Olle Nygren
Born | Stockholm, Sweden | 11 November 1929
---|---|
Died | 13 February 2021 Ipswich, United Kingdom | (aged 91)
Nickname | Varg-Olle |
Nationality | Sweden |
Current club information | |
Career status | Retired |
Career history | |
1948-1953, 1960, 1962-1963, 1967-1979 | Vargarna (SWE) |
1954-1959 | (SWE) |
1951 | Harringay Racers |
1953 | New Cross Rangers |
1953 | Bristol Bulldogs |
1954, 1965-1968 | Wimbledon Dons |
1960 | Southampton Saints |
1962 | Swindon Robins |
1962-1964 | Norwich Stars |
1969-1971 | West Ham Hammers |
1972-1974 | Ipswich Witches |
1974 | Coventry Bees |
1975 | King's Lynn Stars |
Individual honours | |
1954, 1960 | Nordic Champion |
1949 | Swedish Champion |
Team honours | |
1960 | World Team Cup |
1968 | British League KO Cup winner |
1968 | London Cup Winner |
1949, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1960 | Allsvenskan Champion |
1963 | National Trophy |
Harald Olof "Olle" Ingemar Nygren (11 November 1929 – 13 February 2021)[1][2] was a Swedish speedway rider who reached the finals of the Speedway World Championship five times.[3] Nygren was Swedish Champion in 1949 and became Nordic Champion in 1960. 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.[4]
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+2pts[5]
World Team Cup[]
- 1960 - Göteborg, Ullevi (with Ove Fundin / Rune Sörmander / Björn Knutsson) - 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.[6]
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 | KAN Ret |
MED | DAN | OUL | MEX | RAN | NAT |
References[]
- ^ Oakes, Peter; Mauger, Ivan OBE, MBE (1976). Who's Who of World Speedway. Ipswich: Studio Publications Ltd. ISBN 0-904584-04-6.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ "Motorsport-legendaren "Varg-Olle" är död". 13 February 2021.
- ^ Belton, Brian (2003). Hammerin' Round. Stroud: Tempus Publishing ISBN 0-7524-2438-6
- ^ Persson, Rickard (13 February 2021). "Varg-Olle Nygren död – "Han var en levnadskonstnär"". Dagens Nyheter. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
- ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5
- ^ Thompson, John (1974). The Formula One Record Book. London: Leslie Frewin Publishing. ISBN 0-85632-097-8. pp.106-107
External links[]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Olle Nygren. |
- 1929 births
- 2021 deaths
- Sportspeople from Stockholm
- Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in England
- Swedish speedway riders
- Harringay Racers riders
- Norwich Stars riders
- Swindon Robins riders
- Wimbledon Dons riders
- West Ham Hammers riders
- Ipswich Witches riders
- Coventry Bees riders
- King's Lynn Stars riders
- Bristol Bulldogs riders
- Southampton Saints riders
- New Cross Rangers riders
- 125cc World Championship riders
- Individual Speedway Long Track World Championship riders
- Swedish emigrants to the United Kingdom