FOUR SPEEDWAY GP STARS IN STELLAR PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL LINE-UP

Speedway GP quartet Dan Bewley, Fredrik Lindgren, Jason Doyle and Robert Lambert face a strong early-season test when they line up at tonight’s Peter Craven Memorial meeting in Manchester.

The annual event at the National Speedway Stadium – home of the 2024 FIM Speedway of Nations – features a stellar field, with Speedway GP substitutes Max Fricke and Maciej Janowski also in action, while 2022 SGP2 wild card Celina Liebmann makes history as the first female rider to compete against undoubtedly the strongest line-up she has faced so far.

FIM North America champion Luke Becker, four-time FIM Speedway World Cup winner Niels-Kristian Iversen and triple British champion Chris Harris also compete, along with Belle Vue Aces favourites Brady Kurtz, Jaimon Lidsey, Norick Blodorn, Ben Cook, Connor Bailey and Connor Mountain.

The event gives SGP riders a golden opportunity to warm up for the Speedway GP World Championship season, which gets underway with the FIM Speedway GP of Croatia in Donji Kraljevec on April 27.

A host of the stars on show will also be hoping to stake their claim for places in their country’s FIM SON three-rider starting line-up as 15 countries battle it out for the sport’s world team title in Manchester from July 9-13.

Lindgren got his season underway with victory in Charles Wright’s testimonial meeting at Redcar on Sunday and will hope to build on that, while reigning Peter Craven champion Doyle bids to win a record fifth title. But Belle Vue No.1 Bewley and former Belle Vue riders Lambert and Fricke will be keen to make the most of their Manchester track knowledge.

Looking ahead to the event, Belle Vue CEO Mark Lemon said: “Over the years, we’ve been proud to witness how the Peter Craven Memorial has evolved into such a prestigious event, attracting some of the best riders in the world to race in it. 

“I think this is the first time we’ve had such a strong Grand Prix presence in the field, including the world No.2 Freddie Lindgren. 

“It’s fantastic to feature all our current Belle Vue Aces, which supporters would naturally expect, and I strongly believe each one of them has plenty to contribute to the evening. 

“When we put this line-up together, we wanted to see fierce competition, but we also pride ourselves on inclusivity and we recognise that this event is an excellent opportunity for young riders. 

“The inclusion of the first female speedway racer to compete in this prestigious event has caught the attention of many. Celina Liebmann is not too different to our young German Ace Norick Blodorn. The likes of Norick, Drew Kemp and Fredrik Jacobsen were relative unknowns when they first raced in the Peter Craven Memorial and look at them now! 

“Norick has developed into a Premiership-calibre rider at the tender age of 19 and for Celina and Connor Bailey, they too can also benefit, not just from the experience of racing in this meeting but racing alongside some of the best in the world.

“This line-up is one of the best we’ve ever had at the National Speedway Stadium and ticket sales so far certainly speak volumes to that, and we hope everyone is as excited as we are.”

PETER CRAVEN MEMORIAL LINE-UP: Fredrik Lindgren, Max Fricke, Dan Bewley, Luke Becker, Brady Kurtz, Jaimon Lidsey, Jason Doyle, Celina Liebmann, Connor Mountain, Norick Blodorn, Robert Lambert, Maciej Janowski, Connor Bailey, Ben Cook, Chris Harris, Niels-Kristian Iversen.