DukesGreg

There shouldn't be Philip! If I could drop the clutch and get out of the start faster than most of the guys in speedway, I'd want it even slicker!! :wink:

Perhaps it would be a good idea if Tony Olsson is in COMPLETE control of the track preparation for a GP. If these guys are as knowledgeable as we are led to believe... and to be fair, it they are put there by the FIM powers-that-be to prepare and oversee tracks at this level, then I am willing to accept their knowledge... then they should be there, say a week before, CONTROLLING the preparation of a track. I know there are guys who prep these tracks every week, fair enough, but they will prep a track no doubt in favour of the home team racing there. Somebody like Tony Olsson, in conjuction with (but with the last word over) the regular guys, should be instructed to get the BEST AVAILABLE racing GP for the track he is working on. Of course, I appreciate that you can't just throw dirt on, and expect it to be raceable. But surely it can be better, racing wise, than it has been. If not, and they won't let the FIM curator oversee the whole thing, then I'd remove them from the circuit (that track), find an alternative, either at another stadium or have a GP elsewhere, country wise... ie Australia, USA or another in the UK. Poland can host more than one, I'm sure we can too. Whatever the situation, I find it hard to accept that this track in Prague could not be better. If that's the best that they can do, due to it HAVING to be slick, then shame on the SGP and the FIM for accepting this meeting onto the series. Knowingly having bad GP's is not the way forward. A rubbish advert for the sport in general.

Well mate, I was expecting less people to be there, if you factor in travelling costs etc., this was possibly one on the fixture list that was easy to miss if you were dropping a fixture. I though that for a 3rd tier meeting, it was a decent enough turn out. I wouldn't expect the crowd to be anywhere near that of a PL meet.

Bit of a late addition to this thread, but I really enjoyed this meet. Wet and processional early doors, but it really got going once the weather and track settled. Garrity was poor in the wet until that ride, he had 3 points on the board before that (and every one of them was gifted via falls or engine failures... he was well off the pace) then he sprung to life in that amazing see-saw race... worth the admission fee alone. Full credit to Lambo in the second meeting, nasty crash followed by some unbeaten rides, fair play to the lad. The Worralls were very good, and there was some nice displays and rides. It's a predominantly young, and of course British league, and this was great to watch. I caught Scunthorpe v Buxton last season in the Scunny/Sheffield double header last year, and loved the standard back then. I'd take having a National League track near me, West Yorkshire is dry of speedway, and somewhere local to drop by and watch this league as well as nipping to Owlerton on a Thursday would be ideal. It's speedway, it's entertaining, and these lads are desperate to do well as they aspire to be the next generation of riders. I'll catch as much as I can of the National League. Felt for Paul Cooper, he was actually on the pace most of the time, had a couple of falls and engine troubles, if he tried 100 percent as opposed to 130 percent, he'd probably (no... definitely) not be prone to falling / slipping and errors, and would consolidate more points. Overtrying probably ruined his display, and of course he got dropped in a race for the very impressive Worrall at reserve. He won't be hanging around the lower divisions for much longer... on this display. I think that double headers are great at this level. And more importantly, there was a decent turn out by the fans. More please.

Fully appreciated and noted, but if you love your speedway, you simply follow speedway. I'm adamantly opposed to many issues that speedway has with it's regulations and red tapes, but I don't expect to have any power or say in affecting anything. You tell me there's a rule.. I lump it. And go watch. As I love the sport. To jack following speedway because you're opposed to the silencer is a bit of a ridiculous concept, although I do appreciate, a possible one over there. But to be honest, the FIM wear the trousers, not the Polish fans. I'm still struggling with this one, motorcyclings governing body has implemented something, as it does with all it's other (abiding) affiliates, but in speedway it becomes a head scratching protested issue. You blanket every rider, and tell them they have to have one. Sounds like a level playing field to me. Though I am sure I'm missing the point on this one. I'm not referring to this thread when I say that, I've just seen it trundle on and I am still confused. Riders are moaning about them in the pits at clubs, blaming them for this and that. Yet I've seen great racing, the riders who I expect to ride well do, and the ones who I don't expect to ride so well.. don't. If I didn't know about the issue... I wouldn't even have picked up on it. As it seems a cut and dried, level, equal thing, in general.

Whatever the weather, this silencer is here to stay, and even looking back over speedway from other eras, there was previous issues and arguments over silencers... can't remember the exact year, but I'm sure that in the late 70's the same thing was raging then. It's the same for all, and they've had time to prepare, each and every one of them.

Well, once things settled down and the riders got to grips with it, there ended up being some great racing. We can bemoan track preperation all we want, but Lindgren's sortir from last to first was a joy to behold.. seems like the track had enough for him... and others... to overtake should the opportunity arise. Once it bedded in it provided good action, I for one thought it was okay, I watched it on V plus and ran a couple back to watch again. Crump was, to be honest.. a little off the pace last year, we hear of his injuries etc. but I think that, in general, Jason will be found out over a full season in GP speedway. I think Nicky Pedersen had things go for him, but don't expect him to carry his victory through into a World Title. I wouldn't call him a worthy winner neither, Hancock was the best rider on the night, and, as many top scorers on the night do, got mugged off by the GP system. Should be the old 20 heat format as it used to be, with the highest place man getting x points, second getting y, third getting z and so on. If you win on the night... you should win. End of. Surely not too much to ask for. Well rode Greg Hancock. Shame he's not leading the GP today, as for Chris Harris, no doubt he'll get better as the season progresses. I just don't see anything in Crump to make me think he's got another title in him. The Eastern Europeans are coming, new AND old school.

