Tommy Pettersson Explained

Tommy Pettersson
Nationality:Swedish
Birth Date:29 December 1952
Birth Place:Norrköping, Sweden
Career1:Sweden
Years2:1971–1979
Years3:1981–1988
Career4:Great Britain
Years5:1977
Career5:Bristol Bulldogs
Years6:1977
Career6:Leicester Lions
Indivyear1:1972
Indivhonour1:Swedish U21 champion

Thomas Pettersson better known as Tommy Pettersson (born 29 December 1952) is a Swedish former motorcycle speedway rider. He earned 7 caps for the Sweden national speedway team.[1]

Career

Born in Norrköping, Pettersson learnt to ride a speedway bike in England, at Olle Nygren's training school in Boston.[2] He made his competitive debut in 1971 for his home town team Vargarna, and won the Swedish Junior Championship the following year.

He rode for Sweden in test matches against the Soviet Union in 1973 and England in 1974, and was due to tour England with Sweden in 1975 and ride for Reading Racers[3] but a broken leg from a racing crash ruled him out.

In 1976 he signed for Birmingham Brummies but a dispute between Birmingham and Vargarna meant that he only appeared in three challenge matches for Birmingham.[4] He returned to Britain in 1977, first with Bristol Bulldogs[5] and then a longer spell with Leicester Lions.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022 . British Speedway . 8 September 2024.
  2. Oakes, Peter & Mauger, Ivan (1976) Who's Who of World Speedway, Studio Publications,, p. 232
  3. News: Three new stars for the Racers . Reading Evening Post . 23 January 1975 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription . 7 September 2024.
  4. Jones, Alan (2010) Speedway in Leicester: The Lions Roar, Automedia, p. 157
  5. News: Bulldogs free Swede Tommy . Bristol Evening Post . 24 June 1977 . British Newspaper Archive. subscription . 26 August 2024.