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News, Views & Racing Results ....
 Speedway: British Grand Prix Cardiff. HOME GLORY FOR HARRIS - 30-06-2007
A DREAM come true? A fairytale more like … Chris Harris became the first British rider to win the FIM Meridian Lifts British Grand Prix since the event moved to Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium in 2001.
Harris, recently crowned British Champion, continued his sensational debut Grand Prix season with a stunning last lap, last gasp victory over Greg Hancock and Jason Crump in front of a record crowd of 41,247.
Harris is the hero British speedway has been looking for and his never-say-die attitude, plus a huge talent, is being rewarded with success at the highest level.
Harris was second highest qualifier for the semi finals behind Hans Andersen who had been in fine form from the start with three successive wins. Fellow Danes Nicki Pedersen and Bjarne Pedersen were also amongst the early leaders but while Bjarne faded Nicki, as usual, battled his way to the semis.
The two semi-finals turned into a nightmare for the Danes. Andersen fell on the first turn of his semi but was fortunate to see the referee allow him back in the rerun. At the second time of asking Crump and Hancock kept Andersen at bay and despite a frantic four laps Scott Nicholls again missed out on a place in a final.
In the second semi Nicki Pedersen also fell on the first turn but this time the referee was not so lenient and excluded the championship leader. Leigh Adams led from the start but Poland’s Jarek Hampel looked as though he would deny Harris a place in the final until the Cornishman stormed through to second.
In the final Hancock made all the early running but Harris first stormed passed Crump and then with over 40,000 fans on their feet he out-witted Hancock and raced through to the chequered flag.
Nicki Pedersen still leads the 2007 Grand Prix championship race with 86 points but Adams has closed the gap to 11 with Hancock and Andersen tied on 67. Harris, who collected 20 points for his Cardiff win, is now fifth on 56.
"This was more than I dared dream about," said an emotional Harris. "It still hasn’t sunk in."
Sportingly both Hancock and Crump, who lifted Harris on to their shoulders on the rostrum, paid full tribute to the ‘new kid on the block’. Crump said he was just happy to be back on the rostrum again after a lean 2007 while Hancock, pipped at the post too often for his own liking, added his own tribute to Harris.
John Postlethwaite, the man behind the phenomenal rise of the British Grand Prix, said it was probably the best meeting he had ever witnessed.
None who saw it live at the Millennium or on television around the world would argue with that.
FIM Meridian Lifts British Grand Prix: C.Harris (Great Britain) 20, G.Hancock (USA) 17, J,.Crump (Australia) 15, L.Adams (Australia) 14, H.Andersen (Denmark) 13, N.Pedersen (Denmark) 12, S.Nicholls (Great Britain) 9, J.Hampel (Poland) 8. A.Lindback (Sweden) 7, B.Pedersen (Denmark) 7, R.Holta (Poland) 5. M.Zagar (Slovenia) 5, A.Jonsson (Sweden) 5, D.Howe (Great Britain) 4, T.Gollob (Poland) 3, W.Jagus (Poland) 0.
Overall standings: N.Pedersen 86, L.Adams 75, G.Hancock 67, H.Andersen 67, C.Harris 56, J.Crump 53, A.Jonnsson 38, T.Gollob 36, J.Hampel 34, S.Nicholls 30, W.Jagus 29, B.Pedersen 28, R.Holta 27, M.Zagar 25, A.Lindback 22.
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