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1997 Speedway Grand Prix Qualification

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1997 Speedway Grand Prix Qualification
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The 1997 Speedway Grand Prix Qualification or GP Challenge was a series of motorcycle speedway meetings used to determine the 8 riders that qualified for the 1997 Speedway Grand Prix[1] to join the other 8 riders that finished in the leading positions from the 1996 Speedway Grand Prix.

The format changed slightly in that four riders would qualify straight from the Intercontinental and Continental finals and four riders would qualify through the GP Challenge.[2][3][4]

Simon Wigg won the GP Challenge.[5]

Format

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  • First Round - 5 riders each from Sweden & Denmark, 3 riders each from Finland & Norway to Scandinavian Final
  • First Round - 32 riders from Continental quarter finals to Continental semi-finals
  • First Round - 7 riders from British final to Overseas Final
  • First Round - 5 riders from Australian/New Zealand final to Overseas Final
  • First Round - 4 riders from United States final to Overseas Final
  • Second Round - 8 riders from Scandinavian final to Intercontinental Final
  • Second Round - 8 riders from Overseas final to Intercontinental Final
  • Second Round - 16 riders from Continental semi-finals to Continental Final
  • Third Round - 7 riders from positions 9-15 from the 1995 Grand Prix to GP Challenge
  • Third Round - 2 riders from the Continental Final to 1997 Grand Prix and 4 to GP Challenge
  • Third Round - 2 riders from the Intercontinental Final to 1997 Grand Prix and 5 to GP Challenge
  • Final Round - 4 riders from the GP Challenge to the 1997 Grand Prix

First round

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Continental quarter finals

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Second round

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Overseas Final

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3 riders to Intercontinental final+

+ Controversy over tyres at the final saw only 3 riders progress with an extra 5 places awarded in the Scandinavian final.[6][7]

Scandinavian Final

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13 riders to Intercontinental final

(9 Jun 1996 Norway Varhaug)
Pos Rider Points
1 Sweden Jimmy Nilsen 14[8]
2 Denmark Brian Andersen 12
3 Sweden Mikael Karlsson 11
4 Norway Arnt Førland 10
5 Denmark John Jørgensen 10
6 Denmark Jan Stæchmann 10
7 Denmark Brian Karger 10
8 Sweden Stefan Dannö 9
9 Sweden Niklas Klingberg 9
10 Denmark Ronni Pedersen 7
11 Norway Rune Holta 4
12 Finland Vesa Ylinen 4
13 Finland Kai Laukkanen 4
14 Norway Lars Gunnestad 3
15 Finland Jarno Kosonen 2
16 Norway Björn Tönnesen 1
16 Norway John Pollestad 0

Continental semi finals

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Continental semi-finals - 16 riders from to Continental final

SF

Pos. Rider Points
1 Russia Sergej Darkin 14
2 England Simon Wigg 13
3 Italy Armando Castagna 13
4 Hungary Zoltán Adorján 11
5 Ukraine Igor Marko 9
6 France Philippe Bergé 8
7 Czech Republic Zdeněk Schneiderwind 7
8 Russia Oleg Kurguskin 7
9 Italy Valentino Furlanetto 7
10 Czech Republic Václav Milík Sr. 6
11 Italy Stefano Alfonso 6
12 Poland Piotr Baron 5
13 Germany Robbie Kessler 4
14 Ukraine Vladimir Trofimov 4
15 Poland Piotr Protasiewicz 3
16 Hungary Zsolt Benzce 3

SF

Pos. Rider Points
1 Poland Roman Jankowski 12
2 Poland Jacek Krzyżaniak 12
3 Poland Sławomir Drabik 12
4 Poland Tomasz Gollob 11
5 Czech Republic Tomáš Topinka 10
6 Germany Robert Barth 9
7 Russia Rinat Mardanshin 9
8 Poland Tomasz Bajerski 9
9 Germany Gerd Riss 8
10 Czech Republic Antonín Kasper Jr. 7
11 Latvia Nikolaj Kokins 5
12 Poland Piotr Świst 5
13 Czech Republic Antonín Šváb Jr. 5
14 Hungary Csaba Hell 3
15 Hungary Sándor Tihanyi 2
16 Germany Mirko Wolter 1

Third round

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Intercontinental Final

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2 riders direct to Grand Prix, 5 riders to GP Challenge, Jimmy Nilsen won the event.[9]

Continental Final

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  • 2 riders direct to Grand Prix, 4 riders to GP Challenge[10]
  • 28 July 1996 Germany Abensberg
Pos. Rider Points
1 Poland Tomasz Gollob 12
2 Poland Sławomir Drabik 11
3 Hungary Zoltán Adorján 11
4 Germany Robert Barth 11
5 Russia Rinat Mardanshin 11
6 England Simon Wigg 10
7 Russia Sergej Darkin 10
8 Italy Armando Castagna 9
9 Czech Republic Tomáš Topinka 9
10 Poland Jacek Krzyżaniak 6
11 Poland Tomasz Bajerski 5
12 Russia Oleg Kurguskin 5
13 Czech Republic Zdeněk Schneiderwind 3
14 Czech Republic Antonín Kasper Jr. 3
15 Poland Roman Jankowski 2
16 France Philippe Bergé 1
17 Ukraine Igor Marko 1
18 Czech Republic Václav Milík Sr. 1

Final Round

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GP Challenge

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4 riders to 1997 Grand Prix

Pos. Rider Points
1 England Simon Wigg 12
2 Australia Leigh Adams 12
3 Sweden Mikael Karlsson 11
4 England Andy Smith 11
5 United States Sam Ermolenko 11
6 Australia Jason Crump 11
7 Australia Ryan Sullivan 9
8 Sweden Stefan Dannö 9
9 England Joe Screen 9
10 Denmark Brian Karger 8
11 Hungary Zoltán Adorján 6
12 Germany Gerd Riss 4
13 Germany Robert Barth 4
14 Australia Craig Boyce 2
15 Russia Rinat Mardanshin 0
16 Denmark Tommy Knudsen 0
17 Italy Armando Castagna 0

References

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  1. ^ "Individual Championship". Speedway.org. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  2. ^ "Karlsson wins GP berth". Birmingham Daily Post. 7 October 1996. Retrieved 20 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "HISTORICAL LIST OF RESULTS 1995-2013 Speedway Grand Prix - Qualifications". Speedway History. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Big chance for Wilson to sparkle with Stars". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 5 October 1996. Retrieved 20 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Speedway". Torbay Express and South Devon Echo. 7 October 1996. Retrieved 6 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Speedway World Championship History - 1996". Speedway History. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Kiwis in the Overseas Final - 1996". Speedway Plus. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  8. ^ "LEGENDS: JIMMY NILSEN". Swindon Speedway. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Super Swede". Cambridge Daily News. 29 July 1996. Retrieved 20 January 2023 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ "27.07.1996.Speedway Continental final - Abensberg (GER)". You Tube. Retrieved 20 January 2023.