HUCKENBECK, KUBERA, FRICKE, JENSEN-SGP CHALLENGE QUALIFIERS

German star Kai Huckenbeck took a giant step closer to guaranteeing his place in the 2025 Speedway GP series after qualifying for the FIM SGP Challenge on Monday.

Huckenbeck triumphed in the SGP qualifier at German track Abensberg on 14 points to seal his spot in the FIM SGP Challenge in Pardubice on Friday, October 4.

The top four riders there are guaranteed places in the 2025 Speedway GP series as 16 riders compete on the opening night of the Czech city’s famous Golden Helmet weekend.

Huckenbeck was joined in making the cut by fellow SGP newcomer Dominik Kubera, Speedway GP first reserve Max Fricke and former Danish Champion Rasmus Jensen, who all made it through on 13 points, with Jensen winning a run-off for second place in the meeting ahead of Kubera, who took third spot, with Fricke in fourth place.

It was heartbreak for Great Britain star Tom Brennan, who just missed the cut on 10 points, with former SGP stars Kim Nilsson and Martin Smolinski also falling short on nine apiece.

Former FIM SGP Challenge winner Przemyslaw Pawlicki has the chance to regain his place in the Speedway GP series for the first time since 2018 after winning the qualifier at Hungarian track Debrecen on 14 points.

Swedish star Antonio Lindback, who has featured in 110 Speedway GP rounds, is also in the running for an SGP return after sealing second place on 13. 

There was a run-off for the final two qualification places after three riders tied on 12 points. The decider was won by Latvian ace Andzejs Lebedevs, while Poland’s Kacper Woryna finished second to claim the last qualification spot, with Danish star Frederik Jakobsen the rider who missed out.

Double Swedish champion Jacob Thorssell exited the qualifiers on 11 points, with Ukrainian racer Stanislav Melnychuk falling short on nine.

The remaining two Speedway GP qualifiers will take place at Slovak circuit Zarnovica and Italian venue Lonigo this Saturday.

FIM SGP CHALLENGE LINE-UP SO FAR: Kai Huckenbeck (Germany), Rasmus Jensen (Denmark), Dominik Kubera (Poland), Max Fricke (Australia), Przemyslaw Pawlicki (Poland), Antonio Lindback (Sweden), Andzejs Lebedevs (Latvia), Kacper Woryna (Poland), plus eight more TBC.

ABENSBERG SCORES: 1. Kai Huckenbeck 14, 2. Rasmus Jensen 13+3, 3. Dominik Kubera 13+2, 4. Max Fricke 13+1, 5. Tom Brennan 10, 6. Kim Nilsson 9, 7. Martin Smolinski 9, 8. Jesse Mustonen 8, 9. Leon Flint 8, 10. Nicolas Covatti 5, 11. Glenn Moi 5, 12. Daniel Klima 4, 13. Valentin Grobauer 4, 14. Andriy Rozaluk 3, 15. Mathieu Tresarrieu 1, 16. Julian Kuny 0, 17. Sandro Wassermann 0.

DEBRECEN SCORES: 1. Przemyslaw Pawlicki 14, 2. Antonio Lindback 13, 3. Andzejs Lebedevs 12+3, 4. Kacper Woryna 12+2, 5. Frederik Jakobsen 12+1, 6. Jacob Thorssell 11, 7. Stanislav Melnychuk 9, 8. Benjamin Basso 8, 9. Rohan Tungate 6, 10. Adam Ellis 6, 11. Gino Manzares 6, 12. Jan Macek 4, 13. Marius Hillebrand 3, 14. Norbert Magosi 3, 15. Denis Stojs 1, 16. Roland Kovacs 0, 17. Richard Fuzesi 0.