1978 Individual Speedway World Championship Explained

The 1978 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 33rd edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.[1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Ole Olsen won his third world crown. The final was sponsored by the Sunday Mirror and was attended by 86,500. Gordon Kennett took silver on the day of his 25th birthday and American Scott Autrey won the bronze medal run-off defeating Dave Jessup and Jerzy Rembas.[6] Dave Jessup was effectively denied a World title when after leading in heat 3 he suffered a bike malfunction and finished last in the heat. He then scored 11 points from his remaining rides which would have been enough to take the crown if he had won heat 3.[7]

Qualification results.[8] [9]

Second round

Australian qualifying

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
? '77? Rod Hunter John McNeill
26 Nov '77Paul O'Neil
10 Dec '77Paul O'Neil
6 JanLloyd Cross Les Leisk Neil Webb
13 JanTony Boyle Rob Maxfield
27 JanTony Boyle
30 JanBilly Sanders

New Zealand qualifying

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
5 FebJames Moore

British preliminary round

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
16 AprilVic Harding
16 AprilChris Turner
20 AprilPaul Tyrer
23 AprilBob Coles
27 AprilSteve Finch

Continental preliminary round

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
22 April Rudi Muts
23 April Angel Jeftimov

Swedish qualification

(5 May, Avestavallen, Avesta)
width=20Poswidth=180Rider width=40Points
1 15
2 11
3 11
4 Gert Carlsson 11
5 Tomas Pettersson 10
6 Karl-Erik Claesson 9
7 Roger Björkman 9
8 Åke Fridell 8
9 Lars-Olof Karlsson 7
10 Åke Axelsson 7
11 Leif Johansson 6
12 Peter Johansson 5
13 Therje Henriksson 4
14 Bertil Andersson 2
15 Börje Ohlsson (res)2
16 Hans Frisk 1
17 Willy Karlsson 0
18 Jan Holmqvist 0
(7 May, Målilla Motorbana, Malilla)
width=20Poswidth=180Rider width=40Points
1 15
2 13
3 Stefan Salmonsson 13
4 Lillebror Johansson 11
5 Bo Wirebrand9+3
6 9+2
7 8
8 Sven Nilsson 8
9 6
10 Thord Löwdin 5
11 Kenneth Selmosson 4
12 Weine Ström 4
13 3
14 Björn Persson (res) 3
15 Karl-Fredrik Lindgren 3
16 Bengt Gagner 3
17Åke Andersson (res)2
18 Åke Dovhed 0
(7 May, Gamla Galgberget, Visby)
width=20Poswidth=180Rider width=40Points
1 14
2 Conny Samuelsson13
3 13
4 12
5 12
6 9+3
7 Rolf Sundberg 9+2
8 Kjell Bergström 7
9 7
10 Jan Davidsson 6
11 Torgil Roth 6
12 Håkan Karlsson 5
13 2
14 Eddie Davidsson1

Third round

Continental quarter-finals

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
7 May Jerzy Rembas
7 May Václav Verner
7 May Nikolay Kornev
7 May Zdeněk Kudrna

British qualifying round

The British qualifying rounds for the World Championship doubled up as qualifying rounds for the Volkswagen/Daily Mirror Grand Prix. Therefore, many non-British riders rode in these meetings scoring points towards the Volkswagen/Daily Mirror Grand Prix qualification - but their scores didn't count towards World Championship qualification. The top 32 British riders qualified for the british semi-finals.

width=100Datewidth=280Venuewidth=180Winnerwidth=1802ndwidth=1803rd
11 MayWimbledon Stadium, London Dave Jessup
11 MaySteve Bastable
12 MayHackney Wick Stadium, London Finn Thomsen
13 MayHyde Road, Manchester Bobby Beaton
13 MayMalcolm Simmons
13 MayBilly Sanders
15 MayJohn Davis
15 MayMike Farrell
15 MayMike Lanham
16 MayLes Collins
17 MayMalcolm Simmons
17 MayWhite City Stadium, London Ila Teromaa
17 MayGraham Drury
18 MayDave Perks
18 MayTony Davey
19 MayJim McMillan
19 MayReg Wilson
20 MayBruce Cribb
20 MayPhil Collins

Finland Final

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=50pxTotal
1 14
2 13
3 Rauli Mäkinen 12
4 Seppo Palomäki 12
5 Markku Helminen 11
6 Pekka Paljakka 10
7 Pekka Hautamäki 9
8 Timo Kiansten 8
9 Olli Turkia 8
10 Veijo Tuoriniemi6
11 Veli Pekka Kunelius 6
12 Ari Koponen3
13Keijo Mylläri 3
14 Esa Mattila 3
15 Raimo Posti 2
16 Jorma Karjalainen 0

