BECKER BAGS FIM NORTH AMERICA TITLE TO JOIN SGP QUALIFICATION RACE

USA star Luke Becker booked his place in next season’s Speedway GP qualification rounds after lifting his fourth FIM North America Championship in Bakersfield, California last Saturday.

Becker claimed his fourth crown at Kern County Raceway with a 15-point maximum – going unbeaten for the third year in a row – as he matched 1993 FIM Speedway world champion Sam Ermolenko’s record of four North American titles.

The Leicester rider’s latest success earns him a spot in the international SGP qualifiers, where he will race to reach the FIM SGP Challenge at Danish track Holsted on August 9. The top four riders there earn guaranteed places in the 2026 Speedway GP series.

Becker will be joined by former continental champion Max Ruml, who took second overall on 13 after a huge victory in heat 20 over Slater Lightcap, Broc Nicol and Russell Green. A third and final Speedway GP qualification place will be allocated by USA team manager Steve Evans at a later date, with riders racing full-time in Europe taking priority for the nomination.

Third place went to 17-year-old surprise package Charlie Trana, who took three race wins to finish on 12, defeating fellow podium contenders Lightcap, Alex Martin and Billy Janniro on the biggest night of his young career so far.

In the youth categories, SGP4 champion Brady Landon capped off a sensational 2024 season by lifting the FIM North America 250cc Championship.

After starring on the 190cc machine designed by six-time world champion Tony Rickardsson in the 2024 FIM Speedway Youth World Cup in Malilla, Sweden in June, he stepped up to 250cc in the States and triumphed ahead of fellow SGP4 rider Kensei Matsudaira in second and Jameson Hutchinson in third place.

Meanwhile, nine-year-old Zaal Farhand won an epic battle for the FIM North America 150cc Championship after just 18 months in the sport, seeing off Riley Rearick in second and Ryder Schultz in third.

Rearick and Schultz were battling for the USA’s spot in the 2025 SGP4 event – which was elevated to world-championship status by the FIM last Friday. After both applied for the place, a tense showdown ensued and Rearick held on to punch his ticket to Denmark’s Vojens Speedway Center on Saturday, September 13.

Next year’s FIM SGP4 World Championship takes place on the same day as the Speedway GP world title decider, with the final round of the SGP2 series also being staged 24 hours earlier on Friday, September 12 as Vojens marks 50 years of racing by crowning three world champions over two action-packed days.

FIM NORTH AMERICA CHAMPIONSHIP SCORES: 1 Luke Becker 15, Max Ruml 13, Charlie Trana 12, Alex Martin 11, Broc Nicol 11, Slater Lightcap 11, Russell Green 8, Austin Novratil, 7, Billy Janniro 7, Levi Leutz 5, Justin Almon 5, Timmy Dion 4, Rees Todd 3, Eddie Castro 3, Greg Moore 2, Jordan Vanderham 2.

PHOTO CREDIT: Dale Miller