Doyle leads world speedway title by 14pts

Australia will almost certainly crown its newest world speedway champion – Jason Doyle – at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium on Saturday, October 28 at the final round of the 2017 Speedway Grand Prix Series.

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The Newcastle (NSW) rider leads the standings by 14pts (142 to 128) over Poland’s Patryk Dudek following the penultimate round in Poland overnight – won by Dudek.

The championship has now come down to a two-rider battle between Doyle and Dudek, with Tai Woffinden well back in third position on 115pts.

There are a maximum of 21pts up for grabs at Etihad Stadium, so even if Dudek claimed a maximum (which hasn’t been achieved all season), Doyle only has to score a handful of points in his five heat rides to become just the sixth Aussie speedway world champion since the championship commenced in 1936. The previous winners have been Lionel van Praag (1836), Bluey Wilkinson (1938), Jack Young (1951-1952), Jason Crump (2004/2006/2009) and Chris Holder (2012).

Round 11 action in Poland saw Dudek win the opening semi-final, with Doyle bowing out of proceedings after a third place finish.

Dudek then went onto win the final, his first in the SGP ranks, from multiple world champion Woffinden, Matej Zagar and Bartosz Zmarzlik. Holder was 11th overall, while the third Aussie rider, Max Fricke, finished in 14th position.

Track reserve Fricke was left dazed after a heavy fall in heat 15. The Aussie caught the back wheel of Martin Vaculik while entering turn three of lap one, subsequently going over the high side of his bike and landing heavily on his shoulder.

POLISH RESULTS AND CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS

Holder is 10th in the standings on 82pts, but will be striving hard at Etihad Stadium – and history says he can do it – to move back into the top eight and an automatic entry into the 2018 Speedway Grand Prix series.

Get your tickets to see all the action at the magnificent Etihad Stadium on October 28: it could just be an Aussie bonanza!