Edward Jancarz
Edward 'Ed' Jancarz (August 20, 1946 in Gorzów Wlkp., Poland – January 11, 1992) was an international speedway rider.[1]
Career
Jancarz rode in the UK for the Wimbledon Dons between 1977–1982 winning the Internationale at Wimbledon in his first season, and in Poland for Stal Gorzów. He participated in ten Speedway World Championship finals, his highest placing being in his first final when he finished on the rostrum in third place after a run-off with Russian rider Gennady Kurilenko. He was also a member of the Polish World Team Cup winning team of 1969. He won the prestigious Embassy Internationale, at Wimbledon in 1977. After his riding career ended he was a speedway coach. He was trainer in Stal Gorzów, KKŻ Krosno and Polish national team.
Death
On January 11, 1992 he was fatally stabbed by his second wife, Katarzyna, during a domestic dispute caused by his alcoholism he had suffered from since the mid-1980s. Since his death the Edward Jancarz Memorial has been a semi-annual meeting at the speedway that carries his name, the Edward Jancarz Stadium in Gorzów Wielkopolski. To date, 2010 World Champion Tomasz Gollob is the only Polish rider to win the memorial, having done so in 1998 and 1999
Edward Jancarz was the first speedway rider in the World to have a monument dedicated to them. The Monument of Edward Jancarz was built in 2005 and is in the city centre of Gorzów Wielkopolski.
World Final Appearances
Individual World Championship
- 1968 -
Gothenburg, Ullevi - 3rd - 11pts + 3pts - 1969 -
London, Wembley Stadium - 6th - 9pts - 1973 -
Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 11th - 6pts - 1974 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - Reserve - 1pt
- 1975 - London, Wembley Stadium - 12th - 4pts
- 1976 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 12th - 5pts
- 1977 - Gothenburg, Ullevi - 14th - 4pts
- 1979 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium - 9th - 7pts
- 1981 - London, Wembley Stadium - 12th - 5pts
- 1982 -
Los Angeles, Memorial Coliseum - 10th - 7pts
World Pairs Championship
- 1974 - Manchester, Hyde Road (with Zenon Plech) - 5th - 18pts (6)
- 1975 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Piotr Bruzda) - 2nd - 23pts (15)
- 1976 - Eskilstuna, Eskilstuna Motorstadion (with Zenon Plech) - 7th - 10pts (7)
- 1978 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Bolesław Proch) - 5th - 15pts (13)
- 1979 -
Vojens, Speedway Center (with Zenon Plech) - 3rd - 20pts (13) - 1980 -
Krsko, Matija Gubec Stadium (with Zenon Plech) - 2nd - 22pts (15) - 1981 - Chorzów, Silesian Stadium (with Zenon Plech) - 3rd - 21pts (6)
World Team Cup
- 1968 - London, Wembley Stadium (with Edmund Migos / Paweł Waloszek / Andrzej Wyglenda / Henryk Glücklich) - 3rd - 19pts (6)
- 1969 - Rybnik, Rybnik Municipal Stadium (with Andrzej Wyglenda / Stanislaw Tkocz / Henryk Glucklich / Andrzej Pogorzelski) - Winner - 31pts (11)
- 1971 - Wroclaw, Olympic Stadium (with Paweł Waloszek / Henryk Glücklich / Antoni Woryna / Andrzej Wyglenda) - 3rd - 19pts (4)
- 1973 - London, Wembley Stadium (with Paweł Waloszek / Zenon Plech / Jerzy Szczakiel) - 4th - 8pts (2)
- 1975 -
Norden, Motodrom Halbemond (with Henryk Glucklich / Zenon Plech / Marek Cieślak / Jerzy Rembas) - 4th - 9pts (1) - 1976 - London, White City Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Marek Cieślak / Jerzy Rembas / Bolesław Proch) - 2nd - 28pts (9)
- 1977 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Jerzy Rembas / Bogusław Nowak / Marek Cieślak / Ryszard Fabiszewski) - 2nd - 25pts (10)
- 1978 - Landshut, Ellermühle Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Marek Cieślak / Jerzy Rembas / Andrzej Huszcza) - 3rd - 16+3pts (6+3)
- 1980 - Wrocław, Olympic Stadium (with Zenon Plech / Roman Jankowski / Andrzej Huszcza / Jerzy Rembas) - 3rd - 15pt (3)
References
- ^ Bamford, R. & Shailes, G. (2002). A History of the World Speedway Championship. Stroud: Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-7524-2402-5