DOUBLE British Champion Robert Lambert will defend his title at Belle Vue on Saturday August 15 (7pm).
Lambert has been named as one of two Wild Cards for the showpiece Manchester event, with the other going to reigning British Under-21 Champion Cooper Rushen.
Last year, Lambert claimed his second British title in one of the all-time great races around the National Speedway Stadium as he triumphed in an epic Final battle with Charles Wright, Dan Bewley and Chris Harris, all of whom could have won on the last lap.
Now he will return as one of the in-form riders in the World as he sits third in the Grand Prix standings after finishing runner-up in the last two rounds at Wroclaw and Malilla, followed up by winning last weekend’s GP Challenge at Italian venue Terenzano.
Lambert said: “I think the Final last year was one of the best races of the season, and for many years.
“It’s a super racetrack and I’m looking forward to coming back to Manchester. It wasn’t such a good Grand Prix there for me, but at the same time we can improve on that in the British Final.
“I’d love to get my name on the trophy again for sure, and that would be a great achievement.
“I’ll be fully focused on it, and of course I’m looking forward to racing in front of the British fans.”
Meanwhile 16-year-old Rushen is rewarded for his British Under-21 triumph at Redcar as well as an outstanding debut season which has seen him racking up the points for King’s Lynn and Poole.
He said: “It’s a pretty crazy thing and I wasn’t really expecting it, but it’s an awesome event to be in and I’ll just enjoy the experience. It’s another learning curve.
“I know it’s going to be a great line-up, some great guys qualified and there’s some great guys who already got through, so hopefully we can put on a show for all the fans who are going to be there – and hopefully the rider who wins deserves it!”
Lambert and Rushen join the eight seeded riders and the six who qualified from the recent semi-final at Leicester to complete the line-up.
Tickets and hospitality packages for the British Final are available from: https://www.bellevue-speedway.com/tickets .
BRITISH FINAL LINE-UP (Not in draw order): Dan Bewley, Tom Brennan, Will Cairns, Craig Cook, Jason Edwards, Adam Ellis, Leon Flint, Chris Harris, Drew Kemp, Danny King, Robert Lambert, Anders Rowe, Cooper Rushen, Jody Scott, Dan Thompson, Charles Wright. Reserves: Jake Mulford, Dan Gilkes.