Post by speedway_history on Dec 8, 2008 8:49:00 GMT 1
1..Your first team in the UK was Reading in 2003, so can you tell us what it was about the Racers that initially tempted you over to ride in Britain?
I wanted to come over and try it out, and at that time I had Per Jonsson as a trainer back in Sweden, and everyone know he had had a good time at Reading, so he helped me out a bit and took the first contact. And that’s where it all began.
2..When you were based at Poole in 2006, your brother Daniel was also in the team for a while. I guess riding alongside your brother adds extra pressure, so do you prefer to ride for the same team as him, or would you rather you both represented different clubs?
Yeah I don’t know, but I don’t think its adds extra pressure. I think its good though, I mean, we can help each other out and stuff. But as it is now we ride for different clubs and it works out good too.
3..You’ve ridden in three Grand Prix as a wildcard. Has this given you an incentive to qualify for the series in the future, and if so, when do you think you could realistically achieve that?
Yes it’s been good to have a go at it and try it out, and its a lot different to a normal league meeting but it’s been good fun. My goal is to qualify this year or next year, and hopefully we can do that.
4..And as a follow up, now that Freddie Lindgren is in the GP series, are you hoping to get the wildcard for this year’s Swedish GP?
Yes of course I would like to get the wildcards, but I have to keep working hard as we did last year, and if we do that I should be the wildcard, but you never now what’s happening when other people decide it.
5..In some countries the winner of the National Championships automatically goes through to the GP qualifiers. Is it the same in Sweden?
Yes I think it’s top 4 or 5 in the Swedish championship who goes through to the qualifiers.
6..Stuart Douglas has stated that your enthusiasm to ride for Lakeside was a major factor in signing you. What was it about the club which attracted you, and did the fact that Andreas Jonsson and Ricky Kling are in the team have any bearing on it?
Yeah, I mean we are almost 4 Swedes in there now so I hope we can help each other out good and that we will have good fun. Also that I wanted to try Arena out – it’s one of my worst tracks, so if I can learn that it will help me out a lot for my riding in UK.
7..You’ve often been described as an Enigma (now your official nickname!), as your scoring in Sweden has been far better than your results in the UK. Why do you think this is the case, and do you feel confident that you can find your Swedish form for Lakeside this year?
That’s been the case so far, and the problem has been I have been good enough for one season but never got another chance the year after, so I have had to move around and that hasn’t been too good, I think. That’s how it is. I’m not the only one - they change rules and they can’t fit you in – it’s either too high or too low. But I look forward for this year and I think we have a good chance of winning the league with lakeside.
8..Also, Stuart Douglas said in an interview with us that Peter Karlsson had a number of suggestions which he felt would help you settle here. Can you tell us what they were?
That must be a few practice days at Lakeside before the season starts, I guess. That’s a hard thing as well - in England you can never have a practice spin and try things out like you can in Sweden or Poland.
9..Having said that, you were the surprise package during the WTC round at Coventry and described by us as “splendid” on a couple of occasions. What happened (!) and how did it feel to top score for your country?
Nothing happened really - that’s how my season was really in Sweden and Poland so was no surprise for me. I know I could do it and I did, which was great.
10..Which riders inspire you, and who has been the biggest influence on your career so far?
In the beginning of course Tony Rickardsson was the idol. But in the later days its been Greg Hancock who I’ve been riding with for five years now, and he is a really good friend of mine. He always has something good to say.
11..You were the Swedish Under 21 Champion in 2006; was that a career highlight for you, and do you have any others?
That was of course nice. And my silver in the nationals last year and WTC was good too. And last year in the league as well, I was the best Swedish scorer in the league.
12..Like a lot of riders, you’ve had your fair share of injuries. How are you feeling now, physically?
I’m good – I’m ready to race.
13..Along with Andreas Jonsson, you decided to stay with Bydgoszcz, despite them being relegated, and despite having offers from other teams. What influenced that decision?
I like Bydgoszcz - it’s a good club and good people, and it’s worked out good for me there. And I wanted to stay, and the only goal now is to go back straight up to extra league.
14..Finally, you’ve changed teams back home, from Rospiggarna to Smederna. Do you think you’ll settle quickly, and do you think you made the right choice in moving?
