DAN Bewley was crowned the 2024 British Champion in front of a near sell-out crowd at the National Speedway Stadium on Saturday night.
The now triple British Champion locked horns with fellow Grand Prix regular Tai Woffinden in a thrilling concluding heat in which he got the better of the three-time world champion.
Bewley becomes the first rider since Woffinden’s reign in 2013-2015 to win three consecutive British titles and was naturally delighted at his achievement.
He said: “Three in a row is just awesome, and it’s such a cool meeting to come to. It’s one of the biggest meetings of the year for us, so to get three in a row is still surreal.
“Tai has got three in a row so for me to match that is pretty cool. He was in front in the Final and I knew it was going to be difficult to make something happen.
“But I just thought if I could stay on his back wheel and hope a door opens, and a little one did and I got through.”
Woffinden added: “It was good to be back in the British Final. Of course, I’d have liked to go one better but fair play to Dan, he found a way past me in the final and congratulations to him.
“I could’ve stopped his run but it would’ve been a pretty hard move if I had and I’m always one to give a racer room and he took the opportunity.”
One of the biggest twists of the night came with shock elimination of GP star Robert Lambert, one of the favourites for selection for Great Britain in the upcoming Speedway of Nations.
Lambert just missed out on a place in the semi-final by 1 point, being beaten to the punch by three-time British Champion Chris Harris.
Meanwhile, former ATPI Aces rider Tom Brennan is heading to Cardiff’s Principality Stadium as the British Grand Prix wildcard after he finished third in the British Final.
The youngster dominated the qualifying heats to progress directly through to the Grand Final along with Dan Bewley in one of his best seasons in Speedway to date.
He said: “I had a fantastic night, just a shame I couldn’t go the extra step but I guess that is mainly down to experience.
“But definitely we’ll keep working and Cardiff is something very special for British riders, and it is a massive occasion for myself.
“To rock up against the best riders in the world is obviously my dream so for me it is going to be a massive experience and I am going to take this opportunity with both hands.”
Words by Hayley Bromley – Images by Ian Charles
