American Idol Sammy Halbert travels to Pardubice in the Czech Republic for the fifth Final of the 2024 FIM Flat Track World Championship powered by Anlas, Kineo, Blackburst and HKC Koopmann this coming Saturday (5 October) knowing he could sew up the title with one round still remaining.
- US star Sammy Halbert holds ten-point championship lead
- Home advantage for reigning champion Ervin Krajčovič in Pardubice
- British star Tim Neave defends third in series standings
In his debut season in the series, the thirty-seven-year-old from the Pacific Northwest won the final round of 2023 and ever since has not finished off the podium, getting his 2024 campaign under way with a third in Italy and backing this up with victories in Germany and Great Britain before racing to a second-placed finish last time out at Morizès in France.
This incredible combination of speed and consistency gives him a healthy ten-point lead heading into the Stadion Pardubice – Svítkov ahead of local hero and defending champion Ervin Krajčovič (KTM) who has also been a regular visitor to this year’s podium with two second-placed finishes and a third from the last three rounds. However, the thirty-three-year-old knows he must claw back the deficit to Halbert on Saturday or the championship could be lost ahead of the sixth and concluding Final scheduled for one week later at Debrecen in Hungary.
Unless disaster strikes either of the two pace-setters, the title looks likely to be decided between them with third-placed Tim Neave (Yamaha) a further twelve points off the lead, but the battle for bronze is still wide open and the twenty-nine-year-old British star – in just his second full season in the championship – will be nervously looking over his shoulder at a trio of riders who are all within realistic striking distance.
Just three points behind Neave in fourth, two-time champion Lasse Kurvinen (KTM) is enjoying an impressive return to the series after two years away and the forty-five-year-old Finn started strongly with victory at the opening round at Boves-Cuneo.
Winner at Morizès with an unbeaten scorecard, Italy’s Matteo Boncinelli (Beta) – who was third last year and second in 2022 – is just a point adrift of Kurvinen and he will be keen to carry this momentum into Pardubice, but he will also be fighting a rearguard action on Saturday with his compatriot Kevin Corradetti (GASGAS) – the 2021 runner-up – only one point further behind in sixth.
Of course, the top six are by no means the only riders focused on a podium on Saturday afternoon and Ondřej Svědík (Yamaha) will be hoping home support will spur him on into the top three for the second time this season while 2022 champion Gerard Bailo (Zaeta), who was runner-up last year, will be looking to improve on his current seventh in the standings.
The action in the Stadion Pardubice – Svítkov is scheduled to get under way with the first Heat at 13:00 local time with the action streamed LIVE on FIM-MOTO-TV.
Words and Feature Image courtesy of FIM Flat Track
