Jan Pedersen (speedway rider)

{{Short description|Danish speedway rider}}

{{for|the former speedway World Champion|Jan O. Pedersen}}

{{Infobox Speedway rider

| name = Jan Pedersen

| image =

| caption =

| nationality = Danish

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1967|7|27|df=y}}

| birth_place = Brændekilde, Denmark

| career1 = Denmark

| career2 = Vissenbjerg

| years2 = 1992

| career3 = Great Britain

| career4 = Arena Essex Hammers

| years4 = 1991, 1993-1995, 1997, 1998, 2000

| career5 = Milton Keynes Knights

| years5 = 1991

| career6 = Rye House Rockets

| years6 = 1992, 1993

| career7 = Reading Racers

| years7 = 1994, 1996

| career8 = London Lions

| years8 = 1996

| career9 = Ipswich Witches

| years9 = 1998, 2000

| career10 = Swindon Robins

| years10 = 1998

| career11 = Berwick Bandits

| years11 = 1999

| career12 = Poole Pirates

| years12 = 2000

| indivyear1 =

| indivhonour1 =

| teamyear1 =

| teamhonour1 =

}}

File:Arena Essex Speedway 1997.jpg

Jan Henrik Pedersen (born 27 July 1967) is a former motorcycle speedway rider from Denmark.{{cite web |url=https://www.gazette-news.co.uk/news/5534438.speedway-pedersen-may-move/|title=Speedway: Pedersen may move|website=Daily Gazette and Essex County Standard|access-date=27 June 2021}} He earned 3 caps for the Denmark national speedway team.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Ultimate_Index_1929-2022.pdf |title=Ultimate rider index, 1929-2022 |website=British Speedway |access-date=30 August 2024}}

He is not to be confused with Jan O. Pedersen.

Career

He rode in the top tier of British Speedway, riding for various clubs from 1991 until 2000.{{cite web |url=https://wwosbackup.proboards.com/thread/2239/jan-pedersen|title=Speedway riders, history and results|website=wwosbackup|access-date=27 June 2021}} He first rode for the Arena Essex Hammers in 1991.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002471/19910318/213/0016 |title=Scandinavian Finalist Jan Pedersen |website=Reading Evening Post |date=18 March 1991 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=30 August 2024}}

He reached the 1990 Nordic final during the 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship, which was coincidentally won by his namesake Jan O. Pedersen.{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/1990.htm |title=1990 season |website=Speedway.org |access-date=5 April 2023}} He was an integral part of the Arena Essex team, for the league winning campaign during the 1991 British League Division Two season.

In 1996 he rode for Reading Racers again.{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0002472/19960415/235/0028 |title=Jan's on track for long stay at Racers |website=Reading Evening Post |date=15 April 1996 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=3 September 2024}} He performed regularly as a heat leader and was a popular Arena Essex stalwart, winning the Essex Championship in 1997. He then finished 2nd in 1998 in the very same tournament, only losing out in a late evening run-off against a top-form Carl Stonehewer.{{cn|date=April 2023}} Pedersen signed for Berwick Bandits in 1999{{cite news |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003741/19990315/040/0040 |title=Speedway |website=Daily Record |date=15 March 1999 |via=British Newspaper Archive |url-access=subscription |access-date=29 August 2024}} before finishing his British leagues career after the 2000 season.

References