Henrik Gustafsson
Encyclopedia
Henrik Anders Gustafsson (born on 14 August 1970 in Sköllersta
, Sweden
) is an international Motorcycle speedway
rider who won the 1993 World Pairs Championship
with Tony Rickardsson
and the Speedway World Team Cup
with Sweden
in 1994
and 2000
. Early in his career Gustafsson was known as much for his long, curly blonde hair as he was his riding, though his riding soon outshone his locks.
in the Swedish Elite League
since 1986, is a two time Swedish Speedway Champion
, winning the title in 1995 and 2000. He also won the Swedish Pairs Championship in 1994 and is a four time (1986-1989) Swedish Under-21 Champion.
, staying with the team until 1993 before moving on to the Belle Vue Aces
for 1994. He then took a seven year break from riding in the British leagues until he returned for a season with Belle Vue. He moved once more in 2002 to the Poole Pirates
before missing the 2003 and 2004 seasons while riding overseas. He then returned for one last season in Britain with the Oxford Cheetahs
in 2005, winning the Craven Shield
while with Oxford.
was 1992 with KS Toruń
. He then rode for WTS Wrocław in 1993, helping them to become Polish League Champions before signing with Zielona Góra
for 1994. Gustafsson then signed with Polonia Bydgoszcz
in 1995 and stayed with them until 2001, again winning the Polish League in 1997, 1998 and 2000. He left Bydgoszcz for Wybrzeże Gdańsk
in 2002, staying for a single season before his last season in Poland (2003) with Warsaw
.
during his career. He failed to qualify for the 1990 World Final
in Bradford
, England
but got a lucky break when he replaced the injured Jan O. Pedersen
of Denmark
. He finished a surprise 6th in the Final, winning two of his five rides.
In January 1991, Gustafsson toured Australia
with the Swedish team
alongside 1990 World Champion Per Jonsson
, Jimmy Nilsen
, Peter Nahlin
and Tony Rickardsson. The Swedes defeated the Aussies
3-2 in a five match series.
Gustafsson qualified for the 1992 World Final
in Wrocław, Poland
where he improved to finish 5th, again winning two of his five rides. He improved again in the 1993 World Final
in Denmark
, finishing 4th and winning 3 of his rides. In the 1994 World Final
, the last before the Speedway Grand Prix
series started in 1995
, Gustafsson finished in 7th place winning only one of his rides.
Henrik Gustafsson would then ride in the speedway Grand Prix series as a regular rider from 1995 until 2000
, finishing a best 5th overall in both 1996
and 1997
. His best placings in one of the Grand Prix events was a 2nd in Sweden
in 1996 and a second as a Wild Card rider in the 2001 German GP
.
(born May 25, 1990) has followed in his father's footsteps and has become a speedway rider also, currently riding for the Eastbourne Eagles
in Britain and TŻ Start Gniezno
in Poland.
Sköllersta
Sköllersta is a locality situated in Hallsberg Municipality, Örebro County, Sweden with 1,103 inhabitants in 2005.Skyllersta Hundred, Skyllersta härad or Sköllersta härad, was a hundred of Närke in Sweden....
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) is an international Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider who won the 1993 World Pairs Championship
1993 Speedway World Pairs Championship
The 1992 Speedway World Pairs Championship was the twenty-fourth and last FIM Speedway World Pairs Championship. The final took place in Vojens, Denmark...
with Tony Rickardsson
Tony Rickardsson
Tony Rickardsson is a retired Swedish motorcycle speedway rider. He is widely acknowledged as being the most successful speedway rider of the current era, having won six Speedway World Championship titles in 15 attempts. He has two daughters, Michelle and Natalie with his wife Anna...
and the Speedway World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
with Sweden
Sweden national speedway team
Sweden are one of the major teams in international speedway. They have been managed by Mats Olsson, who is currently in his 2nd spell, since 2005 after he quit in 2000...
in 1994
1994 Speedway World Team Cup
-Group C - Venue : Lubljana, Slovenia:Slovenia and Latvia to Group B-Group B - Venue : Lonigo, Italy:Norway and Italy to Group A.-Group A - Venue : Wrocław, Poland:Australia and Poland to Final.-Venue : Broksted, Germany:...
and 2000
2000 Speedway World Team Cup
-Venue : Blijham, Holland:Norway to Semi-Final-Venue : Lonigo, Italy:Italy to Semi-Final-Venue : Częstochowa, Poland:Sweden to World Final-Venue : Landshut, Germany:USA to World Final-Venue : Coventry, England:...
