GAFUROV, Renat
DATE OF BIRTH: 8 October 1982, Oktyabrsky, Russia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2005) Oxford; (2006) Swindon; (2011) Poole.
MAJOR HONOURS: Russian Under-21 Champion: 2001, 2003; Russian Champion: 2006, 2009.
CLUB HONOUR: League Championship winner: 2011 [Poole].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.52 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Gafurov appeared briefly for Oxford in 2005, making just three Elite League appearances for the Cowley-based club; his best performance yielding 6+2 points from four starts at Poole on 29 June.

Swindon announced the signing of Gafurov as a full club asset on 29 November 2005 and, although his debut was subsequently put back by a visa delay, he became the first-ever Russian to sport a Robins’ logo in 58 seasons of racing when he appeared for the club on 28 March 2006 against Ipswich in a live televised fixture.

Rarely has a rider thrilled and entertained the Abbey Stadium crowd as much as the Oktyabrsky-born speedster did that year. On several occasions, the eccentric Russian single handedly whipped the Swindon faithful into a speedway frenzy and coaxed the booming ‘Blunsdon roar’ out of the most dormant of fans.

The only disappointing aspect of the Russian’s acquisition was the frequent unavailability of the rider due to demands from his homeland club, Vladivostok. The huge distance Gafurov covered during the season as he flew back and forth between Poland, Russia and Britain understandably began to take its toll.

As the season progressed, Gafurov was affectionately nicknamed ‘The Gaffer’ and possibly one of his most memorable passing manoeuvres came at Wolverhampton’s Monmore Green circuit when, in heat fourteen, he conjured a sensational pass of Tomáš Suchánek. Other highlights included a paid 16-point score against Poole on 6 July and, just a week later, a paid 14-point haul against the eventual Champions, Peterborough.

Unfortunately, Gafurov’s season ended in controversy as he was handed a 28-day ban for withholding his services as he was unavailable for the Robins’ crunch Play-Off semi-final at Reading on 25 September. It was a crying shame that such a vivacious and awe-inspiring season had to conclude in such unpleasant circumstances. He had made thirty-one appearances for the club and scored 161 points for a 5.52 average.

The double Russian Champion had appeared lost to British speedway until Poole boss Matt Ford revealed, in December 2010, that he had agreed terms with Gafurov for the 2011 season. It was stressed, however, that his inclusion in the team was subject to the necessary work permit and documentation being sorted out satisfactorily.

The acquisition of the rider moved a step nearer on 26 January, when the Pirates revealed that he was to sit an English test in Moscow with a view to obtaining the all-important work permit. And, having successfully come through that test, Poole were finally able to announce that they had got their man on 10 March after the Russian star had been issued with a 2-year work permit the previous afternoon.

The new Pirates’ recruit sustained an injury in the club’s opening meeting of the season, a challenge match at Eastbourne on 20 March. Gafurov, in attempting to pass Eagles’ Dawid Lampart in heat eight, fell and ‘popped’ a shoulder out of place. He did take his place in the re-run, but was then ruled out of his final outing.

The rider was lined-up to take some extra practice prior to the return match at Wimborne Road on 23 March with a view to declaring himself fit which, in the event he did, before going on to score 8+1 points from five rides in typically thrilling style.

After working hard to catch up with changes to equipment since he last appeared in the UK – and also the new exhaust system – Gafurov gave his best display in Poole colours as the Pirates defeated Elite League leaders Eastbourne 55-39 at Wimborne Road on 24 April. The Russian was unbeaten from his first four rides before losing out to ex-Poole star Bjarne Pedersen in heat fifteen, giving him a tally of 10+3 points.

The Gaffer dropped down to a reserve position late in May and really began to pile up the points. Indeed, he proved the Pirates’ match-winner in a Sky Sports presentation of their away league fixture at Belle Vue on 13 June, when he notched 12+2 points from five rides in a narrow 46-44 success.

However, he was only to maintain an average of around 5.5 points per meeting and he sat down with Poole boss Matt Ford in August to explain that he didn’t want to be the reason why the Pirates could lose out on the title and, if someone else could be fitted in that could do a better job than him, he would be willing to stand down. As such, the club took the opportunity to draft in Thomas H. Jonasson, who had become a Poole asset the month previously.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Gafurov has never signed on for duty at an FIM Speedway Grand Prix but was a qualified substitute for the 2008 series, at No. 23, although he wasn’t required at any of the rounds that year.

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 7
Events: 13 – 1st on Russia’s list; 22nd on SWC all-time list
Points: 62 – 3rd on Russia’s list; 38th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 1
Gold medals: 0

GARRITY, Jason
DATE OF BIRTH: 9 November 1993, Droylsden, Tameside, Greater Manchester.
BRITISH CAREER: (2009-10) Buxton; (2011) Belle Vue II, Leicester.
MAJOR HONOURS: British Under-15 Champion: 2008; British Under-19 Champion: 2011; National League Riders’ Champion: 2011..
CLUB HONOURS: National Trophy winner: 2010 [Buxton]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2010 [Buxton]; League Championship winner: 2010 [Buxton].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.94 (NL), 3.00 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Garrity was brought up by his grandfather, Kenny Longshaw, a former World Kick Boxing Champion, who guided the youngster’s career ever since he first stepped on to a speedway circuit at Sheffield’s then-training track in 1999.

He started out on a 125cc machine, prior to using a lay-down Honda 90 and eventually moved on to a full-size 500cc steed when still just 10 years-of-age. And, when aged 14, he became British Under-15 Champion in 2008, finishing 2 points ahead of James Sarjeant in the final standings for the 4-round series.

His best performance occurred at Buxton in the final round on 12 October, when he reeled off four straight wins, before again taking the chequered flag in the grand final from Sarjeant, with Kyle Howarth in third place. That gave him 18 championship points and with each rider permitted to drop the worst of their four scores, Garrity concluded the series with a tally of 48 points, compared with Sarjeant’s 46.

Garrity was initially named in the Buxton side for 2009, but was replaced in the declared line-up by Danny Hodgson at the start of May, having sustained a hand injury prior to officially turning a wheel for the club. This occurred when he was setting his bike up for a practice spin, only to mangle two fingers on his right hand when he checked the tension of his chain.

After a period of recuperation, the talented Manchester-born youngster – who possesses an eye-catching, on-the-gas style – returned to the Buxton squad in the No. 8 berth in July, replacing Scott Whittington. His place with the Hitmen didn’t last long, though, and at the end of the same month, he was replaced in the position by Danny Hodgson.

