2008 Speedway Grand Prix
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fourteenth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era used to determine the Speedway World Champion. It was the second under the promotion of IMG
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All rides count towards Grand Prix points totals, including the semi-final and final, which counts double (6-4-2-0) and therefore the maximum points for a single Grand Prix is 24 (five heat wins, semi final win and final win). This format means that the winner of each Grand Prix may not be the rider who scores most GP points from each race.
and two track reserves.
IMG (business)
IMG, originally known as the International Management Group is a global sports and media business headquartered in New York City.-History:...
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Event format
The format for 2008 was the same as that used in 2007 with 16 riders taking part in each Grand Prix. Over the course of 20 heats each rider raced against every other rider once. The top eight scorers advanced to a semi-final and from each semi-final the first and second placed riders advanced to the GP final.All rides count towards Grand Prix points totals, including the semi-final and final, which counts double (6-4-2-0) and therefore the maximum points for a single Grand Prix is 24 (five heat wins, semi final win and final win). This format means that the winner of each Grand Prix may not be the rider who scores most GP points from each race.
Qualification
For the 2008 season, there were 15 permanent riders who were joined at each Grand Prix by one wild cardWild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...
and two track reserves.
2007 Grand PrixThe top eight riders from the 2007 championship qualified as of right. These eight qualifiers were, in championship order:
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Grand Prix ChallengeThe top eight riders from 2007 were joined by three riders who qualified via the Grand Prix Challenge. These riders were, in order by qualifying position:
NominationsThe final four riders were nominated by series promoters, Benfield Sports International, following the completion of the 2007 season.
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2008 Riders
| No | Rider | DOB | Age | 2008 Clubs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 British |
 Polish2008 Speedway Ekstraliga The 2008 Speedway Ekstraliga season is the 9th since its establishment. The first fixtures of the season are scheduled for April 6, 2008, and the season will end on October 19, 2008. Unia Leszno are the defending Polish champions. The Speedway Ekstraliga is the top division of speedway in the... |
 Swedish |
 Danish |
Others | ||||
| 1 | DEN Nicki Pedersen Nicki Pedersen Nicki Pedersen is a Danish motorcycle speedway rider. He has won the World Championship in 2003, 2007 and 2008 and was a World Cup winner with Denmark in 2006 and 2008. His brother, Ronni Pedersen, has also ridden in the Speedway Grand Prix and World Cup.-Domestic teams:Pedersen began speedway... |
1977-04-02 | 31 | Częstochowa | Gislaved | Holsted (DEN) | Togliatti (RUS) | |
| 2 |  AUS Leigh AdamsLeigh Adams Leigh Scott Adams is an Australian motorcycle speedway rider. He is a multiple Speedway Grand Prix winner and World Team Champion... |
1971-04-28 | 37 | Swindon Swindon Robins The Swindon Speedway team, also known as the Swindon Robins, are an English Motorcycle Speedway team established in 1949 that competes in the Elite League.... |
Leszno Unia Leszno Unia Leszno are a motorcycle speedway team established in 1938 and based in Leszno, Poland. They compete in the Polish Ekstraliga and are the league champions from the 2010 Speedway Ekstraliga season. The team's home track is at the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium.... |
Avesta | ||
| 3 | AUS Jason Crump Jason Crump Jason Phillip Crump is an Australian international motorcycle speedway rider. He is a three-time Speedway World Champion, a World Cup winner and a former World Under-21 Champion.-Family:... |
1975-08-06 | 33 | Belle Vue Belle Vue Aces The Belle Vue Aces are a British speedway team from Manchester in the north west of England.-Brief history:Racing first took place in 1928 at the Belle Vue greyhound stadium in Kirkmanshulme Lane before moving the following year to a specially built stadium nearby on Hyde Road. The club raced there... |
Wrocław | Vetlanda | ||
| 4 | POL Tomasz Gollob Tomasz Gollob Tomasz Gollob is a Polish motorcycle speedway rider who has appeared in every Speedway Grand Prix series since its inaugural season in 1995. His brother Jacek is also a speedway rider.-Career summary:... |
1971-04-11 | 37 | Gorzów Wlkp. Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski - Famous riders :- External links :*... |
Västervik Västervik Speedway Västervik Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team from Västervik in Sweden. Västervik were established in 1966 and have raced in the Elitserien, the top league division of Swedish speedway, since 1991. They were Elitserien Champions in 2005 and in 2007 they finished runners-up to Dackarna. The team... |
