ROBERT Lambert admitted his grandad who started his career was “looking down on him proudly” after he landed the Sports Insure British Championship title.
The King’s Lynn man lived up to his moniker with a flawless performance, producing a 15-point maximum in the qualifying heats before winning an epic final at Belle Vue last night.
Lambo had to withstand the fierce thrusts of Dan Bewley in a frantic final but rode a strong race to win the national title aged just 20.
It came just 72 hours after he won a silver medal for helping Great Britain to runner-up in the Monster Energy FIM Speedway of Nations in Poland on Saturday night.
Lambert admitted: “It’s very emotional for me that my grandad Edward couldn’t see this. When I reflect on that, I did this for him. But he’s up there watching me I’m 100 per cent sure. He’s going to be definitely proud of me.
“I’ve given him back something for all he did for me.
“There’s no time to celebrate, we are kicking on to Stansted now. Few hours sleep and then Sweden. We just keep rolling and racing.”
Now Lambert has got his sights on another big night at the British Grand Prix in Cardiff as a wild card next month.
He added: “It’s awesome you can only dream of it. I’m so proud and happy to achieve this at my age.
“I think I deserve it, I’ve had a good start to the season. I’m really pleased what I’ve done tonight.
“The Speedway of Nations, I’ve taken a lot out of that, a great deal of experience and knowledge that I didn’t have before.
“To race on the world stage and then come back here and to win the British Final is a big achievement.
“Now we have to kick on to Cardiff as British Grand Prix wildcard. Obviously I’m going to be gunning for the big boys there.”
Lambert was a cut above on another glorious showcase of British speedway on the racy, pacy Manchester circuit.
The headline act early into the affair was the return of broken leg victim Steve Worrall who bravely mixed it, picking up three points, but not surprisingly a lack of match fitness curtailed his meeting after three rides.
But there was no stopping Lambert. Time and again he sliced through the field, picking off three-times champ Chris Harris in Heat 12 and then seven-times champ Scott Nicholls a race later.
Defending title holder Craig Cook wasn’t giving up without a fight. His pass of Nicholls on the line in Heat 19 to go straight to the final had the huge Manchester crowd on its feet.
Another home star Dan Bewley also gathered momentum as the night progressed. After a slow start, his final two race wins from the back booked his semi-final spot.
The semi was a brutal battle. Nicholls was once again picked off by Bewley and then surprise packet Jason Garrity who had been impressive all night in his usual swashbuckling, heartstopping self.
But the final was all about the young Brit guns. Lambert and Bewley slugged it out for two laps, Lambert on the outside resisting Bewley’s bursts from the inside in a nerve-shredding encounter.
Lambo prevailed while defending champ Cook had delivered a solid show for bronze this time around.
However it was Lambert’s night as he roared clear for an impeccable sixth win. His mum and dad hugged him in emotional scenes at the pit gate - while his grandad Edward no doubt watched from above.
Workington 52 – Dan Bewley 14 Scunthorpe 38 – Jason Garrity 11+1 Championship points: Workington 3 Scunthorpe 0
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE Buxton 32 – Connor Coles 9+1 Mildenhall 58 – Danny Ayres 14+1 National League points: Buxton 0 Mildenhall 4
SATURDAY AUGUST 4:
TEST MATCH, Glasgow Great Britain 33 (Tai Woffinden 12) Australia 57 (Chris Holder 11+2)
TRAVEL PLUS NATIONAL LEAGUE Mildenhall 50 – Josh Bailey 9+1 Belle Vue 28 – Kyle Bickley 8/Tom Perry 8 Abandoned after Heat 13 (medical cover) – Result stands National League points: Mildenhall 3 Belle Vue 0
