Karlskoga Motorstadion

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)
Location	Karlskoga, Sweden
Time zone	CET (UTC+1) CEST (DST)
Coordinates	59°23′00″N 14°30′58″E
Opened	1949
Former names	Karlskoga Motorstadion
Major events	Current: Kanonloppet (1950–1975, 1996–present) Porsche Carrera Cup Scandinavia (2004–2011, 2013, 2015–present) Nordic 4 Championship (2023–present) Former: Grand Prix motorcycle racing Swedish motorcycle Grand Prix (1978–1979) Sidecar World Championship (1979, 2006) GT4 Scandinavia (2019–2022) STCC (1996–2011, 2013, 2015–2022) TTA – Racing Elite League (2012) European F2 (1973–1974) European F3 (1978) ETCC (1964–1966)
Website	gellerasen.se
Full Circuit (2017–present)
Length	2.350 km (1.460 miles)
Turns	11
Race lap record	1:03.470 ( Lukas Sundahl, Porsche 911 (992) GT3 Cup, 2024, Carrera Cup)
Full Circuit (2006–2016)
Length	2.400 km (1.491 miles)
Turns	11
Race lap record	1:01.841 ( Daniel Roos, Tatuus FR2000, 2009, FR 2.0)
Full Circuit (1992–2005)
Length	2.530 km (1.572 miles)
Turns	11
Race lap record	1:03.634 ( Frank Kechele, Tatuus FR2000, 2004, FR 2.0)
Full Circuit (1958–1991)
Length	3.000 km (1.864 miles)
Turns	11
Race lap record	1:12.100 ( Patrick Depailler, March 742, 1974, F2)
Full Circuit (1953–1957)
Length	2.000 km (1.243 miles)
Turns	10
Original Circuit (1950–1952)
Length	1.600 km (0.994 miles)
Turns	9

It is currently authorised for European Championship rounds of road racing and Swedish Touring Car Championship events.^[1]

History

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

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[lower-alpha 1] Bo Ljungfeldt[lower-alpha 1]	Ford Lotus Cortina[lower-alpha 1] Ford Mustang[lower-alpha 1]	1965 Karlskoga ETCC round

Notes

1. Both drivers took the same lap time in the same race independently.

References

1. "Home". Karlskoga Motorstadion AB. Retrieved 8 October 2019.
2. "Historien om Gelleråsbanan". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
3. "Gelleråsen Org". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
4. "Gelleråsbanan 1953". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
5. Darren Galpin. "Karlskoga Track Info". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Retrieved 4 October 2009.
6. "Gelleråsbanan 1958". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
7. "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. "Gelleråsbanan 2006". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
10. "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.

External links

• Official website