steve roberts Posted March 16, 2023 Report Share Posted March 16, 2023 35 minutes ago, arnieg said: A mere 36 seasons for Vetlanda! [1964-1999] Quite an achievement Some sort of record I would think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky Posted March 16, 2023 Report Share Posted March 16, 2023 Could be a VERY long list for me Tony... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOBBATH Posted March 16, 2023 Report Share Posted March 16, 2023 Ove Fundin, Bjorn Knutsson, Bengt Jansson, Olle Nygren, Anders Michanek, in that order . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 16, 2023 Report Share Posted March 16, 2023 10 minutes ago, BOBBATH said: Ove Fundin, Bjorn Knutsson, Bengt Jansson, Olle Nygren, Anders Michanek, in that order . I have to say that Anders was the Swede I most admired (although he rode for the "Berks" down the road!)...1973 he was just awesome. Nobody really has come close within Sweden in my estimation for sheer magnetism during my time following the sport although Tommy Jansson had class but to be honest I saw very little of him (clash of race nights with Oxford) but my abiding memory of him was two classic races with Gordon Kennett at White City's opening meeting in 1976 when Gordon had to pass him on both occasions. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyMac Posted March 21, 2023 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2023 On 3/16/2023 at 6:41 PM, BOBBATH said: Ove Fundin, Bjorn Knutsson, Bengt Jansson, Olle Nygren, Anders Michanek, in that order . But why them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midlandred Posted March 21, 2023 Report Share Posted March 21, 2023 On 3/16/2023 at 7:06 AM, steve roberts said: Conny Samuelsson could have become the next big star when he joined the "Cheetahs" in 1969 however he just couldn't get on with the Cowley circuit but registerd useful points at Swindon, Coventry and I believe Cradley?. Shame that he wasn't perservered with because he could have made it in the UK with the right track but I guess it was his own decision that he never re-appeared but he did go on to excell at Ice Racing finishing on the rostrum twice (?) and had a long shale career riding for his club team in Sweden. Think he beat, or equalled, the track record at Brandon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 21, 2023 Report Share Posted March 21, 2023 (edited) 5 minutes ago, midlandred said: Think he beat, or equalled, the track record at Brandon That rings a bell? I remember my brother saying that when he went to the local fair where we lived there was a shooting gallery and Conny was a dead shot with the rifle! Apparently he had just completed his National Service. Edited March 21, 2023 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chunky Posted March 21, 2023 Report Share Posted March 21, 2023 1 hour ago, midlandred said: Think he beat, or equalled, the track record at Brandon June 14, 1969, KO Cup 2nd Round. Riding at No. 1, he won Heat 5 in a new Track Record of 65.6 from Gote Nordin, Les Owen, and Eddie Reeves. Booey equalled it in Heat 7. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ovalman Posted March 22, 2023 Report Share Posted March 22, 2023 Fundin, Knutson, Nygren, Soren Karlsson for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 22, 2023 Report Share Posted March 22, 2023 20 minutes ago, auntie doris said: Fundin, Knutson, Nygren, Soren Karlsson for me. ...I have to say that Soren Karlsson is an intriging one? Turned out for the "Bees" I remember before signing for Swindon? Remember Bob Kilby saying that on a non-riding visit to Birmingham when he shared a car with Soren that Soren was off his head drinking sherry! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
847084 Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 A mention too for Jan Simensen. One of so many swedes who made riding a speedway bike look like the easiest thing in the world. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 1 hour ago, 847084 said: A mention too for Jan Simensen. One of so many swedes who made riding a speedway bike look like the easiest thing in the world. Recall in Tommy Jansson's biography that Jan could be somewhat of a hothead? I only saw him ride the once at Cowley. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salty Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 Jan quickly won the fans over at Durley Wood when he arrived midway through the 1970 season. If I remember correctly his home debut included a couple of last bend overtakes to help clinch a victory over Wolves. I think Cradley were allowed to sign him to bolster a weakened team, but no sooner had he signed then Colin Pratt suffered career ending injuries at Lokeren. I think the dark forces of rider control wouldnt allow him to return to Cradley in 1971, so he only rode a half season in the green and white. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 Remember Eddie Davidsson at Cowley...simply awful and found it hard to negotiate the tight bends. I'm sure he was the father of Jonas and his brother who I can't recall the name? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frigbo Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 6 minutes ago, steve roberts said: Remember Eddie Davidsson at Cowley...simply awful and found it hard to negotiate the tight bends. I'm sure he was the father of Jonas and his brother who I can't recall the name? Jonas and Daniel are sons of former Eastbourne rider Jan Davidsson. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 23, 2023 Report Share Posted March 23, 2023 21 minutes ago, frigbo said: Jonas and Daniel are sons of former Eastbourne rider Jan Davidsson. ...you've reminded me Jan was the brother of Eddie! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Split Posted March 24, 2023 Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 Bjorn Knutson was my all-time favourite rider. Retired too early of course or he would surely have won more than one world title and Ivan Mauger might not have won as many. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rusky Posted March 24, 2023 Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 Can I put a different spin on it Tony (or perhaps less spin, more drive ) ? How about P-O Serenius, or indeed Erik Stenlund ? Brave, brave men who took on, and beat the Russians at their own game. Thoroughly nice blokes too,, 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted March 24, 2023 Report Share Posted March 24, 2023 The vastly underated Tommy Johansson. Who could forget his pass of Ivan Mauger during the 1974 World Final. Unfortunately suffered with a blood disorder if I am correct but did pick up the 1973 Swedish Championship and who knows what he might have achieved if he had signed for King's Lynn before being "nobbled" by the Hull promotion prior to the 1975 season and picking up an injury which curtailed his career in the UK. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrs Posted March 26, 2023 Report Share Posted March 26, 2023 For me Peo Soderman was the first Swede I ever saw ride for my team in the '50s I think, and overnight when he came to ride for Brandon he became my favourite rider, basically because he was different, and a superb rider and nice guy as well. For some reason the various foreign riders who came to ride for the Bees seemed to hold a magical charisma, no disrespect meant to others. But by seeing and meeting these guys I realised that there really is another big bright world out there. Perhaps that was the spark that eventually set me on the way to travelling the world and my fascination with other countries and cultures. Henryk Zyto although not Swedish really sparked my interest in other countries. I thought he was a magician from behind the iron curtain. I suppose in a way in the '60s Gote Nordin replaced Peo for his absolute classy style and consistency. And then of course the great man himself, no it's not Norbold, but Ove was just pure strength and speed, and I clearly remember standing in the pits at Long Eaton one night watching his great calmness throughout a meeting and knowing that I was, I suppose in the presence of greatness in our sport. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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