1985 Individual Speedway World Championship

The 1985 Individual Speedway World Championship was the 40th edition of the official World Championship to determine the world champion rider.

Odsal Stadium, the new home of international speedway in England after the demise of the Wembley Stadium and White City Stadium tracks, was chosen by the FIM to host the 1985 Final on 31 August 1985; the first time that the final had been held in England at a venue other than Wembley.

A crowd of around 30,000 attended the 1985 Final, which was won by defending champion Erik Gundersen from fellow Dane Hans Nielsen and surprise third placing Sam Ermolenko of the United States. All three riders finished the meeting on 13 points and were forced into a run-off to decide the podium placings. The only English rider in the field, 21-year-old Kelvin Tatum, finished 8th with 8 points in his first World Final. He won his first race, but later admitted that he let the occasion get to him which affected his riding.

British preliminary round

 * Riders progress to British semi-finals

Swedish qualification

 * Top 6 in each heat to Swedish final

Continental preliminary round

 * Riders progress to Continental quarter-finals

Continental quarter-finals

 * Top 32 to Continental semi-finals

American Final

 * 8 June 1985
 * 🇺🇸 Veterans Memorial Stadium, Long Beach
 * First 5 to Overseas final

New Zealand Final

 * 🇳🇿 - No final, David Bargh seeded direct to Overseas final

Australian Final

 * 5 January 1985
 * 🇦🇺 Pioneer Park, Ayr
 * First 2 to Overseas final

British Final

 * 6 June 1985
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Brandon Stadium, Coventry
 * First 7 to Overseas final plus 1 reserve

Norwegian Final

 * 1 May 1985
 * 🇳🇴 Elgane Speedway, Varhaug
 * Top 1 to Nordic final

Finland Final

 * 🇫🇮 Eteläpuisto, Tampere
 * 12 August 1984, top 2 (+1 seeded rider) to 1985 Nordic final

Swedish Finals

 * 🇸🇪 Top 5 to Nordic final
 * R1 (20 May, Örebro Motorstadion, Örebro)
 * R2 (21 May, Gislaved Motorbana, Gislaved)
 * R3 (22 May, Linköping Motorstadion, Linköping)

Danish Final

 * 5 May 1985
 * Brovst Speedway Center, Brovst
 * First 7 to Nordic final

Overseas Final

 * 14 July 1985
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Odsal Stadium, Bradford
 * First 10 to the Intercontinental Final plus 1 reserve
 * David Bargh seeded direct to Overseas Final by the New Zealand Auto Cycle Union

Nordic Final

 * 9 June 1985
 * Fjelsted Speedway Stadium, Harndrup
 * First 6 to Intercontinental final plus 1 reserve

Continental Final

 * 21 July 1985
 * Rottalstadion, Pocking
 * First 5 plus one reserve to the World Final

Intercontinental Final

 * 3 August 1985
 * 🇸🇪 Vetlanda Motorstadion, Vetlanda
 * First 11 plus one reserve to the World Final

World Final

 * 31 August 1985
 * 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Bradford, Odsal Stadium
 * Referee: (🇳🇴) Torrie Kittlesen