Michael Lee

Michael Andrew Lee (born 11 December 1958) is a British former international speedway rider who won the World Championship in 1980. He earned 72 international caps for the England national speedway team.

Career Born in Cambridge, England, Lee began his professional speedway career in 1975 with Boston Barracudas (on loan from parent club King's Lynn Stars) in the second division of speedway in the United Kingdom, the National League. In his first season, he recorded an impressive average points score of 9.13, he also rode part-time for his parent club King's Lynn.

In 1976, Lee moved full-time to British League team King's Lynn and finished the season with an average of 9.22, he was also the British Junior Champion that year.

At the end of the 1977 season, Lee had become the top scorer in the British League with an average of 10.64. He also won the first of his two British Speedway Championship titles. Lee won the World Team Cup with England and he had also made his first appearance in a World Championship Final.

In 1979, Lee finished third in the World Finals, beating Kelly Moran, Billy Sanders and Ole Olsen in a run-off race to claim the bronze medal. The next year, Lee won the World Championship in Gothenburg for the only time, finishing ahead of King's Lynn team mate Dave Jessup. He was also triumphant again with England in the World Team Cup. He continued to ride for King's Lynn until the end of the 1982 season.

Lee opted for a change in clubs in 1983 and moved to the Poole Pirates. He had another successful year, finishing with and average of 10.43. At the start of the 1984 season Lee was involved in an incident that would result in him being banned from speedway for a year. In a cup match against former club King's Lynn, Lee was excluded mid-race for a starting offence in heat 5 and returned to the pits in the wrong direction, allegedly causing the other riders to take evasive action. Despite the three other riders and the home promoter giving evidence that he had posed no danger, the Speedway Control Board fined him and banned him for five years, although this was later reduced on appeal. He was subsequently fined for possession of cannabis and amphetamines in July 2013. On 8 October 2013, Lee was charged with rape and other sexual offences but was cleared of the charges at a trial in May 2014.

World Final appearances

Individual World Championship 1977 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - 4th - 12pts + 2pts 1978 - London, Wembley Stadium - 7th - 9pts 1979 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 3rd - 11pts +3pts 1980 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - Winner - 14pts 1981 - London, Wembley Stadium - 10th - 5pts 1983 - Norden, Motodrom Halbemond - 3rd - 11pts

World Pairs Championship 1979 - Vojens, Speedway Center (with Malcolm Simmons) - 2nd - 24pts (15)

World Team Cup 1977 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Peter Collins / Malcolm Simmons / Dave Jessup / John Davis) - Winner - 37pts (9) 1978 - Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Malcolm Simmons / Dave Jessup / Peter Collins / Gordon Kennett) - 2nd - 27pts (5) 1980 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Peter Collins / Dave Jessup / Chris Morton) - Winner - 40pts (11) 1983 - Vojens, Speedway Center (with Kenny Carter / Dave Jessup / Chris Morton / Peter Collins) - 2nd - 29pts (11)

World Longtrack Championship

Finalist

1979 – Mariánské Lázně 9pts (9th) 1980 – Scheeßel 8pts (11th) 1981 – Gornja Radgona 23pts (Champion) 1983 – Mariánské Lázně 11pts (7th)

Family Michael Lee is the son of former well known British Scrambler Andy Lee.