Cardiff 2022

[racers and royals 8,734]

45 minutes ago, speedwaysliders said:

Just a few question from me from anyone who went to this event,is

1- watching on TV we get zero info who is grading the track after every 4 heats,is their a track team mentioned in the program who they are?

2- Again zero info on tv who gets the gig at the tapes?How is he chosen ? Is he considered to be the best start marchall around?

3- I think the ref was mentioned,but any clue in the program of who he is,and whats he done in speedway?.

4-Track machinery and shale,is it the best around?

Maybe all these questions people arnt really interested apart from me.but surely Kelvin and the team can find the info rather then tell us 100 times what info is stored in their brains.

The answer to question 1 is Ole Olsen and his Speedsport company crew- they have had the contract for building and maintaining the temporary tracks for many years 

3 is Jesper Steentoft a Dane who has been a FIM referee for quite a few years now.

Edited August 14, 2022 by racers and royals

[iainb 5,020]

10 minutes ago, Elmo said:

Start Marshal is James from Leicester and they have around 12 in total working this weekend.

Why wasn't he wearing his Lions top 

[Charlieboy 412]

2 hours ago, HGould said:

Roof shut to stop track drying out and to get air con to woek

Well we could feel no air con on first bend everyone was sat in their own sweat for nearly 4 hours

[speedwaysliders 176]

19 minutes ago, racers and royals said:

The answer to question 1 is Ole Olsen and his Speedsport company crew- they have had the contract for building and maintaining the temporary tracks for many years 

3 is Jesper Steentoft a Dane who has been a FIM referee for quite a few years now.

many thanks

[Mdh1664 0]

We were sat bend 2, top.

In a very humid stadium with temp of 30+ outside, was shocked at the complete failure at the bar/refreshment areas.

Only two bars open, with massive queues, most people missing 4 races, to get a drink.

Questions must be asked ?

 

[Moonfish 16]

We've always sat somewhere in the banking on turns 1 & 2 (i.e the upper tier where its two tiers only) but I must say it felt incredibly cramped in there last night, not sure if it was the lack of leg space, the heat, the duration of the meeting or envy of the rest of the stadium where the crowd appeared far more sparse.

Can anyone whose sat there and other places in the stadium let me know whether there is more room elsewhere? I'm tempted to move for next year to one of the other three stands as I'm assuming as they aren't so steep they may have more leg room?

[Gaz 214]

10 minutes ago, Moonfish said:

We've always sat somewhere in the banking on turns 1 & 2 (i.e the upper tier where its two tiers only) but I must say it felt incredibly cramped in there last night, not sure if it was the lack of leg space, the heat, the duration of the meeting or envy of the rest of the stadium where the crowd appeared far more sparse.

Can anyone whose sat there and other places in the stadium let me know whether there is more room elsewhere? I'm tempted to move for next year to one of the other three stands as I'm assuming as they aren't so steep they may have more leg room?

We bought tickets in between 3rd and 4th tier. Tickets only £20 and can just sit wherever really nearer back as always tons of space.

[Dodger Blue 146]

27 minutes ago, Charlieboy said:

Well we could feel no air con on first bend everyone was sat in their own sweat for nearly 4 hours

Second bend .... Sweat box !!!

Definitely the most uncomfortable I have ever been in a sports stadium.

Also had the joy in paddling in spilt drinks !!

[Elmo 274]

59 minutes ago, iainb said:

Why wasn't he wearing his Lions top 

He won’t sweat enough in it lol

[bigcatdiary 3,165]

24 minutes ago, Dodger Blue said:

Second bend .... Sweat box !!!

Definitely the most uncomfortable I have ever been in a sports stadium.

Also had the joy in paddling in spilt drinks !!

Well that’s 19 out of 20 Cardiff GP,s I have attended and yesterdays was easily the worst one so far, the track was dreadful, Ole Olsen was an excellent rider and World Champion but if that’s the best he can do track wise then they need to find someone else.

This is the bloke who owns and runs Vojens, another crap track that produces little if any racing other than the gate and go variety.

The heat inside as Dodger says was uncomfortably throughout and got worse as the second half of the meeting was dragged out after countless tractor grading amid repairs to the bends, it got a bit tedious if I am honest.

What saved it from being a complete disaster was a Dan Bewley win, which was warmly appreciated and applauded.

The attendance was markedly less that I have seen before and I would say about a third less than recent events in 2018 and 2019, after this borefest I am seriously considering if the expense of Cardiff is really worth it., and judging by the crowd I am clearly not the only one.

I spoke to Paul Bellamy early Saturday morning and stated I hoped we had a good GP, unfortunately it wasn’t although I accept the weather wasn’t something the organisers could do much about.

 

[chunky 6,096]

1 hour ago, RebelDan said:

first and foremost the racing has to be right

Why? It never has been! World Finals were never chosen because of the quality of the racing, were they? Wembley was chosen because of the occasion, the capacity, and the location.

Amsterdam, Munich, and L.A. were all temporary tracks. Norden certainly wasn't chosen because of occasion or location...

There really is a lot more to take into account than the racing.

[bellevueace 913]

Well done Dan great to see him win but the meeting overall was a terrible advert for the sport, no doubt the powers that be were praying for Dan to win, makes it easier to deflect away from all the negatives. The novelty of Cardiff wore off for me some seasons ago, thought it was played out then this proves it.

[mc131 365]

2 hours ago, P T Preece said:

Who does kemp think he is, dump your bike and walk off, tithead.

Thinks he's better than he his 

[iwright71 206]

Just back from Cardiff. I have done every Cardiff GP but this will be my last. Cardiff has become too difficult, too expensive with little  given back. Whether its getting there, hotels, buying tickets, downloading tickets ,ticket apps etc, all that hassle to be rewarded with an awful track producing an awful GP. And guess what my ticket app would not load when I got to the gate. Had to pay a visit to the ticket office with a lot of tetchy people with the same problem. Discovery have taken the GP back 20 years, 20 years ago we had a 30 thousand crowd and an unfit track dito 2022. When will they stop making mistakes ,SON in the same country comes to mind, BSI learned that lesson years ago. For me the Cardiff GP has run its course, maybe with a  sub 30 thousand crowd it has also run its natural course anyway, how do they expect to sell tickets for next year on the back of what we have seen this year, they won't be getting my money I'd be surprised if they are making any money on this event with the costs involved, can't see discovery sucking this up for ever. Over and out

[keepturningleft 589]

Some of the comments on here are extraordinary.

 Cardiff is not just about the racing and neither was Wembley which rarely produced racing to remember as other posters have highlighted. The occasions however were fantastic but Cardiff, a track smack in the middle of a vibrant modern European city, is even better. 

Cardiff has grown into an event on its own, quite separate from the domestic scene and for most people its a fantastic day out and its evolved into something quite special. Thats actually fairly obvious.

Stepping out of Belle Vue into the evening sunshine of Gorton just isn't going to be the same. There isn't even a pub that close. The status of the GP would be diminished although I agree it would be nice to have BV for a 2nd GP.

If you don't buy into the idea of Cardiff as an event, an occasion, then you are missing the point of Cardiff.

Although the crowd may have been down this year, it is still by far the biggest crowd pulling event in British speedway.