Jimmy Nilsen

Nilsen came to prominence in 1984, when he won the Swedish U21 championship and finished second to Per Jonsson at the 1985 European (World) Under-21 Championship final in Abensberg, West Germany. It was in 1985 that he started racing in the British leagues after signing for Swindon Robins for the 1985 British League season. Nilsen impressed when as a 19-year he finished 4th in the 1986 World Final (his first World Final appearance) at the Silesian Stadium in Katowice, Poland. Nilsen topped the Swindon league averages in 1987 and finished fourth again at the 1987 World Final at the Amsterdam Olympic Stadium in the Netherlands. In 1988, he won a bronze medal in the 1988 Speedway World Team Cup and reached the final of the 1988 Speedway World Pairs Championship final and the following season won a silver medal in the World Pairs with Per Jonsson in the 1989 Speedway World Pairs Championship and a bronze medal at the 1989 Speedway World Team Cup. Nilsen finished 5th in the 1990 Individual Speedway World Championship in Bradford, England (won by Jonsson). Also in 1990 after appearing in a "Rest of the World" team in a test against Australia at the North Arm Speedway in Adelaide, Nilsen won the inaugural running of the Jack Young Memorial Cup, named in honour of Jack Young. At the end of the 1990 season and despite being named rider of the year, Nilsen left Swindon on loan to ride in the Berwick Bandits team for the 1991 season. Nilsen finished 5th at the 1991 Individual Speedway World Championship final at Ullevi in Gothenburg and won silver medals in the 1991 Speedway World Pairs Championship, with Henrik Gustafsson and the 1991 Speedway World Team Cup. The following season in 1992, Nilsen won another silver medal at the 1992 Speedway World Team Cup and finished 7th in the 1992 Individual Speedway World Championship at the Olympic Stadium in Wrocław, Poland. Nilsen was Swedish Champion in 1996. Nilsen later qualified for the Speedway Grand Prix in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2001, finishing a career best 2nd in 1998 behind countryman Tony Rickardsson. == World Final Appearances ==

Individual World Championship • 1986 – Chorzów, Silesian Stadium – 4th – 11pts • 1987 – Amsterdam, Olympic Stadium – 4th – 22pts • 1990 – Bradford, Odsal Stadium – 5th – 10pts • 1991 – Gothenburg, Ullevi – 5th – 10pts • 1992 – Wrocław, Olympic Stadium – 7th – 7pts World Pairs Championship • 1988 – Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Per Jonsson) – 5th – 29pts (17) • 1989 – Leszno, Alfred Smoczyk Stadium (with Per Jonsson) – 2nd – 44pts (23) • 1990 – Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Per Jonsson) – 4th – 33pts (17) • 1991 – Poznań, Olimpia Poznań Stadium (with Henrik Gustafsson / Per Jonsson) – 2nd – 24pts (8) World Team Cup • 1985 – Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Jan Andersson / Per Jonsson / Tommy Nilsson / Pierre Brannefors) – 4th – 10pts (2) • 1986 – Göteborg, Ullevi, Vojens, Speedway Center and Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Jan Andersson / Per Jonsson / Tommy Nilsson / Erik Stenlund / Tony Olsson) – 4th – 73pts (16) • 1988 – Long Beach, Veterans Memorial Stadium (with Conny Ivarsson / Henrik Gustafsson / Tony Olsson / Per Jonsson) – 3rd – 22pts (5) • 1989 – Bradford, Odsal Stadium (with Mikael Blixt / Per Jonsson / Tony Olsson / Erik Stenlund) – 3rd – 30pts (0) • 1991 – Vojens, Speedway Center – 2nd – 30pts (7) • 1992 – Kumla, Kumla Speedway – 2nd – 33pts (1) • 1997 – Piła, Stadion Żużlowy Centrum – 3rd – 21pts (3) • 1998 – Vojens, Speedway Center – 2nd – 24pts (13) World Cup • 2001 – Wrocław, Olympic Stadium – 3rd – 51pts (7) Individual Under-21 World Championship • 1985 – Abensberg, Motorstadion – 2nd – 13pts == Speedway Grand Prix results ==