1997 Speedway Grand Prix Qualification

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.

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

  • 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

Continental quarter finals

Second round

Overseas Final

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

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

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

Intercontinental Final

Main article: 1996 Intercontinental Final

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

Continental Final

  • 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

GP Challenge

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

  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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