DukesGreg

All joking aside regarding the attendance... I was wondering how many people would attend it the prices were dropped? To say.. £25 per adult, £12.50 per child.. everywhere. I ask, because the main problem this event is facing now is mercenary hotel chains upping their price tariffs when this event is on. I drove 460 miles, in a day trip, to attend. The hotels are just too expensive. Great venue, and if the prices were slashed, would more people attend? Anyway? Just wondering.

I did say it was OVER half empty.

Am I the only person who couldn't give a monkey's offload about who performs before a speedway meeting? The brass band was alright, would rather listen to them than that awful whining Stacey Solomon creature that they trawled out the other year. Though I'm not sure whether that's a good think.. pipe and slippers appear to be closer than what I think, for me. The speedway is the main thing. As with that.. I am also a little confused. Cardiff stick a temporary track into an arena for one night of racing a year, and I see there much better racing there than some of the follow-my-leader garbage processions (on permanent tracks) that the Matt Ford league show on Sky on a Monday.... Of course there was 38k there. It probably holds almost double that.. and was approximately just over half empty. I'm no Stephen Hawking, but the maths on that one look quite simple to me. The place was half full.

Mine had an attempted delivery YESTERDAY at 1205pm.. I then checked my emails, and I received my email YESTERDAY too, the same day.. from Tickemaster, saying that they had been despatched. Luckily, I was able to go today / could have gone tomorrow due to being on a shift that allows, however, had I worked 9-3 or 8-4, I would have struggled with this. I worked at Royal Mail for 25 years, and know the girl on our local counter. She was not on today, another guy was. I had my photographic driving license ID, showed him it, and he told me he could not give me the tickets WITHOUT my red wait/left card. I then had to proceed home, after working a stressful 12 hour nightshift at the hospital, get my card.. go back, show him it, THEN collect my tickets. I assumed that even though I had forgotten my card, that photographic ID with an address on would suffice. Apparently not. Jobsworth. Well done Ticketmaster, in future would you be so kind as to email me THE DAY BEFORE to ensure that somebody is in for collection of my said goods. And they weren't despatched for a Tuesday delivery. Too close a shave, for me, Seetickets were far better.

I don't blame her just yet. However, I'd give her a chance at being his mechanic if I were him. Who knows, he may improve and start getting points on the board.. if not, then let the slating commence. Winning the British Final is no indication on form whatsoever. Only here in the UK could we have a system where a rider gets a 15 point maximum in the British Final, then doesn't win it, therefore allowing a somebody else take their place in Cardiff. Just because of the 'race-off' system now in place. Typically British. "Well done on being the best rider by far over your races, but you're out because of one bad heat." Oh dear.

No, if nobody is good enough, then there should not be a British rider in the GP next year. Guarantee the home GP wild card, of course, but that is all. The sport should totally be run on merit. However, ^^^ that last line really is one to ponder over, from the bottom of speedway right to the very top. Sadly.

Aye... Tormod, compound fracture from hang gliding. Definitely.

I'm still fascinated that we've had THE best World Cup for ages and people on here are trying to introduce something or change it for the better. I wouldn't knock the joker as a Brit, it will only work FOR us now as a nation and will never backfire on us in a month of Sundays... we're a beneficiary of the 'helping hand' system!! We should be allowed TWO of the bloody things!! Great World Cup, and the atmosphere, the way the stadium is in Poland, and the atmosphere their fans bring to speedway (the British GP would be flatter without them) makes for a great event. We're not gonna win the thing as long as I have a nose to balance spectacles on... keep the thing where it is too for me now... or bring it to Cardiff at least.

That's a great point that you make.. granted.. and of course we've all made mistakes.. my youth was littered with them. I am the eternal hypocrite, and rightly so, when it comes to setting an example to my children. I have truly learnt from some of the stupid passtimes I got up to in my youth. The only thing is... I've heard this time and time again about Mike Lee. Each generation passes... and he ends up getting nicked again. I wouldn't bet against him being dodgy again if he actually needed the money badly. And he's not actually a regret filled man, and hints that he wouldn't do anything different given his time again. Nice for his parents then.

Mike Lee advising (as he did with Wuffy/ tuning engines also) and Mark Courtney in Harris' corner. The two biggest wastrels of the 80's generation. I wouldn't let either of them run a raffle, yet alone a pit crew.

Okay Mr. Pedantic. Edit coming shortly.

After watching THAT, it was the best meet for a while.. WHY would it be changed??? The only way something as entertaining (and a great advert for speedway)as last nights meeting/format could be binned would be... to let the BSPA have the final decision on it!!!! If the Aussies' joker had won them the meeting (eg Polish engine failures and 6 points gained by the Aussies) people would have LOVED the joker system last night. It was hard on the Aussies at one point, but when they went 6 back, it made it interesting as they had it in reserve. I don't normally like the joker rule, but last nights to-ing and fro-ing gave it a fair airing. But that's speedway.. it's like the black/white possible 8-1 helmet colour. You get rewarded when your behind. We've always had that in the sport. But I'd change nothing. Apart from the fact that the venue of Cardiff would be great for such a meeting.

If you win a World Title then you are one of the sports great riders. If you win multiple World Titles, then I say you can be classed as an all time great rider. If Gollob makes up the ground on Hancock this year, and wins back 2 back titles, having your name on the pot TWICE, for me, has you down as an all time great. ONLY Gollob is mad enough and erratic enough to be able to pass all THE OTHER riders in each race he's in.. and at some point in a meeting find himself passed as well. Not so much tonight, he may well have had clutch issues, but we have seen him caught from behind. It's brilliance over madness for him at times. His race with Crump at the end... seriously... WOW!! But if he wins it this year.. twice World Champion will see him as an all time great for me. I do think that the Poles' bikes were too fast. They should be made to race with 50cc engines next time out. Good to see that many, apart from Boycie and the Aussie riders, thinks that they may have cheated. Gotta love this forum.. truly.

