The huge gamble taken by organisers Benfield Sports International - it cost them around £600,000 to stage the GP in Cardiff - appears to have paid off with interest.

A good-sized crowd in excess of 30,000 descended on the Millennium Stadium from all corners of the UK for the speedway event of the year, armed with banners, flags and klaxon horns, making it one of the most memorable meetings ever staged in Britain.

The organisation went like clockwork despite some nasty pile-ups watched by the likes of guests Prince Albert of Monaco and former king of English cricket, Ian Botham.

GP director Ole Olsen said: "It's has been a very hard week, but the riders did a fantatic job out there tonight. I am sure we are heading in the right direction."

Runner-up Jason Crump said: "This is the kind of thing you dream of as a 15-year-old. The Stadium is fantastic and they did a great job on the track. I am reasonably happy with second spot."

GP series leader Tomasz Gollob, speaking through an interpreter said: "The atmosphere was unbelievable. I didn't expect such a big crowd. All the GPs should be held in Stadiums like this."

Oxford's Brian Andersen said: "I was disappointed with the referee when he didn't exclude Greg Walasek in the first heat of the 'Sweet Sixteen'.

Admittedly, I had a bad start and found myself in the wrong place at the wrong time. But Walasek came right across me and I had the choice of crashing or pulling out. With all the injuries I have had, I took the latter option.

"Referee Tony Steele told me that If I had fallen, he would have excluded Walasek!

"Other than that, the whole evening was just brilliant. I didn't get nervous at all having to go in heat one, I was excited and pumped ready to go.

"When you consider I didn't make one main event last year, I have now reached two this year, so that's progress."

Todd Wiltshire said: "I have to congratulate Tomasz Gollob and Greg Walasek for taking such swift evading action when I picked up that drive out of the corner. If it hadn't been for that, we could have had a nasty situation."