| Sport | Speedway |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1968 |
| Ceased | 1994 |
| Competitors | Varied |
| Country | United Kingdom |
TheBritish League Division Two was created in 1968 and was the second tier ofspeedway racing in theUnited Kingdom until the restructuring of British speedway in 1995. It was renamed theNew National League in 1975 and theNational League between 1976 and 1990.[1][2]
After the formation of theBritish League in 1965, riders wanting to break into teams found it more difficult to do so. The idea of forming a second division was suggested and in 1968 the idea became a reality when ten teams formed the league. The ten teams were:Belle Vue Colts,Berwick Bandits,Canterbury Crusaders,Crayford Highwaymen,Middlesbrough Teessiders,Nelson Admirals,Plymouth Devils,Rayleigh Rockets,Reading Racers and theWeymouth Eagles.[3]
The league was renamed the New National League (to avoid confusion with the originalNational League) in 1975 after promoters of the Division Two tracks decided to form their own league after they became dissatisfied with the way the league was being run by theBritish Speedway Promoters' Association and the name was shortened to the National League in 1976. It was again named the British League Division Two in 1991 and a system of promotion and relegation was introduced between the British League and the British League Division Two. The league existed until 1994 when the top two league divisions of speedway in the UK were amalgamated for the 1995 and 1996 seasons. In 1997 thePremier League became the second tier when theElite League was formed.[4]
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