After a lengthy period in abeyance, the highly-rated youngster was eventually recalled by the Peak District outfit in the No. 8 position in May 2010. And, at the tail-end of the same month, he moved into the main body of the side in place of James McBain.

Garrity gave notice of his talent with some scintillating performances, including a haul of 14+1 points in a home match versus the Isle of Wight in the National Trophy on 8 August. But he went even better in a league visit to Scunthorpe on the 30th of the month, when he hit a whopping 17+3 points from a seven-ride schedule; his only dropped point – in what otherwise would have been a paid 21-point maximum – occurred in heat nine when Saints’ Steve Worrall took the flag ahead of Buxton’s Adam Allott, with Garrity in third spot.

Garrity was hurt after losing control and crashing with Greg Blair in heat eleven of the Ozchem Top Gun Championship at Sheffield on 16 September. However, he soon returned to action and was to play a full part in what was quite simply the Hitmen’s most successful term in their 16-year history, as they firstly sealed victory in the National Trophy.

As the season came to a wonderful climax, he notched a vital score of 19+1 points from seven rides in the home leg of the Knock-Out Cup final versus King’s Lynn on 24 October, before the Hitmen sealed an aggregate victory three days later in Norfolk.    

Then, on the last official day of the season – 31 October – Buxton defeated Newport 56-35 in a one-legged Play-Off final on their own track after the scheduled first leg in South Wales had been washed out two days beforehand. His contribution on the day was 9+1 points, as he concluded a wonderful campaign with an impressive average in excess of 7 points a match to his name.

Indeed, looking at his stats in a little more detail, Garrity appeared in twenty-seven matches for the Hitmen, totalling 213 points for a 7.06 average. His best showing at home was the previously mentioned wonderful tally of 19+1 points in the first leg of the Knock-Out Cup final. Meanwhile, on the road, his personal high spot was another massive haul of 17+3 points from seven starts in a league encounter at Scunthorpe on 30 August.  

On 29 December, it was reported that Belle Vue had beaten all-comers to sign Garrity who, at the time, was rated as the hottest young British prospect in speedway. The Droylsden-based 16-year-old, born just two miles from the Gorton track, rejected a sheaf of lucrative offers to put his dream of being a World champion in the hands of the Aces’ management.

His remarkable natural talent and balance had enabled him to defy his slight, but tough, stature and the British Under-15 title victory of two years previously had earned him a place at National League Buxton where he played a key role in their record-breaking season, which brought three major titles to the little High Edge track.

Following the close season decision of Belle Vue to run a second team in the 2011 National League, the Manchester outfit announced on 16 February that Garrity would naturally be part of a solid line-up that also included fellow local boy Kyle Howarth, along with Byron Bekker, Adam McKinna, Scott Richardson, Karl Mason and Chris Widman.

Garrity won the British Under-21 semi-final at Stoke on 26 March, when only a disqualification for breaking the tapes in his third ride prevented the teenager from going through the card. He triumphed in the meeting final ahead of Dudley Heathens’ and Edinburgh teenager Ashley Morris, with Hackney’s Shane Hazelden in third place.

Indeed, he started the season in blistering form, having recording a full 15-point maximum in Belle Vue Colts’ opening National League fixture at home to Sheffield Prowlers three days previously and took that confidence to Loomer Road where he recorded a string of race wins.

Then, on 27 April, he recorded 17+1 points from seven starts out of the No. 7 berth in a home league fixture against the Isle of Wight. However, he was absent for the Colts’ league match against Hackney at Rye House three days later when no less than two van breakdowns en route left him stranded miles away from the action.

At Rye House on 23 July, the unpredictable, yet wildly exciting Garrity won the British Under-19 Championship (formerly the British Under-18 Championship) after an eventful night of racing. The Belle Vue youngster had to sweat it out earlier in the evening after falling in his opening ride and making the cut for the semi-final race-off on count-back; he squeezed out Joe Jacobs for the last qualification spot courtesy of an extra second place in his programmed rides.

But, having won the semi-final, he headed home the Hackney duo Shane Hazelden and Ben Morley in the final, with Stoke’s James Sarjeant fourth. For Garrity, it was the continuation of a roller-coaster ride that initiated with the British Under-15 title in 2008 and his rapid progress in 2011 had also seen him take a 9-point National League average with Belle Vue and sixth place in the Under-21 Final in April. His exceptional form was rewarded towards the end of August, when he was drafted into Leicester’s Premier League side as a replacement for John Oliver.

On 3 September, Garrity claimed his second major title of the season by winning the National League Riders’ Championship at Rye House to demonstrate that Britain does have young talent coming through. The latest chapter in his success story was achieved in thrilling, against-the-odds fashion, as the Belle Vue Colt recovered from a last place finish in his opening ride to go through the rest of the card undefeated and edge home by a point from runner-up Kyle Howarth.

GATHERCOLE, Cory James
DATE OF BIRTH: 2 December 1986, Irymple, Victoria, Australia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2007-08) Isle of Wight, Swindon; (2009-11) Somerset, Swindon.
MAJOR HONOURS: Western Australia State Champion: 2007; Victoria State Champion: 2007; New South Wales Under-21 State Champion: 2007.
CLUB HONOUR: Four-Team Championship winner: 2007 [Isle of Wight].
RIDER LINKS: Second cousin of Leigh Adams (born: 28 April 1971, Mildura, Victoria, Australia).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.69 (PL), 3.28 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Although the Aussie is a second cousin of the mighty Leigh Adams, he is very much an upcoming rider in his own right, having taken his first skids as a junior at Mildura, Australia, in November 1999. After winning the Victoria State Junior Championship in 2001 and the Australian Junior Pairs Championship with Mark Jones the following year, he moved on to 500cc equipment when he turned 16-years-of-age on 2 December 2002.

After continuing to hone his skills, Gathercole first appeared in the UK in 2006, when he visited on a holiday and rode briefly for the Swindon Sprockets. And he had clearly learnt a lot from his illustrious relative, as his riding style bore an uncanny resemblance to that of the imperious Sultan of Slide.

Down Under, during our winter, Gathercole had a bit of a ball, firstly winning the Western Australia State Championship at Pinjar Park on 18 November and then taking victory in the Australian Championship qualifier at Gillman on 30 December. On top of that, he also won the Victoria State Championship and the New South Wales Under-21 State Championship.

Gathercole was subsequently handed a British speedway berth by the Isle of Wight and he showed plenty of promise in his inaugural season. Despite suffering more falls than he would have wished, he certainly did enough to impress at the big, fast, full-throttle Smallbrook raceway.

