Cardiff Gp

[THE DEAN MACHINE 4,740]

Every year cardiff shows me that nothing compares or even comes close to speedway as a specticle and a sport but when it leaves the millennium stadium it gets took over by the spoiler fairies and it all falls to peices

[racers and royals 8,723]

Really enjoyed the whole weekend as always-Somerset followed by the GP. thought the rider presentation superb-just one thing I would like to see at Cardiff is some sing-a -long songs during the interval`s to get the crowd on their feet.Poland do it well at their GP`S.Also didn`t see the bongo cam used this year-pretty funny when used before.Just thought the intervals were a bit flatter music wise,than in previous years.

Edited July 13, 2014 by racers and royals

[AFCB Wildcat 1,362]

Oh no! No draught where you were, feel your pain my friend.

Thanks for sharing. No bottles left either by the time I got to the front of the queue!

With counseling I'm sure I can get through the pain of this trauma and come out the other side but for now it's a bit raw.

[Soupdragon 0]

First visit to Cardiff unaware of the restrictions of taking your own drink in so having 4 bottles of pop confiscated and having to buy overpriced drinks inside in stupid cups which someone kicked over as they squeezed past (not impressed) good job it wasn't beer. Atmosphere amazing, pity Woffy couldn't have won it but taking the lead in the Championship more impotent. Think that might be the last Cardiff GP for a couple of riders, Bjerre still in the GP Challenge but could struggle in that, Hampel may struggle to keep hold of a top 8 place, Harris just not consistent enough anymore same as AJ but he could put in a late challenge for the top 8 always seems to be better after the WC, cant see Batch challenging for a top 8 position.

Amazed how smooth it ran not one re-run no controversy was there any need for a ref. Greg must have thought he won the lottery when Darcy picked G1 never saw that coming. For a temporary track thought it held up well. Looking forward to next year now aware of the pop police wonder if they'll confiscate oranges or opal fruits.

[keepturningleft 589]

I also met Reg Fearman and bought his book.

I don't know about or really care about any indiscretions during his career, I only know that Reg brought speedway to Halifax in 1965 and promoted it brilliantly well for many years.

This is where I saw my first meeting and became hooked on speedway, and for that I will be eternally grateful to Reg Fearman.

Great night out, even if Cardiff annoys me with traffic / parking and just seems a crazy odd place for an international stadium but anyway great night once inside.

 

Cant believe how "clean" the meeting was, not one rerun, no exclusions, no drama, only two uneventful falls, its was a great change from rerun after rerun and refs decisions.

 

Nicki sure was popular in there eh! lol

Could this be the first time ever at Cardiff - no tape breaks, no restarts for any reason etc??

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

I haven't really been paying attention at other GPs but I thought they usually graded after the semi finals. I noted they didn't last night which undoubtably helped Hancock as there was still a small but useful berm to compliment his excellent start.

 

Had it been graded the line Woofinden took may have seen him pass on the first bend but we'll never know.

 

Booey's testimonial was my first ever away meeting.

HAVEN'T done that for some time after the riders requested no grading after the semi-finals other than in exceptional circumstances.

 

Yet another GP not won by the rider having first choice of gate positions. Less than 50 per cent go that way. Greg had third choice of course.

Edited July 13, 2014 by PHILIPRISING

[Starman2006 2,354]

I also met Reg Fearman and bought his book.

I don't know about or really care about any indiscretions during his career,

Did ya, im sure he'l be thrilled with you !!!!

[racers and royals 8,723]

First visit to Cardiff unaware of the restrictions of taking your own drink in so having 4 bottles of pop confiscated and having to buy overpriced drinks inside in stupid cups which someone kicked over as they squeezed past (not impressed) good job it wasn't beer. Atmosphere amazing, pity Woffy couldn't have won it but taking the lead in the Championship more impotent. Think that might be the last Cardiff GP for a couple of riders, Bjerre still in the GP Challenge but could struggle in that, Hampel may struggle to keep hold of a top 8 place, Harris just not consistent enough anymore same as AJ but he could put in a late challenge for the top 8 always seems to be better after the WC, cant see Batch challenging for a top 8 position.

Amazed how smooth it ran not one re-run no controversy was there any need for a ref. Greg must have thought he won the lottery when Darcy picked G1 never saw that coming. For a temporary track thought it held up well. Looking forward to next year now aware of the pop police wonder if they'll confiscate oranges or opal fruits.

IMPOTENT OR IMPORTANT

Edited July 13, 2014 by racers and royals

[Starman2006 2,354]

not if you do your homework .you could have stopped at the university or the youth hostel for less than £20 and they are clean and tidy rooms if a little basic. This year we stopped in travelodge in caerphilly (8miles from cardiff) got a family room for £58 and we only booked it last week. Those prices are hardly a rip off

Well done you, tell that to the thousands that got taken for a ride... Got the Uni No ?