. Early in his career Gustafsson was known as much for his long, curly blonde hair as he was his riding, though his riding soon outshone his locks.
Sweden
Henrik Gustafsson, who has ridden for IndianernaIndianerna
Indianerna is a motorcycle speedway team from Kumla, Sweden. The club's official name is Kumla MSK and it was founded in 1936 which makes the club one of the oldest motorsport clubs in Sweden. Indianerna was one of the seven teams that competed in Swedens first speedway league in 1948...
in the Swedish Elite League
Elitserien (speedway)
Elitserien is the highest league in the league system of speedway in Sweden and currently comprises the top 9 Swedish speedway teams. The first season began in 1982...
since 1986, is a two time Swedish Speedway Champion
Speedway Swedish Individual Championship
- Previous winners :...
, winning the title in 1995 and 2000. He also won the Swedish Pairs Championship in 1994 and is a four time (1986-1989) Swedish Under-21 Champion.
United Kingdom
Gustafsson first rode in the British Elite League in 1990 for the King's Lynn StarsKing's Lynn Stars
King's Lynn Stars are a motorcycle speedway team who compete in the British Elite League. The nickname "Stars" comes from the defunct Norwich Stars team...
, staying with the team until 1993 before moving on to the Belle Vue Aces
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...
for 1994. He then took a seven year break from riding in the British leagues until he returned for a season with Belle Vue. He moved once more in 2002 to the Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates
Poole Pirates are a motorcycle speedway team based in Poole, England, competing in the British Elite League...
before missing the 2003 and 2004 seasons while riding overseas. He then returned for one last season in Britain with the Oxford Cheetahs
Oxford Cheetahs
The Oxford Cheetahs were a British Speedway team based in Oxford, England. From 1972 to 1975 they were known as Oxford Rebels, which was the name the team took to White City in 1976 as White City Rebels. The new Oxford team, in the National League, took back the name of Cheetahs...
in 2005, winning the Craven Shield
Craven Shield
The Craven Shield is a Speedway cup competition in the United Kingdom governed by the Speedway Control Board , in conjunction with the British Speedway Promoters' Association...
while with Oxford.
Poland
Gustafsson's first season riding in the Polish top divisionSpeedway Ekstraliga
The Speedway Ekstraliga is the top division of speedway in Poland. It has been called the "richest and most popular speedway league in the world" and attracts riders from all over the world...
was 1992 with KS 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...
. He then rode for WTS Wrocław in 1993, helping them to become Polish League Champions before signing with 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....
for 1994. Gustafsson then signed with Polonia 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 -...
in 1995 and stayed with them until 2001, again winning the Polish League in 1997, 1998 and 2000. He left Bydgoszcz for Wybrzeże Gdańsk
Wybrzeze Gdansk
Gdański Klub Sportowy "Wybrzeże" is a Polish motorcycle speedway team based in Gdańsk who race in the 1 Liga .- Stadium :...
in 2002, staying for a single season before his last season in Poland (2003) with Warsaw
Warsaw
Warsaw is the capital and largest city of Poland. It is located on the Vistula River, roughly from the Baltic Sea and from the Carpathian Mountains. Its population in 2010 was estimated at 1,716,855 residents with a greater metropolitan area of 2,631,902 residents, making Warsaw the 10th most...
.
