Masarna

Masarna are a Swedish motorcycle speedway team based in Avesta, Sweden. They last rode in the Elitserien during the 2022 Swedish Speedway season but are currently not racing due to financial problems.[1][2] They are two times champions of Sweden.[3][4]

Masarna Avesta
Club information
Track addressAvesta Motorstadion
Avesta, Sweden
CountrySweden
Founded1937
LeagueElitserien (in 2022)
WebsiteOfficial website
Club facts
ColoursBlue and yellow
Track size315 metres
Track record time57.0 seconds
Track record date8 August 2006
Track record holderLeigh Adams
Major team honours
Team Championship2000, 2020
Second tier1959, 1960, 1974, 1998, 2015
Third tier1990, 2023

History

1937 to 1981

The club was founded in 1937 as the Folkare Motorklubb but their first track was not built until 1948. The club joined the Swedish second division in 1958 (which was known as the Allsvenskan from 1982). Led by Sören Sjösten, they gained success in 1959 by winning division 2 and the successfully defended the title in 1960.[5] Folkare changed their name to Masarna for the 1965 Swedish speedway season[6] and for the remainder of the 1960s struggled in division 2. They won their first honours 'as Masarna' by winning division 2 again in 1974.[7] They remained in division 2 until 1982.

1982 to 1998

The introduction of the Elitserien in 1982 saw the team pushed into the third tier of the league system.[8] It was not until 1990 that the club experienced any success and that was winning division 2 (the third tier).[9] Eight years later the club won division 1 and finally gained promotion to the Elitserien in 1999.

1999 to 2019
Entrance to the Avesta Stadium in 2009

The club intended to make a serious challenge for the Elitserien and signed world champion Tony Rickardsson and Antonín Kasper Jr. They finished runner up to Valsarna but then the following year they won their first Swedish Speedway Team Championship.[3] The 2000 season had seen Leigh Adams and Gary Havelock added to the squad.[10]

Masarna continued to compete in the highest division until they were relegated in 2008 to the Allsvenskan, after finishing bottom of the Elitserien table although they had already announced their intention to drop a division for the 2009 season.[11][12] They later returned to the Elitserien after winning the 2015 Allsvenskan.

2020 to present
Antonio Lindbäck

The team won a second Swedish title in 2020, despite finishing fifth in the regular season table; the team peaked at the right time and went on to defeat Indianerna in the final.[13][3] the successful team included Antonio Lindbäck, Nicki Pedersen and Kim Nilsson.

Despite the success experienced in 2020, the club withdrew from the league for the 2023 season due to financial problems.[1] In 2023, they did however run a team in the third tier of Swedish speedway (known as Division 1) and won the competition that season.

Season summary
Main article: Swedish Speedway Team Championship

Previous teams

Notable riders

References
  1. "MASARNA OUT OF SWEDISH LEAGUE". FIM. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
  2. "Speedway Around The Globe - Sweden". Speedway Star page 38-39. 23 July 2022.
  3. "HISTORICAL RESULTS 1948-2015". Speedway History. Retrieved 1 January 2023.
  4. "Masarna". Elit Speedway. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
  5. "HISTORICAL RESULTS 1948-2015". Speedway History. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  6. "1965 season". Speedway.org. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  7. "1974 season". Speedway.org. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  8. "The elite series in speedway". Gislaved MotorKlubb. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  9. "1990 season". Speedway.org. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  10. "2000 season". Speedway.org. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  11. "History" (in Swedish). MasarnaAvesta. 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  12. "Elite League review". Benfield Sports International (BSI). 2008. Retrieved 15 September 2008.
  13. "2020 Swedish season". Speedway Fansite. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
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