Hunter rider Jason Doyle is just one point off the world championship lead after winning the Czech Speedway GP.
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The win capped off a big week for the Newcastle rider after being named with fellow Hunter riders Sam Masters and Rohan Tungate in the 10-man Australian Speedway World Cup team.
Doyle overcame all sorts of drama to claim the Czech title, using his three bikes on the night.
Racing out of the outside lane four he moved at the gate incurring a warning. In the re-run he got off to a flying start and led last year’s world champion Greg Hancock, Czech wildcard Vaclav Milikn and championship leader Patryk Dudek into the first corner and never gave up his lead..
The championship series moves to Horsens for the Danish SGP on June 24.
Doyle reduced Dudek’s lead in the world championship to just one point and is back on track to complete unfinished business from last year when he led the series but crashed heavily in the penultimate race.
Doyle led the series into Torun in after claiming three successive grand prix victories, but was slammed into the protective barrier when British rider Chris Harris lost control of his bike and crashed in heat three.
He suffered a punctured lung, fractured elbow and dislocated shoulder and missed the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne and the Australian title series.
The World Cup competition gets started with Event 1 at King’s Lynn on July 1, featuring Great Britain, Australia, US and the Czech Republic, before Vastervik stages Event 2, starring Sweden, Denmark, Russia and the qualifying round winners on July 4.
The Australians have a strong line-up led by Doyle and former world champion Chris Holder.
Former World Championship rider Troy Batchelor has been named in the squad, along with World Under-21 champion Max Fricke and national champion Sam Masters.
World Under-21 finalists Brady Kurtz and Jack Holder complete the squad, along with Josh Grajczonek, Nick Morris and Tungate.
Selection in the World Cup squad will be a boost for Pelaw Main’s Tungate who was dropped by his Premier League team the Somerset Rebels.
Tungate is continuing to ride in Poland with success.
He was disappointed with the Rebels decision to drop him after he agreed to fill the No.1 rider at short notice.
“I’m not a Premiership No.1. When I signed I wasn’t signed as No.1 but they couldn’t find anyone to do that job,” Tungate told the Daily Star newsparer
“That didn’t help me - maybe I can end up being a No.1 but you need time and have to build yourself up.
“You need to have the experience to have your first race against Grand Prix winners like Freddie Lindgren and Jason Doyle.”
WORLD TITLE STANDINGS: 1 Patryk Dudek 51, 2 Jason Doyle 50, 3 Martin Vaculik 44, 4 Fredrik Lindgren 43, 5 Maciej Janowski 41, 6 Piotr Pawlicki 39, 7 Greg Hancock 38, 8 Tai Woffinden 37, 9 Emil Sayfutdinov 33, 10 Bartosz Zmarzlik 32, 11 Niels-Kristian Iversen 28, 12 Chris Holder 27, 13 Matej Zagar 25.