Falubaz Zielona Góra
Club information
Track addressStadion Żużlowy w Zielonej Górze
ul. Wrocławska 69
65-019 Zielona Góra
CountryPoland
Founded1946
Team managerMarek Mroz
LeagueEkstraliga
WebsiteOfficial site
Club facts
ColoursYellow, White and Green
NicknameMickey Mouse
Track size337.5 metres (369.1 yd)
Track record time57.43 seconds
Track record date9 October 2020
Track record holderRohan Tungate
Major team honours
Polish Team Champions1981, 1982, 1985, 1991, 2009, 2011, 2013
Pairs champions2009

Falubaz Zielona Góra is a Polish motorcycle speedway team based in Zielona Góra who currently races in 1. Liga (as of 2023).[1] It is one of the most successful teams in Poland, winning seven Team Speedway Polish Championships (latest in 2013). It is commonly known as Falubaz due to one of its former names.[2][3]

Stadium

The Zielona Góra Speedway Stadium, informally named as W69, is located on 69 Wrocławska Street. It contains 15,000 seats. The track is 337.50 metres long and has a granite surface. It has had an inflatable airfence since May 4, 2006. The stadium was later renovated with floodlights erected and the track widened on the bends. The club's new headquarters were also built and moved from 31 Dworcowa Street.

History

1946 to 1979

Zbigniew Filipiak, rider from 1969 to 1981

The club was founded in 1946 with the establishing of a motorcycle department of Militia Sports Club (Polish Milicyjny Klub Sportowy). The first speedway race in the city took place on a 450 meters long track on October 20, 1946. The winner was Zygmunt Dolata as he hold best time of the meeting.

In 1947, Mieczysław Chlebisz, a re-emigrant from the United Kingdom, arrived back in the city, bringing the first professional speedway motorcycle which had been used in Britain. In 1948, a Poznan District League was set up, containing nine teams, including Unia Zielona Góra. The club's riders were (in alphabetical order): Jerzy Błoch, Mieczysław Chlebicz, Kazimierz Juzala, Alfons Kostusiak, Ksawery Sawicki, Józef Śmigielski, Stanisław Świstak and Marian Zadoń.

Second division honours were won in 1963/1964, 1971, 1975 and 1977. In between they won the bronze medal in the Team Speedway Polish Championship in 1973[4] and in 1979 they won their second bronze medal.[5]

1980 to 1999

1991 championship team

The 1980s saw a period of significant success for the club; they won their first team gold medal in 1981[6] and followed this up by defending their crown in 1982.[7] In addition, Andrzej Huszcza won the 1982 Polish Individual Speedway Championship. Other riders at the time included Henryk Olszak, Maciej Jaworek and Jan Krzystyniak.[8][9]

Just three years later in 1985 they secured a third gold medal[10] and Maciej Jaworek was Polish champion in 1986. The good form continued as they picked up a silver medal in 1989 before winning a fourth Championship gold medal in 1991.[11] The period of success was followed by nine seasons of mediocrity.

2000 to 2007

versus Unia Leszno in 2004

When the Ekstraliga was introduced in 2000, Zielona Gora were in 1. Liga but were able to win the division and return to the top league for 2001.[12] However they bounced back and forth from the divisions winning the 1.Liga in both 2002 and 2006.[13] Rafał Okoniewski won the Golden Helmet in 2003.

2008 to present

Greg Hancock in 2010

It was not until 2008 that they won a top league honour, winning the bronze medal, before being crowned champions of Poland in 2009 for the fifth time in their history.

The team then embarked on another superb run, winning the Polish Pairs Speedway Championship in 2009 (Rafał Dobrucki and Grzegorz Walasek), team silver in 2010, gold in 2011 and 2013. Some of the star riders at the time were former world champion Greg Hancock, Swede, Andreas Jonsson and Piotr Protasiewicz.

During celebrations of the team's victory 2011 victory, a fan was accidentally run over and by an unmarked police vehicle and died, which led to overnight riots.[14]

Patryk Dudek completed the Polish Championship and Golden Helmet double during the 2016 Polish speedway season and the team picked up a bronze medal.

In 2021 the team were relegated from the Ekstraliga but returned to the top league after winning the 1.Liga title in 2023.

Previous teams

Extended content

2022 team

2023 team


Notable riders

Honours

Competitions Total Golden medals Silver medals Bronze medals
Total Years Total Years Total Years
Team (DMP)
(since 1948)		 14 7 1981, 1982, 1985, 1991, 2009, 2011, 2013 2 1989, 2010 5 1973, 1979, 1984, 2008, 2016
Team U-21 (MDMP)
(since 1978)		 12 5 1980, 1987, 1988, 2019, 2020 7 1979, 1986, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2014
Pairs (MPPK)
(since 1974)		 14 4 1979, 1982, 1983, 2009 7 1993, 2003, 2011, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2020 3 1986, 2008, 2021
Pairs U-21 (MMPPK)
(1980 U-23; since 1983)		 12 4 1988, 2001, 2019, 2020 2 2009, 2011 6 1985, 1989, 1991, 1992, 2002, 2015
Individual (IMP)
(since 1948)		 14 3 1982, 1986, 2016 2 1980, 1992 9 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2017
Individual U-21 (MIMP)
(since 1967)		 18 7 1973, 1975, 1982, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2013 3 1971, 1978, 1989 8 1977, 1981, 1984, 1992, 2008, 2011, 2015, 2020
Total Polish Championship medals: 84 Gold: 30 Silver: 16 Bronze: 38
Competitions Total I place II place III place
Total Years Total Years Total Years
European Club (KPE)
(since 1998)		 1 1 2010
Team Cup (DPP)
(?)		 1 1 1992
Golden Helmet (ZK)
(since 1961)		 16 4 1983, 2003, 2007, 2016 4 1989, 1991, 2009, 2011 8 1978, 1983, 1985, 1986, 2000, 2010, 2013, 2019
Silver Helmet U-21 (SK)
(since 1966)		 28 11 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1993, 2009, 2016 10 1970, 1978, 1985, 1990, 1991, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013 7 1976, 1979, 1981, 1989, 1997, 2001, 2011
Bronze Helmet U-19 (BK)
(1976-81; since 1983)		 12 3 1985, 2010, 2011 3 1976, 1986, 2009 6 1978, 1986, 1987, 1995, 2000, 2016


References

  1. ↑ "Speedway from Around the Globe - Poland PGE Ekstraliga". Speedway Star page 42. 10 September 2022.
  2. ↑ "Official speedway website". Falubaz Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  3. ↑ "speedway section". Zielona Góra sports portal. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  4. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1973". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1979". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1981". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  7. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1982". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  8. ↑ "Zielona Gora 1981 team stats". Polish Speedway Database. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  9. ↑ "Zielona Gora 1982 team stats". Polish Speedway Database. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  10. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1985". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  11. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1991". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  12. ↑ "Historia Drużynowych Mistrzostw Polski". Zuzeland.com. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  13. ↑ "Historia Speedway Polsce 1991". Historia Speedway. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  14. ↑ "Polish speedway fans attack police after accident". The Associated Press. 3 October 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2011.
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