Josh Larsen
Encyclopedia
Josh Larsen is a former American
motorcycle speedway
rider who was a member of the winning American 1993 Speedway World Team Cup
team, rode in the 1994 World Individual Speedway Final and in the 1995 Speedway Grand Prix
as permanent rider.
Josh started the season in the reserve berth, proving a useful man to have in that position and putting all of his small track experience to good use around the Arena-Essex Raceway.
Josh made real progress in 1993, though, when he built upon his debutant year to improve his average significantly. He was a match winner on multiple occasions, scoring countless 5-1's at home alongside Hammers no.1 rider Leigh Adams and helping the USA to World Team Cup victory at Coventry. Josh was so popular that a coach load of Hammers fans travelled to the Czech Republic to cheer him on in the World Under-21 championship - a meeting which was eventually won by Mikael Karlsson (now Max) with Josh finishing sixth.
But come 1994 and Larsen dropped a bombshell on the Hammers - he was staying at home to train as a fireman. It was a devastating blow for the club, particularly as the side were forced to start the season without a recognised third heat leader. Josh continued to ride in the US and in world championship rounds - he made his world final debut at Vojens that year, finishing high enough up the leader board to qualify for the inaugural Grand Prix series in 1995.
With Josh a fully fledged GP rider and faced with a busy European season, he returned 'home' to Arena-Essex in '95. Sadly for both him and Hammers fans, a serious back injury sustained in Germany sidelined him for two months and put paid to his World Championship aspirations.
Larsen moved with the promotion to the London Lions in 1996 and switched to Bradford in 1997 when the Hackney side shut, helping the Dukes to Elite League success. He stayed at home in 1998 before returning to Britain the following season to ride for Eastbourne. A long absence from Britain followed, by which time Josh was working as a camera assistant for a large US production company.
An unrewarding spell at Belle Vue in 2003 looked to have signalled the end of Josh's UK racing aspirations - but the Hammers' membership of the Elite League in 2004 resulted in a third spell at Arena-Essex for the popular American when it was clear he was keen to return.
Once he'd adapted to life back in Britain he proved a useful asset - but 2005 was a different story. He struggled for points early on and then fought a seemingly never-ending battle against injury - he hurt his back riding for his country; suffered a broken ankle against Coventry; and snapped his collarbone at Eastbourne to put a premature end to his season and - to date - his British career.
Speedway World Team Cup
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. Speedway motorcycles use only one gear and have no brakes and racing takes place on a flat oval track usually...
rider who was a member of the winning American 1993 Speedway World Team Cup
1993 Speedway World Team Cup
-Group D - Venue : Krsko, Slovenia:Russia to Group C.-Group C - Venue : Wiener Neustadt, Austria:Germany to Group B after Gerd Riss beat Michail Starostin in a race-off for first place.-Group B - Venue : Toruń, Poland:Poland to Group A....
team, rode in the 1994 World Individual Speedway Final and in the 1995 Speedway Grand Prix
1995 Speedway Grand Prix
The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :...
as permanent rider.
Career
JOSH LARSEN first came to ride in Europe for Arena Essex in the English league, upon the 'Hammers' elevation to the First Division in 1992. He'd been widely touted as the latest sensation to come out of the United States - a reputation he'd more than live up to come the end of his two initial seasons with the club.Josh started the season in the reserve berth, proving a useful man to have in that position and putting all of his small track experience to good use around the Arena-Essex Raceway.
Josh made real progress in 1993, though, when he built upon his debutant year to improve his average significantly. He was a match winner on multiple occasions, scoring countless 5-1's at home alongside Hammers no.1 rider Leigh Adams and helping the USA to World Team Cup victory at Coventry. Josh was so popular that a coach load of Hammers fans travelled to the Czech Republic to cheer him on in the World Under-21 championship - a meeting which was eventually won by Mikael Karlsson (now Max) with Josh finishing sixth.
But come 1994 and Larsen dropped a bombshell on the Hammers - he was staying at home to train as a fireman. It was a devastating blow for the club, particularly as the side were forced to start the season without a recognised third heat leader. Josh continued to ride in the US and in world championship rounds - he made his world final debut at Vojens that year, finishing high enough up the leader board to qualify for the inaugural Grand Prix series in 1995.
