1998 Premier League speedway season

The 1998 Premier League speedway season was the second division of speedway in the United Kingdom and governed by the Speedway Control Board (SCB), in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association (BSPA).

Season summary
The League consisted of 13 teams for the 1998 season with the following the closure of the Long Eaton Invaders and the decision of the Oxford Cheetahs to compete in the Elite League. The addition of the Peterborough Panthers who dropped down from the Elite League limited the reduction in numbers.

The League was run on a standard format with no play-offs and was won by Peterborough.

Premier League Knockout Cup
The 1998 Premier League Knockout Cup was the 31st edition of the Knockout Cup for tier two teams. Reading Racers were the winners of the competition.

Final
First leg

Second leg

Reading were declared Knockout Cup Champions, winning on aggregate 103–77.

Riders' Championship
Glenn Cunningham won the Riders' Championship. The final was held on 13 September at Owlerton Stadium.


 * f=fell, r-retired, ex=excluded, ef=engine failure t=touched tapes

Pairs
The Premier League Pairs Championship was held at Hayley Stadium on 26 July. The event was won by Peterborough Panthers.

Semi finals
 * Peterborough bt Reading 5-4
 * Exeter bt Newcastle 6-3

Final
 * Peterborough bt Exeter 5-4

Fours
Peterborough Panthers won the Premier League Four-Team Championship, which was held on 30 August 1998, at the East of England Arena.

Riders & final averages
Arena Essex 


 * Leigh Lanham 9.03
 * Jan Pedersen 8.71
 * Colin White 7.90
 * Troy Pratt 6.96
 * David Mason 4.69
 * Matt Read 4.00
 * Paul Lydes-Uings 2.60
 * Nathan Morton 2.52
 * Anthony Barlow 2.27
 * Oliver Allen 2.26
 * Gavin Hedge 2.07

Berwick


 * Rene Madsen 8.45
 * Scott Lamb 8.22
 * James Grieves 8.00
 * David Walsh 7.47
 * Peter Scully 6.77
 * Jörg Pingel 6.46
 * Scott Robson 6.45
 * Martin Dixon 6.31
 * David Meldrum 5.25
 * Craig Taylor 4.68
 * David McAllan 2.99
 * Wesley Waite 2.74

Edinburgh


 * Peter Carr 9.26
 * Kenny McKinna 8.66
 * Kevin Little 7.95
 * Marcus Andersson 5.63
 * Robert Larsen 5.49
 * Barry Campbell 5.33
 * Paul Gould 4.76
 * Blair Scott 4.37

Exeter


 * Frank Smart 9.03
 * Michael Coles 8.38
 * Peter Jeffery 7.90
 * Mark Simmonds 7.71
 * Graeme Gordon 6.54
 * Roger Lobb 4.83
 * Gary Lobb 4.31
 * Paul Oughton 4.26
 * Chris Courage 2.43

Glasgow


 * Mick Powell 9.32
 * Kaj Laukkanen 8.93
 * David Steen 7.53
 * Grant MacDonald 6.67
 * Daniel Andersson 6.17
 * Sean Courtney 5.68
 * Will Beveridge 5.56
 * Brian Turner 4.81

Hull


 * Paul Thorp 9.56
 * Paul Bentley 8.93
 * Alan Grahame 6.67
 * Lee Dicken 6.54
 * Paul Lee 5.28
 * John Wilson 4.69
 * Simon Cartwright 2.92

Isle of Wight


 * Ray Morton 8.40
 * Philippe Berge 8.29
 * Steve Masters 8.21
 * Jason Bunyan 7.21
 * Neville Tatum 7.15
 * Scott Swain 7.14
 * Wayne Carter 6.59
 * Danny Bird 3.60
 * Anthony Barlow 3.59

Newcastle


 * Nicki Pedersen 9.97
 * Brent Werner 8.26
 * Jesper Olsen 8.17
 * Stuart Swales 6.96
 * James Birkinshaw 3.77
 * Jonathan Swales 3.13
 * David McAllan 2.84
 * Malcolm Hogg 0.95

Newport


 * Craig Watson 8.36
 * Paul Fry 8.00
 * Anders Henriksson 7.52
 * Scott Pegler 5.82
 * Martin Willis 4.93
 * David Mason 4.60
 * Jon Armstrong 3.40
 * Chris Neath 3.29

Peterborough


 * Glenn Cunningham 9.55
 * Jan Andersen 9.29
 * Nigel Sadler 8.20
 * Philippe Bergé 7.83
 * David Howe 7.79
 * Brett Woodifield 7.01
 * Simon Stead 5.46
 * Paul Clews 4.84
 * Oliver Allen 4.04
 * Ross Brady 1.90

Reading


 * Lee Richardson 9.60
 * Dave Mullett 9.48
 * Petri Kokko 9.36
 * Phil Morris 5.15
 * Krister Marsh 4.67
 * Justin Elkins 4.61
 * Paul Clews 4.04
 * Lee Driver 2.70

Sheffield


 * Carl Stonehewer 9.93
 * Scott Smith 7.23
 * Rene Aas 6.65
 * Andre Compton 6.44
 * Steve Knott 5.58
 * Tommy Palmer 5.13
 * Derrol Keats 5.10

Stoke


 * Paul Pickering 9.00
 * Neil Collins 7.37
 * Mark Burrows 5.78
 * Craig Taylor 5.03
 * Stewart McDonald 4.63
 * Dean Felton 4.39
 * Rob Clarence 2.07