Motorcycle speedway world championship season
The 1973 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 28th edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
The 1973 World Final was won by Polish rider Jerzy Szczakiel following a run-off in with defending champion Ivan Mauger after both riders had finished on 13 points. On the second lap of the run-off, Mauger fell in turn 3 after trying a risky passing move leaving Szczakiel to win easily. Another Polish rider, Zenon Plech finished third. Rank outsider Szczakiel, who had finished last with no points scored in his only other World Final appearance in Sweden in 1971, rode the meeting of his life and was only beaten in his final two rides before defeating Mauger in the run-off.[7]
The final, held at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów, Poland, is believed to have been held in front of the largest crowd in world speedway history, estimated to be around 130,000, though some reports put the size of the crowd as anywhere from 90,000 to 120,000.[8] The previous record for a final was 95,000 during the 1938 Individual Speedway World Championship at Wembley.
The format of the Championship changed for the 1973 event. This time the Polish riders were allowed five places in the World Final to be held in Poland. All other nations had to go through the European Final route to provide the remaining 11 riders for the World Final.[9][10]
First round
British/Commonwealth premilinaries
- Riders progress to British/Commonwealth qualifiers
Second round
Norwegian qualifying | Finnish qualifying (top 10) Pos. | Rider | Points | Total (best 2) | 1 | Matti Olin | 8+8+0 | 16 | 2 | Hannu Känkänen | 4+6+8 | 14 | 3 | Kalevi Lahtinen | 6+0+6 | 12 | 4 | Heikki Ahonen | 1+3+4 | 7 | 5 | Kari Vuoristo | 3+2+0 | 5 | 6 | Pekka Paljakka | 0+4+0 | 4 | 7 | Matti Touru | 0+0+3 | 3 | 8 | Tapio Leppasalko | 2+1+0 | 3 | 9 | Jouko Naskali | 0+0+2 | 2 | 10 | Timo Naskali | 0+0+1 | 1 | |
Swedish qualifying
- Top 8 in each heat to Nordic qualification
| (1 May, Målilla (Motorbana), Målilla) | Pos | Rider | Points | 1 | Sören Sjösten | 14 | 2 | Bengt Jansson | 13 | 3 | Anders Michanek | 11 | 4 | Stefan Johansson | 11 | 5 | Tommy Johansson | 10 | 6 | Leif Johansson | 10 | 7 | Bengt Larsson | 7 | 8 | Stefan Salmonsson | 7 | 9 | Anders Jansson | 6 | 10 | Sigvard Johansson | 6 | 11 | Roy Dantanus | 5 | 12 | Lars-Inge Hultberg | 5 | 13 | Tomas Johansson | 5 | 14 | Therje Henriksson | 4 | 15 | Steve Johansson | 4 | 16 | Åke Andersson | 2 | 17 | Bertil Andersson | 0 | | |
Continental qualifying
- Rider progress to Continental quarter-finals
British/Commonwealth qualifiers
- Top riders progress to British/Commonwealth semi-finals
Date | Venue | Winner | 2nd | 3rd |
12 May | King's Lynn Stadium, King's Lynn | John Louis | Terry Betts | Malcolm Simmons |
14 May | Reading Stadium, Reading | Martin Ashby | Mick Bell | Geoff Curtis |
16 May | Wimborne Road, Poole | Pete Smith | Ray Wilson | Terry Betts |
17 May | Owlerton Stadium, Sheffield | Jim McMillan | Arnie Haley | Doug Wyer |
18 May | Monmore Green, Wolverhampton | George Hunter | Ray Wilson | Gary Peterson |
18 May | Hackney Wick Stadium, London | Terry Betts | Bob Valentine | Barry Thomas |
19 May | The Shay, Halifax | John Boulger | Eric Boocock | Bill Andrew |
19 May | Dudley Wood Stadium, Dudley | John Louis | Bruce Cribb | Colin Gooddy |
19 May | Abbey Stadium, Swindon | Jim McMillan | Doug Wyer | Tony Davey |
19 May | Hyde Road, Manchester | Ivan Mauger | Chris Pusey | Eric Broadbelt |
21 May | County Ground Stadium, Exeter | Ivan Mauger | Martin Ashby | Bob Coles |
22 May | Leicester Stadium, Leicester | John Boulger | Ray Wilson | Bob Kilby |
23 May | Somerton Park, Newport | Eric Boocock | Roy Trigg | Gary Peterson |
24 May | Wimbledon Stadium, London | Peter Collins | Norman Hunter | Ian Turner |
24 May | Oxford Stadium, Oxford | Bob Kilby | Malcolm Ballard | Eric Boocock |
25 May | Cliftonhill, Coatbridge | Mick Bell | John Boulger | Chris Julian |
26 May | Brandon Stadium, Coventry | Nigel Boocock | Ray Wilson | Bob Kilby |
29 May | Foxhall Stadium, Ipswich | Ivan Mauger | Tony Davey | Mick Bell |
Third round
Continental quarter-finals
- Top 32 to Continental semi-finals
British/Commonwealth semi-finals
Nordic qualification
- Top 5 from each meeting to Nordic final
Fourth round
Continental semi-finals
British/Commonwealth Final
Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | 21 |
| (15) Ray Wilson | 15 | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | | | 3 | 3 | | | | 15 | 1 | |
| (10) Bob Valentine | 12 | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | 2 | | | | 12 | 2 | 3 |
