Jan Andersson (speedway rider)

Jan Andersson

Born	(1955-05-07) 7 May 1955 (age 69) Alingsås, Sweden
Nationality	Swedish
Career history
Sweden
1974–1985, 1992–1994	Kaparna
1986–1990	Vetlanda
Great Britain
1975–1978	Swindon Robins
1979–1988, 1990–1992	Reading Racers
Individual honours
1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985	World finalist
1979, 1980, 1981, 1984	Swedish Champion
1979	Nordic Champion
1974	Swedish U21 champion
1985	Pride of the East
1979	Geoff Curtis Memorial
1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988	Indoor British Open Champion
1981	Littlechild Trophy
Team honours
1980, 1990, 1992	British League Champion
1990	British League KO Cup Winner
1984, 1986, 1987	Elitserien Champion
1980	Allsvenskan Div 2 (South) Champion
1982	Allsvenskan Div 1 (South) Champion

Jan Hakan Andersson (born 7 May 1955) is a Swedish former speedway rider. He earned 39 caps for the Sweden national speedway team. ^[1]

Speedway career

Andersson was a leading speedway rider during the 1980s reaching six Speedway World Championship finals in 1978, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984 and 1985. He was the Swedish champion on four occasions (1979, 1980, 1981 and 1984) ^[2] and Nordic Champion in 1979.

He rode in the top tier of British Speedway riding for the Swindon Robins from 1975 until 1978. He left Swindon to join Reading because his international commitments would have meant missing some of Swindon's Saturday night fixtures. ^[3]

Andersson rode for Reading Racers from 1979 until 1992 ^[4] and is regarded as a club legend. ^[5] Andersson also starred with his brother Björn Andersson and Pierre Brannefors, during Kaparna's league championship title win, during the 1984 Swedish speedway season. ^[6]

World final appearances

Individual World Championship

• 1978 – London, Wembley Stadium - 14th - 3pts
• 1980 – Gothenburg, Ullevi - 4th - 11pts
• 1981 – London, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 9pts
• 1982 – Los Angeles, Memorial Coliseum - 8th - 8pts
• 1984 – Gothenburg, Ullevi - 10th - 6pts
• 1985 – Bradford, Odsal Stadium - 10th - 7pts

World Team Cup

• 1985 –   USA Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Jimmy Nilsen / Per Jonsson / Tommy Nilsson / Pierre Brannefors) - 4th - 10pts (5)
• 1986 – Gothenburg, Ullevi, Vojens, Speedway Center and Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Jimmy Nilsen / Per Jonsson / Tommy Nilsson / Erik Stenlund / Tony Olsson) - 4th - 73pts (28)

World Pairs Championship

• 1978 – Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Börje Klingberg) - 7th - 11pts (10)
• 1980 – Krško, Matija Gubec Stadium (with Richard Hellsen) - 4th - 18pts (9)
• 1983 – Gothenburg, Ullevi (with Pierre Brannefors) - 5th - 16pts (12)
• 1985 – Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Per Jonsson) - 5th - 14pts (10)
• 1986 – Pocking, Rottalstadion (with Tommy Nilsson) - 4th - 32pt (17)

References

1. "Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022" (PDF). British Speedway. Retrieved 6 September 2024.
2. Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. p. 85. ISBN   0-86215-017-5.
3. "Top Swede all set to join Racers" . Reading Evening Post. 2 February 1979. Retrieved 6 September 2024– via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
5. "Bring back Reading Racers speedway team campaign launched". Berkshire Live. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
6. "Former Indians star dead - buried today: "A shock - always colorful and funny"" . Nerikes Allehanda. Retrieved 6 September 2024.