{{Short description|Australian speedway rider}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}} {{Use Australian English|date=October 2014}} {{Infobox Speedway rider | image = | name = Glenn Doyle | nationality = Australian | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1965|3|4}} | birth_place = [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]]

| years1 = 1986-1988 | career1 = [[Long Eaton Speedway|Long Eaton]] | years2 = 1987 | career2 = [[Belle Vue Aces]] | years3 = 1987 | career3 = [[Hackney Kestrels]] | years4 = 1987-1988 | career4 = [[Sheffield Tigers]] | years5 = 1988 | career5 = [[Oxford Cheetahs]] | years6 = 1988 | career6 = [[Swindon Robins]] | years7 = 1988 | career7 = [[Ipswich Witches]] | years8 = 1988 | career8 = [[Reading Racers]] | years9 = 1989-1991 | career9 = [[Bradford Dukes]] | years10 = 1992 | career10 = [[Eastbourne Eagles]] | years11 = 1993 | career11 = [[King's Lynn Stars]] | indivyear1 = 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993 | indivhonour1 = [[Western Australian Individual Speedway Championship|Western Australian Champion]] | indivyear2 = 1995 | indivhonour2 = | indivyear3 = 1989, 1990 | indivhonour3 = [[Australian Individual Speedway Championship|Australian Champion]] }}

'''Glenn Doyle''' (born 3 March 1965 in [[Sydney]], [[New South Wales]]) is a retired Australian [[Motorcycle speedway]] rider. Doyle is a twice [[Australian Individual Speedway Championship|Australian Champion]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmaustralii.php|title=Individual Australian Championship|website=Historia Sportu Zuzlowego|access-date=21 January 2023|archive-date=20 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230120174815/http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmaustralii.php|url-status=live}}</ref> and won the [[Western Australian Individual Speedway Championship|Western Australian Championship]] in his adopted state on six occasions. He earned 20 caps for the [[Australia national speedway 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=29 August 2024}}</ref>

== Career == Doyle began his speedway career in the mid-1980s in [[Perth]], Western Australia, and quickly rose to prominence as WA's best solo rider, becoming a regular winner at the [[Claremont Speedway]]

In 1986, Doyle started racing in England during the Australian winter months, starting his career with [[Long Eaton Speedway|Long Eaton]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000521/19860522/756/0074 |title=Australian invader |website=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=22 May 1986 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 August 2024}}</ref> Between 1986 and 1988 he rode for Long Eaton, [[Belle Vue Aces]], [[Hackney Kestrels]], [[Sheffield Tigers]], [[Oxford Cheetahs]], [[Swindon Robins]], [[Ipswich Witches]] and [[Reading Racers]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/768/glenn-doyle |title=Glenn Doyle |website=WWOS backup |access-date=29 August 2024}}</ref> Doyle joined the Bradford Dukes in 1989 and was teammate to such riders as 1992 World Champion [[Gary Havelock]], and multiple [[Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship|Long track World Champion]] [[Simon Wigg]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000901/19890310/018/0018 |title=Patron's club |website=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |date=10 March 1989 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 August 2024}}</ref>

He first won the [[Western Australian Individual Speedway Championship]] in 1989 and went on to win that years Australian Championship at the [[Newcastle Motordrome]] in [[Newcastle, New South Wales|Newcastle]]. Going into the final heat of the night (heat 20), Doyle needed a win to take the title. He was in second place behind [[Mick Poole (speedway rider)|Mick Poole]] going into the last lap, but pulled off a pass on the final turn to win his maiden Australian championship.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003894/19890119/056/0056 |title=Doyle is tops |website=Nottingham Evening Post |date=19 January 1989 |via=British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription |access-date=23 August 2024}}</ref>

Doyle retained the WA championship in 1990 to qualify for the Australian final. Despite being the defending champion, Doyle was again not considered amongst the favourites for the 1990 Australian Championship held at the [[Brisbane Exhibition Ground]]. Once again he defied his critics by finishing the heats in equal first place, forcing a run-off with Victorian rider and future 10 time national champion [[Leigh Adams]]. Doyle defeated Adams in the run-off to claim his second straight Australian championship.

After winning the WA title for the third year in succession, Doyle would finish runner up to Sydney's [[Craig Boyce]] in the [[1991 Australian Individual Speedway Championship|1991 Australian Championship]] in [[Alice Springs]]. Both went into their final heat at the [[Arunga Park Speedway]] unbeaten in their first four rides. With Boyce winning the start, Doyle was unable to get past and had to settle for second in both the race and the championship. He won his 4th WA championship in succession in 1992, before finishing 5th in the [[1992 Australian Individual Speedway Championship|1992 Australian Championship]] at the [[North Arm Speedway]] in Adelaide. Doyle represented Australia 20 times throughout his career, both in Australia and overseas. He also captained Western Australia in two challenges against a visiting team from Russia in 1991.

In 1992, he joined [[Eastbourne Eagles]] before moving to [[King's Lynn Stars]] for the 1993 season despite work permit issues.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004857/19930325/063/0063 |title=Back on Track |website=Billericay Gazette |date=25 March 1993 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 August 2024}}</ref> Doyle created history by winning his fifth straight WA state title in 1993, but his run was stopped when he finished second to [[Steve Johnston]] in 1994, though he would regain his crown in 1995. Doyle holds the record for WA title wins with six.

After retiring from riding in the mid-1990s, Glenn Doyle came out of retirement on 31 March 2000 along with other former Perth riders such as [[Glyn Taylor]], to ride a series of match races at the final meeting of the Claremont Speedway which was closing after 73 years. Doyle won most of his races on the night showing he had lost none of his style or speed in retirement.

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Doyle, Glenn}} [[Category:1965 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Motorcycle racers from Sydney]] [[Category:Australian speedway riders]] [[Category:Sheffield Tigers riders]] [[Category:Bradford Dukes riders]] [[Category:Oxford Cheetahs riders]] [[Category:Hackney Kestrels riders]] [[Category:Australian expatriate speedway riders in England]] [[Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen]]