On June 14th. 1993, Danny Kennedy passed away aged just 35 years.
Kennedy began riding speedway in 1974 aged 16. Just over 12 months later he won
the 1976 Victorian Championship. This fine performance from such a young rider
attracted attention from Britain and he signed a contract with the Division One
side, Newport.
Kennedy appeared in some matches for Second Division side Canterbury on arrival
but spent most of his 1976 British debut season on loan to Second Division side
Weymouth where he averaged 5.82 in League and Cup competition. He did compete in
10 matches for Newport in Division One during the season averaging 4.62.
Back at Weymouth in 1977, Kennedy had a far better season topping his club's
averages. He rode in 37 League and Cup matches averaging 8.65. He recorded four
full maximum scores. Kennedy also made 13 appearances for top division side
Bristol averaging 4.56.
Kennedy again topped Weymouth's averages in 1978 recording the fine figure of
9.16 from his 38 League and Cup matches. Riding in those 38 matches, Kennedy
returned 7 full maximum and 4 paid maximum scores. As in his previous two
seasons, Kennedy made regular appearances in the top division. In 1978 it was
Poole he appeared for and his 18 matches produced an average of 6.028.
For the second consecutive year, Kennedy qualified to ride in the National
League Riders' Championship Final. He scored 8 points and finished 8th in 1978.
On the 28/1/1979, the Australian Championship was staged at Mildura. The winner
that year was Phil Crump who scored a 15 point maximum. The third placegetter
was John Boulger on 11 points. The rider to join these two on the presentation
rostrum, having finished in second place, was Danny Kennedy. He scored 13
points.
Having had two consecutive fine seasons riding at Division Two level, Kennedy
moved up to Division One in Britain in 1979 and rode for Poole. In his first
season competing at this higher level, Kennedy averaged 6.065 from his 31 League
and Cup appearances.
In 1980, Kennedy returned to Poole where he didn't enjoy the best of seasons.
His average dropped to 4.95 from his 33 League and Cup matches.
The 1981 Australian Championship was staged at the Brisbane Exhibition Ground on
February 21st. Billy Sanders won scoring 14 points and Phil Crump was second
with 12 points. At the completion of the heats, two riders were tied for third
place on 10 points, John Titman and Danny Kennedy. Riding on his home track,
Titman was favoured to win the run-off to decide third place in the Title and
that's just what he did. I'll mention some of the riders whom Kennedy finished
in front of in this Championship.........Phil Herne, Mick McKeon, Steve Regeling,
Gary Guglielmi, John Boulger, Neil Coddington and Steve Koppe.
After a disappointing second season at Poole in 1980, Kennedy returned to ride
for the Pirates again in 1981. From his 47 appearances for Poole in League and
Cup competition, Kennedy averaged 7.41, a fine result riding at the top level.
From November 1981 to January 1982, a Young England side toured Australia for a
series of Test matches. Anyone lucky enough to have seen any of these matches
would remember the entertainment served up by the tourists, especially Kenny
Carter, Andy Grahame, Alan Grahame and John Davis.
Danny Kennedy rode for Australia in four of the five Tests in that Series. The
Second Test at a track he rode well, Mildura, saw a memorable performance from
Kennedy. A keenly contested Test saw a 54-54 final scoreline.There were three
standout performers on that occasion for Australia, Phil Crump who scored an 18
point maximum, Kennedy who scored a superb 16 points from his 6 rides and Billy
Sanders who finished with 11 points. All bar 9 points of Australia's total were
contributed by these three riders.
Kennedy returned to Poole again in 1982 but had a disappointing season averaging
5.30 in League and Cup competition.
Danny Kennedy rode at the same time as some of Australian Speedway's finest such
as Phil Crump, Billy Sanders, John Boulger and John Titman. I hope that, from
the details provided in this short profile, those who didn't see him perform
will see how fine a rider Danny Kennedy was.
Danny Kennedy lost his life to an inoperable brain tumour.
Danny Kennedy 1958 -1993.
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