Mšeno Speedway Stadium
{{Short description|Stadium in Mšeno, Czech Republic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox motorsport venue
| stadium_name = Mšeno Speedway Stadium
| image = File:Mšeno, stadion (2).jpg
| caption = The stadium in 2018
| location = Boleslavská, 259 398, Mšeno, Czech Republic
| coordinates = {{coord|50|26|07|N|14|38|56|E|}}
| opened = 1957
| renovated =
| operator =
| capacity =
| record_time =
| record_driver =
| record_car =
| record_year =
| length_km = 354 metres (0.354)
}}
Mšeno Speedway Stadium ({{langx|cs|Plochodrážní stadion Mšeno}}) is a motorcycle speedway track in Mšeno, Czech Republic. It is located on the eastern edge of the town, off the Boleslavská road.{{cite web |url=https://www.czecot.cz/sport/2666_plochodrazni-stadion-sk-mseno |title=Plochodrážní stadion SK Mšeno - sportovní zařízení |website=Czecot |access-date=26 January 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayplus.com/Mseno.shtml |title=MSENO - Czech Republic |website=Speedway Plus |access-date=26 January 2024}} The stadium is used by PDK Mšeno club (speedway) and SK Mšeno (football).
History
Construction of the stadium began in 1956. Initially, the facility was to have an athletics track, but during construction the plans were changed and instead of athletics, a speedway track was built around the football pitch. The first competition at the facility was held in 1957.{{cite web |url=http://www.skmseno.cz/historie.php |title=Historie | website=Sportovni klub Mšeno |access-date=26 January 2024}}
The stadium was selected as the venue for a qualifying round of the 1964 Individual Speedway World Championship.{{cite web |url=https://dlprezes.pl.tl/64_World-Speedway-Championship-_-1964.htm|title=1964 World Championship |website=Metal Speedway |access-date=26 January 2024}}{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/64.htm#1964 |title=1964 World Championship | website=Speedway.org |access-date=26 January 2024}}
By the end of the 1960s, the track was abandoned but was brought back to life in the 1970s by the speedway riders of Rudá Hvězda Praha, whose Markéta Stadium was being renovated. Ruda Hvězda, together with the local TJ Sokol Mšeno, organised competitions at this stadium until the 1990s.{{cite web |url=http://arenysportowe.eu/s/cz/plochodrazni-stadion-mseno/ |title=Plochodrážní stadion Mšeno | website=Arenysportowe.eu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170214030831/http://arenysportowe.eu/s/cz/plochodrazni-stadion-mseno/ |access-date=26 January 2024|archive-date=14 February 2017 }}
It was not until 1993 that the first Mšeno team raced at the track, when private investor, Jiří Opočenský (a former national cyclocross athlete) created a new speedway team called Oliba Mšeno, named after his local bicycle manufacturing company Oliba.{{cite web |url=https://www.mestomseno.cz/informace-pro-turisty/historie/historie-msena/ |title=Historie Mšena | website=Mesto Mseno |access-date=24 March 2024}}
In 1997, the final of the 1997 Speedway Under-21 World Championship was held on the track.{{cite news |title=Jensen just sensational |work=Birmingham Weekly Mercury |date=3 August 1997 |access-date=6 July 2023 |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001816/19970803/072/0072 | via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }} However, in the same year (1997), Oliba Mšeno ceased its activities.
A new speedway team was created in 1999 at the SK Mšeno club.
In 2005, the final of the 2005 Individual Speedway Junior European Championship was held in the arena.
Gallery
File:Mšeno, stadion (1).jpg
File:Mšeno, stadion (3).jpg
File:Mšeno, stadion (4).jpg
File:Mšeno, stadion (5).jpg
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Motorcycle speedway tracks}}
Category:Sports venues in the Czech Republic
Category:Buildings and structures in the Central Bohemian Region
Category:Sport in the Central Bohemian Region
Category:1957 establishments in Czechoslovakia
Category:Sports venues completed in 1957