Cycle News - Archive Issues - 1990's

SPEEDWAY Round 2: Rotalstadion WORLD INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP [n heat nine, it was ielsen an Loram who responded to the pressure t keep their intere t in the event going while Boyce and Krzyzaniak were sen home. By this tage the track was becomin more and more slick and on the big, fla bends it was difficult to pass - but th dirt was going toward the fence and th~ was to give riders encouragement lat in the meeting. Andy Smith produced the ride of th opening 10 races when he worked over time to pass Toni Kasper in ensationa style. This was enough to put hi through, alongside Adorjan, who quail fied for the main event for a second suc cessive GP. Rickardsson came into action in hea 11 and simply blew the rest away wit an easy win over his countryman Karls son. Hamill's first taste of the action cam in Heat 12, and he made a good start bu was then passed by Gustafsson, whil Sullivan pas ed Hancock, who wa looking tired. Heat 14 saw Gollob work hard to ge the better of Loram, but Chris Loui missed all this as he was the clear win ner from the start. In heat 15, Hancock had to use ever bit of energy he could find to pull off superb ride, passing both Adam an Adorjan to stay in the meeting. Con trover y cropped up in heat 1 when GoUob rammed Hamill fro behind in the fir t turn. Gollob wasn excluded, but then he hit Hamill agai this time on the fourth tum - and he sti wasn't excluded, making many questio the decision of the referee. Hamill an his team approached GoUob in the pit and there might have been a nasty inci dent had there had not been people t keep them separated. CHAMPIONSHIP SEMIFINALS By John Hipkiss POCKING, GERMANY, JUNE 6 32 wede Tony Rickardsson turned in another sensational performance to take the win at the German Grand Prix in dominant style, solidly backing up his winning season-opening performance in Prague last month. Rickardsson has started a strong early run at the World Individual Speedway Championship with this pair of sensational performances, interestingly beating the same four men in the A finals at each event. This time it was Rickardsson's countryman Jimmy Nilsen who landed second place, with 1996 World Champion Billy Hamill in third. Poland's Tomasz Gollob was fourth. Rickardsson has the expert help of Carl Blomfeldt this year, Hamill's and Sam Ermolenko's former mechanic, and it seems Blomfeldt is proving to be as much an inspiration for the Swede as he had been for them. Rickardsson looks relaxed, confident and, above all, very fast. When he made the start in Pocking, he was simply too quick for the rivals to get close. Prior to the A final, controversy was a big part of the event at the Rotalsta.dion, as a result of what many thought were poor calls on the part of referee Frank Ebdon. The first of these instances was when Hamill and Gollob hi t the dirt in heat 17, Gollob 'clearly ramming Hamill from behind in the first turn but not being excluded. Gollob then hit Hamill again in the rerun and wasn't excluded. And in heat 21, former Champion Hans Nielsen was fortunate to be allowed back in for the rerun of the heat after he caused the stoppage of the race. However, in the rerun he went down again, though through no fault of his own this time - and yet Ebdon excluded him. While Hamill continues to carry the torch for American fans, reigning Champion Greg Hancock is still struggling somewhat, though he had a much better night than he did in Prague, making it to the B final, and starting lower down the order, he looked better. QUALIAERS Jason Crump has shown a lot of potential and many expect great things of the young Australian, but right now he is suffering badly with injuries and misfortune. Pocking was a perfect example of this, as Crump was brought down by his countryman Craig Boyce in the very first race. All four riders were allowed back in the rerun, however. Crump spent a good deal of time on the ground - clearly winded - but took his place on the restart nonetheless. Boyce rode flawlessly to use his second chance well and win the opening race, with Toni Kasper surprisingly edging out Nielsen. Henka Gustafsson, another rider who has shown a lot of promise over the years, signaled his intentions early in the event with a superb ride in heat two, while Peter Karlsson took out Piotr Protasiewicz in the early stages. Tony Rickardsson (4) was once again unstoppable, getting away cleanly from the start of the A linal to take his second win In as meny rounds. Zoltan Adorjan continued his surprising and very successful start to the series with an impressive ride from the gate in heat three, while home favorite Gerd Riss went to the fence in the first turn. There was a real injury scare in heat four when Sebastian UJamek hit the wooden fence at high speed and demolished it. Armando Castagna was caught in a tight comer and Ulamek was taken to the fence. There was a lengthy delay as everything was put back together and Ulamek, with the help of fellow Pole Gollob, was able to take his place in the rerun. Heat five was the first race in which riders were sent out of the event under the new Grand Prix race format, and on this occasion it was wild-card rider Robert Barth and Ulamek who finished in the minor placings. Nielsen and Andy Smith went through. The next race saw Crump and Mark Loram qualify, but Loram was counting his blessings, as Piotr Protaziewicz was the clear leader until his bike quit. He was clearly heartbroken as he had strong words in the pits with his mechanical team. Peter Karlsson made a flying start to heat seven and Hancock was forced to work hard to take out Boyce, ensuring Hancock's place straight through to the main event. As if this weren't enough, Nielse was in the thick of the action in heat 2 when he lost control. He was.a1Jowe back in for the rerun by referee Ebdon a questionable move - then excluded 0 the following rerun when, most though he shouldn't have been. Rickardsson, meanwhile, just kep his head down and went about his busi ness well, comfortably winning heat 2 to make it through to the final alon with Nilsen. It was crunch time in heat 22, the sec ond semi-final, as Gollob and Hami were up against each other. Throw' Hancock and Gustafsson for good m sure and it was a superb lineup. Ha . was clearly determined that nothin was going to stop him as he made a electric start and eased home, with Go lob second. Both riders went through t the final. CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS Hancock had to settle for a place . the B final. Gustafs on was the winne of this race, with Hancock clearly ru ning out of steam, but he was safe in th knowledge that he had enjoyed a muc better Grand Prix. The A final was clear sailing fo Rickardsson as he flew right off the st, from gate two. The battle became th for second place: Nilsen and HamiJ went at it, with Nilsen getting the nod. was the same top four as in the previou round, only with il en and Hamill i different placings, and there is nothin to say Rickardsson cannot go on al)l dominate the rest of the series. "I feel so relaxed and happy withm racing; every time 1 go to the start line,

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