# 2002 Speedway Conference League

The 2002 Speedway Conference League was the third tier/division of British speedway.

## Summary

The title was won by Peterborough Pumas, the junior club belonging to the Peterborough Panthers.
On 1 May, David Nix was killed after crashing into the fence during the match between Newcastle and King's Lynn at the Norfolk Arena.

## Final league table

| Pos | Team | Played | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | Bonus | Total |
| 1 | Peterborough Pumas | 20 | 16 | 0 | 4 | 1008 | 786 | 32 | 8 | 40 |
| 2 | Sheffield Prowlers | 20 | 15 | 0 | 5 | 1008 | 780 | 30 | 9 | 39 |
| 3 | Mildenhall Fen Tigers | 20 | 13 | 0 | 7 | 988 | 799 | 26 | 9 | 35 |
| 4 | Rye House Raiders | 20 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 1005 | 789 | 26 | 7 | 33 |
| 5 | Buxton Hitmen | 20 | 11 | 0 | 9 | 919 | 875 | 22 | 5 | 27 |
| 6 | Boston Barracudas | 20 | 9 | 1 | 10 | 874 | 925 | 19 | 5 | 24 |
| 7 | Carmarthen Dragons | 19 | 9 | 0 | 10 | 801 | 902 | 18 | 3 | 21 |
| 8 | Newcastle Gems | 20 | 7 | 2 | 11 | 851 | 842 | 16 | 3 | 19 |
| 9 | King's Lynn Kids | 20 | 6 | 0 | 14 | 778 | 1014 | 12 | 3 | 15 |
| 10 | Newport Mavericks | 19 | 5 | 1 | 23 | 737 | 964 | 11 | 1 | 12 |
| 11 | Wimbledon Dons | 18 | 2 | 0 | 16 | 709 | 902 | 4 | 0 | 4 |

## Fixtures & results

| Home \ Away | BOS | BUX | CAR | KL | MIL | NG | NM | PET | RYE | SHE | WIM |
| Boston Barracudas | | 49–41 | 58–32 | 58–32 | 42–48 | 43–47 | 53–37 | 38–52 | 45–45 | 50–37 | 54–35 |
| Buxton Hitmen | 58–31 | | 43–47 | 61–29 | 47–43 | 50–40 | 60–30 | 41–49 | 47–42 | 49–41 | 54–36 |
| Carmarthen Dragons | 58–32 | 44–46 | | 53–35 | 43–47 | 50–40 | 47–43 | 44–43 | 50–40 | 42–46 | 56–34 |
| King's Lynn Kids | 36–54 | 39–51 | 61–29 | | 45–44 | 47–43 | 55–35 | 28–62 | 29–61 | 38–48 | 52–38 |
| Mildenhall Fen Tigers | 49–41 | 56–34 | 62–29 | 54–36 | | 57–33 | 63–20 | 44–45 | 54–36 | 49–41 | 60–30 |
| Newcastle Gems | 43–47 | 46–44 | 48–42 | 51–38 | 38–49 | | 57–33 | 39–50 | 45–45 | 32–56 | 48–42 |
| Newport Mavericks | 42–48 | 46–44 | 43–46 | 52–38 | 47–43 | 45–45 | | 48–42 | 46–44 | 32–58 | n/a |
| Peterborough Pumas | 63–27 | 50–39 | 59–31 | 59–31 | 51–39 | 61–30 | 47–43 | | 60–30 | 48–42 | 47–42 |
| Rye House Raiders | 61–30 | 55–35 | 65–25 | 65–25 | 52–38 | 53–35 | 65–25 | 52–38 | | 58–32 | 58–32 |
| Sheffield Prowlers | 60–33 | 60–29 | 57–33 | 53–37 | 48–42 | 48–42 | 55–35 | 54–36 | 60–30 | | 64–26 |
| Wimbledon Dons | 49–41 | 42–48 | n/a | 43–47 | 41–47 | 42–49 | 54–35 | 44–46 | 40–48 | 39–48 | |

## Conference League Knockout Cup

The 2002 Conference League Knockout Cup was the fifth edition of the Knockout Cup for tier three teams. Buxton Hitmen were the winners.
Quarter-finals
| Team one | Team two | Score |
| Newcastle | Sheffield | 45–45, 32–58 |
| Wolverhampton | Newport | 23–66, 37–51 |
| Mildenhall | Buxton | 40–50, 47–43 |
Semi-finals
| Team one | Team two | Score |
| Buxton | Sheffield | 61–28, 47–43 |
| Newport | Rye House | 40–49, 41–49 |

### Final

First leg
Second leg
Buxton were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 99–81.

## Conference Trophy

* Mildenhall Fen Tigers

## Riders' Championship

James Birkinshaw won the Riders' Championship. The final was held on 31 August at Rye House Stadium.
| Pos. | Rider | Team | Total |
| 1 | James Birkinshaw | Boston | 14 |
| 2 | Edward Kennett | Rye House | 13 |
| 3 | Jamie Robertson | Newcastle | 12 |
| 4 | Wayne Broadhurst | Mildenhall | 12 |
| 5 | Joe Cook | King's Lynn | 10 |
| 6 | Rory Schlein | Sheffield | 9 |
| 7 | Craig Branney | Newcastle | 7 |
| 8 | Chris Mills | King's Lynn | 7 |
| 9 | Steve Braidford (res) | Wolverhampton | 6 |
| 10 | James Wright | Buxton | 6 |
| 11 | Danny King | Peterborough | 5 |
| 12 | James Brundle | Mildenhall | 5 |
| 13 | Stuart McCabe | Peterborough | 4 |
| 14 | Martin Williams | Wimbledon | 4 |
| 15 | Adam Pryor | Peterborough | 4 |
| 16 | Ben Wilson | Sheffield | 1 |
| 17 | Simon Wolstenholme (res) | Rye House | 1 |
| 18 | Barrie Evans (res) | Rye House | 0 |