BRENNAN EYES CARDIFF WILD CARD SPOT AT BRITISH FINAL

British shooting star Tom Brennan is bidding to punch his ticket for the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain – Cardiff on August 17 and make up for his 2022 heartbreak at tonight's British Championship Final in Manchester.

The 2021 FIM Speedway of Nations gold medallist heads to the National Speedway Stadium, as one of the favourites to win the national title and finish as the top non-Speedway GP rider to claim the coveted Cardiff wild card.

With reigning champion Dan Bewley, Robert Lambert and triple Speedway GP world champion Tai Woffinden all in action, it’s the strongest British Championship line-up in recent memory. But Brennan is ready to take the fight to his international teammates on the Manchester track, where he spent three seasons racing for Belle Vue.

The 2021 British Under-21 champion was cruelly denied a spot in Britain’s biggest indoor motorsport event in 2022. He was jointly leading the British Final with Bewley and Chris Harris on eight points until it was halted due to rain with no winner declared on August 1. 

This saw 2021 British champion Adam Ellis handed the Cardiff spot for August 13, 2022, and Brennan then finished second to Bewley in the British Final restaging on September 18, which would have been enough to secure him the FIM British Speedway GP opportunity had it still been on offer.

After being denied two years ago, Brennan would love to take possession of the famous No.16 race jacket in Cardiff this time around.

He said: “I actually got it two years ago and, unfortunately, I never got my chance. But we move on from that and I wouldn’t be in it if I didn’t think I could win it tonight. I’m there for the win.

“It would be a huge opportunity for me. I am breaking through in Sweden and Poland now, so getting to Cardiff is one of those targets for me for sure. Obviously it’s an aim for any rider to go and win the British Championship. We will be giving it everything.”

Cardiff 2022 winner Bewley’s place at the Principality Stadium is already secure as a full member of the Speedway GP series. 

But the stakes are still high as he heads to Manchester chasing what would be his third straight national crown.

He said: “Winning the British Championship for the second time was such a thrill and it would be cool to do it for a third time, but it’s going to be a tough night for all of us.

“I’m okay with being the guy with the target on his back. It motivates me to be even better than before, but anything can happen and there are 15 other guys who are capable of winning.”

The British Final line-up also features former Speedway GP stars Harris and Craig Cook, plus 2023 Monster Energy FIM Speedway World Cup silver medallist Ellis, and two more former British champions, Rory Schlein and Charles Wright.

BRITISH FINAL LINE-UP: 1 Drew Kemp, 2 Robert Lambert, 3 Chris Harris, 4 Simon Lambert, 5 Craig Cook, 6 Connor Mountain, 7 Adam Ellis, 8 Tai Woffinden, 9 Lewis Kerr, 10 Steve Worrall, 11 Dan Bewley, 12 Anders Rowe, 13 Rory Schlein, 14 Tom Brennan, 15 Charles Wright, 16 Kyle Howarth. Reserves: 17 Freddy Hodder, 18 Matt Marson.