Smolinski claims shock speedway win

German Martin Smolinski was delighted to defy his doubters and claim a shock New Zealand FIM Speedway Grand Prix triumph in Auckland on April 5.

In a round were Australia’s Darcy Ward was briefly knocked unconscious and then withdrew from the meeting, Smolinski, 29, claimed one of the greatest SGP finals in recent memory after sitting at the back for two laps, before scything majestically past Nicki Pedersen, Krzysztof Kasprzak and Freddie Lindgren to collect his first Grand Prix win on only his second SGP appearance. It was the biggest victory for a German rider since Egon Muller won the 1983 World Final.

He said: “I can’t put this into words. I can’t really believe what has happened here at the moment. The main reason I’m sitting here and I won is the hard work I have done and my team has done over the winter.

“I’ve had big issues in the press – no-one believed in me because I don’t race in Poland, I don’t race in Sweden and I don’t race in Britain. I’d like to say a big thank you to all the people in my team, my engine tuner, my girlfriend and the people who believed in me.

“My fans at home in Olching got up at 6.00am. They had a party and watched me. I bet they’re going mad. There were 250 people watching at home on the big screen.

“This was a big result for my fans, for German speedway and hopefully we can make a big step and get the sport back where we had it in the 1970s and 1980s with Egon Muller.”

Smolinski’s only low point was being excluded from heat 14 after appearing to hit a rut and clatter Aussie star Ward, who was briefly knocked unconscious. The Queenslander withdrew from the meeting, suffering with concussion.

NZ SGP runner-up Pedersen leaves Auckland as the world championship leader on 19 points after blitzing to a 15-point maximum in his heats, before finishing second to Lindgren in semi one.

Australia’s 2012 world champion Chris Holder collected 11 points, eliminated at the semi-final stage, while Troy Batchelor was 14th overall with four points. World champion Tai Woffinden missed the semi-finals as he started his title defence with a whimper.

Round two is in Poland on April 26.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1 Nicki Pedersen 19, 2 Krzysztof Kasprzak 17, 3 Martin Smolinski 15, 4 Fredrik Lindgren 13, 5 Chris Holder 11, 6 Kenneth Bjerre 11, 7 Jaroslaw Hampel 8, 8 Tai Woffinden 7, 9 Andreas Jonsson 7, 10 Niels-Kristian Iversen 6, 11 Greg Hancock 6, 12 Matej Zagar 6, 13 Darcy Ward 5, 14 Troy Batchelor 4, 15 Jason Bunyan 2, 16 Chris Harris 0.

NEW ZEALAND SGP SCORES: 1 Martin Smolinski 15, 2 Nicki Pedersen 19, 3 Krzysztof Kasprzak 17, 4 Fredrik Lindgren 13, 5 Kenneth Bjerre 11, 6 Chris Holder 11, 7 Jaroslaw Hampel 8, 8 Andreas Jonsson 7, 9 Tai Woffinden 7, 10 Greg Hancock 6, 11 Matej Zagar 6, 12 Niels-Kristian Iversen 6, 13 Darcy Ward 5, 14 Troy Batchelor 4, 15 Jason Bunyan 2, 16 Chris Harris 0, 17 Andrew Aldridge 0, 18 Grant Tregoning DNR.