Most people are familiar with the English Premier League, but did you know that there is also a Polish league? Even if you aren’t into sports, you might be interested in knowing more about it.
The History Of Polish Racing
Polish racing originated in the late 1800s, but it was officially organized in the 1910s. The governing body is called The Union Of Polish Motorsport (Związek Motorniczy Polski). The first Polish Grand Prix was held in 1919, and it was eventually followed by the construction of the grand prix track at Warsaw’s Radom Airport in 1922. The first official World Cup race took place on that same track in 1928. In 1939, during the height of the Second World War, the Grand Prix was canceled because construction materials were in short supply, and the airport track was demolished.
The Current State Of Polish Motorsport
Although the Second World War put a stop to Polish racing for almost five years, the sport eventually returned and has been growing ever since. In the 1960s and 1970s, several famous Polish drivers emerged, including Jochen Rindt, Ludwig Kraus, and Emanuele Pirro. Since then, the country’s finest drivers, such as Krzysztof Krolikowski, Mika Häkkinen, and Marc Marquez, have brought home numerous awards.
The Union Of Polish Motorsport currently sanctions three categories of racing:
- Cup;
- Championship; and,
- Pro-Am.
Each year, the organization holds three major events. The premier event is the National Grand Prix in June, while the other two take place in the autumn. There are also a number of smaller race meetings throughout the year. In 2017, Poland will be the host nation of the UEFA Euro Championships, so all eyes will be on the country’s motorsport fans in the coming months.
Polish Top-Gear
If you’ve ever watched the British TV series Top Gear, then you know how much fun they have with automotive culture. The show’s presenters, Richard Hammond and James May, are always throwing some kind of party at the end of each episode, and this is where the ‘Top Gear’ label comes from. The presenters would always film themselves driving various cars and performing various tricks with them. Since the beginning of the 2019 season, Top Gear has become a bit more serious, but that’s mainly because James May left the show in the middle of last year.
Hammond now presents the show solo, which is a bit like having the great Michael Schumacher as a co-host. While some people might argue that having three car-loving maniacs as hosts is a bad idea, we think it’s a masterstroke. Top Gear will always be associated with high speed, excitement, and memorable parties, and that’s exactly what its fans want to see.
Since the show is based in England, it mostly broadcasts on the BBC, but it also streams online. For those in the United States, the best place to find out more is the Internet. Most fans are aware that the Polish are the “biggies” of the sport, so it should come as no surprise that Top Gear is popular in Poland. In fact, a recent OBB poll found that 92% of respondents liked the show. The fact that it’s one of the most popular TV shows in the country is a great advertisement for Polish motorsport, and we’re sure that many, if not all, of the respondents probably have a motorsport hobby.
Which Channel Is Polish Speedway On?
The information above should give you a good idea of what Polish motorsport is all about, but now it’s time to figure out what TV channel is Polish Speedway On. Like Top Gear, Polish racing is a bit of a tradition in the UK, and it is usually shown on the BBC. The Polish equivalent of Top Gear is called ŻŻŻ, and it debuted on Netflix in May 2019.
To be precise, the first episode of ŻŻŻ is called “Pociwa” (which translates to “Fireworks”) and it documents the 2019 season opener, the Autoglym Poligon (Autoglym Polish Grand Prix). That race was held at the BAW auto racing complex in Warsaw earlier this year, and it was won by Stanisław Loma.
Each episode of ŻŻŻ is named for one of the major races held each year by the Union of Polish Motorsport. The first episode is about the National Grand Prix, which is one of the biggest events in the country. The second episode is about the Tatrzański ŻŻŻ, which is named after the legendary Tatra Mountains. The third and final episode is about the Orlik Raceway, which is located near the town of Orlisk in western Poland. That’s right, even though Netflix is based in America, the channel is set to film in Poland.
What’s great about ŻŻŻ is that it doesn’t just stick to just motorsport. The show often documents concerts and festivals, as well as fashion and design. One of the series’ most unique features is a behind-the-scenes look at the Union of Polish Motorsport, which is something that the English Top Gear could never do. In some ways, it feels like an extension of Top Gear, but on other occasions, it feels like a fresh take on the subject matter. If you’re not sure, just pop in a Netflix account and give it a try. It’s the perfect mix of motorsport, music, and fashion, and for those who love all three, ŻŻŻ is a must-see series.
As for the rest of Europe, the best place to find out more is the Internet. The Union Of Polish Motorsport’s website has all the info you need, as do the websites for individual motorsport categories. Keep your browser window open while you’re browsing so you can continue watching what you came for without having to refresh the page. You can also follow the sport on social media. On Twitter, for example, you can find out what’s going on at major motorsport events, such as the Autoglym Poligon, via hashtags like #Autoglym and #Poligon19.