Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128128
If Dryml, who canceled a knee operation to ride in the meeting after a late call-up in place of World Under-21 Champion Dawid Kujawa and was also nursing wrist and shoulder injuries, took the biscuit for effrontery, then the plucky Andy Smith, promoted to the Main Event (Below) Czech rider Lukas Dryml (left! had a fantastic meeting in Slovenia, finishing fourth in the final and earning his first bid to the Grands Prix. when Norwegian Rune Holta withdrew due to injury, was the rider who stole the show. The three-time former British Champion, without a British League ride since being shown the door by the Belle Vue Aces three months ago, won his first two races and then finished third in the first semifinal, tucked in behind Carl Stonehewer in the Consolation Final, to squeeze into the frame and maintain his reputation as the undisput- (Left) Sudden Impact: Sam Ermolenko's bid for a Grand Prix berth ended with a horrific crash during the Main Event, when a spot in the 2002 series seemed probable. Instead, Ermolenko will nurse a broken back in the off season. (Above) England's Gary Havelock (right) couldn't catch a break in Slovenia, and now the 1992 World Champion will have to rely on a nomination if he is to make the GPs in 2002. for 2002 - Louis, Piotr Protasiewicz, Matej Ferjan, Peter Karlsson and Brian Andersen, plus the injured Holta and the retiring Jimmy Nilsen. Nicholls and Dryml are the only newcomers so far, but with six riders likely to be handed special "invitations" at the discretion of Benfield Sports lriternational and the FIM, there are plenty of hopefuls with everything crossed awaiting either a reprieve or a request for their services in an expanded 2002 series. Next year's World Championship Grand Prix is set to include nine rounds, with the indoor Viking Ship ed king of the Grand Prix Challenge. It was Smith's seventh successive appearance in a Grand Prix Challenge meeting - and once again he defied Stadium near Oslo in Norway joining the circuit, and Australia also, the land Down Under set to stage the first non-European GP round in Sydney next October. eN all the odds to successfully win his place back in the series. The final shake-up, therefore, saw seven of this year's GP field drop out Krsko Stadium Irsko, Slovenia Resu~:Dctober13,ZDDl SEMI I: I. Scott Nicholls; 2. Nicki Pedersen; 3. Andy Smith; 4. Piotr Protasiewicz. SEMI 2: l. Lukas Dryml; 2. Greg Hancock; 3. Carl Stonehewer; 4, Peter Karlsson. CONSOLATION FINAL: 1. Carl Stonehewer; 2. Andy Smith; 3. Peter Karlsson; 4. Piotr Protasiewicz. MAIN FINAL: 1. Greg Hancock; 2. Nicki Pederson; 3. Scott Nicholls; 4. Lukas Dryml. WW®9~ WW® (J®f? ~@@~ Here is a Jist of the 2002 Grand Prix Qualifiers: Tony Rickardsson (Sweden); Jason Crump (Australia); Tomasz Gollob (Poland); Ryan Sullivan (Australia); Leigh Adams (Australia); Billy Hamill (USA); Mikael Karlsson (Sweden); Todd Wiltshire (Australia); Mark Loram (Great Britain); Niklas Klingberg (Sweden); Greg Hancock (USA); Nicki Pedersen (Denmark); Scott Nicholls (Great Britain); Lukas Dryml (Czech Republic); Carl Stonehewer (Great Britain); Andy Smith (Great Britain). Eight additional berths will consist of nominations and wild-cards. cue •• n e _ S • OCTOBER 31, 2001 39