International
Gustafsson rode in four Speedway World FinalsSpeedway World Championship
The World Championship of Speedway is an international competition between the highest ranked motorcycle speedway riders of the world. Today, it is organised as a series of Speedway Grand Prix events, where points are awarded according to performance in the event and tallied up at the end of each...
during his career. He failed to qualify for the 1990 World Final
1990 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Continental Final:*August 12, 1990 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond-North American Final:*June 2, 1990 Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium-Scandinavian Final:*June 9, 1990 Linköping, Motorstadium...
in Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
but got a lucky break when he replaced the injured Jan O. Pedersen
Jan O. Pedersen
Jan Osvald Pedersen is a former Speedway rider who became Speedway World Champion in 1991 after finishing runner-up in 1986 and in third place in 1988 behind fellow Danes Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen...
of Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. He finished a surprise 6th in the Final, winning two of his five rides.
In January 1991, Gustafsson toured Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
with the Swedish team
Sweden national speedway team
Sweden are one of the major teams in international speedway. They have been managed by Mats Olsson, who is currently in his 2nd spell, since 2005 after he quit in 2000...
alongside 1990 World Champion Per Jonsson
Per Jonsson
Per Jonsson is a former speedway rider who won the Speedway World Championship in 1990, and finished runner-up in 1992.In 1985, his second season with the Reading Racers, the team won six major trophies...
, Jimmy Nilsen
Jimmy Nilsen
Jimmy Nilsen is a former international motorcycle speedway rider from Sweden. He was Swedish Champion in 1996 after finishing 3rd in 1994. Nilsen also rode in five World Finals as well as representing Sweden in Test Matches....
, Peter Nahlin
Peter Nahlin
Peter Nahlin is a former Motorcycle speedway rider who became the 1988 World Under-21 Champion.-Sweden:...
and Tony Rickardsson. The Swedes defeated the Aussies
Australia national speedway team
Australia are one of the major teams in international speedway. The team is managed by former rider, three time Australian Champion and 1994 World #3 Craig Boyce and captained by three time Speedway World Champion Jason Crump...
3-2 in a five match series.
Gustafsson qualified for the 1992 World Final
1992 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1992 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1992 Wrocław, Olympic Stadium...
in Wrocław, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
where he improved to finish 5th, again winning two of his five rides. He improved again in the 1993 World Final
1993 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1993 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1993 Pocking, Rottalstadion...
in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, finishing 4th and winning 3 of his rides. In the 1994 World Final
1994 Individual Speedway World Championship
The 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
, the last before the Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix
Speedway Grand Prix are a series of stand-alone speedway events over the course of a season used to determine the Speedway World Champion. As of 2008, all of the events take place in Europe.- Event format :...
series started in 1995
1995 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :...
, Gustafsson finished in 7th place winning only one of his rides.
Henrik Gustafsson would then ride in the speedway Grand Prix series as a regular rider from 1995 until 2000
2000 Speedway Grand Prix
The 2000 Speedway Grand Prix season was the sixth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes...
, finishing a best 5th overall in both 1996
1996 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season was the second season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Billy Hamill; it was his first and only World Champion title.- Event format :...
and 1997
1997 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1997 Speedway Grand Prix season was the third season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :During 1997 the initial SGP scoring system was used for the final time...
. His best placings in one of the Grand Prix events was a 2nd in Sweden
1996 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden
The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden was the fourth race of the 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 10 August in the Motorstadium in Linköping, Sweden It was second Swedish SGP and was won by American rider Billy Hamill. It was second win of his career.- Starting positions draw...
in 1996 and a second as a Wild Card rider in the 2001 German GP
2001 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany
The 2001 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany was the first race of the 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 5 May in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark in Berlin, Germany- Starting positions draw :...
.
Personal
Henrik Gustafsson's son, SimonSimon Gustafsson
Simon Gustafsson is a Swedish speedway rider who won the Team U-19 European Champion title in 2008. He is the son of former Grand Prix rider Henrik Gustafsson.- World Championships :* Individual U-21 World Championship...
