Shawn Moran

Shawn Moran (born November 19, 1961 in Lakewood, California)[1] is an American former professional motorcycle speedway rider who was one of the most popular and talented riders ever to race for Sheffield Tigers who also represented the United States in international speedway competitions.

Shawn Moran
Bruce Flanders interviews a young Shawn Moran in the 1980s
Born (1961-11-19) November 19, 1961
Lakewood, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Current club information
British leagueRetired
Swedish leagueRospiggarna Hallstavik
Career history
1980Hull Vikings
1980-1988, 1994Sheffield Tigers
1989-1993Belle Vue Aces
1990-1991Rospiggarna (SWE)
Individual honours
1982USA National Champion
1983Long Track World Champion
1981European Under-21 Champion
1984, 1985, 1990Intercontinental Champion
1985Overseas Champion
1989British League Riders Champion
1989Peter Craven Memorial
Team honours
1982, 1990World Team Cup

Career

Moran first rode in British speedway for Hull Vikings in 1979 under the alias 'David East', before riding under his real identity in 1980.[2] He joined Sheffield from Hull in 1980 for £8,000 and established himself as a fans' favourite who topped the clubs averages every year he was with them.

After finishing 15th at the 1980 European Under-21 Championship, Moran won the 1981 Championship in Slaný, Czechoslovakia with a 15-point maximum. This championship was renamed as the World Under-21 Championship in 1988. Shawn and fellow Californian Ron Preston who won the title in 1979, are the only American riders to have won the Under-21 title (as of 2014).

In 1982, along with reigning World Champion Bruce Penhall, Bobby Schwartz, Scott Autrey, and his older brother Kelly Moran, Shawn won the Speedway World Team Cup at the White City Stadium in London, England. He would later repeat this success with Team USA in 1990 at the Svítkov Stadion in Pardubice, Czechoslovakia alongside Sam Ermolenko, Rick Miller, Billy Hamill and Kelly Moran.

Moran also helped the US team to second place in both 1985 and 1988 at the Veterans Memorial Stadium in Long Beach (the only times that the World Team Cup Finals were held outside of Great Britain or Europe), while finishing third in 1984 (Leszno, Poland) and 1987 (three rounds held at Fredericia in Denmark, Coventry, England and Prague, Czechoslovakia).

In 1986 Moran was joined by his brother Kelly at Sheffield. Shawn amassed a total of 3,257 points for the Tigers at an average of 9.36. Although regarded as a world-class rider, the individual World Championship eluded him. Moran was first nicknamed 'Shooey' by Bobby "Boogaloo" Schwartz and it stuck throughout his career.[2]

He rode in three World Championships in 1984 (Göteborg) where he finished 8th, 1985 (Bradford) where he finished 5th and 1990 (Bradford). Arguably 1985 was his best season as he won both the Overseas and Intercontinental Finals on his way to the World Final at Bradford. He finished the 1985 World Final at the Odsal Stadium in fifth place with 10-points and two wins from his 5 rides. In the 1990 World Final at Odsal he lost a run-off to Sweden's Per Jonsson after both finished on 13 points, 1 point clear of Australia's Todd Wiltshire.

Moran, though, remains America's only World Longtrack Champion. He won the crown in 1983 while still recovering from a broken leg. He is also a three time winner of the Intercontinental Final, winning in 1984 in Vojens. Denmark, 1985 in Vetlanda, Sweden, and 1990 at Fjelsted in Denmark.

In 1989 Moran won the Peter Craven Memorial Trophy at the Belle Vue Stadium in Manchester.

During his career, Shawn Moran was a regular visitor to Australia. He proved to be a popular rider 'Down Under' and enjoyed success on the often larger Australian tracks. In the 1989/90 Australian season Moran was a resident international rider at the tight North Arm Speedway in Adelaide, and rode for a "Rest of the World" team in a series of test matches against the Australians throughout the season.

In 1984 Moran released a cover version of the 1975 Chris Spedding single, "Motor Bikin'".[3]

World Final Appearances

Individual World Championship

* 1990 - Disqualified - Failed random drug and alcohol test at 1990 Overseas Final

World Pairs Championship

World Team Cup

Individual Under-21 World Championship

Between 1977 and 1987 the Under-21 Championship was known as the European Junior Championship.

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References
  1. Oakes, P.(2004). British Speedway Who's Who. ISBN 0-948882-81-6
  2. Lanning, Russell (1985) "Rider Profile: Shawn Moran", Speedway Star, April 20, 1985, p. 26-7
  3. Speedway Star, October 20, 1984, p. 8

Further reading
  • Burford, B (2002) The Moran Brothers ISBN 0-7524-2424-6
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