Live speedway is to make a sensational return to free-to-air television in Britain – with the Cab Direct British Speedway Championship Final in Manchester to be screened by ITV4 and ITVX at 7pm on Saturday.
Speedway GP duo Robert Lambert and Dan Bewley are both due to take their places at the National Speedway Stadium, with Bewley set to make a late call on his fitness as he recovers from the broken femur he suffered in Denmark on May 20, which has sidelined him for the last seven SGP rounds.
Lambert, who is currently in contention for the Speedway GP world title, clinched his second British crown last year at the National Speedway Stadium in an epic final, widely regarded as one of the best in the history of the sport. He overcame former champions Charles Wright, Bewley and Chris Harris in a remarkable four-way, four-lap battle which went right down to the wire.
Three more former champions Adam Ellis, Craig Cook and Danny King also feature in the draw, as well as some of the sport’s top rising talent including 16-year-old Cooper Rushen and 17-year-old home favourite Will Cairns.
The return to ITV platforms will evoke memories of televised speedway coverage on the World of Sport programme, which ran until the mid-1980s.
Back then, top events such as the World Final, British Final and international test matches were regularly featured, bringing the sport to the widest possible audience and making household names out of many of the riders.
Nowadays, ITV4 is the main linear television outlet for ITV Sport, while ITVX is the streaming service operated by ITV plc and will also offer live coverage of the British Final as well as a chance to relive the action for those unable to tune in live.
Premiership CEO Phil Morris said: “I’m delighted we can once again bring speedway to free-to-air television, and especially for such a big event as the British Final.
“I’d like to thank everyone who has been involved in putting this all together, and especially Cab Direct for coming on board as title sponsors.
“We plan to make the event a real spectacle, and that will be the case for everyone attending on the night as well as those watching on ITV.
“We know we can expect a night of top-class racing with so much at stake for the riders on a superb circuit, which always produces thrilling action. Even by Belle Vue’s standards, the Final last year was extraordinary, but we hope this year’s event will be just as memorable, and to have it on free-to-air television with ITV is fantastic news for the sport.”
Live coverage from Manchester on Saturday, August 15 will get underway at 7pm with the meeting parade, with the opening race at 7.15pm.
CAB DIRECT BRITISH FINAL DRAW: 1 Anders Rowe, 2 Cooper Rushen, 3 Craig Cook, 4 Robert Lambert, 5 Adam Ellis, 6 Drew Kemp, 7 Will Cairns, 8 Dan Thompson, 9 Jason Edwards, 10 Danny King, 11 Charles Wright, 12 Dan Bewley, 13 Jody Scott, 14 Leon Flint, 15 Chris Harris, 16 Tom Brennan. Reserves: 17 Jake Mulford, 18 Ace Pijper.