oscar

Why I don,t always agree with Phil Risings opinions on the GP I'm with him all the way that the GP should be in Cardiff.The science of laying a temporary track is a laborious week long effort that requires good working conditions that the roof ensures.There doesn't seem much point storing shale in a moisture controlled environment if your'e then going to expose it to the elements for a week.If the GP was held in a stadium without a roof it would greatly effect advance ticket sales,most would wait until the day before handing over their £29-£70.A bad forecast could halve the current attendance we have at Cardiff.You buy with confidence knowing the event will take place(germany excepted) even in heavy rain that was the case a few years ago at Cardiff.Yes London would be great but until they build a stadium that has a roof its a non starter.Yes London may be more accessible but you might have to wait until Monday to see the event.

Don,t like the new system of seeding the home nation through to the final.In recent years its been a case of 6 teams scrapping for 4 places in the final.This for me weakens event 2 which now looks a straight shoot out between team GB and AUS,Throw Sweden in and you had a genuine 3 way dice but not now.Also the race off,if one team streaks away we could know the result pretty quickly,before we had the scrap between 2nd and 3rd but not now and traditionally the race off is poorly attended if the home nation is not involved which will definitely be the case next year.

1 Zagar 2 Watt 3 Lindback

I am surprised more people have not posted in this section.What a great meeting last night,much better than the elite league dross that I witnessed the night before at the same venue.As a wolves supporter I am easily able to cross the divide to get what I want (BETTER SPEEDWAY).Please BSPA dont introduce new silencers into the national league.Congratulations to all 13 riders on show,Dudley just could not make starts but it made for great viewing,no less than 22 passes compared to 7 on Monday night and the result decided on the last 5 yards of heat 15.Credit also to Porky on the centre green,he really involves the fans and it adds to a great atmosphere.Easily the best meeting I have seen this year.Roll on next Tuesday !

Watched the GP on replay this morning,this is what we have been waiting for this year.A 3 hour unfolding story with highs, lows ,incident,good guys,bad guys and most important not knowing the destiny of the winner until the last.I think it showed that track preparation is the biggest issue in the sport.As Phil Rising said on here Tony Olsson has little control,so well done to the guys at Mallila for doing a top job.After all the excuses trotted out this year it shows it can be done and as fans we should demand it.Surely the GP wont be moved from Mallila as is rumoured.

The change I would make to SWC rules are not to use the joker until 8 points behind and can only be used in a programmed ride,not as a tactical substitute as is usually the case.If Poland wanted to use Gollob in say heat 11 but his next programmed ride is heat 14 then wait or chance your arm with someone else.I would also have each team with 1 reserve each,we were lucky this year that no rider had to withdraw during a meeting,image a team having no riders in some heats due to injury.

Played the Pearson drinking game last night.Everytime he says "Sensational" during a meeting you have to neck half a pint.Ended up having 13 pints.seriously for me to be a classic meeting the outside line has to work a bit better,last night only 7 outside passes in 25 heats(I counted) and 4 of those were by riders on gate 4 on the 1st,2nd bend lap 1 ,there seemed to be alot of I go wide you come underneath,you go wide I come underneath.I know the Poles had a terrible start but 2 rides from Gollob(1 joker) gave them virtual parity and then they were in front 1 heat later,did anyone think they would lose from that position.

Interesting to see Nicki Pedersen with the support of the GP riders endorsing the Cardiff track as "the best indoor track we have ridden on" in todays Speedway Star.Several members on here have been critical of the track,its hard to know who is right and who is wrong?

Nice touch by the heathens management to thank the fans for attending last night.Its a promoters nightmare selling a 2nd leg fixture when one side has had a walloping win in the 1st leg.I think both fans and management appreciate each other,one for bringing the heathens back and the other for making it a going concern by filling the terraces.The management don,t take the support for granted and acts of goodwill(free team poster for kids+free Greg Hancock poster with last nights program) go a long way,other promoters should take note.

My point was that I thought the racing was o.k and not as good as last year,you may disagree ? thats ok.Many members on this forum have low expectations and seem to be endorsing S.C.B,s post quote"I love it at Cardiff I think it could all be from the gate but it would still be magical.Yes there is great stadium with noise and colour but so was the first GP at Gelsenkirshen and that got panned.If your struggling for something to grumble about i,ll just mention gate 1 and leave it there.I find it a bit easier to moan than others so i,ll mention the program,I didn,t buy one for the first time this year,ive got the other ten.The price goes up every year,the one they produce at Leszno 10 zlotys(£2.50) is a bit more to my liking,yet again most people may disagree.

Watched the GP on TV after getting back from Cardiff last night.Did Pearson have a deal to keep saying the word "sensational".When someone got out of shape, and someone when underneath them "sensational"When Holder won his semi by passing no one he still said it was yes "sensational".Every time speedway is on the box Pearson describes it as "a great night of speedway"when sometimes its not,there seems to be a hard sell going on.The GP was ok for me not "sensational"some passing most up the inside.Its just a bit disappointing to see Gollob and Crump win their first heat(so they are quick)and then lolling around at the back,not making any impression when they missed the gate.I felt last years GP was better.

There has been much debate on this forum over the allocation of wild cards with the name "Darcy Ward" cropping up most.Commercial elements in my view should not come in to it,it indicates the wild card slot can be bought.I appreciate in some GP,S some home riders will struggle but you expect the big speedway nations to field a wild card that will at least threaten the semi finals.As good as young Mikkel might be I felt he hadn't earned his pick.Id bet Klindt,Madsen and Larsen will feel they have patiently waited their turn only to be overlooked for"commercial reasons".As to being on the pace,Mikkels score was the lowest of any wild card this year,this includes Kus and Balinski who are not of GP standard.

Can't believe people are accusing Harris of laying it down.Look at it again Nicki lifted into the corner was not in control and clouted Harris thats fact.Pedersen caused that incident, fact and should have been excluded,he was the cause of the stoppage.Nice to see commentator JAN revert to his previous role as Danish team manager,expected to see him on the pits phone arguing Nickis case,someone send for Kelvin.Was at a loss to understand the choice of wild card this week until I saw young Jensen plastered in Red Bull gear and a large Red Bull banner over the start line,I get it now.

I dont go as far back as you but my memory keeps going back to last year,a terrific series,must see tv every other Saturday.Im not getting that at the moment and I want it back.Im a huge fan of the SGP series and attend 2 overseas every year.As for Terenzano last year watch the dvd of chris harris in action.

Since my criticism of track prep in the SGP you seem to be trotting out alot of excuses.Surely the high winds,sun,rain etc were exactly the same wind,sun and rain we had last year when we had good track prep and good racing.In Italy last year we had 12 hours of heavy rain only stopping at lunchtime but still had a good track.To big up the racing in Prague as the best some fans have seen there in years and using the winners name as an endorsement is ridiculous,remember Chris Holder wanted to carry on racing in Gothenberg after heat 16 when he was top of the leaderboard,the considered opinion was the meeting should not have started.This is not a personal attack on you Phil,I understand your position,but sometimes you cant defend the indefensible