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| 5 | DEN Hans Andersen Hans Nørgaard Andersen Hans Nørgaard Andersen is a motorcycle speedway rider and captain of the Denmark speedway team that won the Speedway World Cup in 2006 and 2008.- Career summary :... |
1980-11-03 | 28 | Coventry Coventry Bees The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane... |
Toruń KS Torun KS Toruń is a Polish speedway team from Toruń, Poland. Formerly known as Apator Toruń .- Team Information :* Full name: Klub Sportowy Toruń Unibax SA* Address: 87-100 Toruń, ul. Pera Jonssona 7... |
Målilla | Fjelsted (DEN) | |
| 6 |  USA Greg HancockGreg Hancock Gregory Alan "Greg" Hancock is an American motorcycle speedway rider.He is a current Speedway World Champion and a multiple World Team champion with USA, with whom he is currently captain... |
1970-06-03 | 38 | Częstochowa | Hallstavik | |||
| 7 | POL Rune Holta Rune Holta Rune Holta , grew up in Randaberg Norway. He is an international speedway rider who has been a Polish citizen since 2002, allowing him to represent Poland in international competitions and was a member of their Speedway World Cup winning teams in 2005, 2007 & 2010... |
1973-08-29 | 35 | Gorzów Wlkp. Stal Gorzów Wielkopolski - Famous riders :- External links :*... |
Vetlanda | Grindsted (DEN) | ||
| 8 | GBR Scott Nicholls Scott Nicholls Scott Nicholls is a British speedway rider who is participating in the 2009 Speedway Grand Prix competition and is the captain of the Great Britain speedway team.- Career biography :... |
1978-05-16 | 30 | Eastbourne Eastbourne Eagles The Eastbourne Eagles are a British speedway team based near Eastbourne, England who compete in the British Elite League. They became Elite League Champions in 2000. They were also Elite League Knockout Cup winners in 2002 and again in 2008. Speedway was initially introduced to Eastbourne in... |
Rzeszów Stal Rzeszów Stal Rzeszów is a Polish football and speedway club based in Rzeszów, Poland.- Address :*ZKS STAL Rzeszów*ul.Hetmańska 69*35-078 Rzeszów*tel./fax 8548-048, 854-65-45, 854-15-92-Current squad :- See also :... |
Stockholm | ||
| 9 | GBR Chris Harris Chris Harris (speedway rider) Christopher Calvin "Chris" Harris in Truro, Cornwall, nicknamed Bomber, is a Great Britain international speedway rider for the Belle Vue Aces in the United Kingdom.- Early career :... |
1982-11-28 | 26 | Coventry Coventry Bees The Coventry Bees are a motorcycle speedway team based at Brandon near Coventry, England. A Coventry team was first formed in 1928 and competed in the Southern League and then the National League in the pre-war era at Brandon stadium. There were also meetings at a stadium in Lythalls Lane... |
Ostrów Wlkp. | Västervik Västervik Speedway Västervik Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team from Västervik in Sweden. Västervik were established in 1966 and have raced in the Elitserien, the top league division of Swedish speedway, since 1991. They were Elitserien Champions in 2005 and in 2007 they finished runners-up to Dackarna. The team... |
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| 10 | SWE Andreas Jonsson Andreas Jonsson Andreas Karl Rune Jonsson is an international motorcycle speedway rider who was a member of the Sweden speedway team that won the World Cup in 2003 and 2004.- Career summary :... |
1980-09-03 | 28 | Lakeside Lakeside Hammers The Lakeside Hammers are a speedway team who race in the British Elite League. They were founded by promoter Wally Mawdsley and stock car promoter Chick Woodroffe... |
Bydgoszcz Polonia Bydgoszcz ŻKS Polonia Bydgoszcz is a Polish speedway team based in Bydgoszcz who currently race in the Speedway Ekstraliga . The club has won the Polish Speedway League Championship seven times, the latest in 2002, and European Team Championship three times, the latest in 2001.- Club history :* 1920 -... |
Målilla | ||
| 11 | DEN Bjarne Pedersen Bjarne Pedersen Bjarne Pedersen is an international motorcycle speedway rider who has represented Denmark in the Speedway World Cup, winning it on two occasions: in 2006 and 2008.-Career summary:... |
1978-07-12 | 30 | Poole Poole Pirates Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League... |
Gdańsk Wybrzeze Gdansk Gdański Klub Sportowy "Wybrzeże" is a Polish motorcycle speedway team based in Gdańsk who race in the 1 Liga .- Stadium :... |
Västervik Västervik Speedway Västervik Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team from Västervik in Sweden. Västervik were established in 1966 and have raced in the Elitserien, the top league division of Swedish speedway, since 1991. They were Elitserien Champions in 2005 and in 2007 they finished runners-up to Dackarna. The team... |
Holstebro (DEN) | |
| 12 | DEN Niels Kristian Iversen Niels Kristian Iversen Niels Kristian Trochmann Iversen is an international motorcycle speedway rider. He was part of the Danish teams that won the Speedway World Cup in 2006 and 2008.-The Early Days:... |