| (13) Peter Collins | 12 | | | | 2 | 3 | | | | | | | 3 | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | 12 | 3 | 2 |
4 | (3) John Boulger | 12 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | 12 | 4 | 1 |
5 | (2) Ivan Mauger | 10 | 3 | | | | | 1 | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | T | | | 10 | 5 | |
6 | (7) Eric Boocock | 9 | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 0 | 3 | | | | | 2 | | | 9 | 6 | |
7 | (8) Tony Davey | 9 | | 3 | | | | | | 2 | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | 9 | 7 | |
8 | (16) Rick France | 9 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | 2 | | | | | | 1 | | | 3 | | | 9 | 8 | |
9 | (6) John Louis | 7 | | F | | | | 0 | | | 3 | | | | | | | 3 | | | 1 | | 7 | 9 | |
10 | (4) Martin Ashby | 6 | 1 | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | 6 | 10 | |
11 | (5) Garry Middleton | 5 | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 0 | | | | | 3 | 5 | 11 | |
12 | (14) Peter Smith | 5 | | | | 0 | | 2 | | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | 5 | 12 | |
13 | (9) Terry Betts | 4 | | | 1 | | 2 | | | | | | F | | | | | F | | 1 | | | 4 | 13 | |
14 | (11) Mick Bell | 4 | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | | | 0 | | | | | | 2 | 4 | 14 | |
15 | (1) Malcolm Simmons | 2 | 0 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | 15 | |
16 | (12) Jim McMillan | 2 | | | 0 | | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | 2 | | | | | | 0 | | 2 | 16 | |
R1 | (R1) Chris Pusey | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | R1 |
Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | 21 |
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |
Nordic Final
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |
Fifth round
British/Commonwealth/Nordic Final
Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | 21 |
| (13) Anders Michanek | 14 | | | | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | 2 | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | 14 | 1 | |
| (8) Ole Olsen | 11 | | T | | | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | 11 | 2 | |
| (4) Ivan Mauger | 11 | 1 | | | | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | 11 | 3 | |
4 | (2) Tommy Jansson | 10 | 2 | | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 10 | 4 | |
5 | (7) John Boulger | 10 | | 2 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 1 | 3 | | | | | 1 | | | 10 | 5 | |
6 | (11) Peter Collins | 9 | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | 3 | | | | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | 9 | 6 | |
7 | (16) Ray Wilson | 9 | | | | E | | | | 1 | 2 | | | | | | 3 | | | 3 | | | 9 | 7 | |
8 | (15) Bernt Persson | 9 | | | | 2 | | | E | | | 3 | | | | | | 2 | 2 | | | | 9 | 8 | |
9 | (1) Bob Valentine | 8 | 3 | | | | 2 | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | | | 1 | | | | 8 | 9 | |
10 | (6) Reidar Eide | 5 | | 1 | | | | 2 | | | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | 5 | 10 | |
11 | (14) Göte Nordin | 5 | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | 1 | | | | | | | 0 | 5 | 11 | |
12 | (10) Bengt Jansson | 3 | | | 2 | | | F | | | | | | F | | | 1 | | E | | | | 3 | 12 | |
13 | (9) Jan Simensen | 2 | | | 1 | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | 2 | 13 | |
14 | (12) Tony Davey | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | 0 | | 0 | | | 0 | | | | | | 1 | | 1 | 14 | |
15 | (3) Eric Boocock | 0 | 0 | | | | | | T | | | | - | | | | - | | | | - | | 0 | 15 | |
DQ | (5) John Louis | 10 | | 3 | | | 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | | 2 | | | | | 3 | 10 | DQ | |
R1 | (R1) Garry Middleton | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | T | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | 2 | R1 |
Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | 21 |
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |
Continental Final
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |
Sixth round
Polish qualifiers
European Final
Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | 21 |
| (7) Anders Michanek | 15 | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | 15 | 1 | |
| (5) Ivan Mauger | 14 | | 2 | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | | | | 3 | 14 | 2 | |
| (13) Vladimir Paznikov | 12 | | | | 3 | 2 | | | | | | | 1 | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | 12 | 3 | |
4 | (4) Bernt Persson | 10 | 0 | | | | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | | 2 | 10 | 4 | |
5 | (9) Vladimir Zapleshny | 9 | | | 3 | | 0 | | | | | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | 2 | | | 9 | 5 | |
6 | (16) Peter Collins | 9 | | | | 2 | | | | 2 | 3 | | | | | | 2 | | | E | | | 9 | 6 | |
