JT

I like her, she's brings glamour and enthusiasm to the pits and her improvement is noticeble. I'd certainly prefer Webster than some fat bint in Hi-Tech trainers and a loyalty card at Primark.

In fairness to the riders, the national anthem resembled a recording of deaf children, played on an ancient gramophone! For 20-34 quid the presentation last night was nothing short of awful, saying that, for half the price it would have been embarrassing. Crap music, terrible announcer and not even a karaoke singer to sing the national anthem. If the organisers weren't so busy chasing the Yankee dollar, Coventry could have been full last night, which at the very least would have hidden the crumbling terraces, weeds on every corner and on the back straight a paint stripper! As for Nicholls having no pride? I'm not his greatest fan but even I can see he was very, very annoyed last night. I think (and hope) we will see a different rider on Thursday. As for putting James Wright and the like in? Did you watch the meeting at Belle Vue last week? A meeting that made Stead look Elite Class. Yes build for the future but don't make things even more cringe worthy. JT.

Couldn't agree more, pretty apt that she represented the Danes. As for the meeting, well it was nothing short of a farce from a British perspective. Yes Allen tried hard but he still scored just 5 points on his home circuit, Stead was as crap as expected. Meanwhile the other three seriously underperformed, although Harris did at least win a race. The race with Rymel and Andersen was top draw and former Newport legend Iversen had a couple of great last bend surges. Also mightily impressed by Jonas Davidsson, a rider that is surely ready for the GP's in the next couple of years? His ability to up his game in International meetings was a lesson to the entire British side this evening. As for Coventry Speedway itself, slightly disappointed by how shabby it appeared, having heard of major improvements. Plus the announcer and that bloody 1980's Primary School disco music was toe curling, no wonder the sport is still highly unfashionable in league venues. Look forward to Woffinden on Thursday.

I've mentioned it on another thread, the accoustics in the top tier (3rd bend) were awful, but this is surely a fault of the stadium sound system, not the DJ's. As for the music 'Land of Hope and Glory' was superb but that bloody annoying song before the races began was rubbish the first time, by the end of the night it really p*ssed me off! (The song with the screaming woman)

Rubbish! Booing (and cheering) adds to the carnival atmosphere, is totally harmless and Pedersen plays off it like a pantomine villain.

The acoustics in the top tier of the stadium were awful, for the entire meeting I found it impossible to fathom what the announcer was saying. The broken big screen was also highly annoying and prevented a great deal of supporters on the 3rd and 4th bends witnessing replays, a real bugger with the amount of controversial incidents. As for the meeting itself, it certainly livened up towards the end, mostly as a result of a totally inept referee, Pedersen ‘diving’ and crashes on the 3rd bend.

Totally agree Grachan, I certainly wouldn't have felt embarassed taking a first timer to that meeting. Anyway in comparison to Somerset v Rye, it was thrilling! As for Nicholls, yes he was rubbish last night, but I’d rather have him riding in Grand Prix’s than have one fewer Brit in the series. Harris has been mediocre in most GP’s but the one win he had cheered up British Speedway no end. Untill Woffinden hits the big time I’d just be grateful that we have any Brits to cheer on, relax and stop over analysing every heat. Oh and well done to former Wasp Iversen, two semi finals in two GP's, can’t be long before he reaches a final in my opinion. JT

Bloody gorgeous and professional with it, cant really ask for more really, well before 9 o'clock that is!

If you thought Iversen was poor in the GP series, christ knows how bad either Stead or Harris would be, both of these riders have been pretty useless when they have been wildcards, at least Iversen managed a couple of decent Wild Card performances before he was put in the series full time. I like Stead but he was really in the main quite awful at this years GP while the only memory I have of Harris in a GP is flipping it on the straight a few years back! Although very unpatriotic give the place to Karlsson, a genuine world class rider, not a couple of Brits on the basis that they had decent World Cups, as riding amongst a team and individually I'd imagine are a completely different kettle of fish!

I'm with the band of Pearson/Tatum supporters, in my opinion they are brilliant, both very informative yet witty at times too, after all it's only sport and it's nice to have a laugh now and again and for commentators not to take themselves too seriously!

Peter Karlsson at Wolves on Sky a few weeks back? I would have paid to watch that meeting for Andersen alone, I like Nicholls but he does like Simon Stead seemed too bothered about what his style looks like in front of the cameras than simply getting on with the job. Back to the main issue here, the track was so appallingly slick that Andersen in the heat of the moment knew that to give himself a chance of winning he'd have to move out and block his line (I'd assume that was the move in question here after all the back straight incident wasn't far removed from Richardson’s move on Iversen earlier), bear in mind travelling at those speeds decisions are made in a split second, admittedly it did look very deliberate but dangerous? Nicholls stayed on and very shortly afterwards overtook him and won the race and in all honesty in the post race interview didn't seem that bothered. Focus on the standard of riders here, if Andersen had done that to a Conference League rider OK it would be seen as dangerous as they would perhaps lack the experience and quality to cut back like Nicholls did, but Nicholls is a World Class rider as confirmed by his brilliant overtake, he stayed on and in the adrenaline rush with the crowd behind him pushed Andersen’s handshake away (playing to the crowd!). Anyway I don’t think that was the main issue here, my mum caught a few races on the way through the house and commented on the meagre crowd and ‘scruffy' stadium the World Cup Semi Final was being staged in, from an outsider looking in, if the first thing they noticed was the environment aspect, it does highlight how poor speedway facilities are and the poor value for money aspect if this is where one of the sports premier competitions is being staged. Personally with enough advertising I think the World Cup could be staged in a large stadium, perhaps not the Millennium but maybe even a Premier League football stadium as I find the competition perhaps more entertaining than the GP, priced right I see no reason why the final couldn’t attract at least 20,000 people.

