Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 8, 2026

Bruce Cribb

Bruce Brian Hoani Cribb is a former speedway rider from New Zealand, who rode in the United Kingdom for several teams in a career spanning over twenty years. He earned 22 international caps for the New Zealand national speedway team and 3 caps for Great Britain national speedway team.

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Jul 8, 2026
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Bruce Cribb
Born (1946-06-27) 27 June 1946
Palmerston North, New Zealand
NationalityNew Zealander
Career history
1965-1969Poole Pirates
1970-1972, 1986-1988Exeter Falcons
1973-1978Cradley United/Heathens
1978Bristol Bulldogs
1979-1981Wolverhampton Wolves
1980Oxford Cheetahs
1981-1983Birmingham Brummies
1982-1985Berwick Bandits
1984Reading Racers
Individual honours
1972New Zealand Champion
Team honours
1979World Team Cup
1969British League Champion

Bruce Brian Hoani Cribb (born 27 June 1946)1 is a former speedway rider2 from New Zealand, who rode in the United Kingdom for several teams in a career spanning over twenty years.3 He earned 22 international caps for the New Zealand national speedway team and 3 caps for Great Britain national speedway team.4

Career

Cribb was born in Palmerston North, where he began riding, before joining the Poole Pirates in the British leagues during 1965.5 In 1969 and 1970, he represented New Zealand in tests with England, and in 1971, he rode for Great Britain in matches with Poland. He won the New Zealand Championship in 1972.

After leaving Poole he rode for Exeter Falcons for three seasons. In 1973 he joined Cradley from Exeter but that same season suffered a triple fracture of the leg, which kept him out for a significant part of the season.6 He would however remain with Cradley for six years and become the club captain.7

During the 1976 he guested for Wolverhampton Wolves in the Midland Cup final.8 After a season with Bristol Bulldogs in 1978 he would later join Wolves from the 1979 season.

Cribb was a member of the New Zealand team that won the World Team Cup in 1979.9

During the latter part of his career he rode for Birmingham Brummies and Berwick Bandits before finishing his career at Exeter.10

Ice speedway

From the 1970s to 1988, he competed in ice speedway events11 and rode in two World ice speedway finals in 1978 and 1988.12

Personal life

Since retiring he had a speedway business which closed as he finally finished ice speedway, then worked in engineering (machine shop). Other work includes working as service manager in motorcycle shops, porting cylinder heads for car engine builders for road and race, then a motorcycle service repair, until retiring in 2010.

Bruce has three grown children in Sydney, Australia: two daughters, Justine and Danielle, a son, Krista, and three grandchildren, Chester, Scarlet and Keira. His long-term partner, Irene, died in 2015.

Bruce has written about racing in his book "Cribby Story Book" containing many anecdotes.

Speedway World Final appearances

World Team Cup

Ice World Championship

References

References

  1. Oakes, P & Rising, P (1986). 1986 Speedway Yearbook. ISBN 0-948882-00-X
  2. Lawson, K (2018) “Riders, Teams and Stadiums”. ISBN 978-0-244-72538-9
  3. "Bruce Cribb". Cradley Speedway. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  4. "ULTIMATE RIDER INDEX, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  5. "Boocock through". Sunday Mirror. 8 August 1965. Retrieved 27 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. "Bruce Cribb". Sports Argus. 23 June 1973. p. 9. Retrieved 4 April 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. "Heathens win their stripes against Tigers". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 11 July 1977. p. 24. Retrieved 4 April 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. "Bruce Cribb gets cup call". Wolverhampton Express and Star. 16 October 1976. p. 40. Retrieved 4 April 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. "Mauger's dream come true". Manchester Evening News. 17 September 1979. Retrieved 23 August 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. "Collier back for Diamonds". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 1 July 1987. p. 16. Retrieved 4 April 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. "Bruce Cribb stars in ice speedway contest". Berwick Advertiser. 21 February 1985. p. 23. Retrieved 4 April 2026 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. "Ice Speedway". Speedway.org. Retrieved 21 June 2023.