Your Memories Of Polish Riders In British League

[TonyMac 720]

In the next issue (81) of Backtrack, Martin Rogers will be looking back at the Polish riders who competed in British League in the 70s & 80s and the memories they created.

 

Alongside the main piece will be a column of supporters' comments about the Poles who raced in the UK during that era, so please either post your personal recollections, anecdotes, memories or opinions here or email us at: editorial@retro-speedway.com

 

My own favourite memories mainly revolve around the daredevil thrills served up by one of my boyhood heroes Zenon Plech at Hackney, particularly in 1976 and '79, when he came close to winning the world title at Katowice. And then the impact made by Roman Jankowski in 1980.

 

No doubt fans of Wimbledon and White City will recall fondly the efforts of Eddie Jancarz and Marek Cieslak respectively. At Leicester, Jerzy Rembas reached a high standard and did himself proud in the '78 World Final at Wembley, while Andrzej Huszcza was also a favourite with Lions' followers. Boley Proch and Henryk Glucklich had their moments for Reading.

 

On the other hand, there were also a bunch of Poles who struggled in the BL . . . Greg Szczepanik (Leicester), Adam Olkiewicz (Halifax), Kazimierz Adamczak (Hull), Jerzy Trzeszkowski (Swindon), Robert Slabon, Jan Puk and Marek Kepa (Eastbourne), Eugeniusz Blaszak (Reading).

 

Anyway, please let us have your thoughts . . .

 

Thank you.

[steve roberts 9,242]

Remember Marek Cieslak's superlative outside sweeps on the relatively flat Wood Lane circuit at White City.

 

Also Andrzej Jurcynski (also of White City and Polish club team mate of Marek) who on one memorable occasion beat Gordon Kennett from the back during one epic Second Half Final at White City. In fact he managed it twice because the race had to be re-run I recall!

[billybikespeedway 75]

my first glimpse of Polish riders was a test match at Newport, when on the parade lap, without Helmets Edmund Migos decided on a couple of practice laps ,picked up some grip reared up headed straight towards the fence rode up the fence like the wall of death and carried on as if nothing had happend, I thought then this could be an interesting evening ,and it was

[Guest]

Max Rech in the early 1950s was the first Pole to ride in British speedway. He was associated with Fleetwood and St Austell in a career that was ended by a serious injury.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Guest

[steve roberts 9,242]

Attending a packed Cowley to watch the 1973 Daily Mirror Tournament encounter between Australia and Poland.

 

Witnessed the future World Champ, Jerzy Szczakiel. get no further than the first bend when he collided with the fence and was trapped underneath the kick board. Also Mike Patrick's famous shot of Zeno Plech high siding it and being quick;y withdrawn from the remainder of the match. Poland's hero that afternoon? Jan Mucha despite the likes of Jancarz and Waloszek being in the team.

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

My memories are of Roman Jankowski scoring a maximum or paid ? at the Abbey and the Robins own Leonard Raba he just did not cut it.Raba was some gater but he fell off a fair bit Raba was very decent though and later on in his career 1984 maybe?? he represented Poland in a World team cup Final. Jancarz i did not see alot of but he was a class act did he win a Embassy Internationale a classic a big individual meeting Plech well was class exciting as well.

Edited June 21, 2017 by Sidney the robin

[steve roberts 9,242]

My memories are of Roman Jankowski scoring a maximum or paid ? at the Abbey and the Robins own Leonard Raba he just did not cut it.Raba was some gater but he fell off a fair bit Raba was very decent though and later on in his career 1984 maybe?? he represented Poland in a World team cup Final. Jancarz i did not see alot of but he was a class act did he win a Embassy Internationale a classic a big individual meeting Plech well was class exciting as well.

Remember it well!

[False dawn 2,294]

Sadly, one of my earliest memories of the Poles was the 1973 World Final. I was there

Mind you, I did learn something that day. The poles are ferociously enthusiastic fans and at the same time good to be with.

[steve roberts 9,242]

Sadly, one of my earliest memories of the Poles was the 1973 World Final. I was there

Mind you, I did learn something that day. The poles are ferociously enthusiastic fans and at the same time good to be with.

Sadly? Wish I had been there...a meeting full of drama and controversy!

[Sidney the robin 4,735]

Sadly? Wish I had been there...a meeting full of drama and controversy!

