Doyle hanging out for Melbourne speedway

Aussie champion Jason Doyle can’t wait for the roar of the Melbourne crowd on Saturday, October 24 as the Speedway World Championship makes its long-awaited return to local shores.

“Melbourne will be the most awesome feeling," said Doyle. "It’ll be special to hear my name said in front of thousands of people in my home country; family, friends and people we don’t even know but who love speedway in Australia.

It’s going to be a great occasion for Australian motorsport and hopefully we can put a show on.”

Doyle will be joined by compatriots Chris Holder, Troy Batchelor and wildcard Sam Masters at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, on one of the longest circuits on the calendar. The two reserves, also Aussies, are Justin Sedgemen and Max Fricke.

BUY TICKETS FOR MELBOURNE ROUND

Prices start from $49 for adults and $24.50 for juniors. Ticket holders will also have free access to Friday's practice session scheduled for 3:00pm.

The Newcastle-born Doyle is guaranteed a place in the 2016 Speedway World Championship after finishing second at the penultimate round in Poland recently.

Doyle had reached four of the previous five SGP semis ahead of his Polish breakthrough, but was still searching for his first final appearance.

"I have always wanted to have what Chris (Holder) and Darcy (Ward) had when they were at (British league team) Poole," said Doyle. "They were on top of the world, riding in the best leagues and if you don’t strive for something, you might as well pack up, go back and ride in Australia."

He would love another trip to the rostrum in Melbourne. The podium experience was so new to Doyle in Torun that he could do with a bit more practice.

The Torun, Leicester and Dackarna star said: “There are so many aspects to the first year in the GP. I didn’t even know how to get on the rostrum the right way without getting told what to do!

“You learn these things and I hope I can learn this rostrum thing a little bit better and get some more practice in Melbourne!”

Doyle’s relief as he ended his final hoodoo was huge. He said: “I needed to get into the final – even if I got a fourth place. I needed to get this semi-final thing off my back.

“I’ve been getting into the semis and messing it up, so to just ride my own race and take that pressure off is a great feeling going into Melbourne.

“On the second lap, I was thinking ‘this is where I normally throw it away!’ It hasn’t been the pressure that made me throw it away the last couple of times. It has just been not knowing the tracks as well as I know Torun. I knew that once I could get a good run, I could ride a good race.
“The major thing was to get out of Torun with a lot of points. We went there with the aim of 10. We don’t go to a GP and say ‘we want to win it.’ We’ve been bagging the points this season and we wanted to be safe.”

Doyle is elated to have earned a second season in the SGP elite. He’s currently fifth in the world championship on 103 points — just two behind Niels-Kristian Iversen in fourth.

He’s set to finish an unforgettable season as Australia’s national champion and top SGP performer.

Despite years spent in the shadow of 2012 world champion Holder, Ward and Batchelor, Doyle refused to give up on his dream of being one of the world’s best.

Doyle, who overcame years of chronic shoulder injuries to get into the SGP elite, said: “I’m really enjoying myself in the GPs and that feeling in Torun was one I can’t explain.

“I never pictured making the podium or the top four or five. I’ve had the hard times, but now I’ve had this amazing couple of years. There are hard meetings and ups and downs in speedway, so to finally secure a great night on the rostrum in a GP ... not many riders can say they have. I’m up there now.

“I have always wanted to have what Chris and Darcy had when they were at Poole. They were on top of the world, riding in the best leagues and if you don’t strive for something, you might as well pack up, go back and ride in Australia.

“I wanted to be the best I can. I still want to be the best I can. I have some great people behind me now and a great fiancée, Emily. She looks after me through the season.

"Without special people like that, it makes it difficult for speedway riders. You have to have a good team around you and I have one of the best.”