OveFundinFan

For what purpose?

I did at one time npt so long ago think Greg should have a wild card for next year, but considering his current circumstance, p;us his age etc I think best would be for him to do Torun this year as a swan sing and that would be it. To put him in as a full wild card next year would be too much for him and for the speedway fans in general. To put him in select GPs next year to wave good bye to all would be unfair to those riders in the nations Greg would get to be at not being able to have an opportunity to have a wild card spot. To me, that leaves him riding at the final meet this year ie Torun and it would be his prerogative to do Cardiff this year as well. Might upset Robert but its Gregs call anyway.

I really don’t think Lambert is ready for a full season of GPS, perhaps another 2 years off. It’s been a good experience this year being series reserve, has given him more gps then probably thought, what with Greg not taking his place unfortunately. Kolodeiz, apart from a GP win, which was really good, he hasn’t done much. He must have something going for him to win a gp, and I accept you can’t win gp every meeting, but some sort of consistency would be nice. He seems to be another Lindback, so frustrating cause you know what he can do but just doesn’t manage it for whatever reason.

One day the shout shout is “I want to see the top 15 in the world race”, next day “give some new blood a chance”. The two are not always, very frequently, the same.

When’s the next Colts?

I could be one of the "easiest target audience" as I used to go regularly to Hyde Road in the 60's and 70's, didnt go much in the 80's and that was it. I went to the Fri/Sat world team in 2016, Friday was useless, Saturday completely opposite. Seen many matches now on TV and agree that NSS is at least equal to Hyde Rd and maybe better. BUT, as much as I love a good match I hate what has and is going on in UK speedway, lack of unison amongs BSPA to promote good speedway and manage the whole affair fairly. Lots of things really, all been covered here on this forum. Now a pensioner with limited income, I find it difficult to support even the best track in the UK, because of the said problems. For now, at least I happy paying BT for the right to see the GPs plus whatever else they serve as speedway, though got to admit not too fussed with what I seen from KL, Petebor, Poole, Ips, Wolv....... leaving Swindon as ok, and BV as fantastic.

I had that on my mind as well, together with all the foul language he came out with whilst being interviewed. Of course he had many supporters on here for both those actions, a role model for youngsters. Difficult to get rid of those tattoos, virtually impossible, but regards the foul language, I recon the tv broadcasters warned Tai and all the other riders using bad language to cut it out or not get interviewed. Maybe sponsors had a say as well. Having said that, I can see Atari has changed, he does a decent interview today and I enjoy his commentating efforts, not bad at all.

I think as time goes on it is less likely Greg will be seen back in GP’s this year, there is only 4 left now and he says he not doing Teterow, so 3, though he could surprise and do Toruń and bow out of speedway completely.

Where was that track, I not watched it all, looked more approaching a long track then a speedway circuit. I kept skipping sections hoping to see a good race, but I often landed on a tractor grade ,watering session, race just ended etc The whole video was 3 hour 17 minutes, seriously, for a 20/22 race meeting? i tried watching a link to the Challenge meeting in Gorican last Saturday, managed 6 races then had enough. Seems I spoilt with the fantastic GPS I seen, specially the last two meetings. Maybe the speedway GP will never get to Belle Vue, but surely it could have the speedway Challenge Final. Would be a good meeting as only 3 “winners” means there would be a good scrap for every point.

Know one remember the Wembley roar back in the 50’s and 60’s when just cheering and rattles (and I don’t mean babies rattles). No air horns then (thank goodness), but the atmosphere was fantastic. I stopped going to speedway early 80’s so probably missed the years when air horns got popular and developed into really loud devices. Wife and I went to Cardiff in 2013-14-15 and the air horn noise was very loud, wife used to hate it and I was uncomfortable with it, and no one was really behind us blasting in our ear. We were not young then, mid 60’s, and our hearing would have deteriorated from our younger days (I wore earring aid since 2000). If we had been near the centre of the noise makers what would have been enjoyable speedway would have been unbearable. i am used to noise, younger days I was in heavy engineering, and then had a grass track bike in the days just before silencers came into the sport, so in a busy paddock most weekends in the summer. But the air horn noise far surpassed all that. Not a good environment, and I just wonder how many of those subject to regular air horn noise (like the Polish fans) will really suffer in later life.

