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Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128174
(Left) Like Rlckardsson, Andreas Jonsson (right) struggled with the racing surface during the heat races. Jonsson was unhurt, but several other riders, including championship hopeful Ryan Sullivan, suffered battering injuries. (Right) Crump, Pederson and Karisson on the podium. (Below) Billy Hamill continued to struggle with his back Injury at Chorzow, just missing out on a semi-final placing. Hamill remains 10th In the series standings. more pulled away on a Californian one-two, but Sullivan first got past Hancock, and then steamed past Hamill as well, and that meant Hancock was out for the count. Hamill survived by finishing second, and went into heat 22. He sliced under Leigh Adams entering the back straight for the first time to tuck in behind Krzysztof Cegeilski, but Adams managed to repass him at the start of lap two as Hamill visibly struggled to come to terms with the many holes in the Katowice track. Those same ruts were responsible for ending Sullivan's hopes of keeping tabs on Rickardsson, the hopeful Aussie ace's night ending in a particularly painful crash in the second semi-final. He was in second place, .behind Mikael Karlsson, with the checkered flag in sight when he hit a big rut and slewed into the safety fence, breaking a collarbone as he parted company with his spectacular out-of-control machine, which bounced back into Cegielski's path. The unlucky Pole, who had only just avoided the stricken Andreas Jonsson in heat 12, suffered a crunching fall and got to his feet gingerly and nursing a bloodied face. Pedersen benefited from the crash by stealing second place, and a route into the final, where he then headed off Crump's challenge in typically noholds-barred fashion. Crump looked set to pull in Pedersen on lap three, but the determined Dane, one of the most difficult riders in the world to pass, blocked his move down the back straight to stay in front and celebrate a memorable first-ever GP triumph. It was Pedersen's first final appearance since he was speared by Rickardsson while leading in Berlin in the first Grand Prix of 2001, and the victory boosted his chances of requalifying for 2003. "I have been working so hard for this and just lately things have been slipping into place," Pederson said. Pedersen had started the night in 15th place overall, but he moved up into 12th place and on the fringe of the top 10 who automatically requalify for 2003. It means he goes into the penultimate GP, in his homeland at Vojens next weekend with renewed purpose. "That couldn't be better," he said. "I am really looking forward to Vojens now. It could be the last Grand Prix to be held there, so it will be a special occasion - even more so now." Rickardsson, looking to add to his title wins in 1994, 1998, 1999 and 2001, trailed in an un competitive fourth in the final, behind Pedersen, Crump and Karlsson, but he had earlier produced some of the most spectacular action of the night, negotiating the ruts like a surfer across the waves and producing some stunning work from the back. The finish line is now in sight for the ultra-consistent reigning champion, and it is going to take something extra-special, or calamitous on his part, for Rickardsson to now be denied a fifth World crown. Hamill, back in the States this week for the final AMA National Championship round at Auburn, admitted that the demanding Katowice track surface had played its part on his failure to reach the semi-finals. "The track was really tough, and not just for me," said Hamill, who had been having intensive treatment for a fortnight before scoring 14 points on his return to the Coventry team three end. It certainly didn't help me in Poland on Saturday night, but I don't want to make it out as being an excuse. "The track was really difficult, and though I felt good, it just didn't happen for me," Hancock added. "Perhaps it was an eye-opener for me, telling me that you can't afford to miss a beat, no matter how well you have done in previous rounds. After I had gone out, I looked at my pit crew and we didn't know if we should be getting mad or being happy. In the end, it was another night to take stock and learn from." Hancock, who underwent blood tests at the start of the week, added that he was bitterly disappointed to be missing out on the final round of the National Championship, especially as he is leading the series. "But my ears were really bad on the flight back from Poland, and I am not up to a transatlantic flight," he said. "I am also bruised after crashing in Poland on Sunday, so my health has got to come first." Hancock stays in eighth place in the standings, but is 27 points ahead of Todd Wiltshire in 11th place, and seems certain to finish in the top 10 to book a place in next year's Grand Prix Series. Hamill, however, sits in 1Oth place on 70 points, just 13 in front of Wiltshire and 14 ahead of the revitalized Pedersen. eN days before the GP. "The ruts were bone-crunching at times, which is something I could have done without as it left my back feeling very sore. It was probably the worst one-off track so far, and at times it was more a case of survival than racing. My bikes were going well, and I made some good starts, but I faded the longer the night went on, and the track played its part in that." Hamill is still 1Oth overall in the series, and he hopes to improve on that in the final two rounds. "The next GP is at Vojens, and that is a track where I usually do well and where I have had some great moments in the past," Hamill said. Hamill made a flying visit back home to his European base in Sweden for daughter Margi's seventh birthday on Sunday, before flying out to Los Angeles, via London, on Monday ahead of this Friday's AMA National Championship decider. Expected to be missing from Friday's meeting at Auburn, however, will be Hancock, who leads the miniseries after the first two rounds. He was diagnosed with suffering with viral bronchitis on Monday, has been prescribed some antibiotics and told to rest for a week. "I haven't been feeling well since. the last Grand Prix in Gothenburg," explained Hancock, like Hamill domiciled in Sweden during the racing season, "and I was quite sick at the end of last week and over the weekcycle Slaski SbIdium Chorm., Peland Rnults: September 14, 2002 [Round 8 of 10J SEM.I 1 (Top 2 transfer to Final): 1. Tony Rickardsson; Jason Crump: Scott Nicholls: 4. Leigh Adams. SEMI 2 (Top 2 transf.r to Final): 1. Mlka.J Karlsson; 2. NickI Pederson; 3. Krzystof Cigielskl; 4. Ryan SullivlIn. FINAL: 1. Nicki Pederson; 2. Jason Crump; 3. Mikael Karlsson; 4. Tony RickIJrdsson. FIM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX SERIES STANDINGS (Aft.r 8 of 10 rounds): 1. Tony Rickardsson (148/2 wins); 2. Ryan Sullivlm (134/2 wins); 3. Joson Crump (128/1 win); 4. Lel9h Adams (104/1 win); 5. Mikeel Kllrlsson (103); 6. Mork Lorom (91): 7. Tomo51 Gollob (89/1 win): 8. Gre9 Hancock (84): 9. Lukos Dryml (76): 10. Billy Hamill (70). Upcoming Rounds: Round 10 - Vojens, Denmark, September 28 Round 11 - Sydney, Australia, October 26 n • vv S ' OCTOBER 2, 2002 41