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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127735
SPEEDWAY WOI1d IndiYidIlll Championship Series Round 2: Wiener Neustadt a " outpace England's Mark Loram and Gary Havelock, and Sweden's Mikael Karlsson. Hamill then pulled clear, settling his early race nerves. Hamill's first defeat of the night came in heat five when Nielsen came off gate one and pulled clear of the chasing pack, leaving Hamill to battle with America's 1993 World Champion, "Sudden" Sam Ermolenko, for second place. Ermolenko used all of his experience and track craft to shake off a determined challenge from Hamill, who tried every line in the book from inside to outside. Hamill was also in line for a shocking last place in heat nine. England's Chris Louis led the heat and appeared to have the race in the bag, while Hamill was at the back after failing to pass Austrian Wild Card Franz Leitner. But when the Jawa works rider and Engli h test star's machine failed him, Rickardsson took the win with Leitner through for second and Hamill third, gaining a single precious point. Heat 13 saw fellow Americans Greg Hancock and Hamill together in the same race, and they needed a rerun to sort it out after an unsatisfactory start. On the rerun, Marvyn Cox, the Englishman now based in Germany, made the start and pulled clear while Hamill, Swedish rider Henka Gustafsson and By John Hlpklss WIFNER NEUSTADT, AUSTRIA, JUNE 17 alifornian Billy "The Bullet" Hamill shot into speedway history by taking th~ second World Championship Speedway Grand Prix at Wiener Neustadt Speedway in Austria, becoming the first American to earn such a distinction. Hamill, currently in the middle of a busy European schedule, only started the "new look" World Championship Individual Speedway Series as a reserve. But he was assured of a berth in Wiener Neustadt after replacing Denmark's Tommy Knudsen during the opening round of the series in Wroclaw, Poland, and scoring ample championship points to remain in the field. And he grabbed his chance with both hands as he roared to victory in brilliant style when favorites Hans ielsen of Denmark and defending World Champion Tony Rickardsson of Sweden worried about each other in the A Final. "This is the sweetest moment in my career," the young American said afterward. "I have proven that 1 can be with the best in the world, and 1 am determined to continue this in the future Grand Prix meetings." C QUAUFYING HEATS Hamill's place in the all"important A Final was in jeopardy throughout the middle part of the meeting as he struggled to gain the consistency required to match ielsen and Rickardsson. In heat one, however, he made a dream start to Hancock fought each other for the minor placings. It was hardly a night to remember for Ermolenko, who was struggling with his motorcycles, and heat 16 summed up his night. He made a reasonable start, but it appeared as though he was let down by his machinery as Brits Andy Smith, Loram and Louis all got past him. Ermolenko was in danger of a berth in the D Final for the bottom four scorers, but would rebound and make his way to the C Final by tallying five points. "There were a lot of things wrong tonight," Ermolenko said. "And 1 am very discour.aged by certain aspects of the event." Meanwhile, HaIlcock was looking to . improve upon his Polish Grand Prix performance, and he acheived that goal by earning a spot in the B Final after scoring seven points by the end of the qualifying heats. A brilliant victory by Hamill in his final qualifying ride, heat 17, allowed the Cradely Heath Heathens star to relax and prepare for perhaps the biggest race of his relatively short racing career. "At one stage, it looked as though 1 might not make the A Final," Hamill said. "But 1 had to keep working hard, and 1 knew there was always a chance if 1 won my last qualifying ride - and that's what happened." GRAND PRIX HEATS Havelock took the D Final victory, which handed him seven GP points as he beat Leitner, Denmark's Jan Staechman and Karlsson. Ermolenko then salvaged a disap- (Above) An exultant Billy Hamill celebl'lltes his victory at the Austrian round of the World Indlvldti81 Speedway series. (Right) The deciding I'llce: H8m1ll (18) was the surprise winner at the Austrl8n round. The ridei'll, H8mlll, MlIrk Lorllm (8), Hans 'Nielsen (2), and Tony Rlc:lulrd8son (1) blIttIe during the A flMI. (Below) SlIm EnnoIenko (12) h8d an off night, struggling with his bikes. The AmerIcsn salvaged his evening with a victory In the C final. Here Ennolenko IelIds Cl'lllg Boyce (3) and Chris Louis (11). pointing night with victory in the C Final over Louis, Smith and Australia's Craig Boyce. There were a few nervous looks from Ermolenko over his shoulder - but by this stage he was on a laydown machine, which seemed to be going quicker. '1 think 1 have to spend a bit more time working on my bikes because there is all this talk of laydown versus upright machines, and 1 have been caught out on this one," Ermolenko said. 'We have had a meeting with the race team, and we will get it right. There are four more Grand Prix meetings to go, and 1 can't wait for the next one to try and get it right." . Hancock had to settle for a thirdplace finish in the B Final, falling behind both race winner Gustafsson and Cox,