[foreverblue 6,095]

Wow what a great day out, racing has been better, Ward overtake on Tai was terrific, nicki,s hand to ear when he won his only race became funny when he left kk no room so kk had to take avoiding action the he hit a rut and kk passed him, enjoyed that one, What can you say about greg fantastic wonderful performance and if Tai couldnt win I believe most would want it to be greg,

[DukesGreg 46]

Lucky enough to go for the fifth year in succession.... and as an event, it was up there with the rest.

 

Racing, as always with Cardiff, was CLOSE enough and fast and furious... always tight, if not big on overtaking.

 

Great to see Wuffy take the points... gutted to see him not take the win, but if anyone is going to gatecrash the Tai-to-win show, I would say, hand on heart, that it may as well be Grin. As at least you go away with a smile on your face for the winner.

 

Cardiff IS a great speedway venue, track issues aside last year, you know that you are going to turn up and see a speedway meeting with the roof being on!

It is a great spectacle, is a pumped up and exciting event with a noisy crowd, and it is great how Cardiff embraces the sport on this weekend.

 

 

Interesting points Philip Rising, I know that you are absolutely a true speedway fan, however, you genuinely (and of course understandably) see the weekend through the eyes of somebody who visits the GP in a 'journalistic bubble.'

No offence meant by that, but of course your weekend is more than likely 'expense free,' within reason. You travel at your leisure, get time off work (as your work IS speedway), no doubt have the hotel bill etc. covered within the parameters of your job, free entry, deductable travel expenses etc. so for you it is simply a matter of turning up and 'enjoying' the event. Again, I appreciate that fact, not your fault, is how it is.

 

As a paying punter who travels down every year from Leeds with my young daughter, it is NOT so simple. Cardiff has always been known to be a bit of a shambles regarding the hotel / crowd ratio for ANY major sporting event, harking back to early days when they hosted the FA Cup Final etc.

 

What this does is gives them, carte blanche, the opportunity to extract as much money as possible from personal pockets of the average fan who travels. I don't blame the hotels, it is how it is. Capitalism has brought the variable hotel tariff: 40k people descending on a city not much bigger than Wakefield gives them a huge possibility to line their pockets.

 

The fact is though.. your average fan DOES pay with their own cash. It is not a business / work trip for all.

 

 

I wouldn't swap Cardiff with London for any other reason than this. I have to drive down, watch the meeting without having a pint, and drive back to Leeds (500 miles approx) in a day due to being 'priced out' of the opportunity to stop over.

 

I set off at 0815 yesterday, and got back at 0100. Tired. It is a lot of driving and a huge effort. Worth it? Absolutely, but I still have to do the whole 'hit-it-in-a-day' experience.. or wouldn't be able to go.

 

 

London would offer more. It, AND surrounding areas, such as Harrow and all sorts of places wouldn't see hotels and B & B's extorting money due to it being sold out to saturation point... whereas Cardiff DOES. London also has the wonderful transport system.

 

 

 

So the whole thing IS difficult for the fan who pays for every step of the way.

 

 

LOVE the venue, but always wished that it could be that LITTLE bit easier on somebody like me, travelling without the money to hand over a small fortune to stay over. If I lived in Bristol or Gloucester, perhaps wouldn't be so bad!

 

 

 

Greg.

 

 

PS I think that the Fanzone should move back to the street. The street felt a little sad this year, with the whole thing being moved to near the train station.

Bit of an odd one too for Cardiff as a city. People could come down on the train, see the Fanzone, go to the stadium, watch the meeting, leave, get on the train and go home WITHOUT actually seeing anything of the city. Not really a good tourism angle, keeping the Station / Fanzone / Stadium all within 300 yards of each other.

Edited July 13, 2014 by DukesGreg

[mothorsen 39]

 

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.

I think his merrits speak on his behalf: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Hancock#World_Final_Appearances . You simply are world class when attending every GP in history, plus the two World Championships before the GP's. He has a 25 years long career in Europe, and is currently world #2 and in battle for #1 at an age of 44. He might not be the most cut-throat rider in the world, but his name will be remembered for a long, long time.

[Daniel Smith 5,661]

The only spoiler yesterday was the Fanzone. Didn't even bother going into the mixer as there were far too many people in such a small area. When I met up with my sis a bit later she said that Monster tent stopped handing out drinks due to the over crowding.

 

Everything else was perfection. Why anyone would suggest that the British GP should move to Wembley or anywhere else in fact need to visit the doctor. Cardiff is simply the Monaco of speedway and is perfectly suited to any weather conditions thrown at it.

[Hodgy 976]

Thanks for sharing. No bottles left either by the time I got to the front of the queue!

With counseling I'm sure I can get through the pain of this trauma and come out the other side but for now it's a bit raw.

On the bright side, bet you felt a tad more lively than Bro and I this morning.

[AFCB Wildcat 1,362]

On the bright side, bet you felt a tad more lively than Bro and I this morning.

Well at one point there was a real danger of me sobering up but thanks to there being no delays in the meeting and a thoroughly bloody nice taxi driver I managed to get back to the pub in time to down 4 pints of Thatchers gold and take a bottle of Magners back to our room but yeah I probably would have felt a lot worse this morning if things had gone to plan!