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
ason Crump became Aust ralia's first World Speedway Champion for 52 years on an emotional Saturday night at Viking Ship Stadi um in No rw ay. Crump, the pugnacious 29-year-old Aussie (bo rn in England), finally dispensed with his nearly-man tag to lift the trophy after three consecutive years as runner-up. But his crowning glory in joining Lionel Van Praag, Bluey Wilkinson and Jack Young as World Champions from Down Under was partly due to one of the most bizarre races in Grand Prix history. Crump held a 17-point lead over fivetime World Champ ion Tony Rickardsson going into the final GP of the year in the Viking Ship Stadium, and he clinched his first title when he advanced to the sem ifinals in an oddball heat 19. He only need ed to finish in the first two in the race to reach the semis and be mat hematically certain of lifting the trophy, but the first running produced an extraordinary firstbend spill when Nicki Pedersen's steelshoe strap hooked on Crum p's footrest, the pair both sliding off and catapulting RyanSullivan into the Air Fe nce with them . Referee To ny Steele called all four riders back for the rerun, wit h Sullivan allowed extra time to bandage up a painful looking hand injury. Rune Holta was then exclude d for delaying the start after backing away just as the tw o-minute time allowance expired, leaving only three riders in the race . Re markably, three then became two when Sullivan came off on the outside of Pede rse n and was excluded , which meant Crump had a free ride into the se mis. His celebrations began there and then - even before the race had restarted - and in an embarrassing moment, he to ppled off his bike as he raised his arms aloft in triumph . "It's fantastic," Crump said. "The first time I have felt well in the last fortnight was after heat 19. If you want something in life, you have to go for it. I have dreamed of winning the World Champ ionship since I was a child, and it's great to finally do it." It was an emotional moment for Crump, his team and his family. "It all got a bit much for everyone," Crump said. "For the first couple of years I was de lighted to be second in the world , but last year was one too many! This has made up for it." Crump failed to reach the final when he was passed on either side by Leigh Adams and Greg Hancock in the second semifinal, but it was of no co nsequence . That res ult , howeve r, mea nt Hancock and Adams stretched their battle fo r World number three into the final, the Californian coming out on to p when he finished second, behind Rickardsson, and in front of Tomasz Gollob and Adams. Rickardsson's win over Gollob, Nicki Pedersen and Holta in the first semifinal was the best race of a substandard night's action , and his victory in the final meant he finished just three points behind Crump in the overall standings. It showed that Rickardsson is still capable of matching Ivan Mauger 's record of six World individual crowns. "I obviously wanted to win the tide," Rickardsson said. "My season has been strong, apart from a bad patch in the middle of the year. But sometimes you need a few bits to fall in the right places to be World Champion, and it just didn't happen for me. Jason was stronger and a better rider over the year, and he reallydeserves it." Rickardsson said that he hopes to come back and give Crump a really good run for his money in 2005. Hancock 's third -place World ranking is his highest fini sh since winning the title in 1997. "I have had a great year, and lowe this one to my family and my team," Hancock said. "T he adrenaline was flowing ton ight, and it was really tough out there. I was aiming to go all the way and win the event, but as the night progressed I more or less focused on kee ping Leigh [Adams] behind me. You really want to be on the top . Being second or third is really just being the first loser. But I know I was close, and I will be back next year." The early proceedings opened with the jockeying for position below the leading places. With the top eight in the standings winning automatic places in the 2005 series, there was an intriguing battle involving five riders, from Andreas Jonsson in seventh place, on 84 points, to Lee Richardson in I Ith spot, on 71. Jonsson started perfectly by Winning heat one off the inside gate, but Mark Loram, the 2000 World Champion, continued his fall from grace by trai ling in last, behind No rwegian wild card Rune Sola. Fellow Danes Hans Andersen (ninth , on 74) and Bjarne Pedersen (eighth, on 7S) sat side by side at the tapes for heat two, but though Andersen gated to the fro nt, Mikael Max burst past him dow n the back straight, and Andersen finallyfin-