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RUML ROARS TO SECOND STRAIGHT FIM NORTH AMERICA TITLE

American racer Max Ruml booked his place in the 2023 FIM Speedway Grand Prix qualifiers after retaining the FIM North America Championship at Perris in California on Saturday. The 2020 champion dropped just one point over five rides to top the podium on 14 in a meeting which decides the American entrants for the SGP World Championship qualifiers to be staged next summer. He is joined in the international rounds by American FIM Speedway of Nations star Luke Becker, who scored 13 to take second place, while international colleague Broc Nicol took the third and final berth in the SGP qualifiers on 12. But the night belonged to Ruml, who got the better of two riders that starred in Europe last summer. The former Edinburgh man raced to three straight victories, before being beaten to the chequered flag by Nicol in heat 16. But Ruml hit back with a win over former Wolves rider Chris Kerr in heat 19 to secure top spot and follow up his AMA National title win earlier this year. Becker will have started the night as favourite, having starred for the USA as they reached the Final Qualifier in Semi-Final 1 of this year’s SON. But Ruml got the better of him in his second outing, before USA under-21 rider Blake Borello defeated Greg Hancock’s protégée in their final ride. Nicol was also forced to battle for his place in the SGP qualifiers. Despite winning his opener, a second behind Dillon Ruml in heat seven and a third behind Becker and Kerr in race 10 threatened to dash his hopes. But Nicol responded with back-to-back wins, including his triumph over Max Ruml, to seal his shot at SGP qualification. Aaron Fox took fourth place on 11 – a score matched by Kerr – while Max’s younger brother Dillon raced to 10 points and sixth spot. Former Ipswich rider Gino Manzares notched nine and his qualification hopes ended in a heavy crash in heat 20, which saw him taken to hospital for checks. He was said to be feeling better the next day and was released after being kept in overnight for observation. On a night he defeated Becker, Borello showed his potential as he accrued eight points along with Alex Martin.

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BRENNAN BAGS BELLE VUE DEAL

FIM Speedway of Nations winner Tom Brennan returns to Manchester after securing a second season with Belle Vue in 2022. The 20-year-old played a key role in Great Britain landing their first world team title since 1989, when he served as their under-21 rider at the SON Final in October, scoring seven points and going unbeaten by an opponent on the National Speedway Stadium shale. Brennan was signed by the Aces as their rising star for 2021 and, after learning his trade on the tight and technical Eastbourne track, he was pleased to adapt to the fast and furious Manchester circuit. Now he’s targeting a place in the Aces top five next year. He said: “I’m very happy to have the opportunity to come back to Belle Vue for the 2022 season. I learned so much from my time with the club last year. Everyone from the management to the lads I was on track with gave me a lot of help and encouragement. “I was, admittedly, a little nervous about the National Speedway Stadium because it was so different to what I’m used to, but towards the end of the year things really stated to click. “It’s amazing to see all the supporters commenting on Facebook that they wanted to see me back at the club and that is a big relief for me, to be honest. “The Belle Vue fans have been very welcoming to me. It’s always nice to get along with the fans and to have their backing is very important. “I want to prove that the faith everyone has in me hasn’t been misplaced, and I would love to prove myself capable by moving out of reserve and into the main body of the team next season. I made a lot of progress in 2021. I want to be a more well-rounded rider and I feel I’m ready to challenge for one of the spots in the main one-to-five.” Photo: Taylor Lanning

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MORRIS CROWNED QUEENSLAND CHAMPION

Aussie star Nick Morris clinched the Queensland State Championship at North Brisbane on Saturday. In a meeting promoted by former FIM Speedway Grand Prix favourite Darcy Ward, former FIM Speedway World Cup finalist Morris got the better of 2021 Wolves team mate Ryan Douglas on the first turn to triumph in the A Final after both men scored 12 points in their heats. Scunthorpe racer Zaine Kennedy dropped just one point to finish the heats on 14, but he was forced to fight off B Final winner Dave Watt for third place in the opening stages. Despite pushing hard on the run to the line, he was unable to relieve Douglas of second place. Watt retired from professional racing after the 2017 Australian SGP in Melbourne, but he rolled back the years, scoring 10 points in his heats. He then won the B Final ahead of former Plymouth rider Zane Keleher, Jacob Hook and Declan Kennedy. Keleher scored 11 points in the heats, falling just short of A Final qualification. This year’s Aussie state championships have added significance with the Australian Solo Championships and the FIM Oceania Championship cancelled due to the pandemic-related travel restrictions. State championship meetings offer riders the chance to secure UK visas by finishing in the top four. But with Morris a British passport holder, Douglas and Kennedy already certain of 2022 team places and Watt no longer competing in Europe, this year’s result will not offer any new stars their chance to race full-time in the UK. Photo: Taylor Lanning

