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/128345
World Indiv id ual Speedway Cha mpionship ished last, also overhauled by Pedersen and then overtaken by w ild card Arnt Forland after getting out of shape on the final two turns . Piotr Protas iewicz and Hancock won heats three and four, though Hancock had a few problems staying in front of Lee Richardson on a dry and difficult surface. The first eliminators in heats five and six claimed Sola, Joonas Kylmakorpi, Bo Brhel and the lackluster Loram, whose Grand Prix career could now be over. Loram, beaten by Forland, a 40-year-old welder having his first and possibly last taste of the Grand Prix, now has to wait to see if he gets one of the five special nominations for 2005. He is behind both 38 Richardson and Scott Nicholls (neither of whom finished in the top eight) in the pecking order, and it is implausible that Great Britain will get three of the five invites. Loram admitted he was "embarrassed" if Saturday night does prove to be his GP swan song. Jo nsson won heat seven, ahead of Richardson, as Bjarne Pedersen finished last after lifting out of the start and Hancock stormed away to take heat eight, with Max tucking into second place. Crump's first appearance of the night came in heat 10 and very nearly ended in disaster. As Rickardsson powered away to the front , Crump was left last going into the back straight, and he almost went over OOOBER 13, 2004 • CYCLE NEWS the back wheel of Jarek Hampel's bike as he picked up some traction on the inside. But he stayed aboard to give chase, passing the Pole on the last lap as Rickardsson fin ished as the impressive winner. Forland, Dryml, Laukkanen and Bjarne Pedersen made their exit in heats I I and 12, the latter losing eighth place in the standings in the process when he had the gate shut on him in no uncertain terms by Danish colleague Anders en. He almost we nt into the back of Andersen as he made a seco nd attempt to pass, and the lost ground left him at the back. The main event began w ith local favorite Holta winning heat I3 after slipstreaming Jonsson up the back stra ight. Gollob then exploded off the start in heat 14, while Hancock, follow ing two wins, finished in last place . Heat 15 saw Crump on gate two, w ith Adams to his inside and Richardson and Jesper B. Jensen on his outside. This time Crump made the pe rfect getaway, attacking each corner in his own inimitable style to win comfortably. It left him just that one race away from being crow ned World Champ ion. Rickardsson won a rerun heat 16 after Nicholls fell and was excluded, and that left Nicholls in an eliminator in heat 17. More impo rt ant ly, Hampel and Richardson were bot h in the same race, and Richardson finished a disappointing last while Hampel stole a march into the top e ight ove rall - displac ing Bjarne Pedersen in the process - by fin ishing second behind Hancock and then watching 40th Anniversary Andersen depart in the following race . Andersen finally finished just one point short of making the cut , but the aggressive Dane is a sure bet to get one of the five special invites for the 2005 GPs. Hancock's victory took him into heat 21, and he finished second, behind Rickardsson, to see off Sullivan and Protasiewicz and book his place in the semifinals. After the event, Benfield Sports International chief executive John Postlethwaite con fi rmed that race points scored in each round of the 2005 series will also be used as GP points. Next season's format reverts to the traditional 16 riders over 20 heats , but it will be follow ed by two semifinals and a final. The top eight from this year 's GP will be joined by the five specia l nominees, as well as Anto nio Lindback, Tomasz Chrzanowski (the two qualifiers from the eN Grand Final) and a wild card . VIKING SHIP STADIUM HAMAR , NORWAY RESULTS: OCTOBER 2, 2004 (ROUND 9) SE MI I (Top 2 a dvance to fina l): I. Tony Rickardsson; 2. Tomasz Go U ob; 3. N icki Pedersen ( 13); 4. RuneHolu ( I I) . S EMI 2 (Top 2 advance to fina l): I. LeighAdams: 2. Greg Hancoc k; 3. Andreas Jonsson ( 13); 4. Jason Crump ( I I). FINAL: I. Tony Rickarduon (25); 2. Greg Hancock (20 ); 3. Toman Gollo b (I B); ' . Le;gh Ad""" ( 16) . W O RLD IN D IVIDUAL S PEE DWAY CHAM PIONSH IP PO INT S STAN DINGS (After 9 of 9 rounds): I. Jason Crump ( 158): 2. Tony Rkkardsson ( ISS); 3. Greg Hancoc k ( 137); • . LeT> Adams (1 3 1); 5. Nkki Pedersen (I l l); 6. Tomasz Go llob (I ll); 1. Andreas Jomson (97); 8. Jarek Hampel (BI) ; 9. Han> Ande<>en (80) ; 10. Bjame Pedersen (7B); II . Lee Richanl"", (76); 12. Scon NKhol I. (66); 13. Ryan Sullivan (65); 1-4. Rune Holu (60); 15. Piotr ProwiewK::z (55); 16. Mikael Max (-49); 17. Mark loram (38); l B. Jesper B. Jensen (37); 19. Bo Brt>el (32); 20. Kaj Laukkanen (25).