NGK-sponsored Bewley makes history in Cardiff

Date: Tuesday 16 August 2022

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NGK-sponsored Speedway star Dan Bewley has ended Britain’s fifteen-year wait for a home winner of the FIM Speedway GP of Great Britain by powering to victory at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium.

The 23-year-old stormed to his first-ever SGP win ahead of Speedway GP World Championship leader Bartosz Zmarzlik and fellow Polish star Patryk Dudek, with Leon Madsen taking fourth place.

The Cumbrian ace, competing in his first Speedway GP season, made a lightning start in the biggest race of his life to top the podium in Cardiff’s 20th-anniversary SGP event in front of the adoring home audience which included NGK customers and fans.

The crowd also included a galaxy of Speedway GP stars as previous Cardiff winners including former world champions Tony Rickardsson, Greg Hancock, Jason Crump and Chris Holder watched on from trackside, along with Britain’s 2007 FIM British Speedway GP winner Chris Harris.

Commenting on the official Speedway GP website, he said:

“It was pretty crazy. It was only the last lap of the final where I really noticed the crowd.

“I could hear them for the last couple of laps and it was pretty cool. You have to remain focused and not let the bike get ahead of you on these tracks. I was just thinking ‘we’re here, we’re here – don’t throw it away.’ It all worked out well. I stayed cool and this gives me a taste of what it’s like to win. It only makes me want to have more wins now.

“People were saying about the pressure, but I feel good under pressure. I feel like you have to earn pressure. If you have pressure on you, it’s a good thing. You don’t get it for no reason.”

John Money, who handles Speedway sponsorship on behalf of NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd, said:

”It was a fantastic achievement by Dan to win his first-ever SGP in front of the ecstatic British crowd. It was a brilliant night that will be remembered for years by the thousands of Speedway fans at the stadium and watching at home on Eurosport.”

Fellow NGK stablemate Freddie Lindgren made the semi-finals, scoring eleven points, but it was a disappointing night for Britain’s three-time World Champion Tai Woffinden, who had to retire from the meeting because of illness after scoring four points from three races, with Robert Lambert notching five points.
Tom Brennan, British Under 21 Champion, and Leon Flint British, Under 19 Champion, also took part in the meeting, gaining valuable experience.

NGK hosted customers and guests over the weekend who enjoyed a paddock visit courtesy of Lindgren and Lambert, receiving goodie bags, before watching the SGP and the GP2 event the following day where they saw Brennan finish fifth and Flint seventh.

Having followed in Woffinden’s footsteps in becoming a Speedway GP star, Bewley hopes he can now lead a new generation of Brits on to the world stage.

He said:

“Coming from Britain, you don’t have to do a lot and people big you up a little bit too much. You have to go through some tough times to try and make it in Poland and really try and progress. Me and Robert Lambert have followed on from Tai. Tai is one of the best in the world.

“I feel like Tai has been the inspiration for us to make this step and get to that level. Hopefully we can be the inspiration for some British riders to not only focus on racing in Britain, but to take that next step and do what it takes. If you do, you can be here too.”

Bewley picked up twenty points to propel himself into fourth place in the World championship standings with 64 points, two points and one position ahead of Lindgren, with Woffinden in seventh place on 54 points and Lambert eleventh on 52 points.

Next up is the Betard FIM Speedway GP of Poland – Wroclaw on Saturday, August 27.

For more information about NGK Spark Plugs (UK) Ltd and its products and services, please visit www.ngkntk.com/uk 

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