OveFundinFan

You mean Peter Collins has not won three INDIVIDUAL world titles, he has won a total of 10 world titles. How many world titles has Tai won? er 3 (good going, but far short of Collins)

Dudek 100% Zagar 90% Fricke 60% Milik / Lambert. 50/50 Surely can’t have Smektala as that would be 5 Poles as Janus Kolodje coming from Challange qualifier.

Tai is more, much more then a one trick pony. He ca gate, he cuts back on the first bend for sure - but so well, and he can pass in exceptional ways. I am impressed how easy he makes it all look, in contrast, to say Zmarzlik whose legs are going everywhere. TW just sits and does the stuff needed. Very impressive.

Could be said that Peter Craven was more successful then Freddie Williams. PC won 2, 3rd twice, 4th twice, and appeared in 10 finals compared with FW 5 final appearances. Plus Craven won medals in the World team, 2x 2nd, and 2x 3rd, Freddie none. So you can make a case for greatest from all round success rather then WC wins. Then of course there was Peter Collins...….. Apart from being world champ '76 and 2nd '77 (arguably could/should have been more) World Pairs 4x winner, 1x 2nd World Team 5x winner, 3x 2nd World Long Tack 1x 2nd, 2x 3rd, 1x 4th, 1x 5th Of course, just getting in a World Team or World Pairs was tough in those days, so many top riders for GB Argument could be put forward that Tai has some catching up (although 3x world champ is very good on his CV)

Agree with Foamfence. If Woffy gets no 3, and he probably will, then that makes him the most successful British rider in the world championship - which is really really good. Tai has matured in the last couple years, as a person and a rider. He makes speedway look so easy. He must be full of confidence at the moment, tomorrow he just has to stay clear of bikes flying at him. Be interesting when the draw is announced, at what point he meets Zmarzlik. If its in his first 2 rides and he beats Zmarzlik then I think it will be a stroll to the win.

I was recording the meetings, I thought 2 meetings run concurrently would replay well on a long winters night. Wrong! It wasn't the best of meetings - either of them and I wiped off the recording as soon as it was all over..... and I was even reading a book as it was on. Got to say though Bombers overtake on Doyle was brilliantly executed. from last to first.....well done Bomber.

So would Maxim Drabik (2017 under 21 world champ, runner up 2018) and Bartosz Smetkala (2018 World under 21 champion and runner up 2017) but because they Polish they not even going to get a sniff at the senior world championship unless they qualify through the Challenge.

Felt in the mood to give a lot of "likes" today - does me good to "like" someone.

Through a multitude of posts it seems the majority of speedway fans would just love to see pit gates closed if a false start etc. Why is no one listening?

In reply to Aces51 - re the rule book......I thought Buster Chapman was going to sort that out, sure he said something to that effect when he became chairman.

Engaging parents and kids - that's the way to do it. Well done IoW Looking at the grandstand crowd at BV last Monday night - give it 5 years and they will have to be extending the wheelchair section massively - now that's (not) progress.

But that is only your opinion, and you cant prove what you say is right (or wrong). That's why I am just cherishing what I have seen through the years, cant really say who is the best ever GB champion, just as I cant say who is the best ever in the world. We all may have an opinion, fine, but none of us can compare across generations of speedway racing. If someone says Woffy is best GB rider ever, then that's fine. I may say Peter Collins is, but not everyone will agree. Fine. I would imagine there are not many on BSF, or anywhere, who have clear memories of, say, the early fifties champions, Tommy Price, Freddie Williams, Jack Biggs etc so very difficult to bring anyone of that generation (and before) into the equation. Who is the best will always be in our minds, and not reality.

Sounds like someone did well to get an announcement into the basket ball hall..... could have been a very long delay waiting for a speedway supporter to clear it. Yes agree was good to see a lot of KL supporters. Sure the happy with the result after a long journey from KL. Looking at the crowd in the main stand (TV cameras focused on them) speedway in the UK is in for a very bumpy ride (as if we didn't know it) in as much most of the spectators were in the age of "concessions". Sure there were younger ones as well but MOST looked concession spectators. Youngsters are definitely need and unless this is addressed, and soon, speedway will be as dead as a dodo. Is it worth getting a petition going, or individuals write to BBC Sport, ITV sport, to let them know that in 10 days time GB could have a 3 times world speedway champion and this is something to shout about. Are both main sports offices (BBC and ITV) based in Salford Quays - does anyone know?

Thanks bill94d for setting me right. You know, as I was typing it I was thinking “was it 20 yards or 3O yards”, glad to be corrected. Thanks.

When trying to determine who is the greatest from the Uk you have to take into account what was going on at different times. Late 50's-early 60's there were 5 riders starting from 30 yard back - Craven, Briggs, Moore, Knutsson and Fundin - the untouchables, the aliens, call them what you will, it was between them 5, but that competition was HOT, but only one from the UK.. They really were a cut above the rest. Go into the 70's and the field was MUCH wider, Louis, Jessup, Betts, Simmo, Collins, Ashby, Kennet, Morton, Wilson, Wyer already been mentioned - throw in some fabulous foreigners and becoming a UK world champ became seriously more difficult due to the spread of talent. Same with the 80's/early 90's. Now, from the UK, Tai has has had no serious competition from a UK rider, and I got to say, a few years when the number of GP riders that could win a GP series has been depleted. Not today though, This all makes determining who is the greatest Uk world champ ever very difficult. I prefer to leave things at that - each era we have had something special, I just treasure that in my mind. We never going to get Craven, Collins, Lee, Woffinden on the same track with the same machines. Just treasure what we have had.

Tonight its a double meeting on BT TV. 5:30 to 7:30 is a replay of the BV v Somerset meeting followed by live BV v Kings Lynn 7:30 till finish.

Some You Tube video from Costa Messa - not the best racing I seen from there, but it shows the track off well. If a GP went there Greg would win it hands down - its a gaters track. Laguta probably 2nd, and put Leon Madsen in the GPs and he would be third. Why do you think they didn't use Costa Messa for the world championship in early eighties? They went to a stadium where they could put in a real speedway track. https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=Costa+Mesa+Speedway+Motorcycle+Racing&&view=detail&mid=4191A6E311D1F64C25984191A6E311D1F64C2598&&FORM=VRDGAR

What would make that different to it just being another GP ????

Same with me, still don't particularly like the person, though he has changed for the better. I found I was saying to myself "c'mon Tai" more then once tonight...… but some of that was because I like him more then I like Zmarzlik. I did think the meeting was going to be called off after heat 3, especially when it started to rain again. But the track was worked on well, turned it around into a race track and some of the later heats were really good. Having said that, there must be a better track to take the GPs too. I do hope Vaculik gets a wild card next year, along with Nicki.

Maybe Sidney, Maybe

IMO Leicester doesn't have the room to make their track like BV, unless they knock the main stand down or the stand on the back straight. Track needs to be fatter if to be like BV

At last a decent speedway match on TV (apart from BV NSS showings which are always brilliant)

Not necessarily so, this year there are two less then 2017, Aussie being one of them, so room for two more.

Seems like you always are right, and perhaps only you think so.

Saturdays heat 16 episode would be more palatable if 1) the riders were warned (that after such a slack application of the rules) the rule on 2 min and be ready to race is being tightened (they may have been warned, we don't know) 2) the application of the rule was consistent (which it wasn't even in that meeting)