page_title: Roland Stobbart
section_title: Workington
hierarchical_section_title: Roland Stobbart / Biography / Workington
caption_attribution_description: English: Newcastle Diamonds Speedway Team
context_page_description: Roland Stobbart, was an international speedway rider and promoter who started his career with the Leeds Lions team in 1931.
context_section_description: The first motor cycle cinder track race at Workington took place at Lonsdale Park on 15 August 1931. The event promoted by the Workington Motor Cycle Club was the brainchild of Roland Stobbart. A total of 32 competitors from all over the North of England, including future world finalist Bill Kitchen, took part in a series of 'scratch' and 'handicap' events in a 21-race programme and attracted over 2,000 spectators. Both Roland and his younger brother Maurice both competed, and although Sheffield rider, George Mortimer, won both events Roland set the course record and beat him in the Cumberland versus Yorkshire match. The winner of the 'scratch' event received the princely sum of £5, while second and third received £3 and £1-10 shillings (£1.50p) respectively. Meanwhile, the winner of the 'handicap' event picked up £4, with the second and third placed riders collecting £2 and £1-10 shillings (£1.50p) each. Notwithstanding the size of the crowd this inaugural meeting was a financial disaster and in consequence no more meetings took place that year. However the banked, narrow circuit, at 439 yards per lap had provided fast and exciting racing despite its narrow width restricting races to only three riders. In 1932 the 'Border Sports Club' promoted a total of eight meetings, held at fortnightly intervals, and attracted crowds averaging 3,000 for each meeting. On 28 June, Roland, who often raced with a cigarette between his lips, broadsided, skidded and wobbled four times round the rain soaked track at 45 miles per hour to set a new one mile record for the Workington track of 1 min 19.2 seconds, two seconds short of the then British record. At these events Stobbart won both the Golden Sash. and the Golden Helmet.
caption: Newcastle Diamonds Speedway Team
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