Cardiff Gp

[spanner47 336]

Didn't go, so confined to watching on TV. I thought the event came across really well and Jason Crump, in particular, was excellent, showing a real professionals insight. Streets ahead of anyone else who has filled that role imo.

Also watched on TV like thousands of others. Just imagine the crowd you'd get if it wasn't on the box. Not too sure of the revenue they get from TV, but does it surpass another ??,000 bums on seats? I'd love to know.

[Agrotron 955]

I speak to many people and they ask what are you interested in sport wise and I tell them one of them is Speedway, I get met with the response Speedway is boring, if you make the gate you win, and where is the racing etc etc.

DARCY was excellent at the pre-meeting Press Conference. Much more at home with the media now. It's a process...

 

I think that was a confidence thing tbh

[New Science 1,059]

Agree.

The idea that Greg Hancock is a gating tart is too laughable for words. Just because he can gate does not mean that's all the weapons he has in his arsenal.

Tai is a damn good gater does that mean he is a gating tart.

Gating is an important art in speedway and good luck to those who master it.

 

The meeting was hugely exciting from the vantage point of my leather computer chair so what it was like at trackside I can only imagine.

 

There is more to the sport than passing and those who whine obviously can't appreciate a rider who can defend his line or the opposite put a rider under severe pressure but not manage to pass him.

Gating is an art as too is team riding.

Of course the haters will bring up 'first out the gate wins' but I can dismiss F1 in the same terms and sports such as cricket or golf in the same superficial way as all three bore me to death.

A speedway race is a lot more than just who wins the bloody thing.

Just as the meeting is not just 15 or 20 minutes of racing because if I had thought that I would never have watched as much speedway as I did.

 

The SGP is the best idea this sport has ever had. And the idea the racing was better with a one off final just plain mad.

I was at Wembley in 1981 and the racing was very unspectacular for the most part.

But what a hell of a meeting to watch as the crowd was awesome and the battle between the top riders absorbing and exciting.

If all you go for is passing then I for one feel sorry for you as the magical meetings people blather on about on this forum rarely, if at all, happened.

I have seen thousands of speedway meeting and this one was reasonably typical.

Of course there are tracks that buck that trend and have seen many a meet at those places but in general what we saw at Cardiff is what generally happens at a speedway meet.

But what a Hell of an atmosphere and again an utterly absorbing contest that even Chris Harris managed to be part of.

 

Well to be fair to SGP Emil and Tomasz declined to be involved which especially on Emil's part the most idiotic thing the lad has done as he is one of the best riders in the world.

Harris and Batch poor substitutes but still the last GP proves that assessment to be slightly unfair and even Harris looked like a top speedway rider yesterday for a while.

It really needs 3 Russians rather than 3 Swedes or 3 Danes as they have three of the top lads in the world but sadly Russian speedway is in a bigger mess than British so maybe we will never see that.

Three Brits at Cardiff showed how far we have fallen. Cook was very poor in this company after a half decent first ride and it looks like our WTC hopes are set for a disappointment as a final place way beyond what we have.

Chris did well by his low standards but once again showed he can't build on a good start and fell away once again at the death.

Tai was magnificent and may well become the first Brit to ever win back to back World titles.

 

That at least might shut the moaning Minnie's up for a week or two

I don't like to ask the question but it fits in with the letters page in Speedway Star this week.People who write long letters and produce long posts on the forum about how good the sport is but choose not to go anymore !

[pandorum 1,259]

Especially by Pearson, every other person is a legend according to him, so when a real legend deserves the status of legend it is undervalued because of the overuse of the word.

 

That's taking the Pearson hating a bit far mate. So it's Nigel's fault that the word Legend is used too much

The word celebrity has suffered a lot worse with any arce who has walked past a TV camera now referred to as one.

 

Is Hancock a legend? It depends how you define a legend I guess, is it in titles or longevity at the highest standard. If the latter then maybe Hancock is worthy of the legend status.

Well exactly!

It depends on your POV I can't abide the Beatles so would never give them credit for much as I think they were and are over rated crap.

But I am sure there are people who would disagree and consider them Legends.

But I don't!

Is Hancock one? In speedway terms I would say yes!

But respect the opinions of those who would say not as it's all a matter of taste.

Hell in the speedway world Tony Millard and Kel and Nige are legends or not as the case may be

I don't like to ask the question but it fits in with the letters page in Speedway Star this week.People who write long letters and produce long posts on the forum about how good the sport is but choose not to go anymore !

But surely that is my business and not anyone here?

Why I do stuff is none of your concern unless I choose to make it so.

But that does not mean I don't know my speedway and am not a fan and therefore am entitled to write as long or short a post as takes my mood.

I have travelled the length and breadth of the UK watching the sport and been to more than 50 odd tracks so does that not entitle me to an opinion here?

Edited July 13, 2014 by pandorum

[R87 476]

Definitely wasn't the best Cardiff GP ever, but not the worst by any means and certainly after last years farce it was an improvement. Thought really that Ward was the best on view, but he's still prone to the odd lapse. Falling in heat 8 when the win was in the bag, and then picking gate 1 in the final, leaving Hancock the better performing gate 4 was also dubious.

