Lewis Kerr

Lewis James Kerr (born 25 March 1990) is a British speedway rider from Snettisham in England.[1][2]

Lewis Kerr
Born (1990-03-25) 25 March 1990
King's Lynn, England
NationalityBritish (English)
Career history
2010–2012King's Lynn Young Stars
2012Plymouth Devils
2012, 2017Somerset Rebels
2013–2015Newcastle Diamonds
2013–2015, 2018–2022King's Lynn Stars
2016Ipswich Witches
2016Lakeside Hammers
2016–2017Scunthorpe Scorpions
2017Poole Pirates
2018Glasgow Tigers
2019–2021Eastbourne Eagles
2021–2022Redcar Bears
2022–2023Sheffield Tigers
2023Oxford Cheetahs
Team honours
2023SGB Premiership
2022tier 2 Pairs winner
2022tier 1 League Cup

Speedway career

Kerr took up speedway in late 2009, and made his competitive debut in June the following year for King's Lynn Young Stars' in the National League Knock-Out Cup.[3] Initially named as the team's number 8, towards the end of the season, having averaged almost 6 points per match in National League matches, he was named in the main seven places in the team.[4] He was again named in the team for the 2011 and 2012 seasons. In 2012 he rode in the Premier League as a guest replacement for Plymouth Devils, Somerset Rebels and Leicester Lions, and in November 2012 he was named in a doubling up role in the Lions team for 2013, sharing the number seven position with Lewis Blackbird, while continuing to ride for King's Lynn in the National League.[5][6] He was released before the start of the season after being offered a full-time reserve position with Newcastle Diamonds for the 2013 Premier League speedway season. He rode for both Newcastle and King's Lynn in 2014.[1]

While racing for Newcastle in 2015, Kerr suffered an almost career-ending crash in a meeting at Peterborough. He was hit by Australian Josh Grajczonek in the third heat, which forced him to go through the fence into a metal gate. He was treated for head injuries at the track for over one hour, before being airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital.[7] He was placed into a medically induced coma for three days, before finally waking and breathing on his own.[8] After recovering he raced for Lakeside, Ipswich and Scunthorpe in 2016 and then Scunthorpe, Somerset and Poole in 2017.[1]

In 2017, he made the final of the British Speedway Championship for the first time, finishing 11th. In 2018, he resigned for King's Lynn as well as appearing for Glasgow and reached the final of the British Championship again.[1] During 2019 he signed for Eastbourne for the SGB Championship 2019, while remaining at King's Lynn in the highest league and he finished in 5th place at the 2019 British Speedway Championship.[1] The highlight of a lost 2020 season due to COVID-19 pandemic was a 10th placed finish in the 2020 British Speedway Championship.

In 2021, he rode for the King's Lynn Stars in the SGB Premiership 2021 and the Eastbourne Eagles in the SGB Championship 2021.[9] When the Eagles withdrew from the league due to financial issues[10] Kerr joined the Redcar Bears for the remainder of the 2021 season.[11]

Kerr had a testimonial meeting at King's Lynn Speedway on 20 March 2022, for ten years service to speedway.[12] During 2022, he initially rode for King's Lynn before signing for Sheffield in the SGB Premiership 2022.[13] He also continued to ride for the Redcar Bears in the SGB Championship 2022[14] and won the 2022 SGB Championship Pairs Championship for Redcar, with Charles Wright.[15] He also helped Sheffield win the League Cup and reach the Play off final.[16]

In 2023, Kerr re-signed for the Sheffield Tigers in the SGB Premiership,[17][18] where he won the league title.[19] He also signed for Oxford Cheetahs in the SGB Championship 2023.[20][21]

Personal life

Lewis married Jessica Day on 6 December 2014.

References
  1. "Lewis Kerr". WWOS backup. Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  2. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 28 June 2023.
  3. "King's Lynn rookie Lewis Kerr scores a point on debut", BBC, 17 June 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2012
  4. "Rider Index", speedwaygb.co. Retrieved 2 December 2012
  5. "Speedway: Lasse Bjerre blow for Lions", Leicester Mercury, 12 October 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012
  6. "SPEEDWAY: Stars swoop for Schlein", Lynn News, 29 November 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012
  7. "Lewis Kerr in coma after horrific crash". The Guardian.
  8. "Lewis Kerr reflects on incredible journey". Daily Mirror.
  9. "2021 KING'S LYNN STARS". Kings Lynn Speedway. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
  10. "Eastbourne Speedway withdraw from 2021 season".
  11. "Kerr and Kinsley bring Bears back to full strength".
  12. "Lynn speedway ace wants 'big names' at testimonial meeting". 8 December 2021.
  13. "King's Lynn Stars axe Dersingham speedway rider Lewis Kerr and will make Polish leagues signing at the weekend". Lynn News. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  14. "British Speedway rider profile". British Speedway. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  15. "PAIRS WIN FOR REDCAR". Speedway Star. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  16. "Tigers win League Cup". British Speedway. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
  17. "Kerr remains a Tiger". Sheffield Speedway.
  18. "Kerr staying with Sheffield". British Speedway. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  19. "Tigers champions in Grand Final drama". British Speedway. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  20. "Oxford Cheethas 2023 squad revealed in full". Oxford Speedway.
  21. "Cheetahs name team for 23". British Speedway. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
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