Pinny

Did people expect anything else?? GBs team was made up of 1 established heatleader (Harris), 2 third heatleaders (Woffinden & Kennett) and two second strings (Barker and Bridger). A very poor team. Its bad to go out but people must be realistic. GB are not a top four side anymore, its as simple as that. Sweden, Denmark, Poland and Aussie are the top 4, by some distance, and have a never ending conveyor belt of world class talent coming through. Batchelor superb and totally made a twirp out of steve brum who said Tai was "a straight ahead of him on the SWC stage" . Batchelor was outstanding tonight. Woffinden was not.

Harris is currently the best Brit but I dont think we will see him better his #6 in the world from 2010 anytime soon unless he can sort his gating. He currently is performing awfully in the GPS and as it stands, there should not be a Brit in the SGP series of 2012. Of course, Harris could do what he done last year and have an impressive run at the end of the year but I am not too sure. What I am sure about is unless he makes the top 8, he should NOT be given a wildcard (neither should any Brit).

The fact that many british fans think dryml done nothing wrong says it all. Harris rode a poor race to be picked back off by hampel then

Must agree, im no speedway rider but harris had the option to shut off then and didn't. dryml done nothing wrong imo.

GOOOOOOOOOOOO OOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN BOMBER what a ride that was

Cant fault Kennett for that, tried his balls off.

And even better, made steve brum look even more of one, if thats possible! Ho ho ho. Tai "world class in the SGP and SWC" Woffinden. He was propping up the 2010 GP series and has failed to score in the 2011 world cup as yet . What planet does SteveBum live oN?!

Must agree with brown here, woffinden reckless on dryml. woffindens attitude stinks. The gb boys are simply being outclassed, simple as that. Despite being gutted, i can only laugh at steve brum. he stated tai is world class in the swc and sgp. LOL, currently batchelor has scored 4 more points than tai in the 2011 world cup. britain will do well now to get into the race off! Hope i am proved wrong tho!

Their all riding though aren't they? Stop whinging and get behind your country, take those pathetic Czech glasses off and back the Brits. Its clear somebody like you gets kicks out of moaning, god knows why, but for once stop slagging off your own countrys team and get behind them.

How can you say that? Neither have done anything of note on the WTC/GP stage! Troy Batchelor has never rode a GP because he didn't get a wildcard unlike Tai in 2010, although Tai was a backmarker in the series. Here are what Tai Woffiden and Troy Batchelor scored in round 2 of the 2010 SWC at Kings Lynn. AUSTRALIA 1. Chris Holder - 3, 2, 3, 2, 2 = 12 2. Davey Watt - 3, 2, 3, 2, 1 = 11 3. Troy Batchelor - 3, 1, 3, 2, 2 = 11 4. Rory Schlein - 2, FX, 1, 2, 1 = 6 5. Darcy Ward - 2, 3, 1, 1, 1 = 8 GREAT BRITAIN 1. Scott Nicholls - 2, 3, 3, 3, 3 = 14 2. Lee Richardson - 1, 2, 2, 2, 3 = 10 3. Tai Woffinden - 2, FX, 2, 3, 0 = 7 4. Simon Stead - 3, 2, 1, 1, X = 7 5. Chris Harris - 3, 3, 3, 1, 3 = 13 In the heat they met... Heat 03: Batchelor, Woffinden, Lindback, Hautamaki. Line Up: Hautamaki, Batchelor, Woffinden, Lindback Comments: Batchelor powers round Woffinden on bend 2 lap 1 to lead and win comfortably. Tai streets ahead eh? The only international form from the last two years we can compare them on is this. Troy beat Tai when they met and Troy scored more than Tai. So, unless I am missing something, how is Tai streets ahead of Troy on the SWC/SGP stage? Had Tai spent a year in the SGP and made a few finals, finished in the top 8 etc, you may have a point. But he was poor and one of the weakest riders in the SGP series since it started. Fact. I think its time you just admitted Troy is better than Tai looking at it from all angles. The stats are piling up against you Steve.

Just ahead? Think you'll find in the two big leagues, Sweden and Poland, Batchelor is a different class to Tai. And on 2011 form alone in the British EL, Batchelor is almost a full point ahead of Tai (0.90 to be precise). Batchelor is a far better rider than Tai, at the moment. Will Tai ever become a better rider than Troy? Who knows. But ATM, Batchelor is by some distance a better rider.

