Zmarzlik extends advantage in World Cup doubles competition

Speedway Grand Prix Star Bartosz Zmarzlik Dominates in Manchester

Bartosz Zmarzlik, the speedway sensation from Poland, ventured into Manchester with a touch of apprehension. Two World Championship Grand Prix races were scheduled, replacing the long-cancelled one in Cardiff due to financial reasons. However, the track in northwest England was unfamiliar territory for Zmarzlik, unlike many of his competitors.

Yet, he once again showcased his current dominance in the speedway world and expressed his satisfaction, saying, "Winning here is unbelievable because I had so many questions before the race. But now, I feel fantastic, returning to the top of the podium in the UK."

The 30-year-old secured his 29th career GP victory by masterfully overtaking his biggest WM rival, Brady Kurtz from Australia, during the second round of the final. In the opening day, Zmarzlik settled for second place.

British rider Dan Bewley, riding on home advantage, qualified for the final via the repechage, where he beat Zmarzlik and Kurtz.

Huckenbeck's Emotional Rollercoaster

Halfway through the GP series, Zmarzlik now boasts an 11-point lead over Kurtz and a 23-point edge over third-placed Fredrik Lindgren, who also reached the final on both days in Manchester.

The journey for German racer Kai Huckenbeck (Werlte) was a week of highs and lows. Following a victory in the WM qualification in Bavaria's Abensberg and a sense of improving form, Huckenbeck headed to Manchester only to finish as the day's 12th, with just five points.

However, the 32-year-old Lower Saxon presented a drastically different picture the following day. After 20 heats, Huckenbeck accrued 11 points and narrowly missed securing a spot in the final. In the subsequent repechage, he couldn't capitalize on the opportunity, with Australian Jack Holder and Slovak Martin Vaculik overtaking him.

Despite ending the day in seventh place, Huckenbeck is still far from reaching his self-set goal for the season—a top-six finish in the WM ranking. Currently, he is in 14th place with 22 points, with a 24-point gap to the sixth position.

The next round of the Speedway GP will take place in Gorzów, Poland, next weekend.

Results SGP 4 Manchester:

Bewley (GB) - 20 WM points, 2. Zmarzlik (PL) - 18 + 2 from the sprint race, 3. Kurtz (AUS) - 16 + 3, 4. Lindgren (S) - 14, 5. Holder (AUS) - 12, 6. Lambert (GB) - 11, 7. Vaculik (SLK) - 10 + 1, 8. Michelsen (DK) - 9, 9. Fricke (AUS) - 8 + 4, 10. Kvech (CZ) - 7, 11. Wright (GB) - 6, 12. Huckenbeck (D) - 5, 13. Kubera (PL) - 4, 14. Doyle (AUS) - 3, 15. Thomsen (DK) - 2, 16. Lebedevs (LET) - 1

Results SGP 5 Manchester:

Zmarzlik - 20 WM points, 2. Kurtz - 18, 3. Lindgren - 16, 4. Holder - 14, 5. Fricke - 12, 6. Vaculik - 11, 7. Huckenbeck - 10, 8. Michelsen - 9, 9. Kubera - 8, 10. Bewley - 7, 11. Thomsen - 6, 12. Lambert - 5, 13. Lebedevs - 4, 14. Kvech - 3, 15. Doyle - 2, 16. Wright - 1

WM Standing after 5 of 10 Races:

Zmarzlik - 93 points, 2. Kurtz - 82, 3. Lindgren - 70, 4. Holder - 68, 5. Bewley - 61, 6. Lebedevs - 46, 7. Fricke - 46, 8. Lambert - 43, 9. Kubera - 39, 10. Vaculik - 38, 11. Michelsen - 34, 12. Thomsen - 32, 13. Kvech - 31, 14. Huckenbeck - 22

Known as "The Beast," Zmarzlik continued to make history in Manchester, setting a new record for wins in the Speedway GP, surpassing fellow Polish rider Tomasz Gollob's finals tally[1]. In the closing race, Zmarzlik outperformed Australian rider Brady Kurtz, much like he did in the previous round[1]. With consistent performances, Zmarzlik significantly leads in the Speedway GP World Championship standings[1].

Despite acclimating to the unfamiliar track in Manchester, football enthusiast Bartosz Zmarzlik maintained his dominance in a different field, speedway, securing his 29th career GP victory. Kai Huckenbeck, on the other hand, experienced a tumultuous week, claiming victory in the WM qualification before finishing at the bottom of the Speedway GP standing in Manchester.