The winner of the Dakar Rally crashed into it on a quad. He started with karting

He rode in the colours of Włókniarz for 14 years, on speedway tracks for almost two decades. Dariusz Rachwalik, although he started mainly in the difficult 80s, is one of the competitors who are remembered in Częstochowa to this day.

In the podcast “LWYgadane” Rachwalik told how his career began. Interestingly, before he got on a speedway motorcycle, he raced… karts.

- Motoring really attracted me. After primary school I went to a vocational high school, where there was a go-kart section run by the Polish champion – Henryk Długosz. I got involved in these races and I really liked it. Unfortunately, as is the case with schools, there was a lack of funds. The equipment that we had been preparing all winter fell apart in the spring. Sometime in the autumn I met a friend who was a big fan of speedway. He talked me into it, we showed up at the stadium together and started training. It was Darek Gliński. We both passed our licenses then, in 1983.

While the 70s are referred to as Włókniarz's "golden" decade, the 80s are said to be completely different. The club was practically teetering on the edge of existence, and its terrible results meant that at one point it landed almost at the bottom of the league hierarchy.

- Historically speaking, this was probably the worst moment in Włókniarz. It was my misfortune. There was no equipment or money. Wełnopol took care of us, and they were also barely coping. Year by year it was getting worse. It only started to change after the economic changes that took place in Poland - notes Rachwalik.

The 60s and 70s were full of situations in speedway where riders were employed on fictitious positions and showed up at work only to collect their pay and sign the payroll. In many places in the 80s, however, this began to change. And what was it like in Włókniarz?

- In my case, when I finished school, I was employed at the stadium in the stadium brigade. Then I went to do my military service and that was it. There were no more "illegal" jobs at that time - reveals Rachwalik.

Although it was not easy, the player born in 1965 was one of the leaders of Włókniarz for years. Despite the problems, he also achieved individual successes, and the most important one is undoubtedly the 3rd place in the Bronze Helmet tournament in 1984.

After ending his career, he decided to take part in the increasingly popular quad speedway races. Rafał Sonik, who later (in 2015) won the legendary Dakar Rally, also took part in them.

- I remember Rafał Sonik not so fondly, because he crashed into me with his quad. I didn't have such a serious injury even on speedway. My arm was broken, wired... People took it very seriously and raced, just like on speedway - recalls the rider, who after this event never stood under the tape on a quad again. He mainly focused on mechanics, helping many Włókniarz speedway riders.