Another speedway club left high and dry it seems.. good luck to this.. and to Weymouth.. and to any tracks under thread due to circumstances beyond their control.

Well.. after a long hard think, here's my list which I consider to be the top-20 from the 80's. Riders who were probably a lot better in the 70's would have gained their merits in that decade.. I've tried to be fair, not putting Kenny Carter top was difficult for a Duke, but I've tried to factor everything in. 1) Michael Lee. Won the crown in 1980, and showed me the greatest evening's speedway running up to Norden in 1983, when he smashed the Halifax track record by a full 0.9 of second. Two British Championships in the 70's, but won the World Crown in the 80's, on the 'one off' nerve takes all format. Superb rider. 2) Kenny Carter. Unfulfilled latent talent. Probably didn't crash half as much as Chris Harris does in a month , but always ended up breaking something. Air fences and safer speedway would have helped his cause back in the day. BLRC, Northern Riders, 2 British Titles.. and one which I always found to be the best field in the day.. 2 Golden Hammer wins at Dudley Wood. Wore the England bib with ridiculous pride, in an era when half of the Brits (tragically) supported and cheered on the Yanks. 3) Dave Jessup. Robbed of a World Title when a 50p jubilee clip broke in said meeting. What a way to be denied the sports greatest prize. Great rider, and ambassador. 4) Simon Wigg. Massive talent, and a tragic passing at such a young age. 5) Chris Morton. Him and PC, great riders, PC more prominent in the previous decade. However, both a credit to club and country. 5) Peter Collins. Still a force to be reckoned with.. never the same after going to Germany, at a time when the British League was the place you needed to race to be on top of your game. Legend. 6) Les Collins. Underrated in my opinion. A BLRC under his belt, won the Intercontinental Final in 1982 before the Carter/Penhall clash in 1982.. and if that race had continued.. could possibly have ended up as World Champion. Everyone forgets Peter Collins was leading the race and doing the business for Les.. who knows how it would have panned out. Carter excluded.. Penhall back in the re-run.. history altered in a blink. 7) Kelvin Tatum. Steady away rider, consistent to the end. Very good. 8) Alan Grahame. Part of THAT Cradley side that mesmerised. Unsung hero. 9) Phil Collins. See above.. and Overseas Champion too. Very good rider. 10) Andy Grahame. British Champ and a never say die rider too. I'll put my second ten up later.

Ahhhhh John Cook. Remember him from the 16-Lap-Classics.. always led the field in them. Great rider who rode with a smile, and was a top notch jet-ski racer as well if memory serves me right. But I'm wandering off-topic here.. I need a list of 20 riders!!

Glad it went well for Mark, and that he got the turnout he deserved.

Tragic news indeed. RIP.

Good point, well made Jim, we are indeed all flawed. Perhaps reckless (character wise) would have been a better way to get my point across. The rules were in place... not just in speedway... but in society. Not many of us like all of the rules and laws in general.. but we do adhere to them, as they are there for a reason. Mike Lee just didn't go that far. But exceptional.. yes indeed.

I personally think Lindgren will have a very decent GP season this year.. and would sooner put my money on him rather than say Bierre. Think Hampel is a decent price too.

Oh God, flipping hell yes!!!!! Just before the Muller Norden World Final in 83, Halifax had a spare date in the calendar and put on an impromptu pairs meeting.. all the Dukes were paired up, and a few riders were appearing from other clubs. Lee was there.. I think he fancied it as a practise run for Norden.. and even then, had his detractors and haters. The track record at the time was 62.5 or so.. which for fast anyway for the day. Remember, Carter (who held that record) rode there week in, week out, and the place had seen some good riders. Lee knocked 0.9 of a second (EEEEK!) of that time in his first ride.. taking it to 61.6. Because it was the fastest track (officially at the time.. record over distance), you only ever saw it get shaved. To knock a second off.. which is good yardage.. was unheard of. Lee then went on to be untouched.. and I mean untouched.. all meeting. He won every single ride by 50 or 60 yards. He got a standing ovation for his efforts that night by an appreciative Halifax crowd.. they knew greatness when they saw it.. and Lee waved all the way round the ground on his march to the changing rooms at the end. He duly stopped at the tunnel, which entered the showers, and signed every single autograph he was asked to sign. If I ever got to meet him, I'd like to ask him about that night.. the way he rode.. and the fans reaction. As he seemed at one with the world and happy. Much lambasted, the crowd just warmed to him that night.. and he reacted well. After seeing that.. and probably.. that is the most complete performance I've seen by ANY rider... EVER... I was convinced he'd be unstoppable in Germany. He wasn't. But I'll tell you what.. a second off the track record, a full maximum, and dominance of the night like he did.. distance wise.. it will stay with me forever. Michael Lee. Flawed.. yes. But a truly superb speedway rider. Greg.

Fingers crossed it's a good meeting.. superb cause, and great to see riders travelling over to help Loramski.

Not so sure as Lee was always MIA throughout his turbulent career. I remember Kenny Carter on Mike Morris.. was his leg up in plaster?? I know that he was injured and not riding at the time when Mike Lee got penalised for making a flying start at an international.. was it at Ipswich.. when Carter was absent.. and then his head went?? Do these dates coincide???? With Lee's dismay with the game? And this was in the era of tape touching / do what you like at the start line. And he did get a flyer too. But was pulled up. Greg.