Wednesday 26th March saw Robert Lambert claim the British Under 21 Speedway championship at Poole and admits it was a "huge relief" to be finally crowned British Under-21 Champion. For a third successive year, the Norfolk born racer won all five of his programmed rides in stylish, quick fashion.
But 2015 and 2016 saw Lambert denied the title after being pipped to the post in the Grand Final.
However, at Poole's Wimborne Road Stadium, it was to be a different story as Lambert held his nerve to beat Adam Ellis, reigning Champion Josh Bates and Nathan Greaves as the 19-year-old secured his maiden National individual title.
Said Lambert: "I actually had a dream last night that I finished second again in the final!
"But thankfully I stayed calm, focused and relaxed all night long and in the final I made a good start and it was easy out front after that.
"This is one of those stepping stones I've now finally taken to take me a step closer to where I want to get to.
"It feels great and after winning the Premiership Pairs with Chris (Holder) for King's Lynn in March it continues a great start to the season for me"
The Main Event saw Danyon Hume taken to hospital with a suspected arm injury. The Ipswich and Birmingham racer suffered a seized engine which threw him from his machine and he was collected by Josh Bailey who was later forced to withdraw from the meeting himself.
Once racing continued, the action was close and fierce and with Lambert going through the card and Adam Ellis only dropping one point, they were the two riders who qualified directly through for the Grand Final.
Nathan Greaves beat Liam Carr to the semi-final on countback, and after both Ellis Perks and Dan Bewley were disqualified for spills in the penultimate race, it was Greaves and Josh Bates who automatically completed the final four line-up.
Lambert opted for gate two and left his opponents standing as he stormed to a sixth win of the night and his first British Under-21 Championship.
RESULTS
BRITISH UNDER-21 FINAL, Poole
SCORERS (After 20 qualifying races): Robert Lambert 15, Adam Ellis 14, Ellis Perks 12, Dan Bewley 10, Josh Bates 10, Nathan Greaves 9, Liam Carr 9, Zach Wajtknecht 7, James Shanes 7, Connor Mountain 6, Max Clegg 6, Jack Smith 5, Danny Phillips 4, Luke Harris 3, Josh Bailey 1, Alfie Bowtell (reserve) 1, Danno Verge (reserve) 1, Danyon Hume 0.
SEMI-FINAL: Bates (Awarded), Greaves (Awarded), Bewley (f.exc), Perks (f.exc).
GRAND FINAL: LAMBERT, Ellis, Bates, Greaves.
Report by
www.speedwaygb.co
Picture by Dave Fairbrother