Quick Facts
Biography
Benjamin (Ben) John Barker (born 10 March 1988 in Truro, Cornwall) is a British speedway rider.
Career summary
Barker signed for Stoke Potters in December 2006 after impressing for the Stoke club's Conference League side, Stoke Spitfires. In October 2006, Barker finished in third place in the British Under-18 Championship behind winner Lewis Bridger and second placed Tai Woffinden. In April 2007, a month after his 19th birthday, he reached the final of the British Under-21 Championship, finishing fourth.
Barker has represented Great Britain at Under-21 level. He rode for Great Britain in the 2006 Team Speedway Junior World Championship. He also competed in the 2007 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship finishing seventh in Qualifying Round B at Goričan in Croatia on 12 May 2007, before going out of the competition on 17 June in Semi Final B at Daugavpils in Latvia where he finished 14th.
Barker returned to the Coventry Bees in the 2008 Elite League, after riding for the Coventry Cougars in the Conference Trophy during the 2004 season. In July 2008, he agreed a permanent move to Coventry Bees as a full asset, and returned to Coventry for the 2009 season. Ben splits his time with Birmingham with riding for the Ipswich Witches in the Premier League. In 2014 Barker rode for Plymouth Devils then in 2015 he signed for Berwick Bandits but a back injury at the British Final at Wolverhampton looked set to end his season but he returned to ride for Peterborough Panthers at the end of the 2015 season. In 2016 Ben signed for Glasgow Tigers in the Premier League.
He currently rides for Redcar Bears in the newly formed British SGB Championship for 2017.
Career details
World Championships
- Individual U-21 World Championship
- 2007 - 14th place in Semi-final 2
- 2008 - 10th place in Qualifying Round 5
- 2009 - injury in Qualifying Round 1 and was replaced in Semi-Final 1
- Team U-21 World Championship (Under-21 Speedway World Cup)
- 2006 - 3rd place in Qualifying Round 1
- 2007 - started in Qualifying Round 2 only
- 2008 - 3rd place in Qualifying Round 1