Scandinavian Raceway
Encyclopedia
The Scandinavian Raceway is a 2.505 miles (4.03 km) race circuit in Anderstorp
(Gislaved Municipality
), Sweden
.
The track was built on marshlands in 1968 and became an extremely popular venue in the 1970s, just as Swede Ronnie Peterson
was at the height of his career. It had a long straight (called Flight Straight, which was also used as an aircraft runway), as well as several banked corners, making car setup an engineering compromise. Unusually, the pit lane was located halfway round the lap.
The raceway hosted six Formula One
Swedish Grand Prix
events in the '70s. When Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson
died during the 1978 Formula One season
, public support for the event dried up and the Swedish Grand Prix came to an end.
The circuit hosted the Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
until 1990, as well touring car races in the 1980s, and has been a popular car club venue since the 1990s. The circuit is also noteworthy because it was the site of the first and only win (as well as the first and only race) of the infamous Brabham 'fan car' in 1978.
The FIA
World Touring Car Championship
(WTCC) returned to Anderstorp in 2007, replacing the Istanbul Park
in Turkey
on the WTCC calendar. For the 2008 season however, it was replaced by the Imola
circuit.
Anderstorp
Anderstorp is a locality situated in Gislaved Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 4,987 inhabitants in 2005.Scandinavian Raceway, which hosted the Swedish Grand Prix Formula One races in 1973–1978, is situated here....
(Gislaved Municipality
Gislaved Municipality
Gislaved Municipality is a municipality in Jönköping County in southern Sweden, with its seat located in the town Gislaved.The present municipality was formed in 1974, whenformer municipalities were amalgamated...
), Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
The track was built on marshlands in 1968 and became an extremely popular venue in the 1970s, just as Swede Ronnie Peterson
Ronnie Peterson
Bengt Ronnie Peterson was a Swedish racing driver. He was a two-time runner-up in the FIA Formula One World Drivers' Championship.Peterson began his motor racing career in kart racing, traditionally the discipline where the majority of race drivers begin their careers in open-wheel racing...
was at the height of his career. It had a long straight (called Flight Straight, which was also used as an aircraft runway), as well as several banked corners, making car setup an engineering compromise. Unusually, the pit lane was located halfway round the lap.
The raceway hosted six Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
Swedish Grand Prix
Swedish Grand Prix
The Swedish Grand Prix was a round of the Formula One World Championship from 1973 to 1978. It took place at the Scandinavian Raceway in Anderstorp , about 30km from Jönköping, in Småland, Sweden...
events in the '70s. When Peterson and Gunnar Nilsson
Gunnar Nilsson
Gunnar Nilsson was a Swedish racing driver, born in Helsingborg. Before entering Formula One, he won the 1975 British Formula Three Championship....
died during the 1978 Formula One season
1978 Formula One season
The 1978 Formula One season included the 29th FIA Formula One World Championship which commenced on January 15, 1978, and ended on October 8 after sixteen races. Mario Andretti was the season Champion and the last American to date to win a Formula One race...
, public support for the event dried up and the Swedish Grand Prix came to an end.
The circuit hosted the Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix
The Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix was a motorcycling event that was part of the Grand Prix motorcycle racing season in various stints from 1958 to 1990.-Winners of the Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix:-References:...
until 1990, as well touring car races in the 1980s, and has been a popular car club venue since the 1990s. The circuit is also noteworthy because it was the site of the first and only win (as well as the first and only race) of the infamous Brabham 'fan car' in 1978.
The FIA
Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile
The Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile is a non-profit association established as the Association Internationale des Automobile Clubs Reconnus on 20 June 1904 to represent the interests of motoring organisations and motor car users...
World Touring Car Championship
World Touring Car Championship
For the video game, known as World Touring Car Championship in Japan, see TOCA World Touring CarsThe FIA World Touring Car Championship is an international Touring Car championship sanctioned by the FIA.-History:...
(WTCC) returned to Anderstorp in 2007, replacing the Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park
Istanbul Park , also known as the Istanbul Racing Circuit or initially Istanbul Otodrom, is a motor sports race track in Akfırat County east of Istanbul, Turkey. It was inaugurated on 21 August 2005...
in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on the WTCC calendar. For the 2008 season however, it was replaced by the Imola
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is an auto racing circuit near the Italian town of Imola, east of Bologna and east of the Ferrari factory in Maranello....
circuit.