Nationality Australia Career status Retired | 1974 Championship of Sussex Name Phil Herne | |
Born 27 March 1955 (age 69)
Ballina, New South Wales ( 1955-03-27 ) 1973–1974, 1978–1980
1973–1974
1974, 1983
1974
1974
1975–1976
1977
1981–1983 Birmingham Brummies
Wolverhampton Wolves
Swindon Robins
Poole Pirates
Ipswich Witches
Newport
Bristol Bulldogs
Leicester Lions 1974
1974
1975
1976 British League Division Two Champion
British League Division Two KO Cup Winner
Spring Gold Cup
World Team Cup | ||
Philip Edwin "Phil" Herne (born 27 March 1955) is an Australian former motorcycle speedway rider who won the World Team Cup in 1976.
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Biography
Born in Ballina, New South Wales, Phil Herne began his speedway career at the Kembla Grange Speedway in Wollongong, south of Sydney, before establishing himself in the British League Division Two with Birmingham Brummies in 1973. The 1974 season was his most successful for the Brummies, with fourteen full maximum scores, and an average of over ten points. In 1975 after finishing third in the Australian Championship at the Sydney Showground Speedway, he moved up to the British League with Newport, moving to Bristol Bulldogs in 1977, before returning to Birmingham for 1978, 1979 and 1980 seasons. He joined Leicester Lions in 1981, spending three seasons with the Lions before moving on to Swindon Robins during the 1983 season, which was his final season before retiring.
Herne made over thirty appearances for Australia and was part of the Australian team that won the World Team Cup in 1976.
Phil Herne was the track reserve for the 1982 Speedway World Pairs Championship final staged at his home track, the Liverpool Speedway in Sydney. He failed to finish his only ride of the night, partnering New Zealand's Mitch Shirra as a substitute for Larry Ross.
Herne is married to Ipswich-born wife Debra and has a daughter, Ella, and sons Lee and Jay, both also professional speedway riders. After speedway, Herne worked as a truck driver for ten years before working as a postman.