Speedway: Cardiff success for Harris

Jul 2 2007 by Andy Howell, Western Mail

CHRIS “BOMBER” HARRIS blitzed the Millennium Stadium to achieve hero status with British speedway fans and send a record crowd of 41,247 into a noisy frenzy.

The Cornishman was nicknamed after Air Marshall Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, the World War II chief of the RAF’s bomber command.

And the recently-crowned national champion became the first British rider to win the FIM British Grand Prix since the event moved to Cardiff six years ago.

A flying Harris did it the hard way as he powered his way from last to first during a sensational final in a daring manner which would have won the approval of the original “Bomber” Harris and, for that matter, almost any other pilot.

The 25-year-old was slowest away from the tapes, but picked off Australia’s Leigh Adams coming out of the first bend before closing in on world champion Jason Crump and leader Greg Hancock.

Aussie Crump, twice king of the oval and son of former Newport Wasps favourite and 1976 world championship bronze medallist Phil Crump, was attempting to go around Hancock at the front.

But the American was having none of it, pushing Crump wide and creating the room for Harris to join the high-speed battle. He did not need a second invitation and dived under Crump before closing in on last year’s world runner-up Hancock.

Nevertheless, victory still looked a tall order approaching the final bend, but Harris kept his throttle pegged wide-open and feigned a pass on the outside before cutting back inside Hancock to pip him to the chequered flag.

“If somebody had said at the beginning of my debut Grand Prix season, ‘You could win in Cardiff.’ I would have liked to have said ‘yes’ but would have laughed at the same time,” beamed Harris, whose mother’s boyfriend is Welsh. “Now I don’t know whether to laugh, smile or cry. It is an awesome feeling, more than I dared dream about. It has not sunk in.”

Harris had also come from behind in his semi-final, devouring Poland’s Jarek Hampel with another superlative manoeuvre to finish behind Adams and clinch a place in the final.

Who said there isn’t any overtaking in speedway? With the world’s best in action, there was plenty and hardly any of the 23 four-lap races was a procession during an exciting night’s entertainment which drew fans to the capital from around the world, boosting the Welsh economy in the process.

Harris was second highest qualifier for the semi-finals, sandwiched between Hans Andersen and championship leader Nicki Pedersen.

But the semis turned into a nightmare for the Danes, Andersen being kept at bay by Crump and Hancock, while Pedersen was excluded from the re-run in the second after sliding into the air safety fence at the first turn.

FIM British Grand Prix: 1 C Harris (Great Britain) 20; 2 G Hancock (USA) 17; 3 J Crump (Australia) 15. World Championship standings (after five of 11 rounds): 1 N Pedersen (Denmark) 86; 2 L Adams (Australia) 75; 3 Hancock 67; 4 H Andersen (Denmark) 67; 5 Harris 56; 6 Crump 53. 1 C Harris (Great Britain) 20; 2 G Hancock (USA) 17; 3 J Crump (Australia) 15.

World Championship standings (after five of 11 rounds): 1 N Pedersen (Denmark) 86; 2 L Adams (Australia) 75; 3 Hancock 67; 4 H Andersen (Denmark) 67; 5 Harris 56; 6 Crump 53.