Norwegian Final

Swedish Final

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=70pxTotal
1 14
2 14
3 11
4 11
5 10
6 10
7 10
8 8
9 6
10 6
11 5
12 5
13 4
14 3
15 1
16 1
17 1

Danish Final

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=50pxTotal
1 13+3
2 13+2
3 12+3
4 12+2
5 12+1
6 10
7 9
8 8
9 6
10 4
11 4
12 4
13 3
14 3
15 3
16 2

Australian Final

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=50pxTotal
1 15
2 13
3 12
4 11
5 9
6 9
7 9
8 8
9 Glenn McDonald 7
10 7
11 Wayne Forrest 6
12 Tony Boyle 5
13 4
14 Ricky Day 3
15 Phil Bass 2
16 Stuart Mountford 0

New Zealand Final

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=70pxHeat Scores width=50pxTotal
1 3,3,3,3,315
2 2,3,3,2,212
3 1,3,2,3,312
4 3,2,E,3,311
5 2,3,3,1,211
6 3,2,2,2,211
7 1,1,3,2,310
8 3,1,0,0,26
9 0,0,2,3,16
10 1,2,2,0,0 5
11 2,2,0,1,F 5
12 F,0,1,2,1 4
13 2,1,1,0,0 4
14 0,0,1,1,1 3
15 1,E,1,1,0 3
16 0,1,0,0,12

Fourth round

British semi-finals

width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 Tony Davey12
2 Gordon Kennett12
3 Dave Jessup11
4 11
5 Steve Bastable10
6 John Louis10
7 Malcolm Simmons10
8Alan Grahame9
9 Terry Betts8
10 Bob Kilby7
11 Trevor Geer6
12 Neil Middleditch4
13 Mike Lanham4
14 Colin Richardson4
15 Eric Broadbelt2
16 Geoff Bouchard1
width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 Peter Collins15
2 Chris Morton13
3 Michael Lee13
4 Les Collins10
5 Reg Wilson10
6 Dave Morton9
7 Doug Wyer8
8Jim McMillan7
9 Phil Collins7
10 Bobby Beaton6
11 Dave Perks5
12 Ian Cartwright5
13 Keith White4
14 Alan Molyneux4
15 Richard Greer3
16 Ray Wilson1

American selection

Australasian Final

width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=70pxHeat Scores width=50pxTotal
1 2,2,3,3,313
2 3,3,2.5,2,111.5
3 2,3,T,3,311
4 3,1,1,3,311
5 1,3,3,1,210
6 1,2,2,3,210
7 3,3,2,T,19
8 3,T,3,F,39
9 0,2,2,2,28
10 1,1,2.5,1,1 6.5
11 1,1,1,2,1 6
12 2,E,E,2,2 6
13 2,1,1,1,0 5
14 0,2,1,0,0 3
15 0,0,0,0,0 0
16 F,-,-,-,-0
R1 0,0,1,T1
R2 0,0,00

Nordic Final

Continental semi-finals

width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 15
2 13
3 11
4 11
5 10
6 9
7 9
88
9 8
10 7
11 5
12 Vladimir Paznikov 5
13 Karel Vobornik 3
14 2
15 2
16 1
width=50% valign=top
width=25pxPos. width=200pxRider width=40pxPoints
1 15
2 14
3 12
4 9
5 9
6 Istvan Sziraczki 9
7 9
89
9 8
10 8
11 5
12 4
13 4
14 Laszlo Meszaros 3
15 Jan Hadek1
16 1

Fifth round

British Final

Continental Final

Intercontinental Final

World Final

Notes and References

  1. Book: Oakes, Peter. 1981 Speedway Yearbook. 1981. 20–21. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. 0-86215-017-5.
  2. Web site: World Championship 1936-1994. Edinburgh Speedway. 10 July 2021.
  3. Web site: WORLD FINALS 1936-1994. Speedway Researcher. 10 July 2021.
  4. Web site: Speedway riders, history and results. wwosbackup. 10 July 2021.
  5. Web site: WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX. British Speedway. 10 July 2021.
  6. News: Ole - He's champ . Sunday Mirror . 3 September 1978. 10 July 2021 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription .
  7. . Timelines take a moment . Speedway Star . 47 . 6 August 2022 .
  8. Web site: 1978 World Championship . Metal Speedway . 20 January 2024.
  9. Web site: 1978 World Championship . Speedway.org . 20 January 2024.
  10. Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.

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