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VACULIK ADDS BJARNE PEDERSEN TO SGP TEAM

Slovak star Martin Vaculik hailed double FIM Speedway World Cup winner Bjarne Pedersen a "world legend of speedway” after adding him to his FIM Speedway Grand Prix crew for 2022. Pedersen is no stranger to the SGP series, having won the 2004 European SGP in Wroclaw and raced full-time in the competition from 2003 to 2008, peaking at sixth place in the World Championship in 2005, before qualifying for one final season in 2012. The Dane also won two SWC gold medals with his country at Reading in 2006 and Vojens in 2008. He brought the curtain down on his racing career this year by playing a pivotal role in British club Peterborough’s charge to the SGB Premiership league title, as part of their iconic Dad’s Army team. Pedersen hinted at possible new roles in and out of the sport, and it appears Vaculik has won the race to recruit a man widely regarded as one of speedway’s ultimate professionals. Posting on Facebook, a delighted Vaculik confirmed: “I’m pleased to announce that my team is joined by the world legend of speedway, Bjarne Pedersen, who has finished his adventure with speedway, but will help me in the 2022 season. I’m very happy for this cooperation.” Pedersen is pleased to be teaming up with Gorzow star Vaculik, a former world No.5 who is bidding to bounce back from an injury-interrupted season in 2021. He said: “I can announce that I will be a part of Vaculik Racing Team in 2022. I am looking forward to getting started and sharing my experience and knowledge in the team. “Martin has had a strong team around him in 2021 and I look forward to making it even stronger around him in 2022.” Photo: Taylor Lanning

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CHAMPION LAGUTA: NOTHING TO DEFEND IN 2022

World champion Artem Laguta said “I am not here to protect my 2021 world title; I’m here to attack for the next one.” Laguta became the first rider representing the Motorcycling Federation of Russia to be crowned world champion this year. The Bolshoy Kamen-born racer is also the sport’s first Asian-born world champion. Only three riders have successfully defended an SGP world title since the series was launched in 1995. Swedish great Tony Rickardsson achieved the feat twice in 1998 and 1999 and 2001 and 2002, before Nicki Pedersen topped the podium in 2007 and 2008 and Bartosz Zmarzlik made it a double in 2019 and 2020. Laguta stopped Zmarzlik from making it three in a row this year and will be hoping to join this elite club of back-to-back winners in 2022. Defending the World Championship is no easy task, so Laguta has decided to take a different mental approach. He said: “When the first round starts, it’s a new challenge. There is really nothing to protect. My medal from 2021 is at home and it’ll be there forever. I don’t want to put this crown of world champion on my head all the time because it is heavy – it doesn’t help you to do good training sessions or win races. I’m leaving this crown at home and I know it will always be there. “We have been working hard for this title as a team for a long time. It was a dream and the dream has come true now. But we have another season of hard work and a new challenge ahead. “I have felt how victory and the champagne tastes at the end of the season. It’s a great feeling. Before you get it, you cannot imagine what it is like. But when you try it, it is something great and you desire it again.” For 2022, Laguta becomes the first rider to wear the iconic No.1 race jacket since SGP 2013 champion Tai Woffinden took the number for 2014. Since 2014, riders have had the option to choose a personal rider number in the SGP series, and Woffinden is the only champion who previously took up the option to line up at No.1 instead of picking his famous No.108. Some may prefer to stick with their own number for branding purposes. Others may fear the No.1 puts a target on their back. But Laguta was never going to turn down the chance to swap his No.222 for No.1. He said: “I’m not scared of taking No.1 when I am allowed to – you may only get this chance once! Hopefully not, but a lot of MX and Supercross riders in the US take No.1 as well. “They can go back to their number at any time, but you are only allowed to be No.1 if you are world champion, so I’m taking it. "Maybe some are worried because everyone wants to take the world title away, but I am not here to protect my 2021 world title; I’m here to attack for the next one.”

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RUML ROARS TO SECOND STRAIGHT FIM NORTH AMERICA TITLE

BRENNAN BAGS BELLE VUE DEAL

MORRIS CROWNED QUEENSLAND CHAMPION

VACULIK ADDS BJARNE PEDERSEN TO SGP TEAM

CHAMPION LAGUTA: NOTHING TO DEFEND IN 2022