GeneralMelchett

Very well said, one of the stories almost moved me to tears it was so heartbreaking. Of course all the stories were sad in that riders had their careers cut short. However, in many respects they were quite uplifting the way the riders all said they wouldn't have changed anything and they had all retained a huge affection for the sport / people in speedway.

It's the gate three curse, no wins from gate three and me and my mate always refer to it as a graveyard! If GP riders can't get away from it then it's def a dodgy starting gate!

Good taste did it have Farve on the back?? if so i walked past you thinking wow is there 2 Green bay fans in Owlerton today? My first meeting of the season and good to see some of the top names riding in Sheffield and a decent crowd. Adams classy as ever, some effortless riding from him - he makes it look all so easy. The track was very dry and there wasn't as much passing as I hoped although there was some good action, mainly round the outside on the first / second bend.

I think his stint with us has (Lakeside) sharpened him up. I was very impressed with him too. I had him down as a potential winner after they had completed 3 races each. He even got away from the notorious gate 3 reasonably well. I've seen him ride at Owlerton a few times now and each time he gets better and better, think he is destined to go onto greater stardom as well. My nipper, who was making his own spectating debut at Speedway, was very disappointed the rider in blue didn't win the final. In all a very enjoyable event, the first few heats were a bit processional but there was some excellent racing and passing, most obvious being Tai and his burst round the 3rd - 4th bend boards, awesome race that was.

Our performance was woeful, however we last won this competition in 1989 and many will remember that meeting for other reasons. We aren't good enough, and being somewhat frank we haven't been for many years, in fact in all the years I've been wtaching speedway (since 1987) we've won the WTC once in 21 years! I don't really see what Middlo, Lynch, Boocock and Pratt can do if they don't have the tools. The riders looked unfocused and not interested until it seemed that third place was in danger, by then they were so far behind they were never going to catch up. I seriously doubt we can make it trough on Thursday but I would be delighted to be proved wrong. Whilst I hate to say it riders like Stead mirror people like Andrew Silver (who was my all time speedway hero) they seem to never quite realise their potential and after inital promise at the top level they seem to slip backwards.

Re Kroner he doesn't ride in Sweden but his form in Poland ( for Lodz) has been pretty good too. Got a full 15 the other week. Both have a valid argument for their inclusion really.

sod that just click Owlerton webcam from SCC here, the stadium is next to the casino!

It's a glorious sunny day thus far, hopefully this weather will as the saint says continue all the bh weekend.

For anyone interested nice big page in the Star bascially the text of which Phil as already posted however the entire article is here http://www.thestar.co.uk/sportheadlines?articleid=3079871

Spot on, they really made the effort and the crowd seemed to respond, so they in turn responded to that. One or two of them could be riding over here soon perhaps, they certainly seem like they could hold down an EL position.

Seem to remember Lyons doing that in the 2000 GP as well Re the Loram crash, Wasn't that the World Cup Qualifier in 2002? He clipped the back of a riders back wheel and careered into the starting gate?? Personally if it isn't going to be at Sheffield, then Kings Lynn is probably the best alternative, however for me this isn't about Kings Lynn, it's about the decision to change, and the assumption that we are all going to be happy with an two word explanation - "Technical Reasons" Like I've said three people who were definitely going (weather permitting) now are not, I simply can't get the required time off to go all the way to Kings Lynn on a week night, which is actually a shame as I do ackonwledge KL is a great racing track and the Chapmans appear to be doing a lot of right there.

hmmm this stinks somewhat to me, Very bad PR and somwhat convenient that it's now being switched to KL. Seems JC is the golden boy at present and can do no wrong. Sheffield was an ideal venue, centrally located and a good track. The last time the ELRDC was held their it was awesome. Well thats three people who were going who now won't be. Two of them are floaters who used to go regularly in the late 70's and 80's. I'd done a good PR exercise convincing them that watching Elite League riders at Sheffield would be a fab night, and they were looking forward to it.

Just out of interest any idea on the attendance. It looked fuller than normal but difficult to gauge at Wolves with everyone being crammed in on the home straight stand.

They always say one should be magnamimous in victory and defeat, otherwise you simply come across as "sour puss and grumpy face" I was never a huge fan of Hans Nielsen but I'd still congraulate him on winning yet another world title! Bolloxs to that, enjoy your moment in the limelight you've earnt it, well done and good luck in Cardiff. I'll certainly be cheering for you.

Whilst I would never promote using youngsters unless they are good enough or better than the old farts they are replacing they certainly seemed to revel on the big stage last night and it seems that a couple of them are finally coming of age, which is vital for GB Speedway.

Best not to really So they say Cheers, I pride myself on my observational abilities.

errr perhaps that's cos he's the home rider!

Hold it at Sheffield, Kennett is bobbins there , no idea about how Howe would ride there. Poor lad, I feel sorry for Howe, possibly his greatest night in speedway and his fire gets wazzed on by the Poole brigadge! I hope he goes to Cardiff and wins the damn thing now.

Interesting to get Polish fans view, Jarek has IMO stagnated in the last couple of seasons, which is a shame as he is a great talent.

Not in the GP tho is he??

I've long said that riders who give the EL a miss end up weaker as a result. Look at the year Ryan Sullivan gave the EL a miss he bombed big style all over the place, not just in the GP's. Look at Lindback this season, nowhwere in the GP's. Hample hasn't ridden in the EL since 2003 and I really think it's held him back. It's very rare I agree with orion but he has a point, the be as sharp as possible you need a lot of riding.

Interesting footnote to all this, Nicholls as quoted in the Sport section of the Daily telegraph saw it thus The British No 1 said the decision was a disgrace since the clash was "six of one and half a dozen of the other" Which in my opinion is about right. The problem lies in the crash occuring well after the first bend then in the eyes of the referee and rules somebody has to go for being the cause of the stoppage. As has been debated already, no clear definitive answer between ourselves on here exists, therefore we just have to accept the referees decision as being the correct one. I do agree with some on here who have said they need to reign themselves in for both their sakes otherwise the inital prognosis of Nicholls at Peterborough in 2005 is likely to come true. Personally the way it seems to have dragged on UN mediation is needed.

I attended Scott Nicholls testimonial and the general consensus was that the crowd was more than 4,500, more like 6,000 on that day. In all SN offered a good day, with lots of extras not just the actual meeting. of course somebody withdrew from that event didn't they

Considering he is the product of the Conference league we/he should all be dead proud of having made it to the SWC. Thus proving maybe the Conference league is working and will throw up the odd world class rider. (altho i think he has some way to go, he's definitely on the way)

You could well be right, however on current form etc and not knowing how many Louis would score pre meeting it was the right decision to bring him in. However it raised confidence before the meeting which is an important factor, intangible but important. Secondly I don't expect Stead, Louis or Norris would have scored more than the 3 or so that Louis got. Just as an example. Cl's first ride was a GP standard line up Andersen, Adams, Max and Louis, and i feel that Louis, Floppy or Stead would have been hard pushed to get a point in that one. His second ride was Crump, Pedersen and Lindgren, this time he took a point, again possibly the best he could have hoped for. In short any three of those riders would have been hard pushed to have scored more than the 3 points Louis got.