Indeed, he remained ever-present for the Islanders, appearing in all forty-four of their official matches to accrue 257 points and a solid 6.36 average. And, on 1 July, he replaced Tommy Allen as Swindon’s No. 8 rider, eventually making his debut for the Robins at Wolverhampton in a league match on 20 August.

He then spent a second season with the Isle of Wight, whilst also again filling a role in Swindon’s back-up department. However, his 2008 campaign was disrupted by a hand injury in the middle part of the term but, prior to the set-back, Gathercole had been performing well at both Premier and Elite League level. A move to Somerset followed in 2009 and he was again identified on the Robins’ books in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity, alongside American Ryan Fisher.

That remained the case until a change in July saw him replaced in the role by fellow Aussie Mark Lemon, with Gathercole instead moving into the No. 8 berth in place of a third speedster from Down Under, namely Richard Sweetman.

In November, Swindon revealed that Gathercole’s name was the first on their team-sheet in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity for 2010 and, towards the tail-end of the month, Somerset were delighted to announce that he would represent them for a second successive season on loan from the Robins.

The amiable Aussie sustained an injury in heat six of the Rebels’ league fixture at Berwick on 29 May. The race was re-started after the Bandits’ Adrian Rymel had gone through the tapes. In the re-run, Lee Complin and Gathercole contested the early exchanges, with the home rider just getting the better run to edge ahead. The Victorian was all over his opponent, however, as he gradually worked a position for an overtaking manoeuvre.

As lap three closed, he cut-back inside from high up on the pits banking but, as he got up the inside of Complin, the Cowling-born rider appeared to lock-up, leaving Gathercole nowhere to go. As a result, he crashed into the back of the Berwick speedster, taking a hard fall and dislocating a shoulder in the process. This inevitably led to a short spell out of action.  

Gathercole took a knock in the PL Four-Team Championship at Peterborough on 15 August, causing him to miss out on Swindon’s league match at Ipswich the following day. He quickly bounced back from that, but was injured in heat eleven of Somerset’s domestic encounter at Edinburgh on 27 August, when he fell heavily on the opening lap and sustained rib injures, which forced him to withdraw from the remainder of the meeting.

He went on to make thirty-two official appearances for the side and attained an average of 7.75, having scored 269 points in the Rebels’ cause. Meanwhile, for Swindon, the popular Aussie recorded 66 points from twenty official meetings for an average of 3.86.

On 3 December, in front of a packed Oak Tree Clubhouse, the Aussie was named as a starter in the Somerset side for 2011, having agreed terms for a third successive term with the Rebels. The forward-looking club named all seven team members on the night, with Gathercole being one of five riders from Down Under included in the septet – his fellow countrymen being Sam Masters, James Holder, Dakota North and Travis McGowan.

His career looked set to remain constant for a third successive season on 16 December when, at a well-attended Fans’ Forum at the Abbey Stadium, the Swindon management stated that the likeable Aussie was likely to again be named in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity. And this was, indeed, confirmed later in the close season, with the rider sharing the position alongside Glasgow’s Josh Grajczonek.

The Robins announced a slight change to that arrangement on 10 May when, following Newport’s signing of Justin Sedgmen the previous day, a re-shuffle of the pack meant Gathercole would instead share a berth with him, whilst Grajczonek moved alongside the Wiltshire club’s new recruit, Chris Schramm.

GJEDDE, Charlie Rasmussen
DATE OF BIRTH: 28 December 1979, Holstebro, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (1998) Swindon; (1999) Coventry, Wolverhampton; (2001) Reading; (2002) Swindon; (2003) Swindon, Oxford; (2004-05) Swindon; (2006) Reading; (2007) Swindon; (2008-09) Belle Vue; (2011) Berwick, Belle Vue, Newport.
MAJOR HONOURS: Danish Under-21 Champion: 1995; World Cup Champion: 2006.
CLUB HONOURS: Four-Team Championship winner: 2003 [Swindon]; Pairs Championship winner: 2004 [Swindon]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2011 [Newport].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 8.08 (PL), 4.85 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The cheery Dane, well-known for his leg-trailing style, particularly enjoys utilising the wider racing lines and, over the years, has thrilled supporters with his attacking riding style.

Early career highlights saw him win the Danish Under-21 Championship in 1995, prior to finishing fifth in the 1997 World Under-21 Final. Gjedde (pronounced Geeda) arrived on the British speedway scene in 1998, having been snapped-up by then Swindon co-promoter Richard Evans.

In 1999, the Robins opted to join the Premier League but, perfectly reasonably, the Dane was keen to further his career in the top-flight and subsequently joined Coventry on loan. However, after completing just seven Craven Shield matches for the Bees, he and fellow Dane Rene Madsen were released as the Brandon-based outfit re-shuffled their side.

Gjedde eventually relocated to Wolverhampton – who were in the midst of an injury crisis – and was all set to remain with the Monmore men in 2000 but, just a month before the tapes were due to rise, he was involved in a car crash in his homeland. The accident left him with a broken right kneecap, which was quickly operated on and, later in April, he made an attempt to return.

However, in a practice session, he went into a corner and felt the knee crack again. That ruled him out of action for the entire year. Keen to re-establish himself in the sport again in 2001, he was allowed to join Reading on loan and enjoyed a good year with the Smallmead club.

After that, it came as no surprise when then-Swindon boss Peter Toogood recalled him to Blunsdon for the 2002 campaign. Just before the season, however, Gjedde snapped his Achilles’ tendon while playing football in Denmark and, for a while, it looked like he was in for another spell on the sidelines. Thankfully, frequent physiotherapy did the trick and he only ended up missing the Robins’ first two Premier Trophy matches.

Remaining with the Wiltshire club in 2003, he also ‘doubled-up’ with Elite League Oxford and did very well for the Silver Machine outfit, posting an average of around 8 points per match. Subsequently, his 2004 campaign with Swindon was hampered by ten weeks on the sidelines due to a broken right ankle, suffered when riding for his Swedish side, Vargarna, in a home match versus Indianerna on 4 May.

Put in simple terms, the Dane then enjoyed the best year of his top-flight career in 2005. It was a just a shame that his season’s racing was curtailed by a track crash in his homeland, which left him with two snapped ligaments.

Of course, he was the subject of much terrace talk when it became common knowledge that only two riders with green sheet averages in excess of 8.00 were permitted per team for the following year. His final official figure (exclusive of bonus points) was 8.08 and, with Leigh Adams (9.95) and Lee Richardson (8.24) to also consider, team boss Alun Rossiter had a lot to weigh up before naming his 2006 line-up.