I really hope so. Everything is feeling great so I hope it stays like that when the tapes are ready to go up as well.
I wanted to come over and try it out, and at that time I had Per Jonsson as a trainer back in Sweden, and everyone know he had had a good time at Reading, so he helped me out a bit and took the first contact. And that’s where it all began.
2..When you were based at Poole in 2006, your brother Daniel was also in the team for a while. I guess riding alongside your brother adds extra pressure, so do you prefer to ride for the same team as him, or would you rather you both represented different clubs?
Yeah I don’t know, but I don’t think its adds extra pressure. I think its good though, I mean, we can help each other out and stuff. But as it is now we ride for different clubs and it works out good too.
3..You’ve ridden in three Grand Prix as a wildcard. Has this given you an incentive to qualify for the series in the future, and if so, when do you think you could realistically achieve that?
Yes it’s been good to have a go at it and try it out, and its a lot different to a normal league meeting but it’s been good fun. My goal is to qualify this year or next year, and hopefully we can do that.
4..And as a follow up, now that Freddie Lindgren is in the GP series, are you hoping to get the wildcard for this year’s Swedish GP?
Yes of course I would like to get the wildcards, but I have to keep working hard as we did last year, and if we do that I should be the wildcard, but you never now what’s happening when other people decide it.
5..In some countries the winner of the National Championships automatically goes through to the GP qualifiers. Is it the same in Sweden?
Yes I think it’s top 4 or 5 in the Swedish championship who goes through to the qualifiers.
6..Stuart Douglas has stated that your enthusiasm to ride for Lakeside was a major factor in signing you. What was it about the club which attracted you, and did the fact that Andreas Jonsson and Ricky Kling are in the team have any bearing on it?
Yeah, I mean we are almost 4 Swedes in there now so I hope we can help each other out good and that we will have good fun. Also that I wanted to try Arena out – it’s one of my worst tracks, so if I can learn that it will help me out a lot for my riding in UK.
7..You’ve often been described as an Enigma (now your official nickname!), as your scoring in Sweden has been far better than your results in the UK. Why do you think this is the case, and do you feel confident that you can find your Swedish form for Lakeside this year?
That’s been the case so far, and the problem has been I have been good enough for one season but never got another chance the year after, so I have had to move around and that hasn’t been too good, I think. That’s how it is. I’m not the only one - they change rules and they can’t fit you in – it’s either too high or too low. But I look forward for this year and I think we have a good chance of winning the league with lakeside.
8..Also, Stuart Douglas said in an interview with us that Peter Karlsson had a number of suggestions which he felt would help you settle here. Can you tell us what they were?
That must be a few practice days at Lakeside before the season starts, I guess. That’s a hard thing as well - in England you can never have a practice spin and try things out like you can in Sweden or Poland.
9..Having said that, you were the surprise package during the WTC round at Coventry and described by us as “splendid” on a couple of occasions. What happened (!) and how did it feel to top score for your country?
Nothing happened really - that’s how my season was really in Sweden and Poland so was no surprise for me. I know I could do it and I did, which was great.
10..Which riders inspire you, and who has been the biggest influence on your career so far?
In the beginning of course Tony Rickardsson was the idol. But in the later days its been Greg Hancock who I’ve been riding with for five years now, and he is a really good friend of mine. He always has something good to say.
11..You were the Swedish Under 21 Champion in 2006; was that a career highlight for you, and do you have any others?
That was of course nice. And my silver in the nationals last year and WTC was good too. And last year in the league as well, I was the best Swedish scorer in the league.
12..Like a lot of riders, you’ve had your fair share of injuries. How are you feeling now, physically?
I’m good – I’m ready to race.
13..Along with Andreas Jonsson, you decided to stay with Bydgoszcz, despite them being relegated, and despite having offers from other teams. What influenced that decision?
I like Bydgoszcz - it’s a good club and good people, and it’s worked out good for me there. And I wanted to stay, and the only goal now is to go back straight up to extra league.
14..Finally, you’ve changed teams back home, from Rospiggarna to Smederna. Do you think you’ll settle quickly, and do you think you made the right choice in moving?
I really hope so. Everything is feeling great so I hope it stays like that when the tapes are ready to go up as well.