OveFundinFan

Actually I thought it was quite a good meeting. Would have been better having SON2 there instead of Latvia sand track, the racing would have been better. Even a second Swedish GP, don’t know what crowd it would hold, but when tickets are sold you go on a stream and pay.

There will be no Russians in the worlds biggest tournament ……the next Olympics taking place in Paris. That’s already decided. If as you say they are both now Polish they would surely be riding FOR Poland. I think you know that’s not going to happen. And if it was against the law to single them out wouldn’t you think they would have there lawyers crawling all over this. While Belarus are aligned with Russia in this Special Military Operation (which Putin planned to last 3 weeks), and Belarus troops (with Wagner) have moved up to the Polish border, I don’t thing Poland is sitting too comfortably at the moment. Just as Ukraine once belonged to USSR j not many years ago, so did eastern Poland. Add in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania (ex USSR) they all look vulnerable too. And Putin would like to grab Hungary, Bulgaria, Czech, Slovakia, Moldova, Georgia plus all the “stans”.. He wants to make a name for himself in Russian history and bring back the USSR, and at 70 he not got many years left to do it. He is desperate, and not bothered what the human cost is.

Good news for the GP’s

Go on Wikipedia and search for “speedway gp challenge”, take a look back through the years. First off, you will notice the top three every year are usually dominated by the current (for that year) gp riders. However sometimes in the top three you will see a “new” name, like Wozniak this year, who will be in the following years GP series. So follow these names into the following year gp series and see how they do. For starters, take last yeas Challenge winner Kim Nilson. Then go back year by year. Success is not guaranteed. Michel Mickelson came as winner of SEC, how’s he doing. For sure change is needed, new faces are needed, but not 3 or 4 a year. And there could be a case made that when someone comes into the gps they need continuity of more than one year, two years at least. Why? GP is at a different level to league racing… fitness, mechanics, money (sponsors). Even then success is not guaranteed. Take Anders Thomson, very competent rider, came in last year and won a GP, brilliant first year, gets a ticket for this year. Unfortunately now badly injured, but prior to injury how well was he doing? Would he be in next years gp series? Yet I reckon Anders Thomson is a better rider than Kvech, Becker, Pawliki and add Lebedevs too. Take Lebedevs, been around a few years, age about 28. He’s been in a few gp challages, check out his results. Well capable of scoring 7-9 in a challenge final, but that’s it. He’s peaked (sadly, because I like his riding and been willing him on). Putting Lebedevs into a GP series would see him scoring 4-7. For sure I think occasionally he could ruffle a few feathers, which would be good, but not regularly. I don’t want to hold anyone back, look at Bewley, Lambert, JHolder….. they were given there chance and have embraced it fully….. not everyone can/will. Be careful what you wish for.

Apart from Doyle, Vaculik, Lambert, Get below Wozniak and it all gets a bit iffy with kvech, Pawliki, Becker, Lebedevs. One in the 2024 would be enough, two of them could be a disaster for the series. Lebedevs would be my choice, he has the maturity, but doesn’t seem to be able to nail it when required ie recent SON and now the Challange. Beckets not quite there yet, Pawliki (I remember them both only a few years ago), so it’s got to be Kvech…and I not exactly jumping with joy but perhaps best of that bunch for next year.

Below cut and paste from my “ticket”, definitely shows 2:45 British standard time. I therefore assume in the quote above “local” time refers to Swedish time. Broadcast Information Date and time 2023 Speedway Grand Prix Challenge: Gislaved SWE Date and time 19 AUGUST 2023 Begins at 2:45PM BST (about 2 hours)

Stream available, see posts on 19th Aug.

Weather forecast for Gislaved looking good for today. Not much chance of rain, in fact, quite a hot day. Might give it a go with the stream, hoping there will be some good racing. Got my pass now. Point to note is the pass says start time 14:45, elsewhere I seen 15:45 which I assume is 1 hour ahead of uk.

Weather forecast for Gislaved looking good for today. Not much chance of rain, in fact, quite a hot day. Might give it a go with the stream, hoping there will be some good racing.

So, as an apprentice he wouldn’t be earning a big, so where does he get the money from to try to Latvia and back, plus other cost …… like a mechanic! Another sign that British speedway is a waste of time for youngsters who want to get to the top. He needs to get regular rides in Poland.

As R&R says….Tapes Up I connected to Challenge 2022 at Glasgow. You need to login, meaning you need an account. That’s simply name etc and you pay via the login.

