Karlskoga Motorstadion

Karlskoga Motorstadion, also known as Gelleråsen Arena, is the oldest permanent motorsport race track in Sweden. The circuit is located 6 km (3.7 mi) north of Karlskoga. The layout is such that the whole track can be seen from all spectator areas.[1]

Gelleråsen Arena
Full Circuit (2006–2016)
LocationKarlskoga, Sweden
Time zoneCET (UTC+1)
CEST (DST)
Coordinates59°23′00″N 14°30′58″E
Opened1949
Former namesKarlskoga Motorstadion
Major eventsCurrent:
Kanonloppet (1950–1975, 1996–present)
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia (2004–2011, 2013, 2015–present)
F4 Danish Championship (2023)
Former:
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix (1978–1979)
Sidecar World Championship
(1979, 2006)
STCC (1996–2011, 2013, 2015–2022)
European F2 (1973–1974)
European F3 (1978)
ETCC (1964–1966)
Websitegellerasen.se
Full Circuit (2017–present)
Length2.350 km (1.460 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:03.546 (Sweden Hampus Ericsson, Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup, 2023, Carrera Cup)
Full Circuit (2006–2016)
Length2.400 km (1.491 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:01.841 (Sweden Daniel Roos, Tatuus FR2000, 2009, Formula Renault 2.0)
Full Circuit (1992–2005)
Length2.530 km (1.572 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:03.634 (Germany Frank Kechele, Tatuus FR2000, 2004, Formula Renault 2.0)
Full Circuit (1958–1991)
Length3.000 km (1.864 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:12.100 (France Patrick Depailler, March 742, 1974, F2)
Full Circuit (1953–1957)
Length2.000 km (1.243 miles)
Turns10
Original Circuit (1950–1952)
Length1.600 km (0.994 miles)
Turns9

It is currently authorised for European Championship rounds of road racing and Swedish Touring Car Championship events.[1]

History

Built in 1949 as a 1.55 km (0.96 mi) dirt track, the inaugural race was the first Kanonloppet on 4 June 1950.[2][3] For the second Kanonloppet in 1952, the surface had been paved with asphalt and the length was 1.600 km (0.994 mi).[3] It was extended to 2.000 km (1.243 mi) in 1953 with the addition of the Björkdungskurvan section (later renamed to Tröskurvan).[2][4] In 1958 it was additionally extended to 3.172 km (1.971 mi) with the Velodromkurvan section (Velodrome bend).[5][2][6]

In 1961, 1962 and 1963 non-championship Formula One events were hosted here, which saw the likes of Stirling Moss, Jim Clark and Jack Brabham battle it out on-track. 1967 a race called Swedish Grand Prix was held there, won by Jackie Stewart. In 1979, the circuit hosted the Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix won by Barry Sheene.

The circuit was forced to close for two years after a crash on 8 August 1970 during a touring car event. Two cars, a Ford Escort and a BMW 2002, locked together at the flat out right hander before the straight leading up to the Velodromkurvan, and went off the track at high speed, bounced over the banking and into the crowd, killing five spectators.[5]

After a period of decay, the track went through major renovation work during the 1990s and 2000s. In 1992, the track length was shortened to 2.530 km (1.572 mi).[2][7]

The pit area was moved and the facilities were improved. There was also several safety improvements, including a redesign of the Tröskurvan and the complete removal of the velodrome section. This shortened the track to its current length of 2.400 km (1.491 mi).[8][2][9] In 2017, the last corner was modified and the track length was shortened to 2.350 km (1.460 mi).[2][10]

  • Photo from the track
    Photo from the track

Lap records

As of August 2023, the fastest official race lap records at the Karlskoga Motorstadion are listed as:

