Steve Shovlar

Easy to stop rolling starts. Make sure the riders know the rules, tell the starting marshall that the riders front wheel is only a couple of inches from the tapes when the green light comes on. If a rider moves back when the light comes on its classed the same at tape touching and he is excluded. the rules state that riders must not move when the green light comes on, so enforce it rigerously!

I am arriving at Cardiff early so i might pop along to Sams bar to see who you lot are. I won't recognise anyone but Tina and i am not sure she will be there, so look out for a very handsome guy in his early 40's sporting a Swedish Match Tony Rickardsson Cap. Nice to put a few faces to names and I promise not to stir! :twisted:

Well I thought it a very enjoyable meeting. Admitedly the track was far too slick but there was quite a bit of overtaking after the first 5 heats. Cream always rises to the top and the final had the correct 4 riders battling it out. Well, battling it out for second as Trick was head, shoulders, chest and waist above the opposition all night. Total dominance and I think this was Tony's easiest win in all the GP's he has competed in. Some think it boring but Tony is laying down the level of commitment and ability that others need to attain if they wish to compete, and in the long term it is only good for the sport to bring it to higher standards. Tricks averages have been down this year, and this is completely due to bike troubles. The only way he would have lost this GP is for an EF but luckily it looks like the gremlins have been exterminated. It is a well known fact that all sporting legends prove to be extremely unpopular when they dominate their sport. Only when they are about to retire do they suddenly become a hero of sorts. Schumacker in F1, Steve Davis or Henry in Snooker, Tiger Woods in Golf, the list is endless. Unless you actually support that sporting legend, then you find it boring and anybody but them please. With Trick on such fine form, the rest need to raise their game or the series will be sewn up with three GPs to go. Don't blame Tony. What should he do? not try? Ask to start off 15 meters? Not bother to turn up for a couple of rounds? Or race with one arm tied behind his back! At the end of the day every generation sees a Speedway great. Fundin, Briggs, Mauger, Nielsen, Rickardsson. Rather than thinking it boring because you are not a fan, realise that this guy is riding now and you are probably watching speedway history in the making. Maugers six titles? Six? Schmix! Seven is heaven and Trick WILL get them before he finally pulls off that steel shoe. Enjoy watching him now and you can tell your grand children you saw the greatest speedway rider of all time at your track against your boys. Now that ain't a bad thing. cheers Steve Shovlar