{{Short description|Motorcycle speedway in Warsaw, Poland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Use British English|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox motorcycle speedway team |clubname = Warsaw Speedway |image = File:Stadion Gwardii Warsaw 2022 aerial.jpg |caption = Site of the former Gwardia Warsaw Stadium |country = Poland |founded = |closed = |league = |colours = |nickname = |tracksize = |track record time= |track record date= |track record holder= |honour1 = |year1 = }}
'''Warsaw Speedway''' has consisted of several former [[motorcycle speedway]] teams and stadia, including the current major venue for the sport at the [[Stadion Narodowy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayw.pl/ |title=Historia Speedway Polsce |website=Historia Speedway |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.historyspeedway.nstrefa.pl/druzynowemp.php |title=Historical Results 1948-2023 |website=Speedway History |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
== History == === 1923 to 1939 === The origins of speedway in Warsaw began with the founding of two clubs in the city; the first in 1923, when the Polish Motorcycle Club (Polski Klub Motorowy, PKM) were formed. One of its founders was Witold Rychter and the club's members took part in motorcycle and car competitions throughout the interwar period.<ref>{{cite book|last=Rychter |first=Witold |title=My two and four wheels |year=1985 |publisher=_Wydawnictwa Komunikacji i Młodych|isbn=83-206-0341-2}}</ref> The second club created in Warsaw was in late 1929, when the [[Legia Warsaw (sports club)]] created a motorcycle section, officially celebrating its anniversary on 8 December. The first speedway was raced on 9 November 1930 at the [[Polish Army Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://legia.warszawa.pl/poczatki-motocyklowej-legii/ |title=The beginnings of the motorcycle Legion |website=Legia Warsawa |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref> The progression of speedway in Poland was halted by [[World War II]].
=== 1948 to 1959 === [[File:Swimming pools and stadium Skra Warsaw 1984 aerial.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Stadion RKS Skra]] It was not until 1948 that the first league season of speedway in Poland was held.<ref name=SWF>{{cite web |url=https://sportowefakty.wp.pl/zuzel/884221/zuzel-zapomniani-mistrzowie-polski-pkm-warszawa-przetarl-szlaki-innym |title=The forgotten champions of Poland. PKM Warszawa paved the way for others |website=Sporto We Fakty |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref> The [[1948 Polish speedway season]] contained both '''PKM Warszawa''' and '''Legia Warszawa''', in addition to a third club called '''OM TUR Okęcie Warszawa''' (the speedway section of the Workers' Sports Club Okęcie Warszawa), who raced at [[Stadion RKS Skra]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayw.pl/pl_1948.htm |title=Historia Speedway Polsce 1948 |website=Speedway History |access-date=17 February 2023}}</ref> The team of PKM Warszawa, consisting of Jan Wąsikowski, Jerzy Dąbrowski, Stanisław Brun and Mieczysław Chlebicz, were crowned the first winners of the [[Team Speedway Polish Championship]].<ref name=SWF/>
The following year in 1949, the Okęcie speedway merged with the '''Skra-Związkowiec Warszawa''' speedway section and went on to win the silver medal in the [[1949 Polish speedway season]]. PKM competing as '''PKM Ogniwo Warszawa''' finished 5th and Legia did not compete.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayw.pl/pl_1949.htm |title=Historia Speedway Polsce 1949 |website=Speedway History |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
After the [[1950 Polish speedway season|1950 season]] the speedway leagues were re-organised, which resulted in PKM Warszawa being dissolved and Skra-Związkowiec becoming '''Budowlani Warszawa'''. Legia returned in [[1951 Polish speedway season|1951]] under the name of '''CWKS Warszawa''' (the Central Military Sports Club of the Polish Army) but was then relocated to [[Wrocław]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayw.pl/pl_1951.htm |title=Historia Speedway Polsce 1951 |website=Speedway History |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref> From 1952 to 1954, only Budowlani represented Warsaw before CWKS Warszawa returned for the [[1955 Polish speedway season|1955 season]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayw.pl/pl_1955.htm |title=Historia Speedway Polsce 1955 |website=Speedway History |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
In 1957, CWKS reverted to the name Legia Warszawa and Budowlani reverted to the name Skra Warszawa. Legia also celebrated their first Polish champion in [[Marian Kaiser]], before winning the bronze medal in [[1959 Polish speedway season|1959]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedwayw.pl/pl_1959.htm |title=Historia Speedway Polsce 1959 |website=Speedway History |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
The 1959 season turned out to be the last season of league speedway participation by any Warsaw club for 40 years because both Legia and Skra were dissolved under different circumstances. Legia merged with [[LPŻ Neptun Gdańsk]] but remained in [[Gdańsk]] and Skra was disbanded.
