Wikipedia

1997 Speedway Grand Prix Qualification

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.

1997 Speedway Grand Prix Qualification
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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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Main article: 1996 Overseas Final

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

Continental semi finals

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Continental semi-finals - 16 riders from to Continental final

SF

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

SF

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

Third round

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Intercontinental Final

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Main article: 1996 Intercontinental Final

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   Abensberg
Pos. Rider Points
1   Tomasz Gollob 12
2   Sławomir Drabik 11
3   Zoltán Adorján 11
4   Robert Barth 11
5   Rinat Mardanshin 11
6   Simon Wigg 10
7   Sergej Darkin 10
8   Armando Castagna 9
9   Tomáš Topinka 9
10   Jacek Krzyżaniak 6
11   Tomasz Bajerski 5
12   Oleg Kurguskin 5
13   Zdeněk Schneiderwind 3
14   Antonín Kasper Jr. 3
15   Roman Jankowski 2
16   Philippe Bergé 1
17   Igor Marko 1
18   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   Simon Wigg 12
2   Leigh Adams 12
3   Mikael Karlsson 11
4   Andy Smith 11
5   Sam Ermolenko 11
6   Jason Crump 11
7   Ryan Sullivan 9
8   Stefan Dannö 9
9   Joe Screen 9
10   Brian Karger 8
11   Zoltán Adorján 6
12   Gerd Riss 4
13   Robert Barth 4
14   Craig Boyce 2
15   Rinat Mardanshin 0
16   Tommy Knudsen 0
17   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.
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