As things turned out Gjedde was to spend another term on loan at Reading, where he grew in confidence as the season progressed. After assisting his country to Speedway World Cup glory in a gripping final at Smallmead Stadium on 22 July, he went on to help the renamed Bulldogs reach the Play-Off final where they only just missed out on the Championship amid dramatic scenes against Peterborough.

After once again returning to Swindon in 2007, he spent the following season on loan at Belle Vue and then featured in a full-time move to the Aces in 2009, when he was part of a swap deal that took Simon Stead to the Robins’ nest on a permanent basis.

He had assumed the role of captain for the Manchester club, however, following a 2-point return from a league match for the Aces at Swindon on 23 July, Gjedde was forced to admit that his season was over. This was due to a detached shoulder ligament, which was the legacy of a crash at Eastbourne on 20 June, when Cameron Woodward clipped his rear wheel in the original running of heat fourteen.

Although the Holstebro-born speedster had tried to ride through the injury, the pain proved too much and it was confirmed that he required an operation which, it was thought, would need six-to-nine months’ recovery time. He therefore decided to get the repair work done as soon as possible, with a view to being fully fit for the start of the 2010 campaign.

In his absence, Belle Vue initially operated the rider replacement facility but, three weeks into August, they made widespread changes that saw Gjedde’s name, together with those of Tomasz Chrzanowski and Morten Risager, deleted from the team declaration, as dramatic modifications were effected.

Incoming was the returning Jason Crump, together with Luboš Tomíček, whilst the Aces also opted to sign both Joel Parsons and Michał Rajkowski under the rule that permits Premier League riders to ‘double-up’ with clubs in the higher sphere. Gjedde duly underwent surgery on his shoulder in Denmark on 24 August, when the ligaments were pinned back into place.

In December, Belle Vue announced that the Dane would be remaining on board for his third successive term with them in 2010. However, on the eve of the season, he injured his left knee during a practice session at Stoke on 13 March and had a scan in Denmark two days later. Having just started his comeback after being out since July the previous year, he was thrown through the Loomer Road safety fence after a collision with his Belle Vue colleague, Patrick Hougaard, who had unavoidably lifted.

An initial X-ray showed that nothing was broken, but his knee was very swollen and necessitated a trip to see a specialist. The Aces were optimistic that he would be fit for the commencement of their Elite League fixtures, but it wasn’t to be due to continued pain from the injured area. The club was granted clearance to utilise the rider replacement facility in his absence but, when the injury failed to respond to treatment, they opted instead to sign Tobias Kroner as cover in April.

Towards the end of May, Gjedde revealed that his leg had been black and blue after three weeks of limping around following the crash. He therefore went for another scan, which unfortunately revealed a broken bone behind his left knee cap, torn muscles and damaged ligaments all around the joint. He underwent an operation early in June at a specialist sports clinic in Denmark that would ultimately determine if/when he could possibly jump back on a bike.

Gjedde paid a visit to the UK in September and reported that his rehabilitation was ahead of schedule; he also indicated that he would be ready to ride at the start of the 2011 season. Shortly afterwards, Belle Vue boss Chris Morton confirmed that the rider was in their plans for the new term.

As such, on 22 December, it was announced that the rider had signed a new contract with the Aces after jetting into Manchester Airport’s Radisson Blu Hotel. He returned to the side on a very handy average of 4.85, which had been assessed down from 5.27 due to the length of time he was out of action.

Possibly, the news-making move of the winter came two days later on Christmas Eve, when Berwick announced that they had signed the former Speedway World Cup winner to spearhead their attack in 2011. This came after they had been alerted to his availability by Chris Morton, who had been team manager of the Bandits in 1991 and had always spoken very well of the way he was made so welcome that year.

The move meant that the Dane would ‘double-up’ with Belle Vue and it was emphasised that, should the two clubs’ fixtures overlap at any time, it would be Berwick for whom he would race whilst the Aces would require finding someone else. It was later confirmed that he would share the Aces’ position with Jordan Frampton.

Indeed, Gjedde assumed the role of No. 1 for the Bandits, effectively filling the huge hole in their line-up created by the loss of popular Czech Adrian Rymel, who didn’t recover sufficiently from back and arm injuries sustained the previous September to resume racing in 2011.

However, on 28 May, after heat nine of Berwick’s home league fixture versus high-riding Glasgow – a fixture that the Dane was unavailable for because of a reported shoulder injury – the club’s hierarchy addressed the crowd and stated that they had parted company with Gjedde, describing his performances as ‘exceptionally disappointing’.

He had made twelve official appearances in the Bandits’ colours, scoring 85 points for a 7.06 average. The management of the Borders club also confirmed that they had concluded a deal to replace him with Swedish ace Sebastian Aldén.

The Dane wasn’t without a Premier League berth for long, though, as Newport announced his acquisition on 2 June as a replacement for the injured Kyle Legault, as the Wasps’ promotion continued a revamping of their line-up, closely following the signings of Jason Doyle and Justin Sedgmen.

Gjedde showed just how happy he was with the move by scorching to a 15-point maximum on his club debut at home to Glasgow on 4 June and inspiring Newport to victory over the Premier League high-flyers, who had already claimed four away wins going into the match-up.

On 9 July, the rider was rocked by a disastrous fire, which wiped out his Swindon workshop and most of his equipment. The Dane lost three complete bikes, five engines, racing suits and all his spares in the fire that struck while he was away riding for his Premier League club, Newport, in a home fixture versus Redcar.

The bikes alone were worth at least £15,000 and all he had left were the two bikes and gear he had taken to the Wasps’ match. He had even left a kitbag packed for a return home, so he also lost cash and his passport, leaving him to make an emergency visit to the Danish Embassy in London on 11 July to arrange another.

Despite that setback, Gjedde was to be a revelation for the Wasps and quickly became a Queensway Meadows legend on a par with the likes of Frank Smart and Anders Henriksson. Indeed, he inspired the Welsh club to an aggregate 106-74 victory in the Knock-Out Cup final versus Glasgow in October, as Newport ended their 12-year wait for a major piece of silverware.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Grand Prix ridden: 2 – 96th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix points: 5 – 104th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix races: 4 – 115th on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix race wins: 0 – n/a
Grand Prix wins: 0 – n/a      
Grand Prix finals: 0 – n/a

FIM Speedway World Cup Record:
SWC tournaments: 4
Events: 8 – 6th on Denmark’s list; 36th on SWC all-time list
Points: 51 – 6th on Denmark’s list; 45th on SWC all-time list
Finals: 3
Gold medals: 1

GOMÓLSKI, Kacper
DATE OF BIRTH: 2 March 1993, Gniezno, Poland.
BRITISH CAREER: (2011) Peterborough.
MAJOR HONOUR: European Under-19 Team Champion: 2010.
RIDER LINKS: Son of Jacek Gomólski (born: 20 January 1968, Kłecko, Poland). Brother of Adrian Gomólski (born: 29 April 1987, Gniezno, Poland).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.00 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Gomólski comes from a family steeped in speedway, being the younger brother of Adrian – who had a late-season spell with Poole in 2008 – and the son of former rider Jacek, whose career spanned 1984-2000.