The only speedway in Warsaw was the continuation of the qualifying rounds of the [[Speedway World Championship]] at the [[Polish Army Stadium]] in 1961, 1962 and 1964 (it had previously held rounds in (1956, 1957 and 1958).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dlprezes.pl.tl/Eliminacje-brytyjskie--k1-British-Qualifications-k2--_-2003.htm |title=World Championship |website=Metal Speedway |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.speedway.org/history/ |title=World Championship |website=Speedway.org |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref> At the end of 1987, the speedway track was removed from the stadium.
=== 2000 to 2003 === [[File:Ermolenko i Jankowski.JPG|thumb|right|250px|Sam Ermolenko (l) and Roman Jankowski (r)]] Forty years after the last league speedway in Warsaw, later the [[Gwardia Warsaw]] sports club introduced a speedway section and a team by the name of '''WSŻ Gwardia Warszawa''' entered the [[2000 Polish speedway season]] in the [[Polish Speedway Second League]], racing at the [[Gwardia Warsaw Stadium]]. The following season in 2001, the Warsaw Speedway Society (Warszawskie Towarzystwo Żużlowe) took over the club and ran as '''WTŻ Warszawa''' before yet another change for the 2002 season, when the Warsaw Motor Club ran as '''WKM Warszawa'''.
The [[2002 Polish speedway season|2002 season]] resulted in promotion to [[Polish Speedway First League|1. Liga]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.zuzelend.com/i,89,Historia-Druzynowych-Mistrzostw-Polski |title=Historia Drużynowych Mistrzostw Polski |website=Zuzeland.com |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref> The promotion seemed inevitable because the club had signed famous names, such as former world champion [[Sam Ermolenko]], in addition to former international riders [[Andy Smith (speedway rider)|Andy Smith]], [[Craig Boyce]] and [[Roman Jankowski]]. The 2003 1.Liga season was a disaster, WKM Warszawa ending the campaign bottom of the table with just four points and then disbanding.
=== 2015 to present === [[File:National Stadium Warsaw aerial view 2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The National Stadium in Warsaw hosts the Speedway Grand Prix of Poland]] In 2015, the [[Speedway Grand Prix of Poland]], which is part of the [[Speedway World Championship]] series, was held at the [[Stadion Narodowy]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.speedwaygp.com/event/speedwaygp-2015-warsaw|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117094513/http://www.speedwaygp.com/event/speedwaygp-2015-warsaw|url-status=usurped|archive-date=17 November 2014|title=2015 LOTTO Warsaw FIM Speedway Grand Prix of Poland|website=Speedway World Championships}}</ref> It has held subsequent rounds in [[2016 Speedway Grand Prix|2016]], [[2017 Speedway Grand Prix|2017]], [[2018 Speedway Grand Prix|2018]], [[2019 Speedway Grand Prix|2019]], [[2022 Speedway Grand Prix|2022]], [[2023 Speedway Grand Prix|2023]] and [[2024 Speedway Grand Prix|2024]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fimspeedway.com/sgp/calendar |title=2024 Speedway Grand Prix calendar |website=FIM |access-date=7 March 2024}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Polish speedway teams}}
{{coord missing|Masovian Voivodeship}}
[[Category:Speedway venues in Poland]] [[Category:Speedway teams in Poland]] [[Category:Sports venues in Warsaw]]