But Andy M, Iversen lifts himself to a far higher standard for international meetings something Gjedde failed to do at Swindon. Bjerre will certainly strengthen the Danes if the track is made for gaters.

Kenneth Bjerre? Far too bland in my opinion, seems to be a gate or nothing type of rider on the international stage at the moment, Zagar has had god knows how many chances at cracking his home GP and his Swedish scores suggest he wouldn't be the best choice for a full season of GP racing. Richardson certainly has to go as he seems to have completely lost the plot, I wouldn't bother sticking another Brit in the line up as quite frankly none of them are good enough at the moment. Crappy Chrzonowski in every GP bar Britain has been embarassing frequently going from first to last, while Sullivan seems to have lost the desire to be world champion and should not be invited back.

Iversen has got to have a chance, if Bjerre can reach the semi finals then he should easily make that stage, while if Zagar can make the podium, I'd say PUK has a chance of winning it! I seem to remember Trick didn't have the best of GP's last season in Denmark, if the same happens this year then we have a far more interesting GP series on our hands!

Excellent Grand Prix and great seats right on the start line (middle tier) next to Colin and Troy Pratt, at one point Stonehewer after he was ordered to sit down by the stewards after jesturing at the referee and not far from John Postlethwaite! Have to say the announcer, the atmosphere and the show was impressive, what was less impressive was the sticky floor in certain places, tip for next year dont wear flip flops unless you want to get stuck to the floor! Regarding the Swedes, I think I know who you were talking about, in an Irish bar after the meeting a bunch of Swedes (around 15) one with a clap hands hat and a couple with a giant flag came in shouting Rickardsson and the one bloke (who despite being legless had better English than most of the Brits) said the police had threatened to arrest him!

Nice to see the Times on Saturday with a two page spread on speedway including photographs of track construction, the Daily Mail also had an article with a picture on Antonio Lindback. Surely the Sun had a big spread on Saturday as they sponsored the event?

Funniest moment of the day was Stonehewer coming blazing up the stairs by us and jesturing at the ref, he was subsequently dragged down by the officials and asked to sit down!

Taken from Speedway World.tv Saturday's British GP crowd of 38,460 was a new speedway record for the Millennium Stadium, and the biggest turn-out at a meeting in this country since the last World Final staged at Wembley in 1981. That event, won famously by American hero Bruce Penhall, attracted a crowd of 72,769. As for worldwide World Championship attendances, Saturday was believed to be the highest since 41,000 watched Hans Nielsen win the 1989 World Final at the Olympic Stadium in Munich.

At the new home of Newport Cycle Speedway Club in the Spytty International Sports Village (around a mile from Newport Speedway) the European Veterans and Super Veterans GP series is taking place at 12 noon and 2pm respectively on Saturday, leaving you plenty of time to get into Cardiff. A big crowd and free admission should make this the perfect preperation for the GP in the night. Refreshments and a Matchday Magazine will also be available.

Yep another part of Labours war against the motorist! The sooner the speed limit is raised from its archaic current level the better!

Glad to see Iversen given a wildcard after his ultra impressive performance last season, has saved Oxford (except for at Wolves of course!) on numerous occasions and has impressed on the continent and is arguably the best Dane not in the series. Also excellent to see Mads given a spell as track reserve, although its unlikely he will get a ride the experience I'm sure will be worth it!

Iversen for Denmark, young exciting and proved a hit last year reaching the semi, in my opinion a more exciting rider than Bjerre and Gjedde anyway. Or why not Gjedde in Denmark (too give him experience as a home wildcard) and see how Iversen does in the Scandanavian GP.

It may seem daft but your best bet may be to park in Newport! Newport City Council you see are obsessed by car parks, so a few years ago they transformed the old post office into a massive NCP car park outside the train station, park here and then catch the train to Cardiff (which takes around 20 minutes) hey presto you are just a 2 minute walk from all the pubs aswell as the stadium and your car is arguably safer than it would be parked outside Ninian Park!

Interesting to see Kujawa is signed up with a team, especially as he doesn't have a bike! (Dawid NoJAWA is his nickname!)

Could we see a breakaway GP series like what looks likely to happen with the F1 series?