FIM BYDGOSZCZ GRAND PRIX OF POLAND

GRAND Prix ever-present Greg Hancock finally converted his run of Finals into victory in a spectacular Polish Grand Prix at Bydgoszcz. The ever-popular American had two second places and two fourths to show for his Final appearances so far this season, but made the right move at the right time for his first win in nearly two years.

As Hancock celebrated at the top of the podium, there were similarly high emotions alongside him as Nicki Pedersen and Tomasz Gollob savoured another good night's work. Pedersen's second place kept up his astonishing record of consistency this year, having reached every Final so far. The reigning World Champion has one win, four seconds and four thirds in 2008... and that now adds up to a 28-point lead with two rounds to go as his chief rival Jason Crump failed to reach the Final.

Whilst Pedersen took the most points of any rider from the meeting, Gollob undoubtedly had the most support and was so close to adding yet another Bydgoszcz victory to his CV.

In race after race he delighted his fans with surging moves from the back, showing total expertise of the circuit on his way to a 15-point maximum and a win in the semi-final as well.

However, the Final was a different story as Gollob, having picked the inside starting position, missed the gate fractionally and was clamped by Pedersen.

As they disputed the lead, Hancock saw his chance to turn back on the inside, and Gollob lost further time in re-taking third place from Scott Nicholls, who appeared in a Final for the second time this season.

Pedersen was content to follow Hancock home and keep Gollob at bay, and Crump's score of nine points on the night has left a fascinating duel for second place overall - if Pedersen proves impossible to catch - as Crump, Hancock and Gollob are now covered by just nine points.

Nicholls' fine showing included wins in both of his first two rides, and that helped him to move to within one point of the top eight.

The eighth position seems to change hands at every event, and Rune Holta is now the man in possession of the last automatic place in next year's series, even though he did not make the semi-finals.

That was largely because Fredrik Lindgren, eighth going into the meeting, endured a nightmare meeting including a tapes exclusion and a mechanical failure - but the Swede along with Chris Harris, Niels-Kristian Iversen and Bjarne Pedersen are all one big-scoring meeting away from making their move into the top eight.

A delighted Hancock, meanwhile, dedicated his win to his late friend Darren Boocock, who lost his life with his wife Sharon in a road accident in July.

"What a night," enthused the American, "I've been struggling all year to get a win, things have been going wrong in finals and semi-finals, but tonight I really wanted to get it right.

"This place is something special, to beat Tomasz Gollob around here is quite an achievement, and for me it's a big achievement. The guy is still the master of this track, but tonight I got one!

"Nicki is almost like a machine but we'll keep trying to take points away from him. I'm going for everything I can, and we'll keep fighting all the way."

POLISH GRAND PRIX RESULT: Greg Hancock (USA) 18, Nicki Pedersen (Den) 21, Tomasz Gollob (Pol) 20, Scott Nicholls (GB) 10, Hans Andersen (Den) 11, Wieslaw Jagus (Pol) 9, Leigh Adams (Aus) 9, Jason Crump (Aus) 9, Andreas Jonsson (Swe) 8, Rune Holta (Pol) 6, Krzysztof Kasprzak (Pol) 6, Chris Harris (GB) 5, Niels-Kristian Iversen (Den) 4, Bjarne Pedersen (Den) 4, Lukas Dryml (Cze) 3, Fredrik Lindgren (Swe) 0.

STANDINGS: Nicki Pedersen 155, Jason Crump 127, Greg Hancock 120, Tomasz Gollob 118, Hans Andersen 102, Leigh Adams 98, Andreas Jonsson 79, Rune Holta 63, Scott Nicholls 62, Fredrik Lindgren 59, Chris Harris 54, Niels-Kristian Iversen 53, Bjarne Pedersen 49, Krzysztof Kasprzak 44, Lukas Dryml 35.