed all over the back sporting page of the newspaper and referred to as 'The Kid'. He also rode for Newport in the British League the same year. After delaying his return to the UK in 1976 due to his father's fatal illness, he arrived nearing the end of the season and rode for several teams without scoring a point. He signed for Leicester Lions in 1977, doubling up in the National League with Scunthorpe Saints, riding for both teams, he was a heat leader and top scorer for the Saint,s setting several track records until 1979 when he went full-time in the British League. In 1978 he won the Victoria State Championship and rode in three tests for Australasia at National League level, later representing the senior Australia team in test matches against England, and as a member of The Rest of The World team competing in America. After breaking a leg in 1979 while riding as guest for Birmingham Brummies, he bought himself out of his contract with Leicester Lions and in 1980 he moved on to Hull Vikings and then Poole Pirates, followed by a British League Championship-winning season with Cradley Heathens in 1981. His final season in British speedway was 1982, in which he rode for Weymouth. In 1983 McNeill spent a season in the Californian racing scene riding three times per week at Costa Mesa (Orange County fairground), Ventura, and San Bernardino, returning to Australia to place second in the Victorian Championship and qualifying for the national title.