What will be interesting is to see whether Bager and Kauko (and Magnus Karlsson if rumours are right) wil feature for Leicester. In the past teams have been unable to field riders who havent attained a true PL average. Lets see if Leicester get 3 new riders in and qualify shall we? If so, Doyle, Lanham, Gjedde and Sedgmen should easily qualify.

Until Tai averages more than Troy in at least 2 of the major leagues, I think most people will realise that Troy is the better rider.

How?! Batchelor is better in all 3 leagues! Neither are world champion material but Batchelor is a better rider and the facts and stats back this up. Usual Wolves bias from you, again.

Dont be so dull. Batchelor is better in the EL, is streets ahead in Poland and a good scorer in Swedish EL too. Your sensible, average fan would rather Troy in their team in any of the 3 main leagues than Tai.

Heavily watered, drenched, soaked... same thing. The gate was not watered heavily on purpose. David Howe is a very well liked rider at Newport amongst the fans, the previous and current promotion and I very much doubt our promotion would try and stitch him, or even Scunny up. The Wasps promotion are actually very helpful with track conditions with away riders, often walking the track with an away rider and preparing it as they want it, ask any rider and 90% will agree. The manager got the wrong end of the stick and took matters into his own hands. He should not of gone onto the track and started tampering with gate 3. It appeared to most that it was actually him trying to mess with gate 3, not the Newport promotion. the Scunthorpe manager was asked to stay off track after this incident but then in heat 6 (?) he dived in front of the start gate as the riders were preparing to start the race and was moaning at Doyles position. He was making a scene on the centre green for some time before the referee asked him to remain in the pits and the word in the bar after the meeting was that the Scunthorpe Promoter was less than impressed with his team manager. I am all for a bit of panto booing, a controversial interview with an away team manager or rider, but for the away team manager to start tampering with the gate his rider is of is not on and an instant fine should of been issued there and then. I did not see the confrontation between Mallett and Hollingsworth in the pits so can't comment on that but can comment that two Newport riders have told me that Hollingsworth was being a nuisance in the pits all meeting.

After heat 4 the track was watered due to it being one of the hottest days of the year. The outside of the track was watered and that meant gates 3 and 4 being heavily watered. It was not fiddling with the gates at all. The Scunthorpe team manager has no right to interfere with track grading anyway, even if the Wasps were tampering with the track. Surely if soaking gate 3 prior to heat 5 was done to cause a disadvantage to Howe, then it would of caused a disadvantage to the Wasp off it in heat 6? Drenching a gate would not last for just one race, no matter how hot the weather is.

Its funny how scunny fans are stating newport tried messing up gate 3 for howe in heat 5 yet they weren't there. No fixing was done to gate 3, the water bowser was going around the outside and wet gate 3 and part of gate 4, hollingsworth didn't like this and took it upon himself to go onto the track, pick up and rake and start tampering with gate 3. Fact. His actions were silly and it was even funnier to see an official shout at him to see him running around the centre green.

any streams?

Will pass the message on to Pinny when I see him, DB

Why move it from cardiff? Crowds increasing each year, its in the middle of a superb city, its got a roof, the riders love the place and its also not too far for most. Scotland would never happen, no way would you see near 50,000 fans in murrayfield or HP. I think its best left as it is, a second gp in britain could well see the cardiff gate drop significantly.

Surely not mr bridger?

I thought the racing was pretty good but then again most things do when plenty of beers been consumed Thankfully, wasn't sat by any Poles this year. Had a great day out before it, meeting Squall and Jacques for the first time as well as catching up with Shadders, Paulco, potts, Tsunami, Najjer and the legendary H Man once again. I must admit that I am quite keen on these 5pm starts, OK you have less drinking time pre meeting but we spent a good few hours in Cardiff drinking after the GP. My only negative point is that for the price of it, the beer is terrible. No idea what the Cider or Bitter was like but the lager was warm and tasted like it had been there all week. Something that needs to be looked at in the future as it wasnt just a one off, all the beers I had were exactly the same.

There is no consistency in meeting formats across the sport though which is a nuisance. I think the GP format is spot on. If a 16 rider line up, have the top 8 to two semis and then the top 2 from each semi into final. 1 engine failure can cost you a rostrum place if the top scorer format is used.

If he was head and shoulders above the rest, he'd of won the meeting. He didnt.