CZECH STAR KVECH: CHANCE TO INSPIRE IN SPEEDWAY GP?

Speedway GP substitute Jan Kvech hopes to inspire more Czech youngsters to take up the sport as he bids to become Czech Republic’s first full-time Speedway GP rider since 2008.

Kvech has been called up for the DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Torun this Saturday, replacing Danish star Anders Thomsen, who is nursing a broken hand, suffered at the OlyBet FIM Speedway GP of Latvia – Riga on August 12.

It’s a golden opportunity for the 2022 FIM SGP2 and SON2 silver medallist to gain more experience on the Speedway GP stage, especially as he could race every round in 2024.

Kvech finished fifth at the FIM GP Challenge in Gislaved, Sweden on August 19 – two places short of qualifying for the 2024 Speedway GP series.

However, if Challenge runner-up Vaculik scores at least three championship points in Torun, he is certain of a top-six finish in the 2023 Speedway GP World Championship and automatic qualification for next year, meaning the SGP 2024 place he earned in Gislaved passes to GB star Robert Lambert, who was fourth in Sweden. 

But if Lambert holds on to sixth spot in the Speedway GP standings and also qualifies automatically for 2024, or Challenge winner Jason Doyle leaps from eighth place into the SGP top six, then a qualification spot passes to Kvech – regardless of his score on Saturday.

Kvech would become the first Czech rider to race a full Speedway GP series since Lukas Dryml in 2008, and it’s a chance the Prague rider would relish. He said: “We will see what happens now. What will be, will be – I will wait. If I am in the Grand Prix, I will be very happy. I want to be in the Grand Prix.

“If I can be in Speedway GP, it would be good for Czech speedway because maybe more young riders will be interested in the sport. I want to be in there and be fast for Czech Republic.

“Am I ready? I think yes. Being a Speedway GP rider will be good for me for the future, and I want to be there.”