What a year 1990 was!! No, not because England qualified for the semi-final of the football World Cup against Germany - It was the season the Reading Racers swept just about everything before them in British and World Speedway.

The season started with Mitch Shirra being banned for a year by the Speedway Control Board, but Jan Andersson was back in Racers colours after coming out of a self-imposed retirement in 1989. Per Jonsson was also back at Smallmead after failing to agree terms the previous year.

Todd Wilshire was signed from National League Wimbledon for a reported £20,000 fee and Jeremy Doncaster remained for his second season with the Berkshire club to give the Racers a powerful looking top end. The other riders to start the Championship winning season for Reading were: Dave Mullett, Tony Olsson and young New Zealander Nathan Murray, who was later replaced by David Steen.

Reading got their season off to a flyer with a confidence-boosting 48-42 win at Coventry, which was followed up with home victories over Coventry and then a May Bank Holiday Monday morning win against Wolverhampton. The Racers then ventured up to the Midlands in the evening to Monmore Green, a track they had taken several heavy defeats on in the past, but this time they returned south with a superb 45-45 draw over the Wolves. A week later they defeated a good Cradley Heath team 57-33 at Smallmead, followed by a 50-40 away victory at Swindon twelve days later.

June saw them lose on the road at Bradford and Belle Vue, which were a minor set back, but back at Smallmead the Racers were a major force where they thumped local rivals Oxford 51-39 towards the end of the month. July got off to a good start with a 57-33 trouncing of Kings Lynn at Smallmead, and then successive away victories at Oxford (48-42) and Cradley Heath (47.5-42.5). Reading suffered a shock home 46-44 defeat to the Heathens two days later, but they were back to their best at Smallmead a couple of weeks later when they crushed Bradford 56-34. The Racers trophy hunt took a bit of a dent when they went to Belle Vue in the second leg of their KO Cup semi-final, as Todd Wiltshire crashed in his second ride and broke his collarbone, which was to keep him out of action for a round a month. However, Reading as ever soldiered on and coped admirably using guests and rider-replacement.

Reading drew 45-45 at Swindon on 4^th August and then beat Coventry at Smallmead 49-41 two days later. The Racers thrashed Kings Lynn 57-30 the following Monday and five days later roared to another win at Coventry (47-43). Reading were surprisingly held to a 45-45 draw at home to Wolverhampton on August 20^th in a meeting where Dave Mullett broke a foot, but Reading's Championship hopes took an even further knock five days later when Tony Olsson broke his leg whilst guesting for Cradley Heath. Mullet would not race for about five weeks, but with Olsson out for the season for the rest of the season, Promoters Pat Bliss & Bill Dore and team manager Tim Sugar were determined to not let this promising season peter out, so they moved quickly to bring Armando Castagna back into the fold. The Italian did a sterling job and played an integral part in what Reading went onto achieve that season.

Reading quickly clocked up a double victory over Oxford home and away at the end of August and then to complete a demolition of their local rivals, they humiliated Swindon at Smallmead with a 59-31 thrashing of the Robins on September 10^th. Belle Vue's faint hopes of winning the title were ended when the Racers crushed them 61-29 at Smallmead on September 24^th and Swindon were the victims of another Racers mauling seven days, with the Robins going down 53-37.

The League Championship was all but over at this stage, but the Racers had other silverware to chase when Bradford arrived at Smallmead on Monday October 8^th in the first leg of the KO Cup final. Reading defeated the Dukes 51-39, with Todd Wilshire leading the way with a 15-point maximum, and Per Jonsson giving excellent support with paid 14. Many wondered if twelve points would be enough to take to Yorkshire for the second leg five days later, as Reading had been beaten at Odsal 53-37 in a League match earlier in the season - but they need not have worried!!Reading took the second leg by the scruff of the neck from heat 1 onwards and came away from Yorkshire with a 47-43 second leg victory, which won them the Cup for the first time in the club's history. It was to be a double night of success, as whilst the Racers riders and management were celebrating in the Odsal bar with the supporters, news broke that results elsewhere around the country meant that Reading couldn't be caught in their quest for the League Championship. The Racers were crowned British League Champions and KO Cup winners in the same night - what a night to be a Reading Racers fan!!!

Reading went onto accumulate 54 points in their championship winning season, with Wolverhampton second on 49, Belle Vue third with 47 and Oxford fourth on 46.

The ‘XXXX' Racers were simply awesome that season. Such was Reading's strength that World Champion Per Jonsson only finished third in Reading's averages with 8.43, behind Jeremy Doncaster (9.05) and Todd Wiltshire 8.50. Jan Andersson rolled back the years with 7.26, followed by Armando Castagna 6.50, Dave Mullett 6.37, Tony Olsson 6.36. Others to ride were: Troy Smith 3.50 (3 meetings), Nathan Murray 2.92 (12) and David Steen 2.09 (19).

It was a great all-round year of success for several members of that Reading Racers team. Here are some of the major individual achievements: Per Jonsson - World Champion. Jeremy Doncaster - winner of the British semi-final, Overseas Final, Czech Golden Helmet, and runner-up with England in the World Team Cup. Todd Wilshire - third in the World Final, second in the World Pairs Final with Australia and SWAPA Rider of the Year. Armando Castagna - Italian Champion.

Whatever Reading go onto achieve in the future, it's unlikely to go anywhere near to the 1990 season:  THE GREATEST YEAR IN THE HISTORY OF READING SPEEDWAY.