West Cumbrian ace Dan Bewley won the Swedish Grand Prix last night after a brilliant ride in the final.
The Maryport-based former Workington Comets rider produced a brilliant inside pass at the start of the final lap to get in front of Martin Vaculik who had looked a certain winner.
Bewley had been working the outside line for the better part of the race but dived tight down the inside to grab the lead to go on and claim his first Grand Prix triumph of the season.
In total it was his third Grand Prix win – from only three appearances in the final. Each one has been in different countries – Wroclaw in Poland and the British Grand Prix in Cardiff last year, and now the Swedish Grand Prix in Malilla.
When he won in Poland Wroclaw was his home track and remarkable he has been riding at Malilla in Sweden this year.
After his victory the 24-year-old Belle Vue Aces number one said: “It’s been quite a week because on Tuesday I didn’t know whether I would be riding in the Grand Prix.
“I’d taken a heavy fall at Wolverhampton and wasn’t able to take my last few rides so the following day I was very sore.
“I did ride at Ipswich on Thursday but nothing went right and it wasn’t good preparation. Even tonight we had to change a few things and they worked fine in the semi-final and final.”
Bewley had got through to the semi-final with eight points, grabbing a vital third place ahead of fellow Brit Robert Lambert off the very last bend.
He had won his first ride but then had a second and three thirds to reach the semi-final.
In that first semi-final there was a big crash involving Freddie Lindgren, who was excluded, and Vacilik, which meant three riders were in the re-run.
Bewley eventually got past Patrick Dudek and then produced that remarkable inside pass to snatch the glory to the delight of the travelling British fans and the Malilla-based Swedish supporters.
Bewley now moves up to fifth in the overall standings halfway through the 16-rider Grand Prix series.
