Martin Smolinski: I bought Jan Andersson’s workshop!

Martin Smolinski has been riding speedway for a long time now. The German is a long-track specialist and a multi-medalist in the discipline. He’s been tunning his own engines as well for a long time, perhaps this is why he decided to purchase Jan Andersson’s tunning facility. What were the real reasons behind it? Let’s hear it from the man himself.

Martin, the speedway world have found out recently that you own Jan Andersson’s workshop…

I will not deny it. We are talking during my way back to Germany from Sweden. I still have a 1000km to go.

How did it come about that you have acquired this famous tuner’s facility?

Not many people know about it, but besides my racing, I am also doing engines myself and have been doing for the past 10 years. Mostly it’s for young riders beginning their racing careers asking me for a helping hand. Even though my engines are still done by my tuner, I am learning the trade and trying to get into it in depths. I can see myself doing this as a job in the future, not only for the riders but also restoration projects of older bikes. This year I bought two engines off Michael Jepsen Jensen to get them ready for my young riders. I then received a phone call from Jan Andersson asking if I needed any more engines. I have made some further purchases and then he asked me about my future plans after I’m done with racing. I said that I can see myself tunning engines for others as a job in my small workshop in Germany. He then asked if I needed anything else to complete my workshop from his place, we talked some more and we’ve made the deal. 

So, as I understand, Jan Andersson’s workshop is going to be moved to Germany?

Yes. I have acquired all the machinery that Jan was using for his work on speedway bikes. You could say that I have purchased the whole workshop. I have made arrangements with a moving company to relocate all of Jan’s machines back to Germany. 

Does that mean that by buying all the equipment you can also count on Jan’s advice in engine tunning?

No, nothing like that. I will manage all that myself. But I can tell you that among with all the tools and machines, Jan passed on his book of contacts of his former riders and suppliers. 

It must have cost a bit… 

Quite a lot. For sure. A racing career does not last forever and I take this as an investment. 

Knowing your ambitions, you would want to be the world’s best tuner in the next five years?

I’m not going to hide it, this is the plan. This will not happen straight away, as I’m not done racing yet. I want to have a good season in 2020 both on the classic track and the long track. I might race on my own engines and see how I get on. After I finish racing I can get into tunning for real.

Are the Polish fans going to see Martin Smolinski in the league next year?

I don’t know. I can’t say yet. I will have to wait for the transfer window and seek my chance, if an interesting offer comes I will consider it. I’d like to take this opportunity to ask if there are any mechanics out of work, I will be looking for one for the next season.

I can hear disappointment in your voice regarding your Polish season…

Honestly, I was expecting more. Perhaps I wasn’t good enough but I was thrown in at the deep end and it was a survival. I had a new offer from Zielona Gora but I had to decline. I want to ride in Poland but in a club that can offer me regular racing and pays on time. 

The whole workshop transaction was a little more exciting as you might want it to be. You had one of your bikes stolen. 

I was lost for words, somebody broke into my van outside of the hotel I was staying in. The Police managed to find the bike about 500 yards from the hotel, with massive help from all the social media posts. I think the thieves got scared that they won’t be able to move such a hot bike? The most important thing is that there was a happy end to it.  

Thanks for talking to us. 

Thank you and all the best for all your readers. 

LUKASZ MALAKA