JASON DOYLE may have come only third in Stockholm's Swedish GP on Saturday but in doing so he opened up a 22-point lead over Poland’s Patryk Dudek in the world championship series, writes Phil Rice.

Dudek and fellow challenger Maciej Janowski, meanwhile, had nights they won’t fondly remember.

Swindon Robins skipper Doyle, surprisingly beaten by fellow Aussie Max Fricke in the qualifiers, won his remaining four races and then led home Bartosz Zmarzlik, Freddie Lindgren and Antonio Lindback in his semi-final as his two main Polish rivals failed to qualify.

Up against Zmarzlik and former Swindon riders Matej Zagar and Peter Kildemand in the final, Doyle took the lead early on but surprisingly both Zagar then Zmarzlik passed him as the Slovenian claimed his second successive GP win to move into the top eight in the series.

Doyle now needs a maximum 21 points from the remaining two rounds starting in Torun on October 7 to claim his first world title.

The Polish venue was the scene of his awful crash when leading last year’s title chase which ended his season and nearly ended the Swindon man’s career, so expect some caution there.

It seems more likely that he will clinch the title in Melbourne on October 28.

Britain’s Tai Woffinden was twice excluded for tape touching by a referee some felt was holding the tapes too long, and his three second places saw him drop one place to sixth in the series.

Doyle may not have topped the podium, but he was ecstatic with his 18-point tally.

He said: “It’s not all about winning the final, I am very happy with the points I scored tonight.

"Who would have dreamt that I could get 18 points in a GP and extend my lead. To score that many points, I am over the moon.

"Hats off to the boys, they rode very well in the final. I am happy with my third place.”

SWEDISH FIM SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX, Stockholm

Matej Zagar 13 (1st), Bartosz Zmarzlik 12 (2nd), Jason Doyle 18 (3rd), Peter Kildemand 10 (4th), Emil Sayfutdinov 12, Chris Holder 10, Fredrik Lindgren 9, Antonio Lindback 8, Maciej Janowski 7, Piotr Pawlicki 6, Max Fricke 6, Patryk Dudek 6, Jacob Thorssell 6, Tai Woffinden 6, Martin Vaculik 5, Martin Smolinski 4, Kim Nilsson 2, Filip Hjelmland 0.

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After round 10 of 12)

Jason Doyle 132, Patryk Dudek 110, Maciej Janowski 108, Fredrik Lindgren 107, Emil Sayfutdinov 102, Tai Woffinden 100, Bartosz Zmarzlik 94, Matej Zagar 86, Martin Vaculik 85, Chris Holder 76, Antonio Lindback 72, Piotr Pawlicki 69, Peter Kildemand 46, Greg Hancock 45, Niels-Kristian Iversen 44, Vaclav Milik 20, Martin Smolinski 17, Nicki Pedersen 8,