| Dave Jessup | |
| Nationality: | British (English) |
| Birth Date: | 1953 3, df=yes |
| Birth Place: | Ipswich, England |
| Years1: | 1969 |
| Career1: | Eastbourne Eagles |
| Years2: | 1970 |
| Career2: | West Ham Hammers |
| Years3: | 1970-1971 |
| Career3: | Wembley Lions |
| Years4: | 1972-1975 |
| Career4: | Leicester Lions |
| Years5: | 1976-1978 |
| Career5: | Reading Racers |
| Years6: | 1979-1981, 1984-1985 |
| Career6: | King's Lynn Stars |
| Years7: | 1982-1983 |
| Career7: | Wimbledon Dons |
| Years8: | 1986-1987 |
| Career8: | Mildenhall Fen Tigers |
| Indivhonour1: | British Champion |
| Indivyear1: | 1980 |
| Indivhonour2: | Commonwealth Champion |
| Indivyear2: | 1980 |
| Indivhonour3: | Overseas Champion |
| Indivyear3: | 1981, 1982 |
| Indivhonour4: | British League Div 2 Riders Champion |
| Indivyear4: | 1970 |
| Indivhonour5: | Midland Riders' Championship |
| Indivyear5: | 1974 |
| Indivhonour6: | The Laurels |
| Indivyear6: | 1974 |
| Indivhonour7: | Littlechild Trophy |
| Indivyear7: | 1974, 1980 |
| Indivhonour8: | London Riders' Championship |
| Indivyear8: | 1975, 1983 |
| Indivhonour9: | Yorkshire Television Trophy |
| Indivyear9: | 1976 |
| Indivhonour10: | Spring Classic |
| Indivyear10: | 1976, 1981 |
| Indivhonour11: | Superama |
| Indivyear11: | 1976, 1980 |
| Indivhonour12: | Pride of the East |
| Indivyear12: | 1979, 1980 |
| Indivhonour13: | Brandonapolis |
| Indivyear13: | 1979 |
| Indivhonour14: | Blue Riband |
| Indivyear14: | 1980 |
| Indivhonour15: | Internationale |
| Indivyear15: | 1980 |
| Indivhonour16: | South African Champion |
| Indivyear16: | 1983, 1984 |
| Teamhonour1: | Speedway World Pairs Championship |
| Teamyear1: | 1980 |
| Teamhonour2: | World Team Cup |
| Teamyear2: | 1974, 1977, 1980 |
| Teamhonour3: | Midland Cup |
| Teamyear3: | 1972, 1974 |
| Teamhonour4: | Spring Gold Cup |
| Teamyear4: | 1977 |
| Teamhonour5: | Gauntlet Gold Cup |
| Teamyear5: | 1980 |
| Teamyear6: | 1987 |
| Teamhonour6: | Pairs Championship winner |
| Teamyear7: | 1987 |
| Teamhonour7: | Fours Championship winner |
David John Jessup (born 7 March 1953) is an English former motorcycle speedway rider. He was a world championship runner-up, world pairs champion, world cup winner and British champion.[1] [2] He earned 97 international caps for the England national speedway team.[3]
Jessup commenced his speedway career in 1969, when he rode for Eastbourne Eagles recording 6.62 average during the 1969 British League Division Two season. The following season, he won the British League Division Two Riders Championship, held at Hackney Wick Stadium on 25 September 1970. Jessup was aged just 17 at the time.[4] He also rode for Wembley Lions in the British League.[5]
In 1972, he joined Leicester Lions and spent four years with the Midlands club. In 1974, he won the first of three World Team Cups with the England national speedway team[6] and in 1975, he won the London Riders' Championship in 1975, despite being in his fourth and final season with Leicester. He recorded an average of 10.45 in his last season with Leicester.[1]
In 1976, he joined Reading Racers and was their top rider for three seasons. In 1977, he helped England win the World Cup to earn a second winners medal.[7] In 1977 and 1978, Jessup finished second in the British Speedway Championship to Michael Lee and the following year finished third behind Peter Collins and Michael Lee.[8]
In 1979, he switched to King's Lynn Stars after rejecting a new deal with Reading and joined up with Michael Lee as a teammate.[1] The transfer to King's Lynn set a new British transfer record of £20,000 at the time.[9]
In 1980, Jessup completed his best ever season. He finished runner-up in the Speedway World Championship to fellow countryman Michael Lee.[10] The same season he won the World Pairs Championship with Peter Collins, the World Cup with England and became British Speedway champion.[11]
He continued to perform at the highest level in 1981 and moved to join Wimbledon Dons for the 1982 British League season, where he topped the London team's averages for both 1982 and 1983. He returned to King's Lynn for the 1984 British League season but struggled to retain the form he had for the previous decade.[1]
In 1986, he dropped a division to join the Mildenhall Fen Tigers after leaving the Stars.[12] The following year in 1987, he won the National League Pairs, partnering Melvyn Taylor for Mildenhall, during the 1987 National League season.[13] He also helped Mildenhall win the Fours Championship during the 1987 season.[14]
When Jessup retired in 1988 he had earned a remarkable 97 England caps and had reached six world finals.
