Wednesday 28th September 2011, 11:45

Three-time world champion Jason Crump conceded that he may miss out on a record-breaking 11th straight season in the World Championship’s top three after failing to reach the Croatian SGP semi-finals on Saturday.

The Australian international accrued eight points from his five heats, despite starting his night with one from two rides.

But his third place in heat four proved costly in the final shake-up as Freddie Lindgren also finished on eight, but progressed into the semis after taking second spot ahead of Crump in that race.

The Rzeszow man is still fourth in the SGP standings on 104 points and trails third-placed Jaroslaw Hampel, who has 117, by 13. Gorican winner Andreas Jonsson holds the silver medal position on 118.

With a huge haul of points at the season-closing FIM Enea Gorzow SGP of Poland on October 8, Crump could still snatch a rostrum place.

His top-eight spot is virtually secure, unless the Bristol-born man has a catastrophic night at the Edward Jancarz Stadium and ninth-placed Freddie Lindgren has an absolute blinder.

But having finished second in the Nordic SGP at Vojens on September 10 to put himself right back in the thick of the medal race, Crump was disappointed with his night in Gorican.

He said: “The result didn’t go absolutely how I wanted. But I picked up a lot of points in Vojens (17) and almost secured my top eight spot. It’s pretty tight around there.

“The first thing you have to do is look at staying in the top eight. After that you go for a medal or the championship, depending what position you are in. Maybe this year, for the first time in a while, I won’t get one.”

Crump made no excuses for his struggles early in the meeting. He said: “Again, I just made a mess of the first two or three heats and, by then, it’s difficult to catch up.

“It has kind of been the story of the season so far; I’ve just been doing the wrong things at the wrong time. It showed in my score.

“The guys that have been doing well all year still did well and the guys who have been up and down were still up and down. The track was pretty good. There was no problem there. Personally I just didn’t get it right.”

While Crump left Gorican somewhat frustrated, he was delighted for newly-crowned world champion Greg Hancock – a man he has been racing at the top level for the past two decades.

He said: “I’m very, very proud for Greg. To win the World Championship twice is difficult. I know that. But to win it with a 14-year break is an unbelievable, unbelievable achievement.

“This year he came out from the first round and showed us all he was on the gas and on the pace. At 41 years of age, he showed us all he has what it takes and has done a terrific job this year.

“He deserves it. Anyone who wins the World Championship over 11 Grand Prix rounds deserves to be champion. He rubberstamped it on Saturday and showed us how you do it.”

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