Martin Vaculik: Slovakian champion and sports promoter / Speedway GP

Martin Vaculik has had an injury-free year. The Slovak was able to celebrate his GP victories number 6 and 7 with victories at the Grands Prix events in Prague and Cardiff. At the end of the season he was able to celebrate bronze at the World Championships.

In recognition of his great achievements, he was also awarded the “Crystal Wing” in Slovakia. “That was my best season in the Grand Prix,” says the Slovak, remembering 2023. “I’m very happy about the bronze and the award, but that’s all history now and it’s important to focus on the here and now. .»

Before the start of the GP season, Vaculik was already in strong early form in the top drivers’ races in the Ekstraliga and won three races there. However, with ten points he lost in the semi-final against Fredrik Lindgren and took a strong fifth place in a field full of GP drivers.

Now Vaculik rode the Slovakian international championship in his hometown of Zarnovica and showed no weakness in a strong field of 27 riders from 15 nations. The third World Cup winner took five wins in the heats and then one in the final to become the champion of Slovakia again.

Two German-speaking drivers also started in Zarnovica: Sebastian Kössler from Austria and Marius Hillebrand from Neukirch. Kössler finished eighth with twelve points, while Hillebrand scored nine points from five races in the six-man sprint to finish 17th.

Vaculik hopes that with his popularity in his home country and another strong season he can do his part to ensure that the game in Slovakia continues to grow. Vaculik: «I hope that one day we will have more drivers from Slovakia or even more routes. These are all dreams at the moment, but they can come true and I want to do everything I can to make them come true.”

Slovakia Zarnovica/SK Championship results:

1. Martin Vaculik (SK), 20 initial points. 2. Jakub Jamrog (PL), 18. 3. Robert Chmiel (PL), 16. 4. Oliver Berntzon (S), 17. 5. Rene Bach (DK), 15. 6. Fraser Bowes (AUS), 15. 7. Rune Thorst (DK), 13. 8. Sebastian Koessler (A), 12. 9. Matic Ivacic (SK), 12. 10. Jan Macek (CZ), 10. 11. Paco Castagna (I), 11. 12. Nazar Parnicki (UKR), 10. 13. Jakub Valkovic (SLO), 10. 14. Daniel Klima (CZ), 10. 15. Mika Meijer (NL), 9. 16. Michael West (AUS), 9. 17. Marius Hillebrand (D), 9. 18. Jonathan Grahn (S), 8. 19. Ricards Ansviesulis 7. 20. Emil Milberg (S), 6. 21. Milan Manew (BGR), 4. 22. Andrei Popa (RU), 3, 23. Michal Bastecky (CZ), 2. 24. Filip Kazan (SLO), 1. 25. Mateo Boncinelli (I), 0. 26. Stanislaw Melnychuk (UKR), 0.
End: 1. Vaculik, 2. Jamrog, 3. Chmiel, 4. Berntzon, 5. Bach, 6. Bowes.