SHEFFIELD newcomer Jack Holder faces a crucial night at Gillman on Saturday in the final round of the Australian Championship.

The 23-year-old Aussie is closing in on a place in the top four at the top of the standings - a place which guarantees a Speedway Grand Prix Qualifier spot for the coming season.

Each of the top four from this year’s series will be heading to either Glasgow, UK, Lamothe Landerron, France or Terenzano, Italy to battle it out for a coveted spot in the GP Challenge in Slovakia.

Holder currently sits one-point and one place off the top four with 42 points to his name.

A 17-point haul and podium finish at Mildura on Thursday has fired Holder into contention. Three race wins in the programmed heats eased the Sheffield racer into the semi-finals.

It was more of the same for Holder in the semi-final as he breezed to victory alongside former Poole teammate Brady Kurtz.

Grand Prix star Max Fricke soared to victory in the final with Jack’s brother, Chris taking second. Fricke holds a healthy 11-point lead at the top of the standings heading into the final round.

Just seven points separate second placed Chris Holder and sixth placed Kurtz - setting up a grandstand finish when the series heads to Gillman on Saturday (January 11).