Polish Racing Fans Rent Manlifts to Watch Team, Practice Social-Distancing

Fans of Motor Lublin race team hired cranes to support their team and abide by social-distancing restrictions in Poland. (Instagram photo)

Wed July 22, 2020
Yahoo Sport Australia

Apparently, aerial work platforms, or man lifts, can be used for other things besides...well...work.

As crazed motorcycle racing fans in Poland recently showed, you also can use them to become socially distant from other outdoor spectators during the COVID-19 pandemic, at the same time seeing the action from a better vantage point.

Fans of the Motor Lublin racing team rented 21 cranes to abide by social-distancing rules to watch their heroes' race at the local speedway.

Motor Lublin were up against team GKM Grudziaz at the track, but only a limited number of fans were allowed into the stadium due to coronavirus restrictions.

Motorcycle speedway racing has become a hugely popular sport in parts of Poland, and it showed after fans pooled together and rented the cranes to watch the top division race play out.

Using the aerial platforms has proven to be a creative way for the sport's Polish devotees to continue to enjoy racing in person. They have been implementing the tactic for a couple of weeks after a Twitter user posted images that showed them celebrating with flares at the end of one race.

The fans that went to the trouble in hiring the cranes were not disappointed after Motor Lublin defeated the travelling team 58-32.

The Speedway Ekstraliga in Poland is the nation's top-tier motorcycle speedway racing association, as well as the country's most popular sport. More people attend the speedway championships than Polish Football League games.