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Karlskoga Motorstadion

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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 / 59.38333°N 14.51611°E / 59.38333; 14.51611
Opened1949
Former namesKarlskoga Motorstadion
Major eventsCurrent:
Kanonloppet (1950–1975, 1996–present)
Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia (2004–2011, 2013, 2015–present)
Nordic 4 Championship (2023–present)
Future:
STCC (1996–2011, 2013, 2015–2022, 2025)
Former:
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix (1978–1979)
Sidecar World Championship
(1979, 2006)
GT4 Scandinavia (2019–2022)
TTA – Racing Elite League (2012)
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 record1:03.470 (Sweden Lukas Sundahl, Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup, 2024, Carrera Cup)
Full Circuit (2006–2016)
Length2.400 km (1.491 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:01.841 (Sweden Daniel Roos, Tatuus FR2000, 2009, FR 2.0)
Full Circuit (1992–2005)
Length2.530 km (1.572 miles)
Turns11
Race lap record1:03.634 (Germany Frank Kechele, Tatuus FR2000, 2004, FR 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

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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

Lap records

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As of August 2024, the fastest official race lap records at the Karlskoga Motorstadion are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Full Circuit: 2.350 km (2017–present)[10]
Porsche Carrera Cup 1:03.470[11] Lukas Sundahl Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup 2024 2nd Karlskoga Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
Superbike 1:03.723[12] Christoffer Bergman Yamaha YZF-R1 2023 1st Karlskoga Pro Superbike round
Formula 4 1:04.730[13] Mikkel Gaarde Pedersen Mygale M14-F4 2023 Karlskoga F4 Danish Championship round
Formula Renault 1.6 1:04.918[14] Linus Granfors Signatech FR1.6 2023 Karlskoga Formula Nordic round
Supersport 1:06.042[15] Sebastian Losciale Honda CBR600RR 2023 1st Karlskoga Pro Superbike SSP round
TCR Touring Car 1:06.781[16] Robert Huff Volkswagen Golf GTI TCR 2020 Karlskoga TCR STCC round
GT4 1:06.939[17] Emil Skärås Toyota GR Supra GT4 2022 Karlskoga GT4 Scandinavia round
Supersport 300 1:11.379[18] Ty Henriksen Kawasaki Ninja 400 2023 1st Karlskoga Pro Superbike SSP 300 round
NXT Gen Cup 1:17.433[19] Linus Granfors LRT NXT1 2023 Karlskoga NXT Gen Cup round
Full Circuit: 2.400 km (2006–2016)[9]
Formula Renault 2.0 1:01.841[20] Daniel Roos Tatuus FR2000 2009 1st Karlskoga Formula Renault 2.0 Sweden round
Silhouette racing car 1:04.488[21] Fredrik Ekblom Volvo S60 TTA 2012 1st Karlskoga TTA round
Porsche Carrera Cup 1:04.809[22] Robin Hansson Porsche 911 (991 I) GT3 Cup 2015 Karlskoga Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
Super 2000 1:06.797[23] Fredrik Ekblom BMW 320si 2008 Karlskoga STCC round
Full Circuit: 2.530 km (1992–2005)[7]
Formula Renault 2.0 1:03.634[24] Frank Kechele Tatuus FR2000 2004 Karlskoga Formula Renault 2000 Scandinavia round
GT1 (GTS) 1:06.064[25] Thed Björk Chrysler Viper GTS-R 2003 Gelleråsen Swedish GTR round
Super Touring 1:06.586[26] Carl Rosenblad Nissan Primera GT 2001 1st Karlskoga STCC round
N-GT 1:07.285[27] Thed Björk Porsche 911 (996) GT3-R 2001 Gelleråsen Swedish GTR round
Porsche Carrera Cup 1:07.353[28] Fredrik Ros Porsche 911 (996) GT3 Cup 2005 Karlskoga Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia round
Super 2000 1:09.606[29] Richard Göransson BMW 320i 2004 1st Karlskoga STCC round
Full Circuit: 3.000 km (1958–1991)[6]
Formula Two 1:12.100[30] Patrick Depailler March 742 1974 Karlskoga F2 round
Group 7 1:16.200[31] Chris Craft McLaren M8C 1970 Kanonloppet
Group 5 1:17.400[32] Brian Redman Lola T70 1969 Kanonloppet
Formula Three 1:20.800[33] Tim Schenken Brabham BT28 1969 Kanonloppet
500cc 1:21.310 Wil Hartog Suzuki RG 500 1979 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
350cc 1:22.216 Gregg Hansford Kawasaki KR350 1978 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
250cc 1:23.500 Gregg Hansford Kawasaki KR250 1979 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
Formula One 1:24.100 Innes Ireland Lotus 24 1962 Kanonloppet
125cc 1:28.767 Ángel Nieto Minarelli 1978 Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
Group 2 1:38.300[34] Jackie Stewart[a]
Bo Ljungfeldt[a]		 Ford Lotus Cortina[a]
Ford Mustang[a]		 1965 Karlskoga ETCC round

Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Both drivers took the same lap time in the same race independently.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Home". Karlskoga Motorstadion AB. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Historien om Gelleråsbanan". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Gelleråsen Org". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Gelleråsbanan 1953". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  5. ^ a b Darren Galpin. "Karlskoga Track Info". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
  6. ^ a b "Gelleråsbanan 1958". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  7. ^ a b "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. ^ a b "Gelleråsbanan 2006". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  10. ^ a b "Gelleråsbanan 2017". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  11. ^ "Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2024 - Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia, Heat 2, 29 varv". 17 August 2024. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  12. ^ "SM RR Karlskoga Bikeweek 2023 - MC PRO Superbike, Heat 1, 18 varv". 30 July 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  13. ^ "Gelleråsloppet Karlskoga 2023 - Formula Nordic, Heat 3, 18 varv". 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  14. ^ "Gelleråsloppet Karlskoga 2023 - Formula Nordic, Heat 1, 18 varv". 4 June 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
  15. ^ "SM RR Karlskoga Bikeweek 2023 - MC Super Sport 600, Heat 3, 9 varv". 30 July 2023. Retrieved 21 August 2024.
  16. ^ "TCR Scandinavia Touring Car Championship 2020 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 1 Results". 16 August 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Smallcars Karlskoga 2022 - GT4 Scandinavia, Heat 1, 52 laps". 24 September 2022. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  18. ^ "SM RR Karlskoga Bikeweek 2023 - MC Super Sport 300 Junior, Heat 1, 12 varv". 30 July 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  19. ^ "Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2023 - NXT Gen Cup - Race 1" (PDF). 19 August 2023. Retrieved 17 February 2024.
  20. ^ "STCC Karlskoga 2009 - Formula Renault 2000, Heat 2, 12 laps". 23 May 2009. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  21. ^ "TTA Karlskoga 2012 - TTA, Race, 31 varv". 12 May 2012. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  22. ^ "2015 Porsche Cup Scandinavia Karlskoga (Race 2)". 15 August 2015. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  23. ^ "Swedish Touring Car Championship 2008 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 4 Results". 1 June 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  24. ^ "STCC Karlskoga 2004 - Formula Renault 2000, Heat 1, 12 laps". 30 May 2004. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  25. ^ "STCC Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2003 - GTR, Heat 1, 22 laps". 16 August 2003. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  26. ^ "Swedish Touring Car Championship 2001 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 6 Results". 4 June 2001. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  27. ^ "Swedish GTR Championship Gelleråsen 2001". 4 June 2001. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  28. ^ "STCC Kanonloppet Karlskoga 2005 - Porsche Carrera Cup, Heat 1, 12 laps". 20 August 2005. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  29. ^ "Swedish Touring Car Championship 2004 » Karlskoga-Gelleråsen Round 5 Results". 31 May 2004. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  30. ^ "1974 Kanonloppet". Motor Sport Magazine. 11 August 1974. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  31. ^ "1970 Swedish Grand Prix". Motor Sport Magazine. 9 August 1970. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  32. ^ "1969 Swedish Grand Prix". Motor Sport Magazine. 17 August 1969. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
  33. ^ "1969 Kanonloppet Karlskoga Sveriges Grand Prix FIA European Cup For Formula 3 Ergebnis Finalrennen" (PDF). 17 August 1969. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  34. ^ "Kanonloppet 1965". 8 August 1965. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
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