7 | (14) Valery Gordeev | 8 | | | | F | | 3 | | | | | 3 | | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | 8 | 7 | |
8 | (11) Ole Olsen | 8 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | | | - | 8 | 8 | |
9 | (1) Grigory Khlinovsky | 7 | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 0 | | | | 2 | | | | 3 | | | | 7 | 9 | |
10 | (3) John Boulger | 7 | 3 | | | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | 7 | 10 | |
11 | (2) Ray Wilson | 6 | 2 | | | | | 2 | | | | F | | | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | 6 | 11 | |
12 | (6) Bengt Jansson | 6 | | 1 | | | | 1 | | | 1 | | | | | | | 1 | | | 2 | | 6 | 12 | |
13 | (15) Aleksandr Pavlov | 4 | | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | 2 | | | | | | 0 | 1 | | | | 4 | 13 | |
14 | (8) Jiri Stancl | 2 | | 0 | | | | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 0 | | | 2 | | | | 2 | 14 | |
15 | (12) Viktor Trofimov | 2 | | | 0 | | | | | 1 | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | | 0 | | 2 | 15 | |
16 | (10) Anatoly Kuzmin | 1 | | | 1 | | | 0 | | | | | | 0 | | | 0 | | 0 | | | | 1 | 16 | |
R1 | (R1) Otto Barth | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 0 | 0 | R1 |
Placing | Rider | Total | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | Pts | Pos | 21 |
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |
World Final
Final Controversy
The Final was surrounded by controversy, with decisions made by Georg Traunspurger, the referee assigned to the meeting by the FIM, seeming to favour the Polish riders. One of his decisions was to have 2nd reserve Andrzej Wyglenda of Poland race in Heat 16 in front of 1st reserve Tommy Jansson of Sweden (after Bernt Persson of Sweden was unable to ride), making it four Polish riders in the race. In the race, second placed Edward Jancarz, who led for the first three laps, seemed to let Zenon Plech take the lead in the final turn, allowing Plech, who had more points at that stage of the meeting, to collect another three points for the win.
His most controversial decision was to exclude Soviet rider Grigory Khlinovsky from heat 19. Khlinovsky had attempted to pass on the inside of Zenon Plech for the lead going into the back straight of the last lap. As he was passed by the Russian, Plech lost control of his bike and fell. Despite protests from riders and the Soviet officials Khlinovsky was excluded and England's Peter Collins, who was in 3rd place at the time of the crash, was awarded the heat win, Plech, who didn't actually finish the race, was awarded 2nd. The result of the two points he gained for second place allowed Plech to finish a clear third in the championship. Had Khlinovsky been the winner of the heat, he would have ended on 13 points, which would have put him in the run-off for the title with Szczakiel and Mauger.[11]
British television commentator Dave Lanning called the ruling "The craziest piece of speedway regulations in the history of World Championship racing", before adding that "It seems to me that the authorities here in Katowice are making up the rules to suit themselves to get their boys a world title."
Final result
m - exclusion for exceeding two minute time allowance • t - exclusion for touching the tapes • x - other exclusion • e - retired or mechanical failure • f - fell • ns - non-starter • nc - non-classify
gate A - inside | gate B | gate C | gate D - outside |
References
- ^ Oakes, Peter (1981). 1981 Speedway Yearbook. Studio Publications (Ipswich) Ltd. pp. 20–21. ISBN 0-86215-017-5.
- ^ "World Championship 1936-1994". Edinburgh Speedway. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "WORLD FINALS 1936-1994" (PDF). Speedway Researcher. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "HISTORY SPEEDWAY and LONGTRACK". Speedway.org. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Speedway riders, history and results". wwosbackup. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "WORLD INDIVIDUAL FINAL - RIDER INDEX". British Speedway. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ^ "Unknown Pole wins crown from Mauger". Newcastle Evening Chronicle. 3 September 1973. Retrieved 6 April 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Katowice 1973
- ^ "1973 World Championship". Metal Speedway. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ "1973 World Championship". Speedway.org. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
- ^ YouTube
- ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
Speedway World Championship | | |
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Speedway Grand Prix (SGP) | |
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See also | |
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