Rob Cowley

Nuneaton, Warwickshire

73 (1978-2017)

Became the oldest driver ever to win a final, after winning at Birmingham on 17th October 2015, age 63. He held this record until 68 year old John Lund won at Sheffield on 12th June 2022.

Family

Father of Chris Cowley

Honours

UK Open Champion
2012

Fred Mitchell Trophy
2006

Reg Pryor Trophy
2014

Wilf Blundell Bowl
2001

Wilson Memorial Trophy
2006

Finals (8)

8 finals at 6 tracks
Birmingham	2
Long Eaton	1
Northampton	1
Scunthorpe	1
Skegness	2
Swaffham	1

1.	Saturday 17th March 1990	Scunthorpe
2.	Saturday 11th June 1994	Long Eaton
3.	Sunday 4th October 1998	Skegness
4.	Sunday 20th May 2001	Swaffham
5.	Saturday 9th June 2001	Birmingham
6.	Sunday 22nd October 2006	Northampton
7.	Sunday 13th May 2012	Skegness
8.	Saturday 17th October 2015	Birmingham

1.	17 Mar 1990	Scunthorpe
2.	11 Jun 1994	Long Eaton
3.	4 Oct 1998	Skegness
4.	20 May 2001	Swaffham
5.	9 Jun 2001	Birmingham
6.	22 Oct 2006	Northampton
7.	13 May 2012	Skegness
8.	17 Oct 2015	Birmingham

Race Wins (63)

63 race wins at 18 tracks
Belle Vue	4
Birmingham	7
Bradford	1
Bristol	1
Buxton	1
Coventry	7
Crewe	1
Hednesford	1
King's Lynn	2
Leicester	2
Long Eaton	6
Northampton	14
Scunthorpe	1
Sheffield	2
Skegness	9
Stoke	1
Swaffham	2
Wimbledon	1

1.	Monday 16th April 1979	Bristol	Consolation
2.	Saturday 6th October 1979	Coventry	Heat 2
3.	Saturday 27th October 1979	Belle Vue	Heat 2
4.	Saturday 28th June 1980	Belle Vue	Heat 3
5.	Saturday 6th September 1980	Coventry	Heat 1
6.	Saturday 13th March 1982	Long Eaton	Heat 2
7.	Sunday 28th March 1982	Northampton	Heat 1
8.	Saturday 3rd April 1982	Coventry	Consolation
9.	Saturday 17th April 1982	Leicester	Consolation
10.	Sunday 25th April 1982	Northampton	Grand National
11.	Sunday 26th September 1982	Northampton	Consolation
12.	Monday 6th June 1983	Sheffield	Heat 5
13.	Saturday 3rd September 1983	Coventry	Heat 1
14.	Sunday 18th September 1983	Northampton	Grand National
15.	Sunday 27th May 1984	Northampton	Consolation
16.	Saturday 16th June 1984	Leicester	Heat 1
17.	Saturday 27th July 1985	Belle Vue	Grand National
18.	Wednesday 21st August 1985	Skegness	Consolation
19.	Sunday 4th May 1986	Sheffield	Heat 3
20.	Sunday 24th August 1986	Northampton	Heat 2
21.	Saturday 27th June 1987	Belle Vue	Consolation
22.	Saturday 17th March 1990	Scunthorpe	Final
23.	Monday 16th April 1990	Bradford	Consolation
24.	Saturday 20th April 1991	Crewe	Heat 2
25.	Sunday 19th May 1991	Hednesford	Consolation
26.	Saturday 7th September 1991	Coventry	Heat 2
27.	Saturday 12th October 1991	Long Eaton	Consolation
28.	Sunday 19th July 1992	Northampton	Heat 3
29.	Sunday 9th August 1992	Skegness	Heat 1
30.	Sunday 27th September 1992	Buxton	Heat 2
31.	Saturday 11th June 1994	Long Eaton	Heat 1
32.	Saturday 11th June 1994	Long Eaton	Final
33.	Saturday 9th July 1994	Long Eaton	Consolation
34.	Saturday 8th April 1995	Long Eaton	Heat 3
35.	Sunday 5th November 1995	Stoke	Heat 1
36.	Sunday 23rd March 1997	Skegness	Grand National
37.	Sunday 4th October 1998	Skegness	Final
38.	Sunday 30th April 2000	Swaffham	Grand National
39.	Sunday 20th May 2001	Swaffham	Final
40.	Saturday 9th June 2001	Birmingham	Final
41.	Sunday 21st October 2001	Wimbledon	Grand National
42.	Saturday 8th June 2002	Birmingham	Heat 3
43.	Saturday 5th June 2004	Coventry	Consolation 2
44.	Saturday 10th September 2005	Northampton	Consolation
45.	Sunday 22nd October 2006	Northampton	Final
46.	Sunday 13th May 2007	Skegness	Consolation
47.	Sunday 4th October 2009	Coventry	Heat 1
48.	Sunday 20th June 2010	Northampton	Heat 1
49.	Saturday 25th September 2010	King's Lynn	Consolation
50.	Saturday 13th August 2011	Northampton	Grand National
51.	Saturday 21st April 2012	Birmingham	Consolation
52.	Saturday 12th May 2012	Skegness	Heat 1
53.	Sunday 13th May 2012	Skegness	Heat 4
54.	Sunday 13th May 2012	Skegness	Final
55.	Saturday 19th May 2012	Northampton	Heat 3
56.	Saturday 14th July 2012	Northampton	Consolation
57.	Saturday 8th June 2013	Birmingham	Heat 3
58.	Saturday 14th June 2014	Birmingham	Heat 3
59.	Saturday 17th October 2015	Birmingham	Final
60.	Sunday 18th October 2015	Northampton	Consolation
61.	Saturday 13th May 2017	Skegness	Heat 1
62.	Sunday 3rd September 2017	King's Lynn	Heat 1
63.	Saturday 18th November 2017	Birmingham	Rob Cowley Tribute

