Eastbourne speedway star Mark Loram reached the semi-finals of Saturday's Czech Republic Grand Prix.
The Eagles' No. 1, who was world champion two years ago, has only five riders ahead of him after six rounds of this year's title race.
It was another good performance by Loram, who has now finished third on two occasions and twice been fifth in six meetings.
Another final appearance eluded him when he was squeezed out by current championship big guns Ryan Sullivan and Tony Rickardsson in the semi-finals in Prague.
The meeting was won by Jason Crump, who beat Greg Hancock, Sullivan and Rickardsson in the final.
Rickardsson and Sullivan are now joint leaders in the Grand Prix standings with 112 points. Crump is third on 95, and Loram has 78.
Semi-finals: 1 Greg Hancock, Jason Crump, Billy Hamill, Lukas Dryml. 1 Ryan Sullivan, 2 Tony Rickardsson, 3 Mark Loram, 4 Leigh Adams. Final: 1 Crump, Hancock, Sullivan, Rickardsson.
Leaders: Equal 1 Tony Rickardsson and Ryan Sullivan 112pts; 3 Jason Crump 95; 4 Tomasz Gollob 79; 5 Leigh Adams 79; 6 Mark Loram 78; 7 Mikael Karlsson 72; 8 Greg Hancock 62; 9 Billy Hamill 56; 10 Lukas Dryml 50.
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