What is Ticko Racing?

There is a category of people who possess the art of inspiring and encouraging their surroundings in a way that’s difficult to explain. It’s about a burning passion, about nurturing a love for what one loves most of all – and sharing one’s experiences with those who need support. In Anderstorp, one of Sweden’s perhaps most famous motorsport communities, there is a person who has been loyal to the racing world for 40 years and who better than most embodies the word “commitment”: Thyrone “Ticko” Persson.

 

On November 1, 1957, on All Saints’ Day itself, Thyrone Persson saw the light of day for the first time. His birth took place in Värnamo, about 35 km east of Anderstorp, a place that would fascinate the energetic Småland native just over ten years later. The name Thyrone came from the world-famous actor of that time, Tyrone Power, who made a strong impression on Mr. and Mrs. Persson thanks to his performances on the American silver screen. However, it wasn’t long before the nickname “Ticko” began to appear on the schoolyard in Bredaryd, as a classmate thought that the full pronunciation was too long. Since that day, in the spring term of 1964, Thyrone Persson has been “Ticko” to everyone who has known him.

 

Motorsport has always meant a lot – if not everything – to “Ticko.” The infatuation began on June 16, 1968, and unsurprisingly, Scandinavian Raceway was the setting for the declaration of love. Sven “Smokey” Åsberg had handed out a couple of free tickets to Thyrones’s father as a thank you for helping to dig the track with his earthmover, but when “Ticko” first saw Joakim Bonnier being served a drink lying on a wooden bench, the impression was not positive; what a diva! Others certainly had to fetch their own drinks if the thirst became too severe, but today everything is forgotten and forgiven. Bonnier had a huge impact on Swedish motorsport in general and Scandinavian Raceway in particular, something that “Ticko” has come to appreciate more and more over the years.

 

1969 was the year when Drag Racing made its entrance in Sweden, and of course, Mr. Persson was present along the long straight of the Anderstorp track to witness the spectacle. However, the next motorsport experience would not come until 1973 when “Ticko” once again found himself at Scandinavian Raceway to cheer on Ronnie Peterson in the first-ever Swedish Grand Prix. After seeing Peterson lead the F1 race almost all the way to the finish line, “Ticko” got seriously hooked, and soon he got a job at the Esso gas station in Gislaved to finance his dreams. Unfortunately, the infamous oil crisis made itself felt during the same period, so the employment was short-lived. Instead, Thyrone spent 1975 as a baker’s apprentice with his aunt in Skåne, and motorsport had to rest.

 

A year that is difficult to overlook in this almost biographical tale is 1974. “Ticko” became a member of ARC (Anderstorp Racing Club), an association he has remained loyal to until today, and could thus get closer to racing than ever before through the role as a volunteer. The first assignment was to assist the track’s material manager, but now and then Thyrone could also attend various recovery operations. During the short period at the Esso gas station, he had gotten to know one of his now best friends, and this friend also ensured that some substitutions as a fire marshal ended up on “Ticko’s” to-do list. The service vehicle during the recovery era consisted of a Mustang Cab from Autohallen in Gothenburg, which conveniently was also available after the end of race days. The warm summer nights in the past of Anderstorp were therefore largely sleepless for “Ticko” and his volunteer friends – and who can blame them?

 

In 1976, Thyrone returned to his former home in Gislaved after his bakery adventures, and the following year was very memorable. Together with the good friend from the ARC volunteer staff, they set off on a racing vacation to France and the Riviera, with the Formula 1 race at Dijon-Prenois as the final destination. A self-made, Swedish flag was waved frantically outside the idol Ronnie Peterson’s Tyrrell team, and Prince Bertil kindly smiled at the youths’ enthusiastic endeavors… It was a time to remember, and few do it with more joy than “Ticko”.

 

On the way back from the land of the Marseille jellyfish, enjoying a Pellegrino, Ticko Racing Team was born – and the next adventure had begun. The debut as a racing star (!) took place in 1978 and was celebrated among the volunteers when the local hero’s 68-horsepower Volvo PV was seen spinning in the famous Bil Atlaskurvan at Scandinavian Raceway – on the warm-up lap… Despite the annoying setback, dignity was not affected in the least, as the own racing suit (with embroidered name on the chest) was used in the role of a fire marshal at the start when the F1 cars started from a Swedish grid for the last time. “Ticko” was proud, even though the GP drivers commanded respect with their ability to control the world’s fastest racing equipment.