1982-05-20 | 26 | Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolves The Wolverhampton Wolves are a British Speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and have signed a new deal with owner Dave Parry for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van... |
Zielona Góra ZKZ Zielona Góra Falubaz Zielona Góra is a Polish speedway team based in Zielona Góra who currently races in Speedway Ekstraliga. The club has won Polish Speedway League five times . It is commonly known as Falubaz due to one of its former names.... |
Västervik Västervik Speedway Västervik Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team from Västervik in Sweden. Västervik were established in 1966 and have raced in the Elitserien, the top league division of Swedish speedway, since 1991. They were Elitserien Champions in 2005 and in 2007 they finished runners-up to Dackarna. The team... |
Holsted (DEN) | |
| 13 |  CZE Lukáš DrymlLukáš Dryml Lukáš Dryml is an international speedway rider who represented the Czech Republic speedway team in the Speedway World Cup. He is a former former World U-21 and European U-19 Champion. His father Aleš Sr. was also a Czech international rider.He has twice won the European Pairs Championship with... |
1981-04-16 | 27 | Peterborough Peterborough Panthers The Peterborough Panthers are a British speedway team based in Peterborough, England.They were the British Elite League Speedway Champions in 1999 and 2006... |
Ostrów Wlkp. KM Ostrów Wielkopolski Klub Motorowy Ostrów Wielkopolski is a Polish motorcycle speedway team based in Ostrów Wielkopolski who currently race in First League . The club never won Team Polish Champion title.- Stadium :... |
Målilla | Pardubice (CZE) | |
| 14 | POL Krzysztof Kasprzak Krzysztof Kasprzak Krzysztof Kasprzak is an international speedway rider who became World Under-21 Champion in 2005. He is a son of former Polish national speedway team member Zenon Kasprzak... |
1984-07-18 | 24 | Poole Poole Pirates Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League... |
Leszno Unia Leszno Unia Leszno are a motorcycle speedway team established in 1938 and based in Leszno, Poland. They compete in the Polish Ekstraliga and are the league champions from the 2010 Speedway Ekstraliga season. The team's home track is at the Alfred Smoczyk Stadium.... |
Eskilstuna | ||
| 15 | SWE Fredrik Lindgren Fredrik Lindgren (speedway rider) Jan Fredrik Tobias Lindgren is an international motorcycle speedway rider who rides in the UK for the Wolverhampton Wolves in the Elite League... |
1985-09-15 | 23 | Wolverhampton Wolverhampton Wolves The Wolverhampton Wolves are a British Speedway team based in Wolverhampton, England. They are sponsored by Parry's International Travel, and have signed a new deal with owner Dave Parry for the 2008 season onwards. The team is managed by Peter Adams and the promoter of the club is Chris Van... |
Zielona Góra ZKZ Zielona Góra Falubaz Zielona Góra is a Polish speedway team based in Zielona Góra who currently races in Speedway Ekstraliga. The club has won Polish Speedway League five times . It is commonly known as Falubaz due to one of its former names.... |
Målilla | Pardubice (CZE) | |
Cities
Bydgoszcz- CardiffCardiffCardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
CopenhagenCopenhagenCopenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
DaugavpilsDaugavpilsDaugavpils is a city in southeastern Latvia, located on the banks of the Daugava River, from which the city gets its name. Daugavpils literally means "Daugava Castle". With a population of over 100,000, it is the second largest city in the country after the capital Riga, which is located some...
GelsenkirchenGelsenkirchenGelsenkirchen is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the Ruhr area. Its population in 2006 was c. 267,000....
GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...- KrškoKrškoKrško is a town and municipality in eastern Slovenia. The town lies on the Sava River. The area is traditionally divided between Lower Styria and Lower Carniola...
LesznoLesznoLeszno is a town in central Poland with 63,955 inhabitants . Situated in the southern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship since 1999, it was previously the capital of the Leszno Voivodeship . The town has county status.-History:...- LonigoLonigoLonigo is a town and comune in the province of Vicenza, Veneto, northern Italy, its population counts around 16.000 inhabitants.In its frazione of Bagnolo is the Villa Pisani, a Renaissance patrician villa designed by Andrea Palladio, which is part of a World Heritage Site...
MålillaMålillaMålilla is a locality situated in Hultsfred Municipality, Kalmar County, Sweden with 1,605 inhabitants in 2005.It is more commonly known as the temperature capital of Sweden due to the frequent records, both high and low, being set there. A Swedish record high temperature of +38°C was set on June...
PraguePraguePrague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...