LEIGH ADAMS is determined not to give up his Australian Championship title without a fight, writes DAVE EATON.

The Swindon Robins skipper and defending champion has ensured that the 2007 title and five-round series will go down to the wire tonight.

Adams followed up his success in his hometown of Mildura on Wednesday with victory in round four yesterday at Gillman, and in the process outgunned his great rival Jason Crump again in the A final showdown.

Reigning world champion Crump had to be content with runners-up spot for the second time in 48 hours but still leads the series.

Unfortunately for Adams he may be left to rue two engine failures in round one in Newcastle last week.

As a result of them he only finished fifth in the 20-heat qualifiers and only made the B final which he won.

In round two in Sydney a couple of days later Adams had to give second best to Crump again when runner-up in the A final.

However, the Swindon Robins No 1 has certainly not given up hope of a record breaking 10th title and has hit back superbly.

Adams won in Mildura from Crump and repeated the dose again at Gillman Speedway yesterday but on this occasion collected Crump's prize scalp twice.

Adams topped the 20-heat qualifiers with a five-ride 15-point maximum defeating Crump in heat nine and followed that up gain when the pair clashed in the A final.

As a result of his second win in three days Adams has moved to within three points of Crump overall - he has 73 to the world champion's total of 76 points.

However, with just one round to go, which will be staged today at Borderline Speedway, Mount Gambier, South Australia, the title chase goes right down to the wire.

But with 20 points for a win and 18 for second place it would appear that Crump is still favourite to depose Adams of his crown.

All the Swindon skipper can do is concentrate on winning the A final and see if Lady Luck can shine for him.

Results, standings

QUALIFYING SCORES

1 LEIGH ADAMS (3-3-3-3-3) 15pts; 2 Jason Crump (3-3-2-3-3) 14; 3 Chris Holder 11; 4 Rory Schlein 10; 5 Simon Stead 10; 6 Jason Doyle 10; 7 Steve Johnson 9; 8 Travis McGowan 8; 9 Scott Nicholls 8; 10 Mark Lemon 8; 11 Troy Batchelor 6; 12 Corey Gathercole 4; 13 Cam Woodward 3; 14 Tom Hedley 2; 15 Trevor Harding 1; 16 Tyron Proctor 1.

HEAT DETAILS

  • Heat 1; Stead, Lemon, Woodward, Hedley.
  • Heat 2: Crump, Johnston, Doyle, McGowan.
  • Heat 3: ADAMS, Nicholls, Gathercole, Harding.
  • Heat 4: Holder, Schlein, Batchelor, Proctor.
  • Heat 5: Johnston, Lemon, Proctor, Nicholls (ef).
  • Heat 6: Crump, Holder, Stead, Gathercole.
  • Heat 7: ADAMS, McGowan, Schlein, Hedley.
  • Heat 8: Doyle, Batchelor, Woodward, Harding.
  • Heat 9: ADAMS, Crump, Lemon, Batchelor.
  • Heat 10: Schlein, Stead, Johnston, Harding.
  • Heat 11: Nicholls, Doyle, Holder, Hedley.
  • Heat 12: McGowan, Gathercole, Woodward, Proctor.
  • Heat 13: Holder, Lemon, McGowan, Harding.
  • Heat 14: ADAMS, Doyle, Stead, Proctor.
  • Heat 15: Batchelor, Johnston, Gathercole, Hedley.
  • Heat 16: Crump, Nicholls, Schlein, Woodward.
  • Heat 17: Schlein, Doyle, Lemon, Gathercole.
  • Heat 18: Stead, McGowan, Nicholls, Batchelor.
  • Heat 19: Crump, Hedley, Harding, Proctor.
  • Heat 20: ADAMS, Holder, Johnston, Woodward.

B FINAL

  • Heat 21: Stead, Doyle, Johnston, McGowan.

A FINAL

  • Heat 22: ADAMS, Crump, Holder, Schlein.

Overall Standings (4 rds)

1 Crump 76pts, 2 LEIGH ADAMS 73, 3 Johnston 61, 4 Schlein 60, 5 Nicholls 52, 6 Stead 51, 7 joint Doyle and Lemon 49, 9 Holder 48, 10 McGowan 42.