Holder: I Belong Here

7th October 2012, Torun, Poland. In the city’s standout sporting arena, the Torun MotoArena, a 16-year-old Jack Holder watches older brother Chris win the speedway world championship.

Chris, the middle of three brothers, defies the odds to win the world title and Jack is right in the thick of the action – even finding himself in an altercation with Chris’ title rival and three-time world champion Nicki Pedersen.

It’s fair to say that he’s come a long way since then, and in the 12 and a half years since he has become a world class rider in his own right.

2022 saw him make his debut as a full-time Speedway Grand Prix rider but, by his own admission, it took some time to get used to.

“Last year, it was a massive thing for me to be in the GP’s, and I expected too much and put pressure on myself. It was a dream come true to be in the Grand Prix series for me, I followed Chris round for so many years and watched him do it so for it to finally be my name in here, it was a massive thing,” he said.

It was during last year’s Speedway of Nations tournament where Holder really made his mark, inspiring Australia to the gold medal and his form in the GP series after that was notably improved.

Three weeks ago, in Poland’s Stadion Narodowy, he was the standout performer in the Warsaw SGP and should really have been speaking to us as a GP winner.

He was leading the final with just a lap to go when, behind him, Bartosz Zmarzlik and Jason Doyle clashed, which meant the race had to be re-started. Unfortunately for Jack, Freddie Lindgren got out of the start ahead of him and took victory, with the Aussie having to settle for second place.

“I had mixed emotions really, last year I would’ve been really pissed off and angry but I’d probably say new year, new me and I can’t dwell on it. To get to my first final was awesome, I was leading and should’ve won it but it’s a good lesson – don’t miss the start in the re-run!

“Last year, my thought process was just ‘get to a semi final!’ and I did it and it was ‘beauty’. Then it was get to a final, now I’ve done that so now it’s ‘I’ve got to win one’ and I know I’m getting closer.

“I earned my own spot in the series this year and now I know what it’s like. You have to chill out, get your points, get to the semi and if you can snag it get to the final and let it all hang out.

“It’s all mental. I know I belong here, I proved it in Warsaw and now I believe in myself more so I think I’m going to get better and better.”

Jack will attempt to go one better than Warsaw in this weekend’s Czech Republic SGP (June 3) in Prague, and you can find out how to tune in to the action here.