BRITISH SPEEDWAY GRAND PRIX Date: Saturday, 27 June Time: 1700 BST Venue: Millennium Stadium, Cardiff Coverage: Live commentary on BBC Wiltshire and the BBC Sport website
This is the eighth time Cardiff's Millennium Stadium has hosted the British SGP
The British Speedway Grand Prix is arguably more important to fans this summer than ever before.
A bold statement to make, perhaps, but given the lack of star names currently riding in this country it rings true.
Supporters have been used to seeing the likes of current world champion Nicki Pedersen, Jason Crump and Andreas Jonsson in action week-in week-out in the Elite League.
But in an understandable attempt to cut costs in difficult economic times, many teams decided to do without their GP stars for the current season.
Crump, the current championship leader and 2008 British Grand Prix winner, told BBC Sport: "It was a tough decision to make, I've always been one of the riders that's given 100% commitment to the Elite League.
BRITISH SGP FACTS
Last year 45,000 fans came through the turnstiles
There are 20 four-rider heats before two semi-finals and a final
Bikes go from 0-60mph quicker than a Formula One car
Jason Crump has reached the last three British Grand Prix finals, winning two, and also won in 1998 (Coventry) and 1996 (London)
The Australian also holds the track record having set a time of 55.80 seconds last year
Chris Harris is the only home winner at the Millennium Stadium
"But I really felt that I needed to change something if I wanted to be world champion again, and the English league was the one that had to go."
Crump is being chased by a man, who at 19, already seems to have the speedway world at his feet.
Russia's Emil Sayfutdinov has won two of the four events so far this season, in the Czech Republic and Sweden, and this Grand Prix may be the only chance British fans get to see him in action.
At the other end of the age spectrum, one rider who has always given his all to the sport in this country, could be competing in his final GP at Cardiff.
Swindon Robins captain Leigh Adams has competed at the top level in Britain since 1989, and is getting close to calling it a day.
"It could be my last British Grand Prix but I haven't made a decision yet," Adams told BBC Wiltshire.
"I've got a bit of a game plan with my family, but we'll just see what happens, I'm happy to be taking it year by year."
Two years ago the roof nearly came off the Millennium Stadium when Chris Harris claimed a home win in front of an ecstatic crowd, but the chances of a repeat performance are slim.
Both he and fellow Coventry Bees rider Scott Nicholls are languishing near the bottom of the standings.
Whoever wins though, most fans will just enjoy the chance to see the very best riders in action for perhaps the only time this summer.
THE RIDERS - by order of their 2009 Championship standing
There are 15 permanent members of the World Championship and a wildcard invite in each round takes the total number of riders to 16.
Jason Crump Age: 33 Nationality: Australian Championship points: 74 Last season: 2nd
The winner in Cardiff last year and in 2006, Crump has a 14-point lead in the championship after podium places in each of the opening four races, including wins in Poland and, last time out, Denmark.
The former Belle Vue Aces rider was second overall last season, has finished in the top three in SGP in each of the last eight years and took the title in 2004 and 2006.
Emil Sayfutdinov Age: 19 Nationality: Russian Championship points: 60 Last season: N/A
The youngest rider on the roster is enjoying a dazzling debut season, which opened with a win in his very first race in the Czech Republic. Would easily be dubbed a future superstar if he was not one already.
Andreas Jonsson Age: 28 Nationality: Swedish Championship points: 46 Last season: 7th
The former Lakeside Hammer was second at the Millennium Stadium in 2006 which was his best SGP campaign with a fourth-placed finish. He failed to win a race last season.
Greg Hancock Age: 39 Nationality: American Championship points: 45 Last season: 4th
The old man of SGP who has been an ever-present since the series was inaugurated in 1995, won the title in 1997 and has finished second on each of the last two visits to the Millennium Stadium.
The reigning champion suffered a puncture in the last round in Denmark but it is too early to rule him out yet. He strung together a record number of nine consecutive finals last season.
Tomasz Gollob Age: 38 Nationality: Polish Championship points: 44 Last season: 3rd
Another veteran who is third in the overall list of wins behind Tony Rickardsson and Crump with 14, but he has never been world champion, with a second-placed finish in 1999 his best.
Fredrik Lindgren Age: 23 Nationality: Swedish Championship points: 33 Last season: 10th
The highest-placed British-based rider, the Wolverhampton man is in his second full SGP season but has yet to win a race, although he opened the campaign this term with second spot in the Czech Republic.
The Peterborough rider was welcomed into the SGP fold this season. One of two men making their Millennium Stadium debuts along with Sayfutdinov, he has made three semi-finals this term.
Leigh Adams Age: 38 Nationality: Australian Championship points: 28 Last season: 6th
This is his 14th consecutive season in the series and he has racked up eight wins over the years, but time is running out for the Robins captain to win the SGP World Championship and he knows it.
His best finish was second in 2007 and his best finish at Cardiff was second in 2004. A first place on either count would be rapturously well received by the British speedway family.
The final man to earn automatic qualification last season, the Norwegian-born rider owed that to his first win in 50 GPs which came in Gothenburg at the Swedish GP.
Sebastian Ulamek Age: 33 Nationality: Polish Championship points: 27 Last season: N/A
His last full season in SGP came in 2002, but after two wildcard invites in the intervening six years he is back in the big time and has made two semi-finals so far this season.
Grzegorz Walasek Age: 32 Nationality: Polish Championship points: 24 Last season: N/A
Before this season he had an impressive record from 11 SGP outings but has failed to make too much of an impact after seven years on the sidelines of the series.
Hans Andersen Age: 28 Nationality: Danish Championship points: 23 Last season: 5th
Fifth overall last year and big things were expected this season. He has been struggling but feels like he is approaching something like his best form after getting back in the groove with Poole.
Chris Harris Age: 26 Nationality: British Championship points: 21 Last season: 13th
Cornish-born 'Bomber' won in Cardiff in 2007, had his best performance of the season there 12 months ago and goes into this year's event in fine form with a win in Poland and a maximum for Coventry in the last week.
He has been off the pace this season and will be looking for a first semi-final after a run of disappointing performances.
Scott Nicholls Age: 31 Nationality: British Championship points: 11 Last season: 9th
Another Coventry man who is in his ninth successive season in SGP, but he has yet to pick up a win in 67 races over that time and it is 72 races without victory overall, which is an SPG record and something he will want to change. Reached the final last time in Cardiff.
Edward Kennett Age: 24 Nationality: British Championship points: 0 Last season: 22nd
The Coventry rider received the nod for a wildcard berth at the Millennium Stadium for a third time after his second-place finish at the British Championships behind Chris Harris.
Reserves Tai Woffinden (Wolverhampton) and Simon Stead (Swindon). They were reserves as well last season and will only take part if other riders are injured or excluded.
THE SEASON SO FAR
Czech Republic SGP, Prague (25 April) 1. Emil Sayfutinov (Rus); 2. Fredrik Lindgren (Swe); 3. Jason Crump (Aus); 4. Leigh Adams (Aus)
European SGP, Leszno, Poland (9 May) 1. Jason Crump (Aus); 2. Tomasz Gollob (Pol); 3. Andreas Jonsson (Swe); 4. Greg Hancock (USA)
Swedish SGP, Gothenburg (30 May) 1. Emil Sayfutinov (Rus); 2. Jason Crump (Aus); 3. Antonio Lindback (Swe); 4. Nicki Pedersen (Swe)
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