 

If Ivan had showed patience Steve do you think Ivan would of definitely picked Jerzy off.? in that meeting Jerzy had some horrendous rolling starts so was he lucky for me he was .Mauger looking back i felt he was lucky in 72 /77 (Collins moral winner) in 73 he was unlucky..So out of six WC wins i recon two of those 1972/77/ there was a case that Ivan might have been lucky GREAT rider and professional sports man though.Back to the Poles always felt Antoni Woryna was a class rider and later on in the early eighties Piotr Pyszny showed ability at Poole and Halifax.

[steve roberts 9,242]

If Ivan had showed patience Steve do you think Ivan would of definitely picked Jerzy off.? in that meeting Jerzy had some horrendous rolling starts so was he lucky for me he was .Mauger looking back i felt he was lucky in 72 /77 (Collins moral winner) in 73 he was unlucky..So out of six WC wins i recon two of those 1972/77/ there was a case that Ivan might have been lucky GREAT rider and professional sports man though.Back to the Poles always felt Antoni Woryna was a class rider and later on in the early eighties Piotr Pyszny showed ability at Poole and Halifax.

Yes Sid...he was gaining fast and had the ability to pass at will as was proved in a earlier race.

[waiheke1 4,295]

If Ivan had showed patience Steve do you think Ivan would of definitely picked Jerzy off.? in that meeting Jerzy had some horrendous rolling starts so was he lucky for me he was .Mauger looking back i felt he was lucky in 72 /77 (Collins moral winner) in 73 he was unlucky..So out of six WC wins i recon two of those 1972/77/ there was a case that Ivan might have been lucky GREAT rider and professional sports man though.Back to the Poles always felt Antoni Woryna was a class rider and later on in the early eighties Piotr Pyszny showed ability at Poole and Halifax.

I'm reminded of the famous quote: the more I practice, the luckier I get.

 

You could claim of course that mauger was unlucky in 73 and 76.

[TonyMac 720]

While we're reminiscing, how would you all rank the best five Poles to compete in the BL in the 70s & 80s?

 

For me, it would be:

 

1. PLECH

 

2. JANCARZ

 

3. REMBAS

 

4. CIESLAK

 

5. JANKOWSKI

 

Bit of Hackney bias there, I will admit!

 

Perhaps HUSZCZA and JANKOWSKI in a tie for 5th spot.

[Guest]

THE arrival of the Sparta team at Wimbledon on Good Friday April 19 1957 virtually drove promoter Ronnie Greene 'up the pole.'

Plough Lane boss Greene had been expecting the Polish national side and was far from happy to find his visitors were only a Warsaw-based league team. Their appearance in the capital that day is still very much a talking point.

In the opening races it was soon evident that the Sparta riders were struggling against a strong Dons' side. So much were Dons in command that, after six heats, Greene decided the fairest way to keep the Poles in contention was to give them a 40 yard handicap start. The Poles, renowned as a proud race, were furious with Greene's unilateral decision. Greene's deed hotted up the cold war situation then existing between the west and Eastern Europe.

Edward Kupczynski, one of the Poles better riders, was especially angry when he went on to the starting grid and found only his Polish team mate beside him while Dons, riders Split Waterman and Cyril Maidment were further back.

Up went the tapes - Kupczynski's team mate and the Dons' riders blasted off. To the amazement of the crowd, Kupczynski sat on the grid. The race was stopped and a major row erupted. The Polish team demanded a restart of heat seven and threatened to pull out of the match if it was not done.

The bewildered fans watched as the on-track activities continued. For a while, it looked as though the match would be abandoned. Then, so far as the Poles were concerened, common-sense prevailed. It was decided that all races would be off the scratch mark and the Poles also had heat seven restarted. So, the one-sdided match against the Poles continued, ending with a massive 73-34 defeat for the visitors.

Kupczynski vindicated himself. In the 18 heat match. He was the only Pole to win a race with victories in heats four, 10, 13 and 16. He also top scored for his side with 13 points. The best of the other Poles were Tadeusz Teodorowicz with two seconds from five rides, while Alois Frach and Jerzy Bloch had one second from their five rides.

The only other historic note from the match was the Wimbledon debut of a 17-year-old New Zealander. Ivan Mauger tasted British track action for the first time with a second and third from four races.

[False dawn 2,294]

Sadly? Wish I had been there...a meeting full of drama and controversy!

You are right in your analysis. But the immediate feeling, the feeling that the best rider in the World had lost, watching Ivan being covered in shale while he lay on the track whilst his Polish rival completed the run off and the historical nonsense that was written that day all left me wondering why I'd made my way to Katowice to see that meeting. Even the Poles said the wrong man won (although they meant Zenon Plech, who I could have accepted).