Australian star Jason Doyle has stormed to a sensational German Speedway Grand Prix success at Teterow.
The Newcastle-born racer won the historic 200th SGP event – his third SGP round of the season and his second in succession.
Doyle did it the hard way after rounding Polish starlet Bartosz Zmarzlik with an epic opening lap and a half to triumph in the final.
With World Championship leader Greg Hancock finishing third, Doyle has cut his advantage from seven points to five.
While the 46-year-old Californian is in his 22nd SGP season, 30-year-old Doyle is only in his second.
After years of dealing with doubters and injuries, the Swindon, Zielona Gora and Rospiggarna man is grafting hard to make up for lost time.
“I think many years ago, I didn’t have what I have worked for now. I don’t want to throw it away,” Doyle said.
“I had many years with injuries and people putting me down, saying I wasn’t good enough and ‘go back to Australia.’
“I wanted to give myself some plans and some goals to make it in speedway. I didn’t want to go back home and say I didn’t give it 100 percent. When I retire, I want to say I did it 100 percent.
“I’ve spent a lot of money. People just think you rock up with two or three bikes and that’s it. But there is a lot of behind-the-scenes work with engines and with the boys.”
Doyle was quick to pay a glowing tribute to his mechanics, father and son duo Dave and Sam Haynes, Johno Birks and Mark Seabright.
The next assignment for Doyle and his rivals is the Stockholm SGP on September 24, followed by the FST Grupa Brokerska Torun SGP of Poland on October 1, before the season finale – the QBE Insurance Australian SGP at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium on October 22.
World Championship standings
1 Greg Hancock 109
2 Jason Doyle 104
3 Tai Woffinden 96
4 Bartosz Zmarzlik 88
5 Chris Holder 85
6 Maciej Janowski 72
7 Piotr Pawlicki 71
8 Antonio Lindback 70
9 Nicki Pedersen 62
10 Fredrik Lindgren 59
11 Niels-Kristian Iversen 57
12 Peter Kildemand 56
13 Matej Zagar 49
14 Andreas Jonsson 39
15 Chris Harris 33
16 Patryk Dudek 8
17 Martin Smolinski 8
18 Danny King 7
19 Krzysztof Kasprzak 7
20 Michael Jepsen Jensen 7
21 Anders Thomsen 5
22 Peter Ljung 4
23 Vaclav Milik 3
24 Tobias Kroner 2
25 Denis Stojs 1
26 Nick Skorja 1
27 Daniel Kaczmarek 1
German Speedway Grand Prix points
1 Jason Doyle 17
2 Bartosz Zmarzlik 13
3 Greg Hancock 15
4 Niels-Kristian Iversen 11
5 Piotr Pawlicki 11
6 Tai Woffinden 10
7 Martin Smolinski 8
8 Chris Holder 8
9 Michael Jepsen Jensen 7
10 Nicki Pedersen 7
11 Antonio Lindback 6,
12 Peter Kildemand 6
13 Chris Harris 6
14 Fredrik Lindgren 6
15 Matej Zagar 3
16 Tobias Kroner 2
17 Maciej Janowski 2
18 Kai Huckenbeck DNR.
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