<I>Crash.net</I> preview - Grand Prix of Slovenia.

Round five of the 2003 Speedway GP series takes place in Krsko, Slovenia tomorrow [Saturday] with the world title race looking more open at this stage than some might have thought. Tony Rickardsson isn't having things all his own way as he seeks a record equalling sixth world title and has the usual suspects" of Nicki Pedersen, Jason Crump, Greg Hancock and Leigh Adams refusing to be shaken off.

Rickardsson does lead the standings but only by a slender seven points from Pedersen with the in-form Crump (going for back-to-back GP wins) a further eight adrift. So the Krsko scenario would appear to be Rickardsson going in to a more convincing lead if he's on the top of the podium or possibly being overtaken should he have an evening to forget and either Pedersen or Crump come up trumps.

Plenty of incentive up front for points but a few of the pack will be wanting to prove a thing or two at world level. None more so that 2000 champion Mark Loram for whom Krsko will be his competitive track return after his awkward arm injury sustained way back in May. His race fitness will be tested to the maximum but his competitiveness is not in doubt. But starting from the early heats means Loram will have to get it right immediately or face a long trip for just two rides.

The usual round of injuries and replacements means a few changes to an already competitive field. Long term injury victim Krzysztof Cegielski will have his place filled again by Peter Karlsson. Hans Andersen isn't able to resume after a recent hand injury and Russian Roman Povazhny gets the call as he did a couple of weeks ago in Copenhagen.

Ronni Pedersen's fitness battle has been lost and Lee Richardson made an abortive comeback attempt at Poole in mid-week as they become the latest GP casualties which means a call-up for David Howe and the Slovenian rider Sandor Tihany.

Bo Brhel is a further absentee after breaking his collarbone in a Swedish league meeting and another local, Denis Stojs, gets his chance at the bright lights. World number three and winner of this event in 2002 Ryan Sullivan is yet to be 100% after his respective scrapes and breaks but will risk it all tomorrow despite certain medical opinions that his bad back should be pinned and his arm needs a skin graft. Brave or misguided - make your choice.

Along with Tihany and Stojs, the home country will be well represented with Izak Santej and Matej Zagar allocated the wild-card entries. Zagar's performances for Trelawny in the Premier League have been worthy of note and with the benefit of home shale he could well rise to the occasion and be the "spoiler".

An open looking GP in an already open world championship race. A tempting prospect indeed.

Current championship standings
Tony Rickardsson 76
Nicki Pedersen 69
Jason Crump 61
Greg Hancock 58
Leigh Adams 53
Lukas Dryml 53
Rune Holta 48
Ryan Sullivan 46
Tomasz Gollob 40
Piotr Protasiewicz 33
Scott Nicholls 32
Tomasz Bajerski 28
Mikael Max 26
Andreas Jonsson 20
Bjarne Pedersen 18
Jason Lyons 17
Krzysztof Cegielski 15
Todd Wiltshire 14
Peter Karlsson 14
Ronni Pedersen 13
Lee Richardson 12
Bohumil Brhel 9
Hans Andersen 7
Mark Loram 5
Sebastian Ulamek 4
Charlie Gjedde 4
Robert Dados 3
Rafal Kurmanski 3
Simon Stead 3
Roman Povazhny 2
David Howe 2
Magnus Zetterstrom 1
Chris Harris 1
Jesper Jensen 1