Dan Bewley wins Wroclaw SGP Sprint race, podiums in main, passes Freddie Lindgren for 3rd overall season series standings
Monster Energy’s Dan Bewley uncorked a big points weekend on the FIM Speedway Grand Prix series’ penultimate round in Wroclaw, Poland, winning the preamble Sprint race and adding a 3rd place podium finish in the DeWalt FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Wroclaw main event for 20 points, moving him past Monster Energy teammate “Fast” Freddie Lindgren and into 3rd position in the overall series standings.
Bewley, who’d trailed the consistently fast Lindgren throughout the entire summer series points chase, opened the scoring at Wroclaw’s Sprint race with a bang when he topped defending champion and current SGP points leader Bartosz Zmarzlik, along with current No. 2 SGP points scorer Brady Kurtz, on his (Bewley’s) home PGE Ekstraliga home track. With the effort Bewley cut Lindgren’s stranglehold on the overall bronze podium position to a manageable five points (117-112).
Then, in Saturday’s main event, Bewley would, after a win and three podiums in five qualifying races (0-2-1-3-2), take charge in the LCQ, winning that – enroute to a 3rd place finish in the Final. Bewley’s 16 points on the day, coupled with his four points from winning the Sprint race, gave him 20 points and bumped him from 108 points (entering Wroclaw) up to 128 points when he left. Lindgren would struggle, scoring only six points on the weekend and leaving Wroclaw in 4th position in the overall season standings with 123 points.
“Obviously, a good afternoon. Little bit slow in getting going, not the greatest starts. But the last three races felt pretty good,” said Bewley. “I had a lot of fun out there. Got on the fence a little bit and felt we were in a pretty awkward spot in the Final, but yeah, it is what it is.”
Wroclaw, known as the season’s biggest race in terms of size (18,000 estimated attendance), prestige and fan activity, was not lost on Bewley, who many in attendance view the British transplant as a hometown racer given he rides for the PGE Ekstraliga team that races at Wroclaw’s Olympic Stadium.
“It was cool. I wished I could have watched more, the freestyle (motocross) event. Looked like a lot of fun out there,” he added of Monster Energy’s fan activation promotion outside of Olympic Stadium. “Probably the best crowd I’ve seen. Equal to Cardiff – at least.”
Also making the Wroclaw main event was Monster Energy’s Jack Holder. The Australian won his opening qualifying round, then placed 2nd in four straight qualifiers before winning the second LCQ and placing 4th in the Final. Holder would rack up 14 points at Wroclaw, and has a lock on the top five (5th) in the overall season standings with 112 points.
Monster Energy results, Wroclaw SGP
Round 8
3rd – Bewley
4th – Holder
11th – Lindgren
Overall Season Standings (Round 9 of 10)
3rd – Bewley (128 points)
4th – Lindgren (123 points)
5th – Holder (112 points)
Up next…
FIM Speedway GP action comes to a crescendo on Sept. 13th with the final round (10) of the season at Denmark’s national speedway stadium – Vojens Speedway Center – with the running of the Deluxe Homeart FIM Speedway GP of Denmark – Vojens. For further information, including the season race schedule, racer bios and timely results, link to: www.fimspeedway.com
