SPEEDWAY: Ipswich Witches asset Tomasz Gollob is in pole position to win his first world title after gaining a maximum 24 points in the Nordic Grand Prix in Vojens, Denmark at the weekend.

The Pole extended his series lead to 19-points, with reigning champion Jason Crump now his nearest challenger.

It means the 38-year-old can seal the title in Terenzano, Italy on September 25 if he can score a further six points. The final GP is in his home town of Bydgoszcz on October 9.

But having lost the title in 1999 when he went into the final round with a four-point advantage over Swedish legend and another Ipswich asset Tony Rickardsson, and going close on a number of other occasions, Gollob is taking nothing for granted.

He said: “It’s a long journey, but hopefully Terenzano and Bydgoszcz will be good for me and I will be world champion.

“I’m in a good position now, but I’m not happy yet because I haven’t won it. There are more meetings in the championship.”

Gollob is already being hotly tipped to shine at Terenzano, where he dropped just one point on his way to victory last season. But the Gorzow (Poland) and Vastervik (Sweden) rider knows producing a repeat performance will be tough.

He said: “Everybody will be good at Terenzano – it’s not about me and Crumpie. There are 16 guys who can do well.”

World Championship (after nine rounds): T Gollob 141pts, J Crump 122, J Hampel 121, K Bjerre 98, R Holta 88, C Holder 83, G Hancock 81, C Harris 76, H Andersen 71, A Jonsson 70, F Lindgren 70, N Pedersen 67, M Zetterstrom 60, T Woffinden 39, E Sayfutdinov 33.