WOZNIAK COMPLETES POLAND'S SPEEDWAY GP QUALIFICATION CONTENDERS

Former Polish champion Szymon Wozniak has been handed Poland’s final spot in the FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualifiers.

Four places in the Speedway GP qualification rounds for the 2024 series were awarded at the Polish Golden Helmet in Opole last Saturday, which was won by Maciej Janowski ahead of Bartosz Zmarzlik.

While the two 2022 Speedway GP World Championship medallists have opted out of the qualifying rounds, third-placed Piotr Pawlicki, Dominik Kubera in fourth, Bartosz Smektala in fifth and Przemyslaw Pawlicki in sixth spot won the four SGP qualifiers spots up for grabs.

One last place was in the hands of Polish team manager Rafal Dobrucki, and he awarded it to Wozniak, who took seventh spot in Opole.

The Gorzow star joins Smektala in the SGP qualifier at Slovak circuit Zarnovica on May 27, with Piotr Pawlicki lining up in the round at Italian track Lonigo on the same day.

Przemyslaw Pawlicki travels to German circuit Abensberg for his qualifier on May 29, with Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Warsaw wild card Dominik Kubera competing in the round at Hungarian track Debrecen that day.

The top four riders from each of the rounds will qualify for the FIM GP Challenge at Swedish venue Gislaved on August 19, provided a Swedish rider is among the qualifiers. If not, only three riders will progress from one round, allowing room for a Swedish wild card to be selected.

The top three riders at the FIM GP Challenge will be the first riders guaranteed places in the 2024 Speedway GP series.

Meanwhile, the qualifiers for the 2023 SGP2 series take place on May 20, with four Polish riders confirmed for the FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship qualifiers.

Reigning SGP2 champion Mateusz Cierniak launches his title defence at former FIM Slovenian Speedway GP venue Krsko, while Wroclaw shooting star Bartlomiej Kowalski competes at Czech track Pardubice and Kacper Pludra and Damian Ratajczak race at FIM Danish Speedway GP venue Vojens – also the stage for the SGP2 title decider on Friday, September 15.