Carl Stonehewer

{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2015}} {{Use British English|date=January 2015}} {{Infobox speedway rider | image = | name= Carl Stonehewer | nationality = British (English) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|5|16|df=y}} | birth_place = [[Manchester]], England

| indivyear1 = 2000, 2001 | indivhonour1 = [[Premier League Riders' Championship|Premier League Riders Champion]] | teamyear1 = 1993 | teamhonour1 = [[Elite League (speedway)|Elite League Champion]] | teamyear2 = 1997, 2001, 2004, 2008 | teamhonour2 = [[Premier League Four-Team Championship|Premier League Four-Team Champion]] | teamyear3 = 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003 | teamhonour3 = [[Premier League Pairs Championship|Premier League Pairs Champion]] | teamyear4 = 2008 | teamhonour4 = Young Shield winner }}

'''Carl Bryan Stonehewer''' (born 16 May 1972) is a former [[motorcycle speedway]] rider from England.<ref>{{cite book|last=Montague|first=Trevor|title=The A-Z of Sport|year=2004|page=530|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=0-316-72645-1}}</ref><ref name=PSD>{{cite web |url=https://speedway.com.pl/riders/carl-stonehewer/ |title=Carl Bryan Stonehewer Wielka Brytania |website=Polish Speedway Database |access-date=4 April 2023}}</ref> He earned seven international caps for the [[England national speedway team]] and five caps for the Great Britain team.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref>

==Career== Stonehewer's principal club in Britain were [[Belle Vue Aces]] and [[Workington Comets]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Rider_Index_2008.pdf |title=2008 Rider index |website=British Speedway |access-date=4 April 2023}}</ref>

In 1997, he won the [[Premier League Pairs Championship]] partnering [[Martin Dixon (speedway rider)|Martin Dixon]] for the [[Long Eaton Invaders]], during the [[1997 Premier League speedway season]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Invaders stars win Best Pairs |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=29 September 1997 |access-date=22 August 2024|url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003894/19970929/044/0044 | via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The success was the first of five Pairs championships.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/longeaton1997.pdf |title=1997 season results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=27 May 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3ml4PzuXXo |title=Speedway Premier League Pairs 26/09/1997 |website=YouTube |access-date=27 May 2023}}</ref> He was also part of the Long Eaton four that won the [[Premier League Four-Team Championship]], which was held on 3 August 1997, at the [[East of England Arena]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/longeaton1997.pdf |title=1997 Long Eaton results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=6 July 2023}}</ref>

In 1999, he won the [[Premier League Pairs Championship]] again, partnering [[Brent Werner]], during his first season with Workington.<ref>{{cite news |title=Speedway |work=Reading Evening Post |date=26 July 1999 |access-date=27 May 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002472/19990726/337/0034 | via = [[British Newspaper Archive]]|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He successfully defended the title the following season but this time partnering [[Mick Powell]] during the [[2000 Premier League speedway season]].

Also in 2000, he won the [[Polish Speedway Second League]] with [[ZKŻ Zielona Góra|Zielona Góra]]<ref name=PSD/> and won the [[Premier League Riders Championship]], held on 10 September at [[Owlerton Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/wbindmligii.php |title=HISTORYCZNE ZESTAWIENIE WYNIKÓW 1960-2010 |website=Speedway History |access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref>

In 2001, Stonehewer recorded his a fourth Premier League Pairs success; once again as a Workington rider he partnered [[Peter Ingvar Karlsson]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cumbriacrack.com/2022/07/25/five-minutes-with-speedway-icon-carl-stonehewer/ |title=Five minutes with….speedway icon Carl Stonehewer |website=Cumbria Crack |access-date=22 August 2024}}</ref> The success continued as he won the Premier League Riders Championship for the second successive season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.crash.net/speedway/race-report/96922/1/plrc-stoney-does-the-double |title=PLRC: Stoney does the double! |website=Crash.net |access-date=25 June 2023}}</ref>

His last of a record five Pairs titles came in 2003 with [[Simon Stead]]. All five of his titles had been achieved with different partners. In 2004, he was part of the Workington four that won the [[Premier League Four-Team Championship]], which was held on 21 August 2004, at the Derwent Park.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.whitehavennews.co.uk/news/17183100.comets-set-to-host-biggest-ever-meeting/ |title=Comets set to host biggest ever meeting |website=Whitehaven News |access-date=7 July 2023}}</ref>

Stonehewer announced his retirement in early 2006<ref name="ns1">{{cite web | last = | first = | author-link = | title = Stoney quits | work = | publisher = [[News and Star]] | date = 1 December 2006 | url = http://www.timesandstar.co.uk/unknown/viewarticle.aspx?id=437239 | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-12-08 }} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> after suffering horrific friction burns in a freak racing accident in 2005.<ref name="BBC1">{{cite web | last = | first = | author-link = | title = Stonehewer out for rest of the season | work = | publisher = [[BBC]] | date = 25 July 2005 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/speedway/4714295.stm | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-12-08 }}</ref> In April 2007, it was announced he was returning to the [[Workington Comets]] team.<ref name="ns2">{{cite web | last = | first = | author-link = | title = Stoney's back | work = | publisher = [[News and Star]] | date = 18 April 2004 | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/motorbikes/3710880.stm | format = | doi = | accessdate = 2007-12-08 }}</ref>

He was part of the Workington four who won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, held on 26 July 2008, at [[Derwent Park]]. It was Stonehewer's fourth fours title. <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/2008fixtures.pdf |title=2008 season fixtures and results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=8 July 2023}}</ref>

==Major results== ===Speedway Grand Prix=== * The first UK [[Premier League (speedway)|Premier League]] rider to qualify for the [[Speedway Grand Prix]]. **Grand Prix Series Rider [[2000 Speedway Grand Prix|2000]], [[2001 Speedway Grand Prix|2001]], [[2002 Speedway Grand Prix|2002]] **Grand Prix Challenge 1999 (3rd), 2000 (2nd)

'''Speedway Grand Prix results''' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |- ! Year ! Position ! Points ! Best Finish ! Notes |- | [[2000 Speedway Grand Prix|2000]] | 18th | 30 | 8th | |- | [[2001 Speedway Grand Prix|2001]] | 12th |46 | 7th | |- | [[2002 Speedway Grand Prix|2002]] | 19th | 30 | 5th | Did not ride in three GP meetings due to injury. |}

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stonehewer, Carl}} [[Category:1972 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:British speedway riders]] [[Category:English motorcycle racers]] [[Category:Sportspeople from Manchester]] [[Category:Belle Vue Aces riders]] [[Category:Workington Comets riders]] [[Category:Sheffield Tigers riders]] [[Category:Long Eaton Invaders riders]] [[Category:Smederna riders]]