With Josh a fully fledged GP rider and faced with a busy European season, he returned 'home' to Arena-Essex in '95. Sadly for both him and Hammers fans, a serious back injury sustained in Germany sidelined him for two months and put paid to his World Championship aspirations.
Larsen moved with the promotion to the London Lions in 1996 and switched to Bradford in 1997 when the Hackney side shut, helping the Dukes to Elite League success. He stayed at home in 1998 before returning to Britain the following season to ride for Eastbourne. A long absence from Britain followed, by which time Josh was working as a camera assistant for a large US production company.
An unrewarding spell at Belle Vue in 2003 looked to have signalled the end of Josh's UK racing aspirations - but the Hammers' membership of the Elite League in 2004 resulted in a third spell at Arena-Essex for the popular American when it was clear he was keen to return.
Once he'd adapted to life back in Britain he proved a useful asset - but 2005 was a different story. He struggled for points early on and then fought a seemingly never-ending battle against injury - he hurt his back riding for his country; suffered a broken ankle against Coventry; and snapped his collarbone at Eastbourne to put a premature end to his season and - to date - his British career.
World Final Appearances
- 19941994 Individual Speedway World ChampionshipThe 1994 Individual Speedway World Championship.-Scandinavian Series:Riders from Scandinavia, i.e. Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland competed. The top 8 in Swedish Semi Finals advanced to the Swedish Final. The top 5 in the Swedish Final advanced to the Scandinavian Final. The Danish Final was...
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VojensVojensVojens Municipality , was a municipality in the former South Jutland County on the Jutland peninsula in south Denmark. The municipality, which existed from 1970 to 2006, covered an area of 298 km², and had a total population of 16,792...
, Speedway Center - 9th - 7pts
Speedway Grand Prix results
| Year | Position | Points | Best Finish | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 1995 Speedway Grand Prix The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season was the first season in the Speedway Grand Prix era and was used to determine the Speedway World Champion. Grand Prix series was won by Hans Nielsen; it was his fourth World Champion title.- Event format :... |
22nd | 7 | 15th | 15th in Denmark 1995 Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark The 1995 Speedway Grand Prix of Denmark was the fifth race of the 1995 Speedway Grand Prix season. It was take place on 9 September in the Speedway Center in Vojens, Denmark.- Starting positions draw :... |
Career details
World (European) U-21 ChampionshipIndividual Speedway Junior World Championship
The Individual Speedway Junior World Championship is an annual speedway event held each year organized by the International Motorcycling Federation since 1977...
- 19931993 Individual Speedway Junior World Championship-World final:*August 13, 1993 Pardubice...
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PardubicePardubicePardubice is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 65 miles east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle...
- 5th - 8pts
Speedway World Team Cup
Speedway World Team Cup
The Speedway World Team Cup was an annual speedway event held each year in different countries. The competition started in 1960 and was replaced with the Speedway World Cup in 2001.-Format:From 1960 until 1985 each team consisted of four riders and a reserve...
- 19931993 Speedway World Team Cup-Group D - Venue : Krsko, Slovenia:Russia to Group C.-Group C - Venue : Wiener Neustadt, Austria:Germany to Group B after Gerd Riss beat Michail Starostin in a race-off for first place.-Group B - Venue : Toruń, Poland:Poland to Group A....
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CoventryCoventryCoventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
, Coventry StadiumBrandon stadiumBrandon Stadium, located in Brandon, Warwickshire, England, is the home of the Coventry Bees motorcycle speedway team and is also the city's main Greyhound racing stadium. The stadium's capacity is 5,000 and was built in 1948...
- Winner - 40pts (5) - 19991999 Speedway World Team Cup-Venue : Veenord, Holland:Holland, Austria and Croatia to Quarter-Final-Venue : Lonigo, Italy:Australia to Semi-Final-Venue : Abensberg, Germany:Germany to Semi-Final-Venue : Poole, England:Great Britain to World Final...
- PardubicePardubicePardubice is the capital city of the Pardubice Region and lies on the river Elbe, 65 miles east of Prague. Pardubice has an antique centre square and old town, with many restaurants that stay open until late in the evening. There is an old Tower and a recently renovated Castle...
- 3rd - 29pts (2)