Harald Olof Ingemar Nygren (11 November 1929 – 13 February 2021) was a Swedish motorcycle speedway rider, who reached the finals of the Speedway World Championship five times.Belton, Brian (2003). Hammerin' Round. Stroud: Tempus Publishing He earned 90 caps for the Sweden national speedway team.
Career Nygren was the inaugural Swedish Champion during the 1949 Swedish speedway season. He also helped his Swedish team Vargarna win the Swedish Speedway Team Championship. He started riding in Great Britain during the 1951 Speedway National League, when he joined the Harringay Racers.
Nygren soon established himself as a leading rider, recording exceptional averages for New Cross Rangers and then Bristol Bulldogs during the 1953 Speedway National League season. After a season with Wimbledon Dons in 1954 he would not ride in Britain again until 1960. In the meantime, he reached several world finals and was considered a world class rider, winning his second Nordic Championship and the World Team Cup in 1960.
Nygren returned to British speedway in 1960 and would ride until the end of the 1975 season, regularly topping the team averages. He would ride for Swindon Robins, Norwich Stars, West Ham Hammers, Ipswich Witches, Coventry Bees and King's Lynn Stars.
After retirement, Nygren set up a successful speedway training school. Nygren lived in England from the 1960s. He died in Ipswich at the age of 91, after contracting COVID-19; he had previously been treated for laryngeal cancer.
World Final appearances Individual World Championship 1953 – London, Wembley Stadium – 4th - 12+2pts 1954 – London, Wembley Stadium – 3rd - 13+2pts 1955 – London, Wembley Stadium – 8th - 9pts 1958 – London, Wembley Stadium – 7th - 9pts 1959 – London, Wembley Stadium – 4th - 11+2ptsBamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing.
World Team Cup 1960 - Gothenburg, Ullevi (with Ove Fundin / Rune Sörmander / Björn Knutson) - Winner - 44pts (12) 1968 - London, Wembley Stadium (with Bengt Jansson / Anders Michanek / Ove Fundin / Torbjörn Harrysson) - 2nd - 30pts (3)
World Longtrack Championship 1957 - Semi-final 1958 - Muhldorf (14th) 1959 - Helsinki (Third) 1960 - Plattling (9th) 1961 - Oslo (Second) 1978 - Qualifying Round 1979 - Qualifying Round
Formula One In 1962, Nygren took part in a minor Formula One race, the Kanonloppet, at the Karlskoga Circuit at Karlskoga in his home country of Sweden. He drove a Lotus 18 loaned to him by American driver Jay Chamberlain. Nygren qualified tenth of the ten starters, and had to retire after just six laps with a gearbox failure.Thompson, John (1974). The Formula One Record Book. London: Leslie Frewin Publishing. . pp.106-107
Non-Championship Formula One results (key) Year Entrant Chassis Engine 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 1962 Ecurie Excelsior Lotus 18 Climax Straight-4 CAP BRX LOM LAV GLV PAU AIN INT NAP MAL CLP RMS SOL KANRet MED DAN OUL MEX RAN NAT
References
External links
Profile at Grasstrack GB