The Oxford Cheetahs have announced that they have completed their 2026 team building with the signing of Darryl Ritchings and Dayle Wood who will fill the reserve spots.
Swindon born Ritchings was a member of the league winning Oxford Chargers in 2025 and after guesting a couple of times for the Cheetahs, as well as a small run with Poole in the Championship, demonstrated that he was ready for a permanent Championship berth in 2026. Ritchings had previously ridden for Swindon, Ipswich and Birmingham before taking some time out of the sport, returning last year for the first time since 2017.
Ritchings is delighted with how his return has gone: “I am looking to build on what has been a great comeback year for me
“I am delighted to be joining the Cheetahs in 2026, I am going to knuckle down over the winter, get the bikes ready and cannot wait for the new season”
31-year-old Australian born Dayle Wood will be returning to ride in Britain for the fourth consecutive year. He rode for the Berwick Bandits in the Championship last season as well as Edinburgh in the National League.
“I am really looking forward to joining the Cheetahs in 2026, I think it will be a good year and the team looks really good” he enthused.
The full 2026 Oxford Cheetahs team is:
Sam Masters, Anders Rowe, Erik Riss, Mitch McDiarmid, Luke Killeen, Darryl Ritchings, Dayle Wood
Words and Feature Image by Oxford Speedway