Mildura's Leigh Adams (Jawa) has won his second world speedway GP with a scintillating performance in round five at
Krsko, Slovenia, on Saturday, July 12.
The 32-year-old became the fifth winner in as many rounds in 2003 when he outlasted Nicki Pedersen (GM),
Scott Nicholls (Jawa) and Tomasz Gollob (Jawa) in the final. Earlier, the reigning world number four finished
second in his semi-final behind Gollob, before his coup de grace in the big one saw him accept the winner's
trophy for only the second time in a seven-year world speedway career. His breakthrough victory came in last
year's Scandinavian Grand Prix.
Adams, a five-time national champion, is now the third Australian to win a GP in 2003, behind Ryan Sullivan
(round two) and Crump (round four). The latter was eliminated in the opposing semi-final to Adams at Krsko
under the most frustrating of circumstances " running out of fuel. The 27-year-old Crump then limped home
fourth behind Nicholls, Pedersen and the unheralded Polish rider Tomasz Bajerski.
"I wanted to do much better this year," Adams said, "but it just wasn't working out". "But tonight I had two good
gate positions in the semi-final and final, and I wasn't about to mess them up."
Adams was actually passed by Pedersen on the last lap of a pulsating final but cut back to regain the lead.
"It was a good, fair race and for a moment I thought Nicki had it, but I made a good cut back and got in front again,"
Adams added.
Adams' victory has now seen him displace fellow Jawa rider Crump (72pts) out of third place in the nine-round
title and American Greg Hancock (GM, 69) out of fourth for that matter. Adams is on 78pts, 11 behind the
duo that is deadlocked in equal first, five-time world champion Tony Rickardsson (GM) and 26-year-old Pedersen.
