The Dukes in the World Championship 1981

After not having much to celebrate in recent seasons, the 1981 World Championship proved an exciting season for the Dukes riders and supporters, culminating with interest in the World Final at Wembley at the start of September...

Dave Trownson: The Dukes loanee was the first to exit the Championship chase - scoring only 1 point, and last place in the British Qualifying round at Rye House.

Trond Skretting: Despite disappointing showings for the Dukes in their League Cup campaign, and his subsequent release by Halifax, Skretting came a creditable 4th place in the Norwegian Final with 11 points - although with only the top 2 progressing to the Scandinavian Final, it was the end of his chase.

Doug Wyer: The new signing from Sheffield was a former World Finalist, finishing 7th in the 1976 Final in Poland, so knew how to negotiate qualifying rounds. But not this time. Troubled by mechanical issues and niggling injuries through 1981, Wyer went out of the reckoning in the British Semi Final at Sheffield, scoring only 3 points on his former track.

Piotr Pyszny: The Pole progressed from a Continental Preliminary round in Czechoslovakia scoring 11 points to finish 6th. In the next Qualifying Round in West Germany, Pyszny scored 9 points to qualify in 5th place. The Semi Final at Landshut was a step too far however, as Pyszny failed to score and was eliminated.

Ian Cartwright: A good World Championship season for the Dukes' skipper saw him qualify firstly from the Sheffield Semi Final with 9 points (6th) and then to progress from the British Final at Coventry with 7 points (8th). The Overseas Final at White City saw the end of the road for Cartwright however, as he could only manage 4 points in a quality field.

John Louis: Like Wyer, Carter and Cartwright, Louis was drawn in the British Semi Final at Sheffield, and came through comfortably scoring 9 points. In the British Final, Louis finished on 13 points, the same as team-mate Carter and Swindon's Steve Bastable, but finished last in the run-off for the title. Louis further progressed through the Overseas Final at White City, scoring 9 points. However in the final round before the final, the Intercontinental Round at a soaked Vojens in Denmark, Louis was one of the 5 non-qualifiers, ending his campaign on 4 points and 14th place.

Kenny Carter: Was 1981 the year that KC announced himself on the World Stage? The Dukes' number 1 had a superb World Championship campaign, underlining himself as a star of World Speedway. He began by qualifying from the British Semi Final at Sheffield on 13 points, and repeated the total at Coventry in the British Final - but lost the run-off for the title to Steve Bastable, claiming second ahead of team-mate John Louis. A comfortable Overseas final at White City saw him progress with 8 points, although Carter was angered after being put through the fence by rival Bruce Penhall in heat 18. In the treacherous conditions at Vojens for the Intercontinental Final, Carter made sure of qualification for the Final with a solid 11 points (4th). In the World Final at Wembley (in what proved to be probably the best World Final ever, and ultimately the last to be held there), Carter was in contention for a rostrum place - and possibly the win itself, after scoring 8 points by the interval. But a machine failure in his 4th ride ended his hopes. He bounced back to beat Bruce Penhall in heat 20, but Penhall's second place gave him the title. Carter ended up with 11 points, finishing in joint 4th, behind Penhall, Ole Olsen and Tommy Knudsen.