1.	16 Apr 1979	Bristol	Con
2.	6 Oct 1979	Coventry	Ht
3.	27 Oct 1979	Belle Vue	Ht
4.	28 Jun 1980	Belle Vue	Ht
5.	6 Sep 1980	Coventry	Ht
6.	13 Mar 1982	Long Eaton	Ht
7.	28 Mar 1982	Northampton	Ht
8.	3 Apr 1982	Coventry	Con
9.	17 Apr 1982	Leicester	Con
10.	25 Apr 1982	Northampton	GN
11.	26 Sep 1982	Northampton	Con
12.	6 Jun 1983	Sheffield	Ht
13.	3 Sep 1983	Coventry	Ht
14.	18 Sep 1983	Northampton	GN
15.	27 May 1984	Northampton	Con
16.	16 Jun 1984	Leicester	Ht
17.	27 Jul 1985	Belle Vue	GN
18.	21 Aug 1985	Skegness	Con
19.	4 May 1986	Sheffield	Ht
20.	24 Aug 1986	Northampton	Ht
21.	27 Jun 1987	Belle Vue	Con
22.	17 Mar 1990	Scunthorpe	Final
23.	16 Apr 1990	Bradford	Con
24.	20 Apr 1991	Crewe	Ht
25.	19 May 1991	Hednesford	Con
26.	7 Sep 1991	Coventry	Ht
27.	12 Oct 1991	Long Eaton	Con
28.	19 Jul 1992	Northampton	Ht
29.	9 Aug 1992	Skegness	Ht
30.	27 Sep 1992	Buxton	Ht
31.	11 Jun 1994	Long Eaton	Ht
32.	11 Jun 1994	Long Eaton	Final
33.	9 Jul 1994	Long Eaton	Con
34.	8 Apr 1995	Long Eaton	Ht
35.	5 Nov 1995	Stoke	Ht
36.	23 Mar 1997	Skegness	GN
37.	4 Oct 1998	Skegness	Final
38.	30 Apr 2000	Swaffham	GN
39.	20 May 2001	Swaffham	Final
40.	9 Jun 2001	Birmingham	Final
41.	21 Oct 2001	Wimbledon	GN
42.	8 Jun 2002	Birmingham	Ht
43.	5 Jun 2004	Coventry	Con
44.	10 Sep 2005	Northampton	Con
45.	22 Oct 2006	Northampton	Final
46.	13 May 2007	Skegness	Con
47.	4 Oct 2009	Coventry	Ht
48.	20 Jun 2010	Northampton	Ht
49.	25 Sep 2010	King's Lynn	Con
50.	13 Aug 2011	Northampton	GN
51.	21 Apr 2012	Birmingham	Con
52.	12 May 2012	Skegness	Ht
53.	13 May 2012	Skegness	Ht
54.	13 May 2012	Skegness	Final
55.	19 May 2012	Northampton	Ht
56.	14 Jul 2012	Northampton	Con
57.	8 Jun 2013	Birmingham	Ht
58.	14 Jun 2014	Birmingham	Ht
59.	17 Oct 2015	Birmingham	Final
60.	18 Oct 2015	Northampton	Con
61.	13 May 2017	Skegness	Ht
62.	3 Sep 2017	King's Lynn	Ht
63.	18 Nov 2017	Birmingham	Rob C

Results (1908)

World Finals (14)

1	1984	Belle Vue	DNF
2	1987	Belle Vue	17th
3	1989	Coventry	DNF
4	1992	Bradford	4th
5	1994	Bradford	4th
6	1995	Hednesford	5th
7	1997	Bradford	DNF
8	1998	Coventry	DNF
9	1999	Coventry	DNF
10	2000	Coventry	6th
11	2001	Hednesford	12th
12	2002	Coventry	DNF
13	2009	King's Lynn	DNF
14	2011	Northampton	DNF

Rob having problems at Hartlepool (Martin Downs photo)

Northampton 1990 (Peter Barber photo, courtesy Jörg Nöske)

Skegness, August 1991. (Ian Suddaby photo)