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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127842
SPEEDWAY WORLD INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES Grand Prix senior, has had his day, but he was still one to watch out for in Prague, though he looked a shadow of the rider that the fans all know he can be. aUALlFYIING HEATS (Left) Greg Hancock (right) and Billy Hamill (left) celebrated with a double wheelie after Hancock claimed the win at the Czech Speedway Grand Prix in Prague, Czech Republic. Defending World Champion Hamill finished second to his compatriot. Hancock started the meeting with three straight wins and never looked in any trouble, starting with heat two, when he beat Jimmy Nilsen and Nielsen in comfortable style. Hancock was quick from the beginning of the meeting, looked comfortable on his bike, and never really ran into any problems as he followed up that dream start with a win over Leigh Adams in heat five to make him the clear early leader. Hamill, meanwhile, was struggling to make the start in his early rides, and you could tell he waS concerned about his machinery as he kept delaying his arrival at the gate. He was beaten by surprise package Drabik in heat three, the first race in defense of the crown he won in Vojens, Denmark, last September. And in his second ride, heat seven, stylish Swede Henka Gustafsson made the start and beat Nielsen with Hamill trailing in third just ahead of Simon Wigg. That meant Hamill was already staring failure in the face, and there was By John Hipkiss PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC, MAY 18 alifornia kids Greg Hancock and Billy Hamill are in serious ·danger of making speedway's race for the world title their own. That's the opinion of several experts within the sport after both riders set a blistering pace in the Czech Grand Prix in Prague, Czech Republic, with Hancock taking the honors just ahead of reigning champion Hamill. And with their nearest challengers, Polish duo Tomasz Gollob and Slawomic Drabik, expected to tail off later in the series, it all points toward the rest having to catch up. Hancock has set the world alight with his electric form in the early stages of the season - not just with his new English club Coventry, but in Poland and Sweden as well. After finishing third behind Hans Nielsen and Hamill last year, the 27-year-old is now as keen as ever to take the title, and in this sort of form you could hardly bet against him after he rose to the occasion to lay claim to the top prize at the opening round of the World Championship Individual Series in Prague. "1 couldn't have wished for a better start to the series," Hancock said. "Everything went so well for me, and [ want to build on it from here. It's been great to see Billy as World Champion, but now that he's had a taste of it, I want to do it myself, and I'm more determined than ever to take the title off him. It was a difficult day for many other top contenders, among them former three-time World Champion Hans Nielsen, who finished up the day ·an uncharacteristic 10th. Many people are saying Nielsen, 10 yeats Hancock's 1I (Right) Hancock (3) got the jump on the field earty in the meeting and went on to earn 12 points for a spot in the A final. (Below) Hamill (1) struggled In the early part of the meeting and was forced to push his way past riders like Sweden's Henka Gustsfsson (5) and Simon Wigg (9) for a berth In the A final. a strong prospect that he might not make the A final unless he made a late rally. At the same time, Hancock stayed happy and comfortable and made no mistake in heat 10 as he comfortably held off the pressure Or Grand Prix debut boy Brian Andersen, with former World Champion Tony Rickardsson struggling in third. . Hancock was now head and shourders above the rest, with nine points with two races left, and he had little more to do to ensure his place in the A final. Hamill eased his losses in his previous heats with a vital victory in heat nine, getting the better of Gollob - but only after a runoff in which Ham'ill