 

The racing career was short, but an entrepreneurial role when the POPRACE series kicked off provided some employment. Folkrace, according to his own account, was not “Ticko’s” thing, even though he naturally tried it a few times in connection with a construction project of Sweden’s first track for such purposes. Instead, Thyrones greatest strength lay (and still lies today) on the other side of the steering wheel – something that the always active “Smokey” also understood. After seeing “Ticko” using his rusty English to move journalists at the start and finish posts for several years, the track manager realized there was something special about the cheerful volunteer, who was offered the job as the next generation’s race director for Road Racing before the 1983 season. The job offer was accepted, but the position turned out to be much more time-consuming than anyone could have predicted. Thyrone was assistant race director for Road Racing World Championship for three years, but for the Nordic classes, he had the main responsibility. In addition, he was a member of ARC’s MC committee and even organized license courses in the 70s; despite never having ridden a motorcycle himself.

 

A significant event from this time was when “Ticko” selected the Finnish motorcycle star Taru Rinne to start in the 125cc class in 1987, as the first woman ever to participate in a World Championship event. Many laughed mockingly at the decision, but when Rinne then outperformed several of the established riders and Giacomo Agostini openly applauded her performance, it became quieter in the class… Unfortunately, the Finn’s successful debut ended in the gravel at the Depot Curve, as she was lying just behind Håkan Olsson in a phenomenal 11th place.

 

As a member of ARC’s board for a few years, “Ticko” held the highest position as vice-chairmanship. At this time, however, family was most important, so the job had to take a back seat and wait its turn. However, motorsport is said to be like a drug, and it wasn’t many years before the well-known face was back in the pits. In 1991, TICNIK Racing was started, a collaboration between Thyrone and his friend Niklas Johansson, and for three years in the Clio Cup, invaluable acquaintances were made. Janne “Flash” Nilsson, Kenny Bräck, Tommy Rustad, and the dansband icon Christer Sjögren were just some of those who provided resistance in the popular class, and TICNIK Racing actually performed very well in the Nordic races. Internationally, it was more challenging, but the most important ingredient of all was always present: joy.

 

Later in the 90s, “Ticko” bought a 100cc go-kart, just to have some fun again. Demoralizingly, there were some races in the Old Boys class, but surprisingly, the racing went well. A newer kart – which had actually competed in the World Championships – was acquired, but soon time ran out once again due to a commitment as vice-chairman of Gislaveds Motorklubb. In 2001, it was time for the Gnosjö spirit to make itself felt, and Thyrones company TNM Plast was founded. The newly minted entrepreneur had, parallel to everything told so far, spent the past 15 years as a Volvo salesman and was willing to try something new. As usual, however, there was no time for reflection, as the local motorsport elite had managed to attract the European Touring Car Championship (ETCC) to Anderstorp and Scandinavian Raceway. “Ticko” was directly offered a consulting job to ensure the event could be held, something that was accepted and led to many fun – but hectic – meetings. Before the 2003 season, 100 sites in Sweden were designated as Sports Historic Facilities, and Scandinavian Raceway was one of them. Thyrones job as a consultant meant that it was his task to conduct the inauguration in connection with the ETCC races in September, at an event where the governor was present to unveil the now admittedly historically significant race track. “Ticko” had gone from an astonishing enthusiast to conductor of perhaps the most important recognition the facility had ever received – and there was no one who could take that away from him.

 

Despite several years on the asphalt circuit in Småland, “Ticko” hadn’t saved much material from the races, instead, he had thrown away most of it. However, there were some car parts – and a few event programs – that he wanted to get rid of, so he went to the vintage market in Halmstad to sell his “collection”. It turned out that the interest in racing memorabilia from Anderstorp was so great that another seller asked to set aside some items to come back and buy them later. Unfortunately, this never happened, as the same seller auctioned off identical items to “Ticko” and really only wanted to ensure less competition. This move made Thyrone come alive, resulting in a complete turnaround: instead of selling items related to the Scandinavian Raceway, he decided to start collecting everything related to the track’s rich history. No half-measures; everything would be unearthed and displayed!

 

After resisting all the nagging from friends and acquaintances for a long time about putting on an exhibition, the idea became too difficult to resist in June 2004 when he was offered sponsorship to carry out “The World Famous Bog” at the Anderstorp library. The exhibition was very rewarding, and on display were, among other things, Ronnie Peterson’s March 761 in which the Swede won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza in 1976, “Smokey’s” Lotus 23 which, among others, Frank Williams had owned, and a modern Formula 1 car. The event, in turn, led to further showings at various trade fairs, all deeply impressed by the collection that had grown in just two years.

 

So, in the summer of 2006, the definitive commitment to an official motorsport museum in Anderstorp was announced when “Ticko” was offered sufficiently attractive premises to seriously start working on the historical documentation of Scandinavian Raceway. Today, the museum has almost become a reality, thanks to a cooperative business region and enthusiastic representatives in the “Scandinavian Raceway Nostalgia” club, which can now boast no less than 118 members. Thyrone “Ticko” Persson has had motorsport in his blood for 40 years – but is unlikely to reduce the fuel supply for a very, very long time. After all, it’s all about nurturing a love for what you love most of all…

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/Mattias Persson