| Bysarna | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Club information | |||||||
| Track address | Gamla Speedway Track Galgberget, Visby, Gotland | ||||||
| Country | Sweden | ||||||
| Founded | 1967 | ||||||
| Closed | 2007 | ||||||
| Major team honours | |||||||
| |||||||
Bysarna were a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based at the Gamla Speedway Track, in Galgberget, north of Visby on the island of Gotland in Sweden. [1] They were four times league champions of Sweden. [2] [3]
The beginning of speedway in Visby can be traced back to November 1921 when the Gotland Motor Association was formed. Eight years later in 1929 the Gotland Motorcycle Club were riding dirt track races. A meeting was held at Gutavallen on 23 October and several other meetings took place at various venues before the war. [4] After the war a suitable piece of land was acquired in Galgberget and the track was completed in 1951. [1] [4]
Although a track existed in Visby there was no team until 1967, when a team called Bysarna entered Division 3 east, during the 1967 Swedish speedway season. The team finished second in the division behind Dackarna. [5] Two years in 1969 later Bysarna won their first trophy after finishing top of the same division and winning a promotion play-off final. [6] The team competed in the second division in 1970 and duly completed a quick double by winning the division. [7]
The team made their debut in the first division (commonly known as the Allsvenskan at the time) and achieved a remarkable feat by winning the gold medal during the 1971 Swedish speedway season and thus becoming the Swedish Speedway Team Champions. [4] The team then retained their title the following season in 1972. [4]
The success continued finishing second in 1973 and then winning their third gold medal during the 1975 Swedish speedway season. Some of Bysarna's leading riders from the period included Christer Löfqvist, Tommy Johansson and Sören Sjösten and Berndt Johansson. [8] [9] The golden period came to an end in 1977 when the club were relegated.
The club remained in the second tier, which became known as the Division 1 because of the introduction of the Elitserien in 1982. [10] However, in 1985, they won division 1 and were promoted to the Elitserien. [11] In 1988, the team won their fourth gold medal led by riders such as Per Jonsson, Tony Olsson, Dennis Löfqvist and Brian Karger. [12] [13] The team continued to compete in the Elitserien until relegation in 1999.
The new millennium started well when the club won the Allsvenskan (second tier) and returned to the Elitserien for one final season in 2001. Unfortunately they were relegated back to the Allsvenskan in 2002 and struggled over the following years opting for the third tier in 2006.
In 2007, the club's track at Galgberget was closed down and the team raced their last season despite efforts to find a new track. [14]
Visby is an urban area in Sweden and the seat of Gotland Municipality in Gotland County on the island of Gotland with 24,330 inhabitants as of 2017. Visby is also the episcopal see for the Diocese of Visby. The Hanseatic city of Visby is arguably the best-preserved medieval city in Scandinavia, and, since 1995, it has been on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. Among the most notable historical remains are the 3.4 km (2.1 mi) long town wall that encircles the town center, and a number of church ruins. The decline as a Hanseatic city in the Late Middle Ages was the cause for many stone houses being preserved in their original medieval style.
Njudungarna or Vetlanda Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team based in Vetlanda, Sweden, who comepete in the Swedish Speedway Team Championship. They race at the Vetlanda Motorstadion and are eleven times champions of Sweden.
IF Björklöven is a Swedish professional ice hockey club in Umeå, Västerbotten, in northern Sweden. The club is currently playing in the second-tier league HockeyAllsvenskan as of the 2014–15 season, but has played 15 seasons in the top Swedish league Elitserien.
Smederna is a motorcycle speedway club based in Eskilstuna, Sweden. The club competes in the highest speedway league in Sweden called the Elitserien and race its home matches at Smedstadion outside Eskilstuna. Smederna has won six Swedish Speedway Team Championships.
John Tony Olsson is a former international motorcycle speedway rider. He was a member of the Sweden speedway team when they finished third in the 1988 and 1989 World Team Cup finals. He also represented his country at Test level.
Indianerna are a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in 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. They are two times champions of Sweden. and compete in the Elitserien Their home stadium is the Glottra Skog Arena south of Kumla.
Rospiggarna is a motorcycle speedway team based in Hallstavik, Sweden. They ride in the Elitserien are five times champions of Sweden.
Västervik Speedway are a motorcycle speedway team from Västervik in Sweden. They ride in the Elitserien and are one time champions of Sweden. The team race at the Ljungheden also known as the Helja Arena.
Dackarna is a motorcycle speedway club from Målilla in Sweden who compete in the Swedish Elitserien. Their home track since 1993 has been the Skrotfrag Arena which was the venue for the Grand Prix of Scandinavia and is the current venue for the Speedway Grand Prix of Sweden. They ride in the Elitserien and are six times champions of Sweden.
Lejonen is a motorcycle speedway team from Gislaved in Sweden, who compete in the Elitserien. Their home track is at the Gislaved Motorbana or the OnePartnerGroup Arena for sponsorship purposes, which is Sweden's oldest track still in use. The club are two times champions of Sweden.
Masarna are a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Avesta, Sweden. They last rode in the Elitserien during the 2022 Swedish Speedway season but are currently not racing due to financial problems. They are two times champions of Sweden.
Piraterna are a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Motala, Sweden The team are two times champions of Sweden. and compete in the Elitserien
Vargarna is a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Norrköping, Sweden, representing SMK Östgöta. The team race at Norrköping Motorstadion. They ride in the Elitserien and are six times champions of Sweden.
Hammarby IF Speedway was a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Stockholm, Sweden. The club has not been competing in the domestic leagues since 2016, after their home ground Gubbängens IP was demolished. Their biggest success was winning the bronze medal in Elitserien in 2007.
Valsarna is a motorcycle speedway club from Tallhult, Hagfors in Sweden, who compete in the Swedish Speedway Team Championship. Their home track is at the Tallhult Motorstadion which is located to the North of Hagfors on the road to Geijersholm. They are twice league champions of Sweden.
Örnarna is a motorcycle speedway team from Mariestad in Sweden, representing Mariestads MK, who compete in the Allsvenskan. Their home track is at the Grevby Motorstadion which is located to the north of Mariestad.
The 1971 Swedish speedway season was the 1971 season of motorcycle speedway in Sweden.
The 1975 Swedish speedway season was the 1975 season of motorcycle speedway in Sweden.
The 1988 Swedish speedway season was the 1988 season of motorcycle speedway in Sweden.
Karlstad Speedway is a motorcycle speedway club from Karlstad in Sweden.
Swedish speedway teams & seasons | ||
|---|---|---|
| Elitserien |  | |
| Allsvenskan | ||
| Division One | ||
| Former | ||
| Seasons | Swedish Speedway Team Championship
| |
