1978 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1978 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 33rd edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.

Ole Olsen won his third world crown. The final was sponsored by the Sunday Mirror and was attended by 86,500. Gordon Kennett took silver on the day of his 25th birthday and American Scott Autrey won the bronze medal run-off defeating Dave Jessup and Jerzy Rembas. Dave Jessup was effectively denied a World title when after leading in heat 3 he suffered a bike malfunction and finished last in the heat. He then scored 11 points from his remaining rides which would have been enough to take the crown if he had won heat 3.

Qualification results.

Australian qualifying

 * Top 16 to Australian final

New Zealand qualifying

 * Top 16 to New Zealand final

British preliminary round

 * Rider progress to British qualifying round

Continental preliminary round

 * Riders progress to Continental quarter-finals

Swedish qualification

 * Top 5 in each heat to Swedish final

Continental quarter-finals

 * Top 32 to Continental semi-finals

British qualifying round
The British qualifying rounds for the World Championship doubled up as qualifying rounds for the Volkswagen/Daily Mirror Grand Prix. Therefore, many non-British riders rode in these meetings scoring points towards the Volkswagen/Daily Mirror Grand Prix qualification - but their scores didn't count towards World Championship qualification. The top 32 British riders qualified for the british semi-finals.

Finland Final

 * First 2 to Nordic Final 1978
 * 🇫🇮 14 August 1977, Eteläpuisto, Tampere

Norwegian Final

 * 🇳🇴 3 riders to Nordic Final

Swedish Final

 * 30 May 1978
 * 🇸🇪 Kumla Motorstadion, Kumla
 * First 7 to Nordic Final + 1 reserve

Danish Final

 * 15 May 1978
 * Fjelsted Speedway Stadium, Harndrup
 * First 2 to Nordic Final (Ole Olsen and Finn Thomsen seeded through)

Australian Final

 * 4 February 1978
 * 🇦🇺 Brisbane Exhibition Ground, Brisbane
 * To 8 to Australasian Final

New Zealand Final

 * 11 February 1978
 * 🇳🇿 Te Marua Speedway, Wellington
 * To 8 to Australasian Final

American selection

 * No qualifying, the AMA selected two riders to represent the USA in the Intercontinental final.

Australasian Final

 * 12 February 1978
 * 🇳🇿 Western Springs Stadium, Auckland
 * First 4 to Intercontinental Final, Ivan Mauger seeded through

Nordic Final

 * 8 June 1978
 * 🇸🇪 Norrköping Motorstadion, Norrköping
 * First 9 to Intercontnental Final

British Final

 * 16 August 1978
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Brandon Stadium, Coventry
 * First 4 to World Final

Continental Final

 * 2 July 1978
 * Markéta Stadium, Prague
 * First 6 to World Final plus 1 reserve

Intercontinental Final

 * 2 July 1978
 * Speedway Center, Fredericia
 * First 7 to World Final + 1 reserve

World Final

 * 2 September 1978
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Wembley Stadium, London