Oxford Cheetahs' No 1 Leigh Adams kept the flag flying with another determined display to reach the Consolation final in the Czech Grand Prix at the Marketa Stadium in Prague on Saturday.
His display was in marked contrast to both Todd Wiltshire and Brian Andersen, who failed to make much impact in a meeting won in thrilling style by Californian Billy Hamill for the second year running.
Todd Wiltshire leads Bill Hamill in heat 13, but Hamill got through for victory There was drama right up until the final heat where Tomasz Gollob was thrown out by the Polish referee for touching the tapes. The official took a long time throughout the meeting to unleash the tapes, and the angry Gollob threw his bike down in disgust before marching off and taking a swipe at the TV cameraman on his way.
The incident cost him dear in his pursuit of leader Tony Tickardsson who had to settle for second behind Hamill, with Jason Crump maintaining his challenge in third.
Wiltshire ended up with six points on the night, his worst so far of the series.
Andersen finished 17th, grabbing a measly four points and looks like heading for the GP challenge.
Meanwhile, Adams rode a cracker to collar Gollob and win heat 18 in some style to make the semi-finals, and a second successive podium place looked on the cards.
However, despite a good start, Hamill and Crump passed him and Adams had to battle to hold fellow countryman Ryan Sullivan at bay to hold on to third spot.
The Consolation Final looked to be in his grasp, but off the outside gate, he could never match the inside trio.
The ten points puts Adams him level with Wiltshire and Sullivan on 48 and all three are looking good to make the top ten.
HEAT DETAILS
Ht 1: Brhel, Sullivan, Stonehewer, ANDERSEN. Ht 2: Kasper, Hamill, Smith, P Karlsson (e/f). Ht 3: Gustafsson, Pedersen, Hancock, Protasiewicz. Ht 4: Walasek, Loram, Ferjan, Louis. Ht 5: Hanock, Stonehewer, P Karlsson, Louis. Ht 6: ANDERSEN, Protasiewicz, Ferjan, Smith. Ht 7: Brhel, Hamill, Loram, Gustafsson. Ht 8: Sullivan, Walasek, Pedersen, Kasper. Ht 9: Loram, Protasiewicz, Hancock, Kasper. Ht 10: Pedersen, Stonehewer, Andersen, Gustafsson. Ht 11: Rickardsson, Brhel, Holta, Stonehewer. Ht 12: Sullivan, Crump, M Karlsson, Protasiewicz (exc/tps). Ht 13: Hamill, ADAMS, WILTSHIRE Pedersen. Ht 14: Gollob, Walasek, Loram, Klingberg. Ht 15: Klingberg, Holta, WILTSHIRE, Protasiewicz. Ht 16: Loram, Stonehewer, Pedersen, M Karlsson. Ht 17: Rickardsson, Hamill, Crump, Walasek. Ht 18: ADAMS, Gollob, Sullivan, Brhel. Ht 19: Stonehewer, Crump, Klingberg, Brhel (e/f). Ht 20: Sullivan, Waslasek, Holta, Loram.
1st semi-final: Richardsson, Gollob, Walasek, Stonehewer(ret).
2nd semi-final: Crump, Hamill, ADAMS, Sullivan.
Consolation final: Sullivan, Walasek, Stonehewer, ADAMS.
Grand final: Hamill, Rickardsson, Crump, Gollob (exc/tps).
Current standings: Rickardsson 86 pts, Gollob 75, Crump 63, Wiltshire 48, Adams 48, Sullivan 48, Klingberg 43, Pedersen 38, Hamill 37, Stonehewer 28, Gustafsson 28, Loram 26, P Karlsson 25, Hancock 23, M Karlsson 21, Nilsen 20, Andersen 20,
Ferjan 17, Protasiewicz 16.
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