Ben Barker and Jason Garrity have been rewarded for their British Championship Final heroics with track reserve berths for the British FIM Speedway Grand Prix in Cardiff on July 12.

Barker made no secret of his desire to make it to the Millennium Stadium as the wild card and top-scored with Craig Cook on 13 points to cruise into the last four at Wolverhampton last Monday.

But he agonisingly missed out when Cook passed him for second place in the final as the Cumbrian snatched the famous No.16 race jacket.

Birmingham and Plymouth racer Barker could still get his chance to make an impact at No.17 and will be the first rider called into action should injury, illness, a starting offence or other reasons prevent any of the main 16 stars taking a ride in the Welsh capital.

He is joined by No.18 Garrity, who rides for Rye House in the British Premier League and doubles up with Coventry in the Elite League as part of British speedway’s fast-track scheme to develop home-grown stars. Garrity proved his top flight experience is paying dividends when he stormed to an unforgettable victory over world champion Tai Woffinden in the British Final, before finishing fifth in the meeting overall.

The Mancunian starlet top-scored for Team Great Britain Under-21s on 11 points as they came within three of qualifying for the FIM Team Speedway Under-21 World Championship Final in Teterow, Germany on June 7. But there’s no doubt Garrity’s Cardiff debut is the biggest meeting of his career to date.