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.SPEEDWAY·.. Series. R'ound 5: Vojens Speedway World:Individual Championship (Left) Denmark'. Han. Nielsen (second from right) pulled to a clear lead In the World individual Championship atandlngs efter hla convincing win In the Denl.h Grand Prix al VoJSpeedway. (Below) It'. about time: Ermolenko (12) had his equipment /lorted out at Vojens and alormed through the qualifying heats to take his place In the A Rnal where he finished second. .serle. sam By John Hlpklss VOjENS, DENMARK, SEPT. 9 t now seems certain that Danish hero Hans Nielsen will be crowned World Speedway Champion for a fourth time after his victory at Vojens Speedway during round five of the World Championship Individual Series. Nielsen is now nine points clear of Sweden's Tony Rickardsson, the current holder of the title after success in the last-ever one-off final last year. Nielsen had to do it the hard way after making a poor start which saw him have only two points on the board from two rides. But It was a typically professional Nielsen display as he did it when it mattered most - in the A Final. Former World CJ:tampion "Sudden" Sam Ermolenko enjoyed his best Grand Prix yet with 14'points in the qualifying rounds, but even he had to admit second-best to the "Main Dane" when they lined up for the final. Ermolenko's American colleagues Greg Hancock and Billy Hamill were I 22 • FILE PHOTOS BY JOHN HIPKISS both on form, and Hancock was only denied a place in the A Final when he retired in his last ride with bike problems. Hamill was forced to pull off a fine win in heat 20 over Rickardsson to move into double figures and secure a place in the B Final after just missing out on a top scorer's place. QUALIFYING HEATS When the riders arrived at the track plenty of rain was falling which had some traveling fans worried about whether the event would be completed. The wet weather failed to dampen the riders' enthusiasm, however, as they put on a show for the European TV cameras. Steady drizzle made for a miserable ,night in Vojens, but the track held up well and the timing of the event was again spot on. Ermlenko rolled out in heat one and he made a dream start to get the better of Marvyn Cox, Mark Lo.am and Chris Louis. Ermolenko has appeared to have worries over his machinery throughout the GP series, bat was obviously happy with it as he flew clear down the back straight at high speed. Nothing was going to stop him in this one. Swedish star Henka Gustafsson made a good start in heat two and edged out HamiU. Polish ace Tomasz GoUob tried to pass Hamill but failed, and Englishman Andy Smith trailed in last. Danish dark horse Tommy Knudsen - winner of both the German and Swedish rounds - got off to the best possible start in his home country with a flying win in heat three over Rickardsson and Nielsen and returning American rider Josh Larsen. Australia's Craig Boyce, who now 'rides for Swindon in the British League, was an impressive winner of heat four after seeing off a brave early challenge from Hancock, who tried everything in the early stages. But as the race developed, so did Boyce's lead. Knudsen continued his fine start with a victory in heat five over Hamill, who dropped his head down the back straight as if he was telling his engine to get more speed up! It was a good effort from Hamill, but a rider of Knudsen's class and experience is very difficult to beat when he takes a good lead. Ermolenko's only point dropped in the qualifying races was in heat five when he finished second behind GolIob. The Pole ran very hard into the first tum - typical of the GP competition - and left Sudden Sam with a difficult task to pass. Hancok pulled off a fine victory in heat seven when he flew from the start and got the better of Rickardsson. The Swede tried to pass Hancock inside, outside' and mid-track, but the.Californian rode a super line and claimed the win. More misery was in store for Larsen during heat eight when he trailed in last . behind Loraro, Smith and Jan Staechmann. Larsen just couldn't get out of the start and it was asking a lot to pass those riders on a regular basis in the Grand Prix. By this stage the leaderboard was taking shape with Knudsen leading the way, just one point ahead of Ermolonko and Hancock who were looking confi-