NO you shouldn't. All 3 should have expenses, preferably all expenses but if not all a good proportion. Bailey, as under 21 British champ should have been in the team at the start, at least for the first race or two, then depending on performance. Couldn't some sponsorship be rustled up to give the kids a chance, or have you got to be rich before you can develop. Same thoughts with no 17 and 18 at Cardiff, no 17 should be under 21 brit champ and no18 2nd in under 21.Stops any arguments and gives the youngsters some encouragement. A big management mistake in my opinion.

What’s your opinion……. Would you spend £15 on a stream?????

Anyone seen racing at Gislaved, or know what the track is like? I have Google map it and it looks rather narrow. If Doyle and Vaculik get a top 3, and the Poles don’t like it, it could lead to an awful situation where those that shouldn’t qualify mess up the Gp’ for 2024. Those 3 riders from this (plus 1 from SEC) are in 2024 for 10 GPs barring injury. Looks like a small training track plus what looks like a motox track next to it as well. And next to an in industrial site. Perhaps this what the likes of Wolverhampton should look at for a new site…. Speedway, smaller training track, go kart or motox track.

But no 7 and 8 don’t necessarily always get a wildcard. It gives the organisers the opportunity not to give a wc to either of 7 or 8, but if the organisers deem it fit to give wc to 7 or 8 or both then they can. It is more flexibility in the hands of the organisers.

An interesting shaped track, would love to have raced there.

I’m sure that’s how it used to be, and there were a load of moans on here. They changed it and there are still a load of moans on here. There are 10 gp’s in a year, in theory 15 of the very top speedway riders, not everyone can live up to it. Obviously need the ability, but the rider needs to be extremely fit, have very good sponsors (money), an excellent support team (mechanics etc). So many look good but when they get there it just doesn’t work.

Maybe, it’s just I thought I had seen a snippet on the internet yesterday afternoon that he was in. It maybe I should have gone to Specsavers.

Wasn’t Connor Bailey supposed to be in when so many dropped out.

The mind boggles as to could be in the 2024 GPs. My opinion is Holder/Doyle/Vaculik have done enough this year to warrant a ticket for next year irrespective of the GP Challange result. So it’s 3 from the rest. Have the Pawlickis bounced back to something good such that one or both are worthy, is Wozniak worthy, could Lebedevs do a 10 gp season at a high level. They are the serious contenders IMO and I have my doubt. I shall be waiting with interest.

Stop having a go at Ben Barkers weight, nothing wrong with his weight, he’s just 6 inches too short. seriously, what pie shop does he frequent? I could do with putting on a few pounds. I am right in saying Stevie Worrell rode for GB in a world championship pairs (3 man team) a few years ago? That was a decent meeting, much better track than Riga last Saturday. UK needs a 2nd GP and NSS is the obvious choice for racing.

We seen it all before with Drabik, Smektala and Kubera. They are good riders but not at the level many thought they would be after they left the under 21 brigade. Kvech is another that is finding life difficult with the big boys. Not they won't make the top, but it often takes longer time then some want to see. Cierniak in two years time may be good, but the way Zmarzlik rides today I think Cierniak will be some way behind.

Don't be so ridiculous.

Show me where I used the word "bored" or "boring". Yes I stated or inferred it lacked excitement and the track didn't allow the racers to show off the best they can do, and I stand by that.

When the very top riders in the world are gathered together there are only a few tracks in existence that will allow them to perform at their very best. Riga, unfortunately was not one of them. Get 4 top riders all bunched together going into the 1st corner after a start is crazy when the track is not good. Last night amplified that. Organisers would have known that track surface at Riga was not the best and would cause problems, whether or not the under 21 team championship was the day before. I know the organisers are trying to use a variety of countries to hold these prestigious GP events, but that has to be weighed against the doubtful benefit if the track doesn’t give good racing. The riders are very willing to give their best, that is obvious, what they need is tracks that will facilitate their willingness to the full, nothing less. Long narrow straights, tight bends with no or little banking, plus a dubious surface and you are inviting poor world class races. The excitement really was not there last night. Any spectator who travelled many miles/hours to a beautiful city like Riga to be dished up what was on last night certainly deserve better. Who could blame them if they didn’t return. Certainly encourage countries to put on a show, but just ensure they have all the backing to put on a show with the very top riders. It was lacking last night.