Round four of the 2005 Speedway World Championship will be held at the majestic Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on June 11,
for what will be the 11th staging of the British GP.
The 320-metre purpose-built layout at the Millennium Dome, which sits 40cm above a concrete base, always produces racing of
the highest calibre, with last year‰Ûªs Big Final the most recent case-in-point. That race saw American Greg Hancock win his
seventh GP, but only after a searing final lap from Australian Leigh Adams required a photo finish to separate them.
Now, having been bundled out in the semi-finals of the last two GPs, that‰Ûªs the type of irresistible form which Adams will
have to reproduce on Saturday night if he is to keep the likes of Tony Rickardsson, countryman Jason Crump and Dane Nicki
Pedersen in his orbit.
"It is pretty obvious that I am on the brink of losing touch and that is not why I entered this competition," said Adams,
who currently leads the UK Elite League averages. "I would have hoped to be leading by now, but things aren‰Ûªt going to plan.
I still think I can win it this year, but if I don‰Ûªt gain on the leaders before the summer break (after round five) then I‰Ûªll
have to face the fact that it‰Ûªs not my year.
"I must admit to liking the Cardiff track and it is really a little championship of its own. There is added prestige to win
this particular round and I will be aiming to do just that. Put it this way; if I don‰Ûªt win it, the competition will definitely
know I was there. I won‰Ûªt go down without a fight."
Adams, who hasn‰Ûªt missed a semi-final since the final round of 2003, sits on 42pts after three of nine rounds, behind five-time
world champion Rickardsson (70), reigning title holder Crump (59) and 2003 supremo Pedersen (46).
This will be the fifth British GP at the multi-purpose 62,500-seat Millennium Stadium, which hosts an assortment of events,
including rugby, soccer, motor sport and concerts. In fact, the follow-up to the speedway will be a U2 concert on June 29!
Crump, 29, has appeared in three of the four Big Finals at the Millennium Stadium, for two second places in 2001 and 2003.
However, he is already a two-time British GP winner, having collected the silverware at Hackney Stadium in London (1996)
and Coventry Stadium in 1998.
The victory in 1996, over legendary Dane Hans Nielsen and American duo Billy Hamill and Hancock, saw Crump become the youngest
GP winner of all time ‰ÛÒ an honour he still holds. The Australian was just a shade over 21 at the time, and in only his fifth
GP start!
Crump was fourth in last year‰Ûªs Big Final behind Hancock, Adams and British rider Lee Richardson, and it would be incongruous
if he didn‰Ûªt again snare a spot in this year‰Ûªs decider ‰ÛÒ if current form holds any credence. Crump and Rickardsson have been
the only two riders to make the Big Final in the opening three rounds, with the latter now chasing a record eighth consecutive
appearance in the finale.
Since Crump in 1998, only one other Australian has won the British GP ‰ÛÒ Ryan Sullivan. The 30-year-old defeated compatriot
Todd Wiltshire in the 2002 event at the Millennium Stadium - one of only two Aussie 1-2s since the GP-style format was
adopted in 1995.
After a languid 2004, Sullivan is now returning to the type of swashbuckling form that he showed a few seasons ago, with the
renaissance in full view last time out when he equal top-scored with Rickardsson in the heats. Although his advance was halted
in the semi-finals, it still debunked the notion that his days at the pointy end of the 16-rider world championship field may
be over.
Sullivan has also recently displaced Crump at the head of individual averages in the top-tier Polish league.
Sullivan jumped four world championship spots at Slovenia‰Ûªs round three, and is now in eighth on 23pts, behind rookie
Antonio Lindback (27), Hancock (25) and Bjarne Pedersen (25).
Nine GP winners will be in the round four field, with local rider David Norris the wildcard.
CURRENT STANDINGS (after three of nine rounds):
1 Tony Rickardsson - Sweden - 70pts
2 Jason Crump - Australia - 59
3 Nicki Pedersen - Denmark - 46
4 Leigh Adams - Australia - 42
5 Antonio Lindback - Sweden - 27
6= Bjarne Pedersen - Denmark - 25
6= Greg Hancock - America - 25
8 Ryan Sullivan - Australia - 23
9 Tomasz Gollob - Poland - 22
10 Scott Nicholls - Great Britain - 21
