POOLE Pirates star Maciej Janowski will be a Grand Prix rider in 2015 - if Matej Zagar finishes in this year's top eight.

Following a fourth-placed effort in Saturday’s Grand Prix Challenge, Janowski will have to rely on Zagar to secure his spot.

Zagar triumphed at Lonigo but the Slovenian should not need that insurance as he is likely to qualify by right.

The top three in Italy were Zagar, Jason Doyle and Chris Harris and with Janowski just behind in fourth, he is in prime position to sneak on to the SGP circuit in 2015.

Currently fifth in the 2014 standings, Zagar has a 19-point gap between himself and the ninth-placed Freddie Lindgren with two rounds remaining.

Although the 23-year-old Janowski seems likely to earn his spot at speedway’s top table, the dream of his Poole team-mate Shamek Pawlicki is over.

The Wimborne Road favourite, who has only just returned from a broken collarbone, scored 10 points from his five qualifying rides and finished one point behind his Polish countryman.

Janowski flew out of the traps to head Hans Andersen in heat two and the ex-Swindon man followed that up with a useful second in heat seven.

A third-placed outing behind Thomas H Jonasson and Oliver Berntzon gave the Pole an uphill task but he came straight back out to record a vital win over Harris and Pawlicki.

Janowski then secured fourth with a dramatic closing ride in which he had to force his way past Nicolai Klindt and Peter Ljung after missing the gate.

Grand Prix Challenge result: 1 Matej Zagar 13 (winner after run-off with Doyle and Harris), 2 Jason Doyle 13, 3 Chris Harris 13, 4 Maciej Janowski 11, 5= Shamek Pawlicki 10, 5= Thomas H Jonasson 10, 5= Nico Covatti 10, 8 Peter Kildemand 8, 9 Peter Ljung 7, 10 Hans Andersen 6, 11= Linus Sundstrom 5, 11= Nicolai Klindt 5, 13 Oliver Berntzon 4, 14 Janusz Kolodziej 3, 15 Mads Korneliussen 2, 16 Mattia Carpanese 0, 17= Michele Paco Castagna 0, 17= Nicolas Vicentin 0.

  • Top spot in the Elite League will be determined tomorrow night when King’s Lynn travel to Belle Vue.

A draw or better would relegate Poole to second and give the Stars the choice of play-off semi-final opponents.