Everyone had a played joker... fair meeting. Gollob only good because he had the fastest bikes?? Well Jason Crump and Nicki Pedersen are triple world champions... I'm sure they must have quick bikes too. This is the second time I've seen the bikes blamed. It's all about confidence and set-ups relevant to the track at the time. You have to nail them both.. man AND machine, take in consideration track watering etc. etc. etc. Even after his Joker and following win, Gollob got carved up and finished 3rd in his next heat. His bike must have been slower then?? And he must have taken his slow bike to the British GP.. as everyone else had faster bikes. It was basically just a great, hard meeting. Nothing else can be factored in. In other sports, you can be behind. In tennis.. 2 sets down. In football.. 3 nil down. In speedway, in front of your own fans.. you can be last. Then an inspirational captains role can propel you. Great meeting, well done to ALL four teams for the great spectacle that it was.. unbelievable to grasp that EACH AND EVERY TEAM were far enough behind the leader to play a joker. Brilliant!!!!

Think the Poles will run away with myself. Looking forward to it, whoever the winner.

Well firstly, I expected the Poles to run away with it, and with a little (lot) of help from us, early doors... they did. Wuffie OVERtrying (that I can forgive) before doing very well later on, Harris having a great and wartorn evening, Kennett doing very well and giving a thousand percent, Barker holding his nerve and getting that heat win after two confidence denting replacements.. and Scott Nicholls, who had a bad one, but was still trying as hard as he can, which contributed to him hitting the deck. All the above factors, I'd happily take. They did their best, rode their best.. and yes.. messed up a times. But last night they were a unit, and really, really wanted it. The simple fact remains.. they were beaten by a better team on the night. The Poles simply didn't / don't mess up. I'd have like to have seen how the scoreline would have panned out without stupid racing decisions by us. When placed, as with Woffinden, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, and of course, using a Joker when bringing in a tactical ride would be the best way to go. GB were always going to qualify. However, it was the manner of the way we finished second, trying to chase it down rather than look over our shoulders and coasting to second.. that I liked. The word must have been out fully on Sayfudtinov and the Laguta's... otherwise, Wuffy should have done a Batch and got himself excluded.. or something. He made it look easy in his first two rides. I thought we did our best. And think that Barker deserves a shot in the next meeting. As whoever gets that gig will find it tough anyway, I'd like him to be the one getting the experience.

Completely got me there Squally fella.. but I didn't even realise 'a funny' had been fired in at me!! I'll have to set my 'comedy filter' down to the lowest level, to spot substandard attempts at it. My bad. I should be fine then.

From the second I was born, I was named after a speedway rider (Greg Kentwell) of Halifax. I always found speedway people to be friendly. Until today. You, today, with your arrogance, have wholly ruined the myth to me that speedway people are a good bunch. A sad day indeed. Enjoy your goading and baiting and trolling.

I thought as much. Hence my withdrawal from this forum.

Very good. I hope you took my comment as a hypothetical situation, or are you assuming that, after watching Batchelor race for Australia, that I am stupid?

Tricky one... Why would Batchelor actually 'mix it up', pass somebody.. then do a 180 degree spin... he could have just tucked in behind on the inside (I've seen more dirt at the bottom of the kids rabbit hutch) and not passed if he had tried. Why mix it up on the 1st and 2nd bends?? Unless he was disgusted to have been asked to throw it, and made it look obvious to embarrass his coach into looking like a cheat. As for the comments that he's better than Woffinden. That's a poor shout, in my opinion. I couldn't see Batchelor rattling up a 15 points max in the British Final, however decent a rider is. As for Ward being cocky. Fair enough.. he can be. But after seeing the kid ride the wall of death round the boards for laps trying to pick up some dirt to gain another point, with maximum effort, flat out and fearless, I do admit to liking the kid. With an earlier Joker when Holder and Ward were racing possible, the Aussies could have grabbed this, and it would have let Batchelor go flat out for the two points in that race with the spin. Terrible team management, you take every opportunity for points available to you... and they didn't. Ridiculous. Now we have a hungry Aussie side in the Play-Off meet, who will be VERY difficult to beat. Especially if managed correctly. As for Ward and the GP's, I'd welcome him anytime. Like him or not... I personally like him... he's what speedway is all about. And a couple of U21 wins, with a third possible, for me entitles him to an invite anyway. He is world class. Greg.

Leave it out... I've already declared I had a ball!!!

One very unfortunate incident in a history of a great event. This can happen anywhere too, I've saw trouble at Halifax at one match in the early 80's, as a teenager, aged 14. It's a shame, as Cradley Heathens were a superb speedway team too, possibly the best I've seen. I wouldn't let one incident mar my enjoyement of a regular thing like the GP. Greg.

I bought a programme too, but also didn't receive any headphones or draw-card to help me. Luckily I'd downloaded a racecard off of here put up kindly by Manchester Paul, which saved me. Otherwise I'd have had to shove them in ad hoc.. It wouldn't hurt to override the scoreboards for ten minutes, with an announcement saying so, and have the line up of 1-18 sat there in a static fashion for all to copy. Or put one on each seat for when you enter.

Seconded. Or at least PM all enquirers!!!! I don't wanna cheer on anyone who snubs child fans!! Booooo!!!