Kacper passed his test to race in 500cc competition on 1 April 2008 and took part in the Polish Bronze Helmet when he was only 15, being the youngest rider in the line-up. He subsequently made his Polish League debut for his hometown team, Gniezno, in 2009 and also qualified for the European Under-19 Championship even though he was only 16.

A first season visitor to Britain, the ginger-haired thrill merchant agreed to sign for Peterborough in 2011 after an impressive 2010 campaign, which saw him finish third in the Polish Under-21 Championship at Toruń, behind victor Maciej Janowski of Swindon and runner-up Przemysław Pawlicki of Coventry.

Prior to that, on 8 August, he became a winner of the European Under-19 Team Championship with Poland as they swept to victory in Divišov, Czech Republic, finishing a massive 31 points ahead of second-placed Sweden. Gomólski’s contribution was a 12-point maximum, with his team-mates being Maciej Janowski, Patryk Dudek, Przemysław Pawlicki and Łukasz Cyran.

Peterborough heaped praise on the Polish teenager after he helped the Panthers climb off the bottom of the Elite League table on 26 May. The rider ended that evening’s victory over Birmingham with just 2+2 points and a sore shoulder after a spectacular crash while leading his last race. But, team boss Trevor Swales paid tribute to the youngster for ‘an amazing effort’ at even being at the East of England Showground.

He had been ordered to attend compulsory practice for his country’s Under-21 World Cup squad by the Polish Federation that morning. However, following that, Gomólski dashed the 70 miles from the training base at Rawicz to Poznań Airport, where he caught a 4 o’clock Ryanair flight to Britain.

With the hour’s time difference the plane touched down at Stansted at 5 o’clock when – shortly afterwards – the rider and his mechanic were picked up at taken to Peterborough, arriving around half-an-hour before the start of the clash with the Brummies.

The Pole was to score at around 4.5 points a match during the first half of the season for the Panthers, but endured a spell on the sidelines after breaking his collarbone. This occurred in heat six of the Polish Junior Team Championship at Poznań on 21 June, when he he lost control whilst chasing race leader Patryk Dudek and was taken to hospital where X-rays confirmed the fracture.

Gomólski went through the card to tally an unbeaten 9+3 points in a home match versus Wolverhampton on 25 August and dedicated his first-ever senior maximum to the memory of his close friend, Arkadiusz Malinger. Regrettably, 17-year-old Malinger was killed in a practice session at Gniezno on 17 August, having grown up with Gomólski in the town.

GOUGH, David John
DATE OF BIRTH: 11 January 1986, Somerton, Newport, Gwent, South Wales.
BRITISH CAREER: (2001) Newport II; (2002) Carmarthen; (2003) Carmarthen, Newport II; (2008-10) Plymouth; (2011) Newport II.
CLUB HONOURS: Conference Trophy winner: 2008 [Plymouth]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2008 [Plymouth]; National Trophy winner: 2009 [Plymouth].
RIDER LINKS: Brother of Graig Gough (born: 24 November 1981, Newport, Gwent, South Wales).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.00 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Having initially ridden at Conference level for Newport in 2001, Gough appeared lost to the sport after the 2003 campaign. However, he returned late in the 2008 season, when he was identified with Plymouth.

Remaining with the Devils for the start of the 2009 term, he was a valued team member until he sustained a broken collarbone in a heat fourteen spill during a National Trophy encounter with Weymouth at St Boniface Arena on 11 September.

He subsequently returned to action for the side on 10 October, when they entertained the USA Dream Team in a challenge match. Gough’s input helped Plymouth secure top spot in the National Trophy, as the Devils added to their Conference Trophy and Knock-Out Cup successes of the previous term. In total, he made twenty-nine official appearances for the club, which yielded 117 points and a 4.39 real-time average.

The Welshman was initially without a team in 2010, but was again called-up by Plymouth in May to fill the No. 8 position in their squad. And, the following month, he slight re-shuffle of the pack saw him move into the side’s 1-7, with Ben Reade reverting to the No. 8 slot.

Regrettably, Gough’s season came to a premature end on 3 September, when he sustained two broken bones in his foot after a fall in heat seven of the Devils’ home meeting versus Newport in the National Trophy. He had ridden in seventeen matches for the club, scoring 48 points for an average of 3.11.

Having previously confirmed that they were again going to run a second team in 2011, on 4 February Newport announced that Gough was returning to his hometown club to represent their National League side. In so doing, he would ride alongside Jamie White-Williams and Tom Young, who also hailed from the Welsh city.

Gough was to struggle for points over the club’s opening programme, before sustaining facial injuries in the Hornets’ away league match against Dudley at Wolverhampton on 12 July. Eight days later, Newport announced that they had replaced both him and Tom Young with Brendan Johnson and Steven Jones in a double change.

GRAJCZONEK, Joshua (Josh) Lee
DATE OF BIRTH: 5 February 1990, Kirwan, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008) Glasgow; (2009-10) Glasgow, Belle Vue; (2011) Glasgow, Swindon.
MAJOR HONOURS: Queensland State Champion: 2009, 2011.
CLUB HONOUR: League Championship winner: 2011 [Glasgow].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 7.10 (PL), 3.85 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: The highly-rated Aussie linked with Glasgow for his first taste of British speedway in 2008 and produced a number of eye-catching performances for the Tigers. Remaining with the Scottish side the following year, he also assumed the role of Belle Vue’s No. 8 rider. He was to lose the position in a mid-June change, though, when he was replaced by fellow countryman Kevin Doolan.

However, upon the conclusion of Doolan’s permitted period in the position, Grajczonek was happy to resume in the capacity with the Aces. Shortly after the season’s end, the Queenslander agreed to continue with Glasgow for a third term in 2010. Then, in early February, Belle Vue revealed that they had agreed a deal for Grajczonek to remain in place as their official No. 8.

