{{Short description|British motorcycle speedway rider}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}} {{Use British English|date=July 2016}} {{Infobox Speedway rider | image = | name= Neil Evitts | nationality = British (English) | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1964|9|25}} | birth_place = Birmingham, England
| years1 = 1980 | career1 = Stoke Potters | years2 = 1980, 1981-1983 | career2 = Birmingham Brummies | years3 = 1981, 1993 | career3 = Wolverhampton Wolves | years4 = 1984-1985 | career4 = Halifax Dukes | years5 = 1986-1990 | career5 = Bradford Dukes | years6 = 1991-1992 | career6 = Sheffield Tigers
| indivyear1 = 1986 | indivhonour1 = British Champion | teamyear1 = 1991, 1992, 1993 | teamhonour1 = British League KO Cup Winner }}
'''Neil Clive Evitts''' (born 25 September 1964 in Birmingham, England) is a former English international motorcycle speedway rider.<ref name=URI>{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=22 June 2023}}</ref> He was the 1986 British champion and earned 27 international caps for the England national speedway team.<ref name=URI/>
== Career == Evitts began his British leagues career riding for Stoke Potters during the 1980 National League season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/1980record.pdf |title=1980 season results |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref> In 1981, he doubled up riding for Birmingham Brummies in the British League and Wolverhampton Wolves in the National League.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/486/jon-erskine |title=Jon Erskine |website=WWOS backup |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref> By the end of 1983 he had improved his average to 6.88 and moved on to join the Halifax Dukes.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000901/19850221/017/0017 |title=Team taking shape as new season looms |website=Huddersfield Daily Examiner |date=21 February 1985 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 August 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/specialfeaturesrideraverages.pdf |title=Rider averages 1929 to 2009 |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>
In 1986, Halifax became Bradford and Evitts recorded a 9.32 season average in 1986. It was also during 1986 that he experienced individual success becoming the champion of Britain after winning the British Speedway Championship. His win surprised many defeating the likes of Jeremy Doncaster, Chris Morton and Simon Wigg but he proved that it was no fluke by qualifying for the 1986 Individual Speedway World Championship final, where he finished in eighth place.<ref>Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). ''A History of the World Speedway Championship''. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. {{ISBN|0-7524-2402-5}}</ref>
In 1987, he finished runner-up in the British Championship and became the captain of the England speedway team. On the domestic front he continued to ride for Bradford until 1991, when he joined the Sheffield Tigers for the 1991 British League Division Two season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.speedwayresearcher.org.uk/yearbyyear.html |title=Year by Year |website=Speedway Researcher |access-date=17 November 2023}}</ref>
He finished his career in 1995 after riding a few times for Belle Vue Aces. He had been troubled by a persistent a knee injury.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19950610/067/0067 |title=Schofield clinches his dream move |website=Manchester Evening News |date=10 June 1995 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=20 September 2024}}</ref>
== World final appearances == === Individual World Championship === * 1986 – {{Flagicon|POL}} Chorzów, Silesian Stadium – 8th – 8pts
=== World Team Cup === * 1986 – {{Flagicon|SWE}} Gothenburg, Ullevi and {{Flagicon|DEN}} Vojens, Speedway Center (with Simon Wigg / Kelvin Tatum / Jeremy Doncaster / Chris Morton) – '''3rd''' – 81pts (8)
== References == {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Evitts, Neil}} Category:1964 births Category:Living people Category:British speedway riders Category:English motorcycle racers Category:British Speedway Championship winners Category:Birmingham Brummies riders Category:Bradford Dukes riders Category:Halifax Dukes riders Category:Sheffield Tigers riders Category:Stoke Potters riders Category:Wolverhampton Wolves riders Category:20th-century English sportsmen