Championship Of Gb

[coxy24 0]

Sounds like Floppy was very unlucky. I believe by the first and second place in his two rides that he could of gone on for a win or a place on the rostrum. Just grateful he's not badly injured.

[Rob B 1,263]

Of course there is going to be no atmosphere, and not a big crowd when you look at the field. Apart from Mark Loram and Dean Barker who couldn't be arsed they were the best 14 riders Great Britian has. Of course the majority of the crowd were only supporting Stead and Screen so there isn't going to be much atmosphere. Gone have the days when one of about 10 riders could win the British Championship.

 

Yes the dust was pretty bad after heat 10 but in 28 degrees in the shade ( but the track was in the sun) and breezy conditions it was always going to get dusty. If I remember right Oxford had a meeting dusted off last year? I marked down about 15 passes during the 21 heats, not great but fairly entertaining, I was at Eastbourne last night where there was ONE pass after heat 1 and that was from supposedly the best track guy in the country Bob Dugard.

Edited June 11, 2006 by Rob B

[Silver Bee 57]

So you thought that was an acceptable race track then?

 

Make a track that you can pass on the outside on, THEN I won't slate it.

 

Dusted off? What planet are you on ?

[Chris Brown 542]

The whole show was just pathetic. No atmosphere, no crowd and possibly the worst track announcer in the world, makes ours look like absolutely superb next to him! Racing was awfull and this should NOT be blamed on the weather. We had similar conditions last year to try and stage a British Final, where there was very little dust and some excellent racing.

 

For all the criticism of Waggy over the past couple of years, he certainly tried to make a real event of the Championship of Great Britain and tried to take a meeting that is dying on its feet to a new level. I thought last year was a really good day, not perfect for everyone but the efforts to put something on before the meeting were very good and the track was very well prepared with as SC says no dust.

 

Afternoon meeting are extremely difficult, it makes you wonder why they are held. Last year TV dictated the start time, why on earth did BV choose 4pm on a Sunday for this ??

[Paul 67]

The late great Simon Wigg summed it up when he said that,

"speedway is best raced in the evening."

British Speedway hasn’t got the quality riders it had. Coventry on a Wednesday night in the seventies was something a bit special. These sort of meeting should be run on a Saturday night, no question!

[lucifer sam 3,954]

Rob B,

 

Last year's British Final at Oxford had 31 passes (after the second bend) in 21 races... and the track was in superb nick despite a sweltering hot day.

 

Maybe the British Final should return to Cowley next year... was there any attempt by Ian Thomas to give anything but the bog-standard presentation today? This meeting needs to go to a younger promoter, less stuck in his ways and more likely to actually PROMOTE what should be one of the biggest meetings of the British Speedway calendar.

 

All the best

Rob

[G the Bee 639]

What's happened to Lee Richardson? I think this was his last opportunity to get into the GP's for next year. I don't think he will (or should) get a wild card again and he is going to have to have some pretty good GP's to get into the top 8 this year. I just can't see it happening.

I thought much of his interview in this weeks Speedway Star made interesting reading, and agreed with much of it, but, on the basis of today's result, I couldn't help but be reminded of the following quote:

 

"The likes of Simon Stead and Chris Harris are not kids anymore......maybe they need to be getting to the level me and Scott are at."

 

I thought when I first read it that this was a strange comment for Lee to make because he is having a dire season. Tonight just confirms I was right. Maybe this season, Lee needs to get to the level Chris and Simon are at. I hope he turns it 'round because the last thing Team GB needs is for Chris and Simon to make steady progress (which they are doing) whilst Lee goes the other way prematurely.

[SCB 0]

Wilkinson (looked quite good but only scored 3?) fell of on his own then Hurry went into the now ultra slick first bend and slid off and hurt himself.

Carl can look good scoring 0, thats why he is loved so much at Newport and Berwick. Ipswich also seem to be taking to him too!

[Dekker 239]

Carl can look good scoring 0, thats why he is loved so much at Newport and Berwick.  Ipswich also seem to be taking to him too!

F F 0 1 2 about sums up Wilkinson, good gater but has troubles with any corners due to being a leg trailer. Edited June 12, 2006 by Dekker

[gradea 0]

F F 0 1 2 about sums up Wilkinson, good gater but has troubles with any corners due to being a leg trailer.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

He has troubles with any corners ?, that a bit of a strange statement is it not .

[willp 0]

i think something has to be done with the british final. I know we haven't got the quality riders we used to have but it can still be a good meeting if promoted in the right way.

 

Firstly, please change the name back to the british final, i don't think anybody likes "the championship of great britain" title do they?

 

I think it has to be staged at a big stadium where all fans are not to far away from it. Maybe it's time to go back to coventry? The best british riders have to be included to make it a competitive line up, yesterday no loram, louis, havvy.

 

Last year at oxford i really enjoyed the meeting, there was some good racing on a well prepared track, plenty of supporters and really a good day out.

 

Maybe it should be given to aaron lanney at oxford next season for him to promote. He looks like the type of person who would really promote the event.

[Hackett 220]

Richardson was not too complimentary of the British Final at Oxford .. I think the quote in Speedway Star was "It was crap ......" or similiar .....

 

The whole event looked pretty farsical to be fair. No Loram and Louis .... who may not be the riders they once were but better than 2/3s of that field - FACT

[salty 2,202]

Richardson was not too complimentary of the British Final at Oxford .. I think the quote in Speedway Star was "It was crap ......" or similiar .....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think Richardson was misquoted re the British Final at Oxford. He meant to say "I was crap" given that he garnered 2 points and then withdrew before the meeting was half over.

[TwoMinuteWarning 69]

Dean Barker's withdrawal from the meeting was announced in the Sussex press on Saturday morning, and posted on this thread Saturday afternoon, so there was never any suggestion that an injury on Saturday night caused his withdrawal.

 

No reason was given in the newspaper for his pulling out.

[ouch 1,197]

For a Sunday fixture the elements couldn’t have been much worse for speedway. Hot, hot temperatures and a strong wind blow dying the track. Anybody who thinks this didn’t play a part must have not seen many daytime fixtures in these conditions or are just a bit thick.

The bumps and ruts shouldn’t be there, but they do make the riders work harder and love them or hate them they do add to the racing.

Nicholls sent out a message to all with his last to first in heat 20. Steady I think doesn’t have the mental approach just yet for the pressure races and coupled with his discomfort on the bike saw him miss out. Screeny was great value again and now has a full set of medals from the last three years. Harris looked the part and this bodes well for the upcoming WTC.

About the crowd and the atmosphere, well the line up didn’t really look inspiring. It’s a sad reflection on British Speedway that this is the best we have. It is without doubt the worst I’ve ever seen and I’ve attended many finals over the years. Any atmosphere at Kirky lane, especially in the daytime just escapes up into the clouds, due to the stadium being so flat and open.

If we still had Hyde road it would be a lot lot better. But we don’t, so it isn’t.