The Aussie suffered a knee injury in heat fifteen of Belle Vue’s league match against Coventry at Kirkmanshulme Lane on 12 July. He quickly overcame that, but picked up a back injury towards the end of the following month, which caused considerable discomfort. He then crashed and injured a hip during Glasgow’s league match at Scunthorpe on 3 September.

Despite the knocks, Grajczonek showed much improved form during the season as a whole to average 7.57 for the Tigers, having accumulated 283 points from thirty-four official meetings. Meanwhile, for Belle Vue, he made fifteen appearances and scored 61 points for a 4.66 average. His best showing for the Aces occurred in a Knock-Out Cup tie at home to Poole on 5 July, when he tallied an excellent 9+3 points from five starts.

On 27 November, during a STARs social event at Hampden Park’s Nevis Suite, the popular Aussie was named as a definite starter in the Tigers’ 2011 line-up. This represented his fourth season with the progressive Scottish club and it was anticipated to be his last, as the ambitious Grajczonek intended to make the move into the Elite League on a full-time basis. It was expected that he would again ‘double-up’ but, naturally, his immediate priorities lay with Glasgow in what was expected to be his big breakthrough year.

Having lost the Queensland State Championship to Josh Auty the previous year, Grajczonek regained the title at Brandon on 11 December, defeating Scott Smith, Steven Reid and Auty in the final. And, on 15 February, it was announced that he had linked with Swindon in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity, sharing the role alongside Cory Gathercole.

The Robins announced a slight change to that arrangement on 10 May when, following Newport’s signing of Justin Sedgmen the previous day, a re-shuffle of the pack meant Grajczonek would instead share a berth with the Wiltshire club’s new recruit, Chris Schramm. Meanwhile, Gathercole switched to splitting a similar position with Sedgmen.

The Aussie was enjoying his best season in the sport in maintaining an average of over 8.5 points per match, as Glasgow raced up to fourth place in the Premier League table courtesy of their fourth away win of the campaign at Plymouth on 3 June.

However, the success at the St Boniface Arena was overshadowed by a season-ending heat fifteen crash for Grajczonek. The Tigers took a 45-39 victory on the night, with the meeting curtailed before the re-run of the last race after the Queenslander was taken to hospital with a broken femur.

He was eventually replaced in the Glasgow line-up by compatriot Richard Sweetman, the Scottish outfit announcing the move on 1 July. Then, at the end of the month, Swindon announced the acquisition of Russian World Cup star Sergey Darkin to replace the injured ‘doubling-up’ duo of Grajczonek and Schramm in a permanent reserve berth position.

GRAVERSEN, Jan
DATE OF BIRTH: 10 April 1987, Sallingsund, Denmark.
BRITISH CAREER: (2008) Mildenhall; (2009) King’s Lynn; (2010) Redcar, Stoke, Scunthorpe; (2011) Leicester.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 2009 [King’s Lynn]; Premier Trophy winner: 2009 [King’s Lynn]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 2009 [King’s Lynn].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 4.10 (PL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Graversen made an immediate impact in British speedway when he appeared in the Shareholders’ Junior Trophy at Mildenhall on 14 October 2007 and came mightily close to the track record in his very first outing.

That sealed him a team spot with the Fen Tigers in 2008 but, in a troubled campaign, the team went on to become the first in British speedway history to ‘flat-line’ – losing all thirty league fixtures that they contested. To his credit, Graversen plugged away throughout and made more appearances than anyone else to finish with a real-time average of 4.51.

Mildenhall were, of course, taken over by the King’s Lynn promotion towards the end of that difficult season and it was only natural that they would take the talented Dane to Saddlebow Road as one of their reserves for the start of the 2009 campaign.

Graversen was to enjoy a superb year with the Stars, increasing his average to close on 6 points per match and he was also one of five riders – the others being Darcy Ward, Emiliano Sanchez, Chris Schramm and Linus Eklöf – who completed a glorious treble with the side, winning the League Championship, Premier Trophy and Knock-Out Cup.

Such were the averages that he couldn’t be accommodated within the King’s Lynn side for 2010; however, in December, the Dane was named as the final part of the team-building jigsaw at Redcar, where he re-acquainted with fellow ex-Star Emiliano Sanchez.

But, following a leg break sustained by Maks Gregorič in May and the subsequent signing of Henning Bager, Graversen had to be released to keep the Bears within the points limit. He was replaced in their line-up by Gary Irving, having made just nine official appearances for 39 points and a 4.50 average.

Such is the nature of speedway, though, that as one door closes another one opens, and the Sallingsund-born rider was signed by Stoke in early June amid a shake-up that also saw fellow countryman Claus Vissing link with the Potteries outfit.

The duo replaced broken ankle-victim Adam Roynon and the absent Klaus Jakobsen. But, Graversen was on the move again in August, when Stoke released him after swooping to sign Ben Wilson. He had ridden in fourteen matches for the Staffordshire side, scoring 67 points to average 5.45.

The Dane immediately relocated to Scunthorpe, replacing Steve Worrall and Gary Irving, who had previously shared a reserve berth. He went on to make nine appearances for the club, which yielded 35 points and a 4.63 average. With the addition of his earlier meetings for both Redcar and Stoke, it gave Graversen a seasonal tally of 141 points from thirty-two matches and an overall average of 4.94.

On 8 December, it was revealed that Leicester promoter David Hemsley had completed negotiations with King’s Lynn to bring the Danish rider to Beaumont Park on a full transfer ahead of the 2011 campaign. This followed his shock victory in the Kenny Smith Memorial Trophy at Scunthorpe on 15 October when, amid wet conditions, he notched 12 points in the qualifying heats before defeating Rory Schlein, Patrick Hougaard and Ritchie Hawkins in the final.

GREENWOOD, Oliver (Ollie) James
DATE OF BIRTH: 31 May 1995, Great Wyrley, South Staffordshire.
BRITISH CAREER: (2011) Scunthorpe II.
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 3.00 (NL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: On 16 March 2011, Scunthorpe announced that they had added the outstanding grass-track racer to their National League squad in the No. 8 berth. This came after the youngster had attended a training school run by Scorpions’ David Howe the previous November. Prior to that, he had ridden in the Intermediate section of a meeting at Stoke on 31 October, finishing in second place on 7 points.

Following that up, Greenwood became a regular at practices and impressed when finishing second on 11 points in a Winter Series meeting at the Eddie Wright Raceway on 26 February. Indeed, on the day, only Redcar’s Peter Juul defeated him in the Open Class, giving a clear indication that the lad from Great Wyrley was ready to ride in NL circles.