 

A good slick running which the British promoters should look at. OK they cant afford the sort of things on show last night, but the quick turnaround between riders leaving the track and the next four coming on shouldn't be that hard to implement. Even the trip back out was easy, as we were back in the Midlands at 10 45, not in the small hours as normal

[topaz325 1,853]

Didnt go this year but watched it on the tv and enjoyed it even if the racing was not that good but as someone pointed out in another post its not all about passing!

The crowd seemed to be up on previous years but it can be decieving watching on the tv, the whole show did look good though.

 

A big well done to Greg for winning the GP, how the guy can still be so enthusiastic and competitive at his age is a tribute to him.

 

May have to go back next year.............

 

Stockholm for me in September

Edited July 13, 2014 by topaz325

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

MARKY: have tried to reply to your post without any joy.

 

But, re letting the public in for practice. Health and Safety, police, and stadium security are all involved which is why ultimately only those with tickets can gain access.

 

I would have thought rider recognition would have been easy given the audio there plus the info on the two giant screens.

[Pirate Nick 1,801]

Sorry Philip, but I find your comment stupid as well, having worked along side Greg in the Coventry pits he was a great guy and will help anyone, but tracks everywhere struggle to get many punters in, and of course it's not all Gregs fault, but if every rider was as good at gate and go as Greg even more wouldn't come through the turnstiles.

We'll if that's what you all want god help speedways future.

 

Sorry, I should have said riders like Greg.

Would make for some cracking first bend action with 4 Gregs all getting there at the same time!

[AFCB Wildcat 1,362]

I had missed the last couple of Cardiff GP's so enjoyed returning for this one and thought the presentation was superb.

I expect to pay over the odds for accommodation etc. It goes with the territory but I was very disappointed with the catering in the stadium this time. There were no draught beers only cans that were being poured to order causing long delays and then when they ran out there were only bottles with about half the amount in for the same £4.

By the time I got to the front of the queue they had ran out completely so I had to do without!

I seem to remember in previous years that pints were pre poured and covered with lids and it was a lot slicker.

I expect to be ripped off but when you are prevented from taking your own refreshments in and they can't even cater that's pretty poor.

Perhaps I was just unlucky where we were in the stadium.

I don't like moaning on here as overall it was a great night but it did take the edge of it for me especially as I missed a heat while queuing and came away empty handed. Hope it was better in other areas of the stadium?

[StElmo 4]

When i was a boy the word "Legend" had only two meaning...

 

- You was either dead, Ie: "Albert Einstein, what a legend of science"

Or

- You was fictional/mythical i.e.: "Legend has it a giant lives in a castle on that cloud"

 

So anybody thats flesh and blood really can't be a legend in my eyes, but there you go! LOL

[sommelier 1,118]

DARCY was excellent at the pre-meeting Press Conference. Much more at home with the media now. It's a process...

Totaly agree with you, Ward is groing up fast & im not a Poole fan!

[pandorum 1,259]

When i was a boy the word "Legend" had only two meaning...

 

- You was either dead, Ie: "Albert Einstein, what a legend of science"

Or

- You was fictional/mythical i.e.: "Legend has it a giant lives in a castle on that cloud"

 

So anybody thats flesh and blood really can't be a legend in my eyes, but there you go! LOL

It's a fair opinion and one nobody can really argue with as it's your opinion not mine or the poster who first brought it up and therefore as valid as any.

 

But when I was a kid back in the dark ages we had Bobby Moore, Henry Cooper, Muhammad Ali, Jim Morrison (before he was dead), Mick Jagger, Ivan Mauger, Briggo all alive and considered by many to be Living Legends.

 

I agree with the first poster that it's a word that is used too much but surely every section of sport has it's legends living and dead.

Politics, music of every genre, film, TV and many other areas of living have their legends many who are still alive or were before they died.

[sommelier 1,118]

Anothert big highlight for me was meeting Reg Fearman. Had a long conversation with him, what a character!!

[P T Preece 262]

Enjoyed Cardiff, nice day had a meal in the usual Pub Owain trafedal or something like that very reasonably priced. Met a few friends as we went round and finally sat in the park for an hour, enjoying the warm weather.

Went back to the car for a cuppa and then walked down to the stadium again, tryed to rob us of our drinks, had the choice of drinking them or binning them, drank a couple but got the other two in, Pop only but felt like a small victory.

Sat in the usual place second tier by the second bend, spotted some mates from Coventry and got over to chat to them and then sat down to watch the GP.

Thought the bloke on the bike was good, stunt rider, rider intros were better than last year, cant remember his name but the track announcer was good, eastbourne bloke.

Enjoyed the racing, the track was so much better than last year and liked it that the riders who fell got up and off the track, nice to see that git Pedersen didnt make the semis.

Felt the racing was alright but the end result was wrong, got home about 11.15pm, love these early starts from this well run meeting.

It was nice to stop worrying bout the Brummies for a few hours, love SGP and cardiff.

[Pirate Nick 1,801]

Anothert big highlight for me was meeting Reg Fearman. Had a long conversation with him, what a character!!

Did he mention what he did with Middlos testimonial money?