| Vargarna | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Club information | |||
| Track address | Norrköping Motorstadion Norrköping | ||
| Country | Sweden | ||
| Founded | 1947 | ||
| League | Elitserien | ||
| Club facts | |||
| Track size | 271 metres | ||
| Major team honours | |||
| |||
Vargarna (lit. 'the Wolves') is a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Norrköping, Sweden, representing SMK Östgöta.[1][2] The team race at Norrköping Motorstadion. They ride in the Elitserien[3] and are six times champions of Sweden.[4]
Vargarna was one of the seven inaugural members of the Swedish speedway league, which started during the 1948 Swedish speedway season.[5][6] Their first significant riders were Olle Nygren and Helge Brinkeback, who would both become Swedish champions. Th eteam raced at the old Norrköping Motorstadion in Dagsbergsfältet (the site of the modern day Medley Centralbadet swimming complex).[7]
Vargarna underwent a golden period, winning the Swedish Speedway Team Championship in the 1949 season,[8] 1951, 1953 and 1954. A procession of top riders rode for the club and included Stig Pramberg, Dan Forsberg and Per-Olof Söderman.[9]
After missing two seasons the club returned to the league in 1957 and they later won two more titles in 1960 and 1961, led by riders such as Nygren, Björn Knutson, Per-Tage Svensson, Joel Jansson and Sören Sjösten. The success could not be matched for the reaminder of the 1960s but they did still compete at the top level.[10][11] Vargarna left the Motorstadion in Dagsbergsfältet in 1963. Six years later in 1969, they moved into the new Norrköping Motorstadion at Kråkvilan.[7]
Despite the best efforts of Sören Karlsson and Tommy Pettersson, the club spent the 1970s decade in the lower half of the division 1 and worse was to come during the next two decades, as the team moved up and down leagues from the Elitserien to the second tier of Swedish speedway.
The new millennium brought about a consolidation of form as the team remained in the Elitserien. A series of overseas riders were brought into the club, including Australian Jason Crump, but when Crump left, the team were relegated in 2006. A quick promotion back to the Elitserien ensued.
In2010, the club signed former world champion Nicki Pedersen.[12] He captained the side before leaving the club for Dackarna ahead of the 2014 season.
From 2015to2023, the team competed in the Allsvenskan and during the 2022 Swedish Speedway season the club reached the Allsvenskan play-off final.[13]
They are scheduled to return to the Elitserien for 2024 Swedish speedway season.[14]
Helge Brinkeback
Jason Crump Dan Forsberg Torbjörn Harrysson Joel Jansson Sören Karlsson Björn Knutson Olle Nygren
Nicki Pedersen Tommy Pettersson Stig Pramberg Sören Sjösten Per-Olof Söderman Per-Tage Svensson|
Swedish speedway teams & seasons
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|---|---|---|
| Elitserien |
|
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| Allsvenskan |
| |
| Division One |
| |
| Former |
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| Seasons | Swedish Speedway Team Championship
| |