GRIEVES, James Robert
DATE OF BIRTH: 28 September 1974, Paisley, Scotland.
BRITISH CAREER: (1991-95) Glasgow; (1996-97) Wolverhampton; (1998) Wolverhampton, Berwick; (1999) Edinburgh; (2000-02) Glasgow; (2003-04) Glasgow, Wolverhampton; (2005) Newcastle, Wolverhampton; (2006) Newcastle; (2007) Redcar, Wolverhampton; (2008) Redcar; (2009) Glasgow; (2010) Glasgow, Redcar; (2011) Glasgow, Wolverhampton.
CLUB HONOURS: League Championship winner: 1993 [Glasgow], 1994 [Glasgow], 1996 [Wolverhampton], 2011 [Glasgow]; Knock-Out Cup winner: 1993 [Glasgow], 1994 [Glasgow], 1996 [Wolverhampton], 1999 [Edinburgh]; Premiership winner: 1997 [Wolverhampton]; Young Shield winner: 2007 [Redcar]; Pairs Championship winner: 2011 [Glasgow].
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 6.69 (PL), 4.32 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Grieves – whose lengthy career in the saddle has been littered with many team trophies – surprisingly didn’t start riding until he was fifteen years-of-age. His first skids occurred under the watchful eye of Olle Nygren at one of the Swede’s renowned training schools at King’s Lynn.

Grieves’ father, also named James, was a fan of the Glasgow and he knew Colin Caffrey and Kenny McKinna, both of whom had served the Tigers during their racing careers. As such, the duo built a 125cc machine for the youngster to practice on. He eventually moved up to a full size machine and rode in the second-half of meetings at Glasgow’s then home of Shawfield Stadium.

Grieves went on to make the odd appearances for the Tigers in 1991 and 1992, before stepping into the side on a full-time basis in 1993 – a year when he played a key part in the side’s League Championship and Knock-Out Cup double by carding an average in excess of 6 points per match.

He posted a similar figure the following season, when Glasgow remarkably replicated their double success with a power-packed team that also included the likes of Robert Nagy, Nigel Crabtree, David Walsh and Mick Powell. He remained with the Tigers until a move to Wolverhampton in 1996, when his Midas touch saw another league a cup double come his way.

The Scotsman stayed with Wolves for two full terms, before a team re-shuffle in July 1998 saw him displaced by Jesper B. Jensen [now Monberg]. That left Grieves without a track for a month or so, but he was eventually signed by Premier League Berwick in August as a replacement for injured club skipper Scott Lamb. A move to Edinburgh followed in 1999 and he put together a fine campaign to attain a real-time average of 9.16 – a figure that easily nestled him within the top twenty riders at PL level.

After such a good season he was expected to remain with the Monarchs in 2000, but Glasgow made him an offer he couldn’t refuse and he headed back to the west and the Tigers’ new home at Ashfield, which they had moved into the previous year. His first term back with the ‘Stripes’ culminated in his testimonial meeting at the venue on 28 October, when the Grieves Select defeated Wolverhampton 52-38.

The Paisley-born rider enjoyed a further four seasons with Glasgow and also assisted Wolverhampton in the latter two (2003 and 2004) in the No. 8 berth. Regrettably, his ‘04 campaign ended prematurely when he sustained back injuries in a crash during his first outing at Newcastle’s Brough Park on 30 August.

After deciding not to continue with the Tigers, a change of scenery ironically took him to Newcastle in 2005, and he again represented top-flight Wolverhampton, as and when required. Grieves resisted approaches from several clubs to spend a second year with the Diamonds, however, he then moved on to their arch rivals, Redcar, in 2007 – a season when once more he was a valuable squad member with the Wolves.

The Scot spent another term on Cleveland in 2008, but the year was mired in financial uncertainty and, coupled with family life in Paisley, this probably played a major part in his decision to once again return to Glasgow for his nineteenth season in the sport. A superb victory in the prestigious Ashfield Classic on 28 September also played a part in making his mind up, the circuit being his favourite racing strip in the UK.

Grieves is a tenacious performer on most tracks, however, one which he has been known not to have a penchant for is Sheffield, although on more than one occasion he has shown that he can mix it with the best of them at the Owlerton bowl; he notched 13 points for Redcar there in a league fixture on 17 May 2007, before tallying 10 for the Bears in the corresponding match on 10 July 2008 and, on 30 April 2009, he scored 11+2 points as Glasgow posted a shock 48-47 success in a Premier Trophy encounter.

When not riding or preparing his machinery, Grieves is a bus mechanic for Glasgow co-promoter Stewart Dickson’s company. The Scotsman didn’t ride again after 20 September 2009, but signed-off with a 15-point maximum in a home league match versus Birmingham. Had had been feeling the effects of a neck injury sustained at Edinburgh, which he had attempted to ride through. It also transpired that he had had a painful kidney stone to content with.

Although the setbacks curtailed his racing for the year, he was able to continue with his day job. Having finished inside the Premier League’s top ten courtesy of a real-time average of a shade under 9 points per match, Grieves put pen to paper as the first name on Glasgow’s team-sheet for the 2010 campaign in late October.

Having again featured amongst the big hitters in British speedway’s second tier, the Scot’s season was derailed on 6 June, when the Tigers entertained Scunthorpe in a league encounter. The initial running of heat nine saw Grieves and the Scorpions’ Simon Lambert come down on the first turn and he was informed by the track doctor that he had sustained a broken foot.

As a result, the club’s management wasted little time in making the big signing of Joe Screen to replace him. At the time, he had represented Glasgow on fifteen occasions, scoring 124 points for an average of 7.94.

In the meantime, the injury turned out not to be as bad as first thought and the Scotsman quickly recuperated from his knock. Indeed, just ten days afterwards, Redcar confirmed his acquisition – for a second spell – as a replacement for Henning Bager. Regrettably, though, Grieves sustained two broken fingers in a crash during a league match at Edinburgh in his Bears’ debut on 18 June.

That was to be the start of what seemed like a stream of knocks, as well as endless mechanical problems. He was to miss three weeks of action after sustaining rib injuries in a heat twelve accident during Redcar’s league visit to Scunthorpe on 20 August.

Then, in his comeback meeting at home to Berwick in the Tweed-Tees Trophy on 9 September, he tangled with Bandits’ Grzegorz Stróżyk on the first bend of heat five and had to be helped from the track, having received a badly sprained and bruised wrist.

