# Henrik Gustafsson

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Swedish speedway rider

Henka Gustafsson Born (1970-08-14) 14 August 1970 (age 55) Sköllersta, Sweden Nationality Swedish Career history Sweden 1986-2005, 2011 Indianerna 2009 Rospiggarna 2010 Valsarna Great Britain 1990-1993 King's Lynn Stars 1994, 2001 Belle Vue Aces 2002 Poole Pirates 2005 Oxford Cheetahs Poland 1992 KS Toruń 1993 WTS Wrocław 1994 ZKŻ Zielona Góra 1995-2001 Polonia Bydgoszcz 2002 Wybrzeże Gdańsk 2003 Warsaw Denmark 2005 Fredericia 2008 Grindsted Individual honours 1995, 2000 Swedish Champion 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 Swedish U21 champion 1988 Nordic Longtrack Champion 1989 Swedish Longtrack Champion Team honours 1993 World Pairs Champion 1994, 2000 World Team Cup Winner 1990, 1991 Swedish Elite League Winner 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000 Polish League Championship winner 2005 Craven Shield Winner 2005 Danish League Champion 1994 Swedish Pairs Champion

**Henrik Anders (Henka) Gustafsson** (born 14 August 1970)[1] is a Swedish former [Motorcycle speedway](/source/Motorcycle_speedway) rider. He won the [1993 World Pairs Championship](/source/1993_Speedway_World_Pairs_Championship) with [Tony Rickardsson](/source/Tony_Rickardsson) and the [Speedway World Team Cup](/source/Speedway_World_Team_Cup) in [1994](/source/1994_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) and [2000](/source/2000_Speedway_World_Team_Cup).[2] He earned 50 caps for the [Sweden national speedway team](/source/Sweden_national_speedway_team).[3]

## Career

Gustafsson, rode for [Indianerna](/source/Indianerna) in the [Swedish Elite League](/source/Elitserien_(speedway)) starting in 1986. Gustafsson rode in the first of his four [Speedway World Finals](/source/Speedway_World_Championship) in 1990, despite failing to qualify for the [1990 World Final](/source/1990_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) in [Bradford](/source/Bradford), England, he got a lucky break when he replaced the injured Dane [Jan O. Pedersen](/source/Jan_O._Pedersen). Supposed to be one who was "there for the experience" in his first World Final, Henka impressed many by finishing a surprise 6th in the final, winning two of his five rides. After his first 3 rides he was in equal first place with eventual winner and fellow Swede [Per Jonsson](/source/Per_Jonsson) and Australia's [Todd Wiltshire](/source/Todd_Wiltshire).[4]

He first rode in Britain during a few matches for the 1990 season for the [King's Lynn Stars](/source/King's_Lynn_Stars) before signing for the [1991 British League season](/source/1991_British_League_season).[5] He topped the King's Lynn averages in 1991 and 1992, establishing himself as one of the league's leading riders. In January 1991, Gustafsson toured Australia with the Swedish team alongside Per Jonsson, [Jimmy Nilsen](/source/Jimmy_Nilsen), [Peter Nahlin](/source/Peter_Nahlin), [Erik Stenlund](/source/Erik_Stenlund), [Conny Ivarsson](/source/Conny_Ivarsson) and Tony Rickardsson. The Swedes defeated the [Aussies](/source/Australia_national_speedway_team) 3–2 in a five match series.

Gustafsson's first season riding in the [Polish top division](/source/Speedway_Ekstraliga) was 1992 with [KS Toruń](/source/KS_Toru%C5%84) and then rode for [WTS Wrocław](/source/WTS_Wroc%C5%82aw) in 1993, helping them to become [Polish League champions](/source/Team_Speedway_Polish_Championship).[6] Gustafsson qualified for the [1992 World Final](/source/1992_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) in [Wrocław](/source/Wroc%C5%82aw), Poland where he improved to finish 5th, again winning two of his five rides and improved again in the [1993 World Final](/source/1993_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) in Denmark, finishing 4th and winning 3 of his rides.[7]

In the [1994 World Final](/source/1994_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship), the last before the [Speedway Grand Prix](/source/Speedway_Grand_Prix) series started in [1995](/source/1995_Speedway_Grand_Prix), Gustafsson finished in 7th place winning only one of his rides. Also in 1994 Gustafsson signed for [ZKŻ Zielona Góra](/source/ZK%C5%BB_Zielona_G%C3%B3ra) in Poland and won the Swedish Pairs Championship. In Britain, after four years with King's Lynn he asked to be put on the transfer list and eventually joined [Belle Vue Aces](/source/Belle_Vue_Aces) mid-way through the 1994 season.[8] After the 1994 season, he then took a seven-year break from riding in the British leagues.