(born May 25, 1990) has followed in his father's footsteps and has become a speedway rider also, currently riding for the Eastbourne Eagles
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...
in Britain and TŻ Start Gniezno
Start Gniezno
Towarzystwo Żużlowe Start Gniezno is a Polish motorcycle speedway team based in Gniezno who currently race in First League .- 2011 Squad :...
in Poland.
World final appearances
- 19901990 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Continental Final:*August 12, 1990 Norden, Motodrom Halbemond-North American Final:*June 2, 1990 Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium-Scandinavian Final:*June 9, 1990 Linköping, Motorstadium...
-
BradfordBradfordBradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, Odsal StadiumOdsal StadiumOdsal Stadium is a stadium situated in Odsal, Bradford in West Yorkshire, England. The venue is used for rugby league and has been the home ground of Bradford Bulls/Bradford Northern since 1934...
- 6th - 9pts - 19921992 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1992 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1992 Wrocław, Olympic Stadium...
-
Wrocław, Olympic Stadium - 5th - 9pts - 19931993 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1993 Individual Speedway World Championship.-World final:*August 29, 1993 Pocking, Rottalstadion...
-
PockingPockingPocking is a town in the district of Passau, in Lower Bavaria, Germany. It is situated about 30 km south-west of Passau, close to the Austrian border.-History:...
, Rottalstadion - 4th - 10pts - 19941994 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
-
VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 7th - 9pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 1995 Speedway Grand Prix The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :... |
8th | 73+3 | 4th | 4th in British GP 1995 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix of Great Britain was the six and last race of the 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 30 September in the Hackney Wick Stadium in London, England, Great Britain.- Starting positions draw :... |
| 1996 1996 Speedway Grand Prix The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season was the second season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Billy Hamill; it was his first and only World Champion title.- Event format :... |
5th | 80 | 3rd | 4th in Germany 1996 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany was the third race of the 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 9 July in the Rottalstadion in Pocking, Germany It was second German SGP and was won by Danish rider Hans Nielsen... |
| 1996 1996 Speedway Grand Prix The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season was the second season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Billy Hamill; it was his first and only World Champion title.- Event format :... |
5th | 80 | 2nd | 2nd in Sweden 1996 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden The 1996 Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden was the fourth race of the 1996 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 10 August in the Motorstadium in Linköping, Sweden It was second Swedish SGP and was won by American rider Billy Hamill. It was second win of his career.- Starting positions draw... |
| 1997 1997 Speedway Grand Prix The 1997 Speedway Grand Prix season was the third season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :During 1997 the initial SGP scoring system was used for the final time... |
15th | 20 | 5th | 5th in Czech Republic 1997 Speedway Grand Prix of Czech Republic The 1997 Speedway Grand Prix of Czech Republic was the first race of the 1997 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 17 May in the Marketa Stadium in Prague, Czech Republic It was first Czech Republic SGP and was won by American rider Greg Hancock... |
| 1998 1998 Speedway Grand Prix The 1998 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fourth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system used was a new one for the 4th SGP season with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
15th | 43 | 5th | 5th in Germany 1998 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany The 1998 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany was the second race of the 1998 Speedway Grand Prix season. It took place on June 6 in the Rottalstadion in Pocking, Germany The second Czech Republic SGP, it was won by Swedish rider Tony Rickardsson, his second career win.- Starting positions draw :The... |
| 1999 1999 Speedway Grand Prix The 1999 Speedway Grand Prix season was the fifth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
17th | 35 | 8th | |
| 2000 2000 Speedway Grand Prix The 2000 Speedway Grand Prix season was the sixth season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
14th | 39 | 8th | |
| 2001 2001 Speedway Grand Prix The 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season was the seventh season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and is used to determine the Speedway World Champion.- Event format :The system first used in 1998 continued to be adopted with 24 riders, divided into two classes... |
17th | 33 | 2nd | 2nd in Germany 2001 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany The 2001 Speedway Grand Prix of Germany was the first race of the 2001 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 5 May in the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark in Berlin, Germany- Starting positions draw :... |