In addition to Michanek the team was boosted by high scoring from Dag Lövaas and Geoff Curtis and supported by Peter Murray, Richard May, Mick Bell and Bernie Leigh.

[9][10][11] The end of the year resulted in two items of bad news; the new Smallmead Stadium would not be ready for the 1974 season[12] and Geoff Curtis was killed in race in Australia.

Reading's success came down to three strong heat leaders, Swedish champion Jan Andersson, their new American signing Bobby Schwartz and England international John Davis.

[16] However, behind the scenes unrest in the management structure saw major changes at the end of the season with Directors Bill Dore and Frank Higley taking control of the club.

The club won another league title in 1992, with Jonsson averaging 10.04, Doncaster and Andersson still scoring strong and great support from Dave Mullett and Armando Castagna.

The Racers won the fours in 1993[18] but disaster struck in 1994, when Per Jonsson suffered terrible injuries in a crash in Poland, and this had an adverse effect on the club and its fortunes.

Bird and Phil Morris (who replaced an injured Žagar) won the Premier League Pairs Championship in June of that season.

Their first season was a huge success on track, led by American rider Greg Hancock, the Bulldogs narrowly missed out on the title, losing by a single point to Peterborough Panthers in the play-off final.

However, crowds were poor and the club struggled to break even, with blame being directed at the lack of investment into the Smallmead Stadium and the change of nickname from Racers to Bulldogs.

Swindon-based businessman Mark Legg took over and appointed ex-rider Malcolm Holloway as his co-promoter and Tim Sugar returned as team manager.

In 2016, a group of supporters got together to bring back the team and in September 2016, the Reading Racers rode in a challenge match against Weymouth Wildcats.

[25] The promoter rights currently sit with the Reading Speedway Action Group lead by Emma Stevens, Andy Griffin, Gene Carter, who continue to seek land in the Berkshire area to build a stadium and bring Racers home.