Gustafsson won his first [Speedway Swedish Individual Championship](/source/Speedway_Swedish_Individual_Championship) in 1995[9] and signed for [Polonia Bydgoszcz](/source/Polonia_Bydgoszcz) in Poland, staying with them until 2001, again winning the Polish League in 1997, 1998 and 2000. He became champion of Sweden for the second time in 2000.

Gustafsson would then ride in the speedway Grand Prix series as a regular rider from 1995 until [2000](/source/2000_Speedway_Grand_Prix), finishing a best 5th overall in both [1996](/source/1996_Speedway_Grand_Prix) and [1997](/source/1997_Speedway_Grand_Prix). His best placings in one of the Grand Prix events was a 2nd in [Sweden](/source/1996_Speedway_Grand_Prix_of_Sweden) in 1996 and a second as a Wild Card rider in the [2001 German GP](/source/2001_Speedway_Grand_Prix_of_Germany).

The 2002 season saw Gustafsson on the move again, returning to the British leagues with [Poole Pirates](/source/Poole_Pirates) for one season[10] and leaving Bydgoszcz for [Wybrzeże Gdańsk](/source/Wybrze%C5%BCe_Gda%C5%84sk). the following season in 2003 was his last season in Poland with [Warsaw](/source/Warsaw_Speedway).

He then returned for one last season in Britain with the [Oxford Cheetahs](/source/Oxford_Cheetahs) in 2005, winning the [Craven Shield](/source/Craven_Shield) while with Oxford.[11]

## Family

His son, [Simon](/source/Simon_Gustafsson) (born 25 May 1990) has followed in his father's footsteps and has also become a speedway rider, riding for the [Eastbourne Eagles](/source/Eastbourne_Eagles) in Britain and [Start Gniezno](/source/Start_Gniezno) in Poland.[3]

## World final appearances

### Individual World Championship

- [1990](/source/1990_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - [Bradford](/source/Bradford), [Odsal Stadium](/source/Odsal_Stadium) - 6th - 9pts

- [1992](/source/1992_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - [Wrocław](/source/Wroc%C5%82aw), [Olympic Stadium](/source/Olympic_Stadium_(Wroc%C5%82aw)) - 5th - 9pts

- [1993](/source/1993_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - [Pocking](/source/Pocking), [Rottalstadion](/source/Rottalstadion) - 4th - 10pts

- [1994](/source/1994_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship) - [Vojens](/source/Vojens), [Speedway Center](/source/Vojens_Speedway_Center) - 7th - 9pts[12]

### World Pairs Championship

- [1991](/source/1991_Speedway_World_Pairs_Championship) - [Poznań](/source/Pozna%C5%84), [Olimpia Poznań Stadium](/source/Olimpia_Pozna%C5%84_Stadium) (with [Per Jonsson](/source/Per_Jonsson) / [Jimmy Nilsen](/source/Jimmy_Nilsen)) - **2nd** - 24pts (9)

- [1992](/source/1992_Speedway_World_Pairs_Championship) - [Lonigo](/source/Lonigo), [Pista Speedway](/source/Pista_Speedway) (with Per Jonsson / [Tony Rickardsson](/source/Tony_Rickardsson)) - **3rd** - 22pts (8)

- [1993](/source/1993_Speedway_World_Pairs_Championship) - Vojens, Speedway Center (with Tony Rickardsson / Per Jonsson) - **Winner** - 26pts (6)

### World Team Cup

- [1988](/source/1988_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [USA](/source/United_States) [Long Beach](/source/Long_Beach%2C_California), [Veterans Memorial Stadium](/source/Veterans_Memorial_Stadium_(Long_Beach)) (with [Conny Ivarsson](/source/Conny_Ivarsson) / [Tony Olsson](/source/Tony_Olsson) / [Jimmy Nilsen](/source/Jimmy_Nilsen) / [Per Jonsson](/source/Per_Jonsson)) - **3rd** - 22pts (4)

- [1991](/source/1991_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Vojens](/source/Vojens), [Speedway Center](/source/Vojens_Speedway_Center) (with Tony Rickardsson /Per Jonsson / Jimmy Nilsen / [Peter Nahlin](/source/Peter_Nahlin)) - **2nd** - 30pts (7)

