OveFundinFan

SO, the Swindon revamp cost £50k. Logically, the stadium is not going to be swallowed up by housing then, no one in there right mind would spend £50k knowing the track was going to close. That’s good news, isn’t it?

Had Glasgow riders been informed before leaving the pits to go to the meeting presentation area of what was actually going to take place, and they were to hold their "station" until directed??????? If not, then that is a serious error on behalf of Eastbourne management, one that they need to be called to answer. Not informing both sets of riders of procedures is asking for trouble. As for what followed, someone said the red lights were put on, they should have been flashing. The man with the red flag should have been waving the flag enthusiastically (more then he was), he should not have stepped in front of a machine without brakes, but neither should Cookie have done what he did. To me, the Eastbourne management has a lot to answer for IF the procedure had not be conveyed to ALL riders. If they did not do that, then what followed was a result of lack of knowledge by the riders. If that was the case they need to be fined. Having said that, Cook also needs a fine. No ban, due to it not being wholly his fault (if Eastbourne had failed to give procedural instructions.

Vaculik will be there IMO. He will take the opportunity to qualify mid season, get to the end and who knows what injuries they have that prevents them scoring enough to be in the top eight. Was it Dudek that relied on a wild card to be in, due to injury. Not wholly with you there. Went along with young guns in the past, ...... Milik and , Levbedevs for example but. Either is in the GP Challange final this year. Fricke ,Drabik, Smektala, Lambert still at least another full season away. Don’t want them in too soon and flopping ie Artum Laguta. i said it before, those young guns I mentioned can be on the mix and be a spoiler in any gp, but to do it 10 meetings in a season is tough. Look at Kolodzei this year, wins a gp then flops, and he is a mature rider. It is really tough.

Swindon has reshaped recently, speedway track on inside of dog track, and comments made suggest it is a big improvement. Are their any other British tracks that could be changed for the better within the existing parameters?

I am ok with Nige and Kevin as well. Tell you what, they could make it completely boring and I reckon you would not like that.

A very slickly run meeting. Only one fall, and that was a proper accident with the guilty rider, Zagar, apologising. Only one pulled back for start infringement (by a rider who doesn’t normally do it). Racing was spot on from race one, and got better. Kolodzei is so annoying, one meeting he trailing at he back, then he really in the mix. Antonio can’t really add much these days, this year a waste in the GPs. Sadly Iversen and Zagar not finding their past potential either. The top guys though, are at a different level, clearly seen last night on what was a really good race track. Speedway at its best. Speedway GP series really need only be a 6/7 meeting series on the top tracks in the world...... and that would include Belle Vue.

For 3 years we sat on bend 3, highest level up (cheapest concession at £20), and I thought the view was really good. Could see all the track and action clearly. I don’t think there is a bad place to be Except where the press/tv cameras are, it they lower down close to track level.

Well worth going, the atmosphere is amazing.

Who could blame Hampel if he looking after himself since that big accident in Prague that took him out of the GPs. Only so much the body can take and if he can gate and win, or with as little putting himself in danger, then why not do it.

Re concessions scrapped (was £15), and all adults now £16. Is the spectator base mostly over concession age? If so, scrapping £15 concession and decreasing adult entry to £16 most probably will provide an increase of revenue and make turnstile work easier. Clever, but risk upsetting those who were concessions.

Bunce, the live event they showing is the 24 hour of Spa motor racing and they just starting NOW. Logically cutting off 20 minute of speedway to cover 20 minutes more of a 24 hour race doesn’t seem right, it I know it happens.

In the UK Eurosport 2 at 5:20pm today.

You have not given any reasons why?

I not fully sure that is true. An engine has a diameter, the bore, an it has a area concaved in the cylinder head. You get more efficiency through 2 smaller inlets then one large one. The total area of 2 could be more then 1 large one, meaning more fuel. And you cannot put larger single inlet due to the constraints of the area available i the head. Hope that makes sense.

Its a world championship, but with each country having to have a 21 (or under) year old as reserve that must have at least one ride. I have accepted that and ok with it. The competition will develop around that when countries/team managers see the need to have a good under 21 year old, and its something for under 21 years olds to aim for. Obviously some supporters are not ok with that, thats ok.

would that be because really no one knows any other track in Russia other then Togliatti ? Surely, just because Russia has won the title 2 years on the trot doesn't mean it has to have the final next year? Its a bit like speedway world championship in the 1950/60's ...... always in the UK always at Wembley. Other countries started asking for it, hence Sweden, then Denmark, Poland, USA, Germany, Holland. Just cant tie it down tho the winning country. Sure Russia must of been well overdue a world final of some sort........... just think if the had a world speedway final in the 60's, what a real chance for Igor Plechanov or Boris Samarodov, but I am sure if a Russian won in Russia the championship would not have gone back their the following year. To me, Togliatti is a track not to have another world championship event in its present form, but probably will. Sad but likely.

And you may be missing a point. Some teams don’t have 3 strong riders to chose from. What nations in that situation need is development of young ones, so to help them develop young ones make it so they have the need to develop them. That where GB is lacking, the development of young ones, whereas Poland develops young ones. Hence the choice of team GB should, this year after Tai was ruled out, Cook and Lambert, with a developing under 21 at reserve, rather then keep Lambert at reserve knowing full well there would be a very strong chance he would be used a lot, with an old dog in the team. We will see that next year, if all are fit it will be Tai and Robert with a developing rider at reserve.

I worried where next years final going to be, Russia won so is it Tolgiatti again? If it is I demand a rerun of the meeting - you know, like Brexit, dont like the winner so we will run it again until the ones we want to win do. .

It seemed as if there was an unusual amount of false starts at Togliatti. Probably reflects how rubbish the track was - gating was all important as we saw. Even Zmarzlick, who was the best rider over the 2 nights, "missed" the gate when needed and could do nothing about it, Emil and Laguta were away.

Thought it was a 2 valve class, GTR was 4 valve surely.

Can you get any pills to help you?

I get it, I get it.... he was injured and surely that would affect his performance, Saturday night he did well, Sunday not so well.. But as I understand, he said he was riding mid trsck due to the wrist injury. Yet whe he was in the GP last year that is where he rode mainly - mid track. So easy to pick off, they just rode under him on the straight cause they knew once they get to the corner he wasnt going to fill the inside.

Barry, have you (or anyone) got race times for the 2 valvers to compare with same/similar riders on 4 valvers? Not that race times matter, its the quality of racing/more cost effectiveness that matters. And are these 2 valvers laydown engines as someone posted a race clip? And are there any common components between the 2 and 4 valvers?

Problem that arises with GB youngsters getting all this experience in Poland or Sweden is they will earn better money there, will have a yearning for the competitive racing and not bother racing in the UK. This has been known to happen before and not too long ago and the uproar was deafening.

and where does processional riding with hardly any overtakes over 44 heats stand in the likes/dislikes of supporters in other countries????? The riders seem to take what comes, even Tai in the studio didnt overly criticise the track. Are riders under some "hold", like if they speak their mind they would be blanked by the "higher authorities". If the wife or I dished out bland food with no flavour, no colour we would soon be changing the "menu", but the powers that be seem to want to take the worlds best speedway riders to unappetising tracks time and time again, and dish up totally inept referees as well. Dont supporters who pay lots of money, not only on admission, but travel and accommodation, subscription to TV packages etc deserve much better?? IMO they do indeed.