TODAY’S BIRTHDAY BOY: THE SWEDISH GIANT WHO PAVED THE WAY

On Nov 20, 2024 Last updated Nov 19, 2024

Sten Lundin on his way to the 500 World Champions in 1961 on his 500cc Lito four-stroke.

Sten won two 500 World Championship on this bike—although they were listed as different brands.

Sten Lundin won the 500 World Championship in 1959 on a Monark, but during the 1960 season, Monark race team manager Lennart Varborn unexpectedly died. As a result, Monark withdrew from Grand Prix racing. As a consolation, the Monark factory gave Sten Lundin his GP bike. Lundin signed with the Lito team, made up from the defunct Monark team. Sten Lundin painted his blue Monark into Lito colors and won the 1961 500 World Championship.

Sten Lundin was born on November 20, 1931, and passed away on June 3, 2016, after a brief illness. Swedish motocross racer Sten Lundin won the 500cc World Motocross Championship in 1959 on a Monark. Sten was second in the 1960 500 World Championship, only 2 points behind the late Bill Nilsson. In 1961 Sten recaptured the 500 World Crown. He was third in the 1962 World Championships, second to Rolf Tibblin in the 1963 and third in the 1964. He was one of the first true-to-life motocross stars that the world ever knew.

Sten and archrival and friend Bill Nilsson. Both are gone now.

Sten Lundin also led the Swedish team to victory in the 1955 Motocross des Nations with Lasse Gustafsson and Bill Nilsson. Sten Lundin had 19 Grand Prix victories to his credit and from 1957 to 1963 he won two World Championships (1959 and 1961) and was never lower than third in the points standings over that 6 year span.

Sten Lundin at a Grand Prix reunion in Italy next to his Lito.