CategoryTimeDriverVehicleEvent
Full Circuit: 2.350 km (2017–present)[10]
Porsche Carrera Cup1:03.546[11]Hampus EricssonPorsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup2023 Karlskoga Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
Formula 41:04.730[12]Mikkel Gaarde PedersenMygale M14-F42023 Karlskoga F4 Danish Championship round
Formula Renault 1.61:04.918[13]Linus GranforsSignatech FR1.62023 Karlskoga Formula Nordic round
TCR Touring Car1:06.781[14]Robert HuffVolkswagen Golf GTI TCR2020 Karlskoga TCR STCC round
GT41:06.939[15]Emil SkäråsToyota GR Supra GT42022 Karlskoga GT4 Scandinavia round
Full Circuit: 2.400 km (2006–2016)[9]
Formula Renault 2.01:01.841[16]Daniel RoosTatuus FR20002009 1st Karlskoga Formula Renault 2.0 Sweden round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:04.809[17]Robin HanssonPorsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup2015 Karlskoga Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
STCC1:04.560[18]Thed BjörkVolvo S60 TTA2015 Karlskoga STCC round
Super 20001:06.797[19]Fredrik EkblomBMW 320si2008 Karlskoga STCC round
Full Circuit: 2.530 km (1992–2005)[7]
Formula Renault 2.01:03.634[20]Frank KecheleTatuus FR20002004 Karlskoga Formula Renault 2000 Scandinavia round
GT1 (GTS)1:06.064[21]Thed BjörkChrysler Viper GTS-R2003 Gelleråsen Swedish GTR round
Super Touring1:06.586[22]Carl RosenbladNissan Primera GT2001 1st Karlskoga STCC round
N-GT1:07.285[23]Thed BjörkPorsche 911 (996) GT3-R2001 Gelleråsen Swedish GTR round
Porsche Carrera Cup1:07.353[24]Fredrik RosPorsche 911 (996) GT3 Cup2005 Karlskoga Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
Super 20001:09.606[25]Richard GöranssonBMW 320i2004 1st Karlskoga STCC round
Full Circuit: 3.000 km (1958–1991)[6]
Formula Two1:12.100[26]Patrick DepaillerMarch 7421974 Karlskoga F2 round
Group 71:16.200[27]Chris CraftMcLaren M8C1970 Kanonloppet
Group 51:17.400[28]Brian RedmanLola T701969 Kanonloppet
Formula Three1:20.800[29]Tim SchenkenBrabham BT281969 Kanonloppet
500cc1:21.310Wil HartogSuzuki RG 5001979 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
350cc1:22.216Gregg HansfordKawasaki KR3501978 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc1:23.500Gregg HansfordKawasaki KR2501979 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
Formula One1:24.100Innes IrelandLotus 241962 Kanonloppet
125cc1:28.767Ángel NietoMinarelli1978 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 21:38.300[30]Jackie Stewart[lower-alpha 1]
Bo Ljungfeldt[lower-alpha 1]		Ford Lotus Cortina[lower-alpha 1]
Ford Mustang[lower-alpha 1]		1965 Karlskoga ETCC round

Notes
  1. Both drivers took the same lap time in the same race independently.

References
  1. "Home". Karlskoga Motorstadion AB. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. "Historien om Gelleråsbanan". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  3. "Gelleråsen Org". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  4. "Gelleråsbanan 1953". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  5. Darren Galpin. "Karlskoga Track Info". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  6. "Gelleråsbanan 1958". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  7. "Gelleråsbanan 1992". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  8. "History". Karlskoga Motorstadion AB (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 27 August 2008. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  9. "Gelleråsbanan 2006". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  10. "Gelleråsbanan 2017". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  11. "Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2023 >> Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, Heat 1, 20 varv". 19 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. "Gelleråsloppet Karlskoga 2023 >> Formula Nordic, Heat 3, 18 varv". 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  13. "Gelleråsloppet Karlskoga 2023 >> Formula Nordic, Heat 1, 18 varv". 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  14. "TCR Scandinavia Touring Car Championship 2020 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 1 Results". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  15. "Smallcars Karlskoga 2022 GT4 Scandinavia, Heat 1, 52 laps". 24 September 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  16. "STCC Karlskoga 2009 Formula Renault 2000, Heat 2, 12 laps". 23 May 2009. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  17. "2015 Porsche Cup Scandinavia Karlskoga (Race 2)". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  18. "STCC 2015 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 9 Results". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  19. "Swedish Touring Car Championship 2008 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 4 Results". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  20. "STCC Karlskoga 2004 Formula Renault 2000, Heat 1, 12 laps". 30 May 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  21. "STCC Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2003 GTR, Heat 1, 22 laps". 16 August 2003. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  22. "Swedish Touring Car Championship 2001 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 6 Results". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  23. "Swedish GTR Championship Gelleråsen 2001". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  24. "STCC Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2005 Porsche Carrera Cup, Heat 1, 12 laps". 20 August 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  25. "Swedish Touring Car Championship 2004 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 5 Results". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  26. "1974 Kanonloppet". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  27. "1970 Swedish Grand Prix". Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  28. "1969 Swedish Grand Prix". Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  29. "1969 Kanonloppet Karlskoga Sveriges Grand Prix FIA European Cup For Formula 3 Ergebnis Finalrennen" (PDF). Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  30. "Kanonloppet 1965". Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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