For 2024 the club will run two teams in addition to the Cheetahs, one under a new guise of the Oxford Spires in the Premiership and the Chargers in the development league.
The Secretary Ted Mander orchestrated the move and the first individual meeting was held on Easter Saturday 8 April 1939 won by Roy Duke.
However, during 1948 the stadium owner Leslie Calcutt unsuccessfully applied to the Speedway Control Board for a licence to race in the Third Division.
The team manager was Ron Bear and the club colours were dark blue and yellow, with the first match being an away fixture at Exeter on 18 April 1949.
[9] The takeover was by a new consortium, which included former riders Bob Dugard and Danny Dunton, Dave Lanning and the famous musician Acker Bilk.
[2] In what was to be the final year for the Rebels in 1975, the team did win the Midland Cup against Wolverhampton Wolves under the captainship of Dag Lovaas.
A new Oxford team were formed after a committee of fans had created a "Save Our Stadium" campaign over the previous winter and entered the 1976 National League season (tier 2).
[12] The club dumped the unpopular name of Rebels and reverted back to the Cheetahs under new promoters Harry Bastable and Tony Allsop and the venue was known again as Oxford Stadium.
[13] In 1977, Oxford Stadium was purchased by David Hawkins' Northern Sports for £250,000, ending the concern about permanent closure.
[14] The team continued to compete in the second division and saw the number riders include the likes of Martin Yeates and George Hunter.
[15] The Cheetahs broke all transfer fee records by signing Danish international Hans Nielsen from Birmingham for a record £30,000, Simon Wigg from Cradley Heath for £25,000,[16] Marvyn Cox for £15,000 from Rye House, Melvyn Taylor for £12,000 from King's Lynn and Dane Jens Rasmussen.
[24] However, in 2006 they reverted to their original name, which was apt because it would be their final full season as a top tier speedway team for 18 years.
In a statement issued by the British Speedway Promoters Association on 31 May 2007, their owner Colin Horton closed the club as a result of poor attendances and financial losses.
[31] On 11 November 2021, it was confirmed that the Cheetahs would return for the 2022 season in the SGB Championship, after a 14-year absence from British Speedway.