- [1992](/source/1992_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Kumla](/source/Kumla), [Kumla Speedway](/source/Kumla_Speedway) (with Tony Rickardsson / Per Jonsson / Jimmy Nilsen / Peter Nahlin) - **2nd** - 33pts (12)

- [1993](/source/1993_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Coventry](/source/Coventry), [Brandon Stadium](/source/Brandon_Stadium) (with [Peter Karlsson](/source/Peter_Karlsson_(speedway_rider)) / Per Jonsson / Tony Rickardsson / Peter Nahlin) - **3rd** - 28pts (6)

- [1994](/source/1994_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Brokstedt](/source/Brokstedt), [Holsteinring Brokstedt](/source/Holsteinring_Brokstedt) (with Tony Rickardsson / [Mikael Karlsson](/source/Mikael_Max)) - **Winner** - 23pts (11)

- [1995](/source/1995_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - [Bydgoszcz](/source/Bydgoszcz), [Polonia Bydgoszcz Stadium](/source/Polonia_Bydgoszcz_Stadium) (with Tony Rickardsson / Peter Karlsson) - 4th - 19+2 pts (4)

- [2000](/source/2000_Speedway_World_Team_Cup) - Coventry, Brandon Stadium (with Tony Rickardsson / Mikael Karlsson / Peter Karlsson / [Niklas Klingberg](/source/Niklas_Klingberg)) - **Winner** - 40+3 pts (10)

### Individual Under-21 World Championship

- [1988](/source/1988_Individual_Speedway_Junior_World_Championship) - [Slaný](/source/Slan%C3%BD), [Slaný Speedway Stadium](/source/Slan%C3%BD_Speedway_Stadium) - **2nd** - 11+3 pts

- [1989](/source/1989_Individual_Speedway_Junior_World_Championship) - [Lonigo](/source/Lonigo), [Santa Marina Stadium](/source/Santa_Marina_Stadium) - 4th - 11 pts

## Speedway Grand Prix results

Year Position Points Best finish Notes 1995 8th 73+3 4th 4th in British GP 1996 5th 80 3rd 4th in Germany 1996 5th 80 2nd 2nd in Sweden 1997 15th 20 5th 5th in Czech Republic 1998 15th 43 5th 5th in Germany 1999 17th 35 8th 2000 14th 39 8th 2001 17th 33 2nd 2nd in Germany

## World Longtrack Championship

- [1985](/source/1989_Individual_Long_Track_World_Championship) - Semi-final

- [1985](/source/1992_Individual_Long_Track_World_Championship) - [Pfarrkirchen](/source/Pfarrkirchen) 11pts (7th)

- [1985](/source/1993_Individual_Long_Track_World_Championship) - [Mühldorf](/source/M%C3%BChldorf) 9pts (9th)

- [1985](/source/1994_Individual_Long_Track_World_Championship) - [Mariánské Lázně](/source/Mari%C3%A1nsk%C3%A9_L%C3%A1zn%C4%9B) 9pts (9th)

- [1985](/source/1995_Individual_Long_Track_World_Championship) - Semi-final

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Oakes, P.(2006). *Speedway Star Almanac*. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-9552376-1-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-9552376-1-0)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Montague, Trevor (2004). *The A-Z of Sport*. Little, Brown. p. 520. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-316-72645-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-316-72645-1).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-URI_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-URI_3-1) ["Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022"](https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf) (PDF). *British Speedway*. Retrieved 7 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Speedway"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004974/19900903/023/0023). *Western Daily Press*. 3 September 1990. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Stars name key riders for 1991"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003808/19901026/934/0088). *Lynn Advertiser*. 26 October 1990. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Zespoły 1993 Wroclaw team statistics"](https://speedway.com.pl/teams/wroclaw/1993/). *Polish Speedway Database*. Retrieved 27 February 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Speedway"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004974/19930830/030/0030). *Western Daily Press*. 30 August 1993. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Henka's final agony"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004985/19940822/046/0046). *Manchester Evening News*. 22 August 1994. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Individual Swedish Championship"](http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/indmszwecji.php). *Historia Sportu Zuzlowego*. Retrieved 28 July 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Pirates' quick return"](https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001928/20020821/247/0026). *Eastbourne Gazette*. 21 August 2002. Retrieved 7 September 2024 – via British Newspaper Archive.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["Gustafsson ready for baptism of fire"](https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/6557237.speedway-gustafsson-ready-baptism-fire/). *Oxford Mail*. Retrieved 7 September 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). *A History of the World Speedway Championship*. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-7524-2402-5](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7524-2402-5)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Henrik Gustafsson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Gustafsson) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henrik_Gustafsson?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.