Anyone know why Tai is not on the panel of Question of Sport.? Maybe he has and I missed it, but that would be good way to front speedway, when he gets his own questions may get a few bits of speedway action for his to answer questions on.

A tough rider that I enjoyed watching.

Nice stadium, good facilities, fantastic atmosphere.

ONLY 60,000. Is that bad? I basically only with BT for the speedway, it doesnt cost much for a BT TV box, and we watch "normal" tv programmes through freesat. When you say they had bigger audiences on SKY. Maybe, but SKY didnt want British speedway, fortunately BT picked it up. I not willing to pay £20 plus travelling (an hour each way) to my local team no matter how good the racing is there (BV). In fact, if only the GP's were on BT then I would still subscribe. The other benefit of me being with BT is I am one of the 7% in the UK who get fibre to the house. I went from 1.2mbps to 52mbps (and more if I wanted to pay for the speed).

I enjoyed watching Andreas riding Happy retirement.

I was there are the we in 2016 when Iversen go the track record. That Friday evening the racing was really boring, but put right by the Saturday night Final. Could the track have been prepared to give BV a home advantage?

My thoughts, my hope, was that Mikelson would have done well enough in the GP Challenge thus being in 2020 GPs, he didnt perform to the required level. In recent years there have been a few, very few, real youngsters who have performed well enough to grace the GP scene successfully, mostly Poles ie Zmarzlik, Janowski, Dudek, whereas notably the Pawlicki brothers have failed. Youngsters seem to struggle to do a full GP season, they may shine in an odd meeting, but other then that they can fall flat and that must be demoralising. As under 21's, and they still are, Drabik and Smektala were setting the world on fire, but only at their level - they were exceptional. Same with Fricke when he was world under 21 champ, but look not at Fricke, its a few years on and now he seems to be maturung to the next level. Lambert has had results in the under 21, still in it, but he is not in the same class as Drabik and Smektala (IMO). Let them mature a bit, the old school who are still showing the way will fade away, just enjoy them while they are still riding well.

Will take some big money to held 14 events around the world. Where is it coming from?

So if these 3 would have qualified for next years GP series I reckon it could have been a very long series. its already been said, but couple years ago the shout was “we need new blood, put Milik and Lebedevs in the series”. Upon reflection, what would they have added. A full GP series I would imagine is tough. Few years ago Vaculik dropped out of the series, saying he will come back in a few years when he more experience. Now he is back......at what age...is he 27. Stick the youngsters in too soon and you not guaranteed entertainment as we like it. Madsen isn’t a youngster now, and he said he was too young last time. Same with Artur Laguna, too young before... he says that.

Sorry, I read it as the British Final, as in what took place at BV few weeks ago. A swop of events if you like. I read it wrong. But there still may be a decrease in crowds at Cardiff if 2 GPS held in uk. Would all the Polish, Swedish, Danish etc visitors come twice to the UK? There are many UK supporters who say the trip to Cardiff is too far and too expensive. Would they still go.? I am sure the organisers have done their sums, but it would be good for a GP to be at BV, as exciting Cardiff can be the racing at BV should be better.

I don’t think a British Final at Cardiff would pay its way - the costs would far out weigh the income. You do realise they put a temporary track into the Principality stadium which takes almost 2 weeks, and that 60,000 seater stadium needs paying for. Be lucky to get 8,000 at Cardiff for a British Final.

Teterow speedway track is definitely NOT a long track circuit. The long track is VERY long and unusual even for a long track in that it has slight hills and right hand bends. The speedway track is next to it. All of us get info wrong sometimes, but that comment of yours is so way out. Go to google maps, type in “Teterow Speedway Germany” and you will see booths tracks.

Ok, got it wrong, but there are still wild cards for 2020. Just that for next year wild cards are going to be tight. Tai (current world champ), Greg (record over many years and qualified for 2019), Doyle (world champ 2017 and nearly 2016) are worthy of consideration. Who else could be in for a wcard. Possibly Janowski, ALaguta, Kolodzei plus who ? Someone who would add value to a tough 10 GP series. who?

And where did Madsen qualify from ......... err..... the Challenge wasn’t it

Of course current GP riders should be allowed in the Challenge. It’s only top 8 in the GPS that are guaranteed a place the next year. It’s up to those riders outside of this years 15 to prove themselves worthy of a spot next year, and that means beating those 9-15. If they can’t do that it means they really in position 16 and downward.