Peter Karlsson (speedway rider)

{{Infobox speedway rider

| name = Peter Karlsson

| image = Peter_Karlsson.jpg

| nationality = Swedish

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1969|12|18|df=y}}

| birth_place = Gullspång, Sweden

| nickname = PK

| career1 = Sweden

| career2 = Örnarna

| years2 = 1983-1999, 2011-2016

| career3 = Kaparna

| years3 = 1999-2003

| career4 = Dackarna

| years4 = 2004, 2008-2010

| career5 = Vargarna

| years5 = 2012

| career6 = Smederna

| years6 = 2013–2015

| career7 = Lejonen

| years7 = 2016

| career8 = Great Britain

| career9 = Wolverhampton Wolves

| years9 = 1990, 1992-1997, 1999, 2002-2005,
2006-2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2016

| career10 = Peterborough Panthers

| years10 = 2000, 2005

| career11 = King's Lynn Stars

| years11 = 2001

| career12 = Belle Vue Aces

| years12 = 2001, 2010

| career13 = Lakeside Hammers

| years13 = 2012-2014

| career14 = Poland

| career15 = Bydgoszcz

| years15 = 1991

| career16 = Piła

| years16 = 1996-1997, 2001

| career17 = Rybni

| years17 = 1998, 2002

| career18 = Toruń

| years18 = 1999-2000

| career19 = Tarnów

| years19 = 2003

| career20 = TŻ Lublin

| years20 = 2004

| career21 = Ostrów

| years21 = 2005-2007

| career22 = Gorzów

| years22 = 2008

| indivhonour1 = Swedish Champion

| indivyear1 = 1989, 1991

| indivhonour2 = GP Challenge

| indivyear2 = 2000

| indivhonour3 = Nordic Under-21 Champion

| indivyear3 = 1989

| teamhonour1 = Speedway World Cup

| teamyear1 = 2000, 2003, 2004

| teamhonour2 = Premier League

| teamyear2 = 1996

| teamhonour3 = Elite League

| teamyear3 = 2002, 2009, 2016

| teamhonour4 = Premier League KO Cup winner

| teamyear4 = 1996

| teamhonour5 = Premiership Winner

| teamyear5 = 1992, 1997

| teamhonour6 = Gold Cup Winner

| teamyear6 = 1992

| teamhonour7 = Swedish Elitserien Champion

| teamyear7 = 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2003, 2007

| teamhonour8 = Swedish Pairs Champion

| teamyear8 = 1992, 1996

}}

Peter Gunnar Karlsson (born 18 December 1969)Oakes, P.(2006). Speedway Star Almanac. {{ISBN|0-9552376-1-0}} is a Swedish former motorcycle speedway rider. He was twice Swedish champion and a three times World Cup winner.{{cite book|last=Montague|first=Trevor|title=The A-Z of Sport|year=2004|page=522|publisher=Little, Brown|isbn=0-316-72645-1}}{{cite web |url=https://speedway.com.pl/riders/peter-karlsson/ |title=Peter Gunnar Karlsson Szwecja |website=Polish Speedway Database |access-date=12 March 2023}} He earned 40 caps for the Sweden 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=7 September 2024}}

Career

Karlsson first rode for Wolverhampton Wolves in Britain during the 1990 season.{{cite web |url=https://britishspeedway.co.uk/docs/Rider_Index_2008.pdf |title=2008 Rider index |website=British Speedway |access-date=12 March 2023}}

He won the Swedish Pairs Championship twice with brother Mikael Max, in 1992 and 1996 and was the Swedish Individual Champion in 1989 and 1991.

In October 2000, during the Speedway Grand Prix Qualification he won the GP Challenge, which ensured that he claimed a permanent slot for the 2001 Grand Prix.{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/grandprixquali.php |title=HISTORICAL LIST OF RESULTS 1995-2013 Speedway Grand Prix - Qualifications |website=Speedway History |access-date=8 January 2023}}

He is regarded as a legend at parent club Wolverhampton{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0fj2bnf |title=Wolves Legend Peter Karlsson on future at Monmore Green: "There's something special about that place" |website=BBC |access-date=7 September 2024 }} where he helped them win the 2009 Elite League title despite suffering with a broken collarbone two weeks prior to the play off final. Due to the average points limit, PK had to move on in 2010 and joined Belle Vue Aces on loan. For the 2012 season he signed for Lakeside Hammers, where he spent three seasons.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/motorsport/16301017 |title=Speedway: Lakeside Hammers land Peter Karlsson |website=BBC Sport |access-date=7 September 2024 }}

In 2016, PK wasn't originally in Wolverhampton's plans but after Mikel Beck pulled out of the team leaving the door open for PK to join back. He accepted and joined for the remainder of the season. He would later play a huge role as the 2016 team beat Belle Vue over 2 legs in the Elite League final. After the Belle Vue meeting he announced his retirement from British Speedway.{{cite web |url=https://www.shropshirestar.com/sport/2017/09/27/peter-karlsson-wolves-speedway-legend-brings-curtain-down-on-career/ |title=Peter Karlsson: Wolves speedway legend brings curtain down on career |website=Shropshire Star |access-date=7 September 2024 }}

Family

His two younger brothers, Mikael Max and Magnus Karlsson were both motorcycle speedway riders. All three brothers represented Sweden in the 2007 Speedway World Cup, with Magnus riding at reserve.

Career Achievements

World Under-21 Finalist (1989, 1990)
Swedish Champion (1989, 1991)
World Finalist (1993)
Speedway Grand Prix Rider (1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001)
Swedish GP Wildcard (1998, 2002, 2003)
Polish GP Wildcard (2003)
Speedway World Team Cup Champion (2000)
Speedway World Cup Champion (2003, 2004)
Slovenian GP Wildcard (2003)
Czech GP Wildcard (2003)
European GP Wildcard (2003)
Norwegian GP Wildcard (2003)
Scandinavian GP Wildcard (2004, 2007)
German GP Wildcard (2007)
Swedish Finalist (2008)

World Final Appearances

1993 - {{flagicon|GER}} Pocking, Rottalstadion - 8th - 8pts

Speedway Grand Prix results

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Year ! Position ! Points ! Best Finish ! Notes
1996 \| 6th \| 62 \| 2nd \| 2nd in German Grand Prix
1997 \| 12th \| 37 \| 6th \|
1998 \| 17th \| 27 \| 3rd \| 3rd in Swedish Grand Prix
1999 \| 13th \| 45 \| 6th \|
2000 \| 15th \| 35 \| 9th \|
2001 \| 15th \| 39 \| 5th \| Missed British Grand Prix through injury
2002 \| 23rd \| 21 \| 9th \| Rode in four Grand Prix out of ten
2003 \| 21st \| 28 \| 13th \| Missed Swedish Grand Prix through injury
2004 \| 28th \| 7 \| \| One meeting as Swedish Grand Prix Wildcard

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"

Year

! Position

! Points

! Best Finish

! Notes

1996

| 6th

| 62

| 2nd

| 2nd in German Grand Prix

1997