On the plus side, the Scot’s 20-year testimonial took place at Ashfield Stadium on 24 October when, having recuperated, he was able to participate himself. The meeting saw Wolverhampton win a four-team tournament with 33 points, ahead of Glasgow (31), Edinburgh (20) and Redcar (12). This proved a lucrative day for the rider and the big turnout of Tigers’ fans showed just how much esteem he was held in.

In the final analysis, he had appeared in fourteen meetings for the Bears, which yielded 89 points and a 6.27 average. So, looking at the season as a whole, he made a total of twenty-nine official appearances in his stints for Glasgow and Redcar, from which he gleaned 213 points and an overall average of 7.14.

His best showing for the Bears was a mammoth 19-point haul (including 6 points from a tactical ride in heat twelve) from six starts in a home league encounter against Workington on 12 August. However, away from the South Tees Motorsports Park, his best effort was just 6+1 points from five outings at Birmingham on 7 July.  

On 27 November, Glasgow named their entire team for the 2011 campaign and Grieves was part of the side. There could be no denying the contribution he has made to the Tigers over the years and, to emphasise that, at the time of the announcement he was placed fourth in the all-time list of scorers for the Stripes.

He was the victim of circumstance in 2010 when he lost his place in the side, but had no hesitation in returning once again to Ashfield even though he was in hot demand as his starting average made him a very attractive proposition.

The Scot made a quiet start to his twenty-first season of racing, but made a successful return to his old home track at Newcastle on 25 April, as Glasgow maintained an impressive start to the Premier League campaign with a 49-41 win in a meeting screened live by Sky Sports. Indeed, Grieves combined brilliantly with skipper Joe Screen for a match-clinching 5-1 in the final heat, taking his tally for the night to 11+2 points.

The veteran racer was to maintain an 8-point average over the first half of the campaign and then grabbed his first unbeaten tally of the term, when notching 12+3 points in the Tigers’ stunning 62-28 victory at Leicester on 18 June. The win not only took the Scottish side to top spot in the Premier League table, but it was also the biggest away victory in the club’s 65-year history.

A few days later, on 24 June, Grieves added to his impressive list of honours by partnering Joe Screen to victory in the Premier League Pairs Championship at a rather damp Somerset, as Glasgow defeated the Workington duo of James Wright and Rusty Harrison in the final. On a night when Grieves was gating superbly, the Tigers beat defending Champions Sheffield in the semi-final, prior to overcoming the Comets.

On 15 July, Wolverhampton moved to add Grieves to their squad in a ‘doubling-up’ capacity, alongside Ludvig Lindgren. Aged 36 at the time, the fans’ favourite had been a double winner with the club back in 1996 and remained a Wolves asset, his last previous stint in the Monmore squad occurring in 2007.

Grieves overcame a severe bout of tonsillitis at the end of July and went on to maintain an average of over 8 points a meeting for Glasgow as he secured his third League Championship success with the Scottish outfit, adding to their back-to-back triumphs of 1993 and 1994.

GUSTAFSSON, Simon Anders
DATE OF BIRTH: 26 May 1990, Kumla, Sweden.
BRITISH CAREER: (2007-11) Eastbourne.
MAJOR HONOUR: European Under-19 Team Champion: 2008.
CLUB HONOURS: Knock-Out Cup winner: 2008 [Eastbourne]; Elite Shield winner: 2009 [Eastbourne].
RIDER LINKS: Son of Henrik ‘Henka’ Gustafsson (born: 14 August 1970, Kumla, Sweden).
2011 STARTING AVERAGE: 5.43 (EL).
ADDITIONAL INFO: Gustafsson was involved in a collision with Chris Holder whilst riding for his Swedish club, Indianerna, on 5 May 2009; the incident left him with a broken collarbone. However, the son of a famous father regained fitness to net 191 points from twenty-four official matches with Eastbourne, yielding a real-time average of 6.86; his efforts also winning him the club’s Rider of the Year award by a clear margin.

In December, the Sussex club confirmed that he would begin the 2010 term with them at No. 2 in their averages, behind Slovenian ace Matej Žagar. Having initially linked with the Eagles in September 2007, the campaign represented his fourth season with the club and the third full term in their distinctive colours.

He went on to attain 223 points from thirty-five appearances for the East Sussex outfit, figures that equated to an average of 6.27. His leading performance at Arlington came in a league match versus Coventry on 1 July, when he netted 16+1 points from seven rides out of the No. 6 position. Away from home, Gustafsson’s highlight was a tally of 14+1 points – again courtesy of seven outings from the No. 6 slot – at Peterborough on 30 August.

Eastbourne Speedway remained convinced that there was much more to come from the Swede. As such, on 6 January, the highly regarded speedster was again named as a definite starter in the Eagles’ line-up for 2011.

The Sussex speedway squad kicked off their Elite League campaign in fantastic style courtesy of an emphatic 57-38 victory over Midland rivals, the Wolverhampton Wolves at Arlington Stadium on 26 March. The shining beacon of the performance came in the form of Gustafsson, who produced as classy a 15-point maximum, his first in Eagles’ colours, as you are likely to see.

The Swede won his first outing in some style, but eyebrows were well and truly raised around the stadium as he inflicted a first defeat of season 2011 on Wolves’ powerhouse Fredrik Lindgen in the fifth heat. He went on to post three further victories, including partnering Bjarne Pedersen to a 5-1 over Peter Karlsson in the nominated race, with Lindgren, almost unbelievably, in last spot.

On 14 May, Gustafsson took his Grand Prix bow in the curtailed Swedish round at the Ullevi Stadium, Gothenburg, when he was first reserve and came into heat thirteen after Kenneth Bjerre had been excluded for exceeding the 2-minute time allowance. In so doing, he became the first son of a famous father to also ride in the SGP series; his father, Henka, made forty appearances and scored 323 points between 1995 and 2001.

The Swede maintained a 7-point average over the first half of the season, as Eastbourne challenged at the sharp end of the Elite League standings. However, he crashed out of the World Under-21 Final round at Poole on 24 July and, although fears of a punctured lung were allayed, he did suffer rib and stomach damage that put him out of action for a time.

Gustafsson successfully came through a comeback meeting in Sweden on 2 August and was subsequently able to resume with the Eagles in a league encounter with their South Coast rivals, Poole, at Arlington Stadium four days later.

FIM Speedway Grand Prix Record:
Grand Prix ridden: 1 – 122nd on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix points: 1 – 131st on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix races: 1 – 143rd on SGP all-time list
Grand Prix race wins: 0 – n/a
Grand Prix wins: 0 – n/a      
Grand Prix finals: 0 – n/a