WORLD CHAMPION Tai Woffinden is ready for the Millennium roar from 50,000 adoring fans before the start of the British Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff.
Scunthorpe-born Woffinden, 25, says ‘coming home’ to Britain and getting the deafening reception is something that will live with him forever.
He said: “It’s my home GP and the noise and the backing makes a huge difference. It’s unreal.”
Woffinden has won the world championship twice and is looking to become the first ever Brit in history to win the title three times.
He currently trails Greg Hancock by eight points in the standing after four rounds this year.
Woffy lines up for his sixth British GP and his best at the Millennium so far is runner-up two years ago.
But the poster boy Brit, who is making a rare track appearance in Britain, is looking at the bigger picture ahead of the showpiece event.
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He said bluntly: “I can win at Cardiff and not end up being world champion in the series at the end of the season. That would be a bad year for me.
“When fellow Brit Chris Harris won at the Millennium in 2007 he had so much publicity but it was just one round and what matters is the standings at the end.
“I want to be world champion, not just a Cardiff winner. But it would still be great to win it.
“Whether I win or not this evening will not change the path of my career. I know people will be looking for the pressure on me, but that won’t happen. I don’t feel it.
“I know I’m in a good position in the championship, but I really need to be up there with two or three rounds to go.”
Woffinden quit league racing in Britain a year ago and rides for clubs in Sweden and Poland. He believes his schedule is much better now for the change.
He added: “I’m all about myself now and keeping myself happy.
“I appreciate all the fans I’ve got and true fans understand where I’m coming from not racing in Britain.
“But there are still those few idiots who get stuck into you. But they’re not the ones flying in and out of countries and then jump on a bike and feeling tired and fatigued.
“I learned in 2014 that you cannot keep everyone happy, it’s impossible. I just said to myself “I’m doing it for me from now on” and it’s working great.”
Fellow Brit and former GP Cardiff winner Harris added: “I still see the replays of when I won in 2007. The atmosphere when you come out on parade and to race is something you don’t experience anywhere else in the world.”
Current standings (after 4 of 11 rounds): 1 G Hancock (US) 56pts, 2 T Woffinden 48, 3 C Holder (Aus) 44, 4 J Doyle (Aus) 42, 5 M Janowski (Pol) 41, 6 B Zmarzlik (Pol) 38, 6 A Lindback (Swe) 35.
Betting (Hills): 5-2 Woffinden, 4-1 Hancock, 12-1 Nicki Pedersen, Jason Doyle, 14-1 Matej Zagar (Slo), 33-1 Chris Harris, 40-1 Danny King.
TV: Live on BTSport (5pm).
SPEEDWAY by NUMBERS
0 — SPEEDWAY bikes are 500cc and have NO brakes and just one gear. They are powered by methanol fuel and travel from 0-60mph quicker in three seconds than an F1 car.
2 — TAI WOFFINDEN has been world champion twice and could become the first British rider in 80 years of world championship speedway to win the title three times.
23 — GRAND PRIX speedway comprises 23 heats of short, sharp, high-octane racing with four riders over four laps. Each round is won by the rider who wins the final.
15 — THE GP comprises 15 of the world’s elite riders from England, Denmark, Poland, Australia, Slovenia, Sweden in 11 GP rounds over a season in Europe and concluding in Australia in October.
2 — THE TV audiences for Grand Prix speedway last year hit 2m in the UK, 2.2m in Poland, plus 1m in Denmark and 1m in Sweden.
60,000 – CARDIFF has been the biggest attendance for previous Grands Prix (at 50,000). But this was beaten this year when 60,000 attended the Polish Grand Prix in Warsaw.
10,000 – A top speedway bike in complete racing condition will cost in the region of £10,000. They are highly tuned machines and have to be raced exactly opposite to how you would ride a road bike – sliding the back wheel being the key component for maximum speed.
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