Steve Shovlar

Drove past it a month ago and saw what the place is like. poor shape, and that's not the track. Answer your question?

Certainly never a premier track. If they can't ride top flight they shouldn't be given the opportunity to have such a prestigious event IMO. Wolverhampton does produce good racing, more from mistakes than skill, with mainly the home riders coming through of away riders choosing thw wrong lines. Arena can hold an awful lot of people, and access is excellent, but the racing IMO is dire and fans are far away from the action on a tiny little track. Coventry is a very nice venue, but is let down by its track. Ipswich ditto, Oxford not big enough either. BV has terrible viewing. Swindon can hold a big crowd but racing is very spaced out. Ideally it would be Poole's track in Brandon Stadium. Great racing in a nice venue.

Yes I do. I like going to Brandon as well, but NOT for the racing. I enjoy racing at Peterborough, Wolverhampton, Eastbourne, Poole. BV, Swindon and Oxford make OK to poor racing, and Ipswich and Coventry are poor, not much between them. Arena I detest. Reading I haven't visited for a while so I will make my opinion later nexy year.

It will not be held at Reading. The place is a dump.

No!!!! Even worse than Brandon and awful awful awful stuff.

Pete, I never said there is no passing at Brandon, it just doesn't happen very often. A couple of races a meeting seems the norm. Yet you can go to BV or Monmore and get that much passing in the first few heats of a meeting. The Brandon track shape is all wrong and the promotion know it.

I have been to Brandon dozens of times. Passing is rare. Why should Coventry V Poole be any different to Coventry V another team? Poole have a good record at Brandon and normally win there once a season. Racing though is dire. All over by the second bend in 13 out of 15 heats. And I also see the televised meetings when Sky are there and it's no different. It's terrible stuff. Even the Coventry management realise the track is bad for passing and are considering doing something about it. And your knowledge of Poole is poor if you think its a slick track with no dirt. Racing from heat 1 to 15 on a well prepared surface most weeks, with passing inside and out on both bends for home and away riders. Riders can go out wide and cut back up the inside at Poole. That maneouvre is impossible at Brandon because of the shape of the track. I was not putting forward Poole for the final, even though we made such a fantastic job of it a couple of years ago. One that will be remembered for a very long time for all who attended. As I said though, anywhere but Brandon please, otherwise it will be a speedway fiasco in terms of racing.

Please. Please. Anywhere but Brandon. If they want the most boring WTC final on record, with gate and go racing, then hold it at "the home of no passing". Even Swindon makes for better racing. Hold it at Blunsdon. Or Peterborough. Or even dare I say it Poole, because whatever the outcome, fans want racing first, and a great final. And I am not in the minority when I say racing at Coventry is absolutely dire. Please BSI don't make this fundemental error.

I doubt it Deano, Andy Smith's mum passed away three years ago.

Just basic marketing. Everyone who has attended the GP in the past and paid in advance by card will have got one, as Benfield will want to get as many of these folk back for next year. Mrs Smith up the road will not have got one if she didn't attend.

Must admit I have never seen Coventry, Copenhagen and Prague mentioned in the same sentence before!! I have been to Prague and Copenhagen of quite a few occassions and sorry fairy but there is no comparison between the two cultural CAPITALS and an averaged sized industrial midlands city. Nothing, other than people live in all three! As for TGI's, well I got the squits last time I went there so I am not sure I will other again! I was not trying to have a dig at Coventry in my post, just making comments I thought were fair and just, when considering where to have the WTC final. It's been said many times by many fans. Coventry does not make good speedway. The track does not allow for great racing in the majority of races. It's because of the shape of the track. Mostly it's gate and go. Poole has its problems because so many fans want to go and the place struggles to cope with the crowds. Other than that it's perfect. If the capacity was higher it would be a no brainer. And no I am not saying that because Poole is my local club, but because it's perfect for holidays, pubs, beaches, shops and speedway! Oh and the sun comes out quite a bit too in the summer. No other club in the UK can compete with that. Some other clubs do have a bigger stadium, but are let down by being out of town, no local fascilities. Others have as good race circuits and a bigger stadium, but nothing to offer in the way of sightseeing. Someone mentioned Bydgoszsz as a plce to hold a WTC final. Been there quite a few times and the place has nothing to offer the tourist. The city centre is not that large. Its industrial, very eastern block, and I suppose if you like looking at tower blocks where many live it's OK. The Old Square is pretty but that's it. Still, it's all down to Benfield. And if they chose elsewhere other than Poole it's their decision.

I understand that you don't want to travel all the way to the south coast from Manchester, but surely atmosphere and great racing are more important than just being central. on top of that Benfield advertise the WTC as a mini holiday break, and no one in their right mind goes on holiday to Coventry, Peterborough or Swindon. There is just nothing to do for speedway fans in those towns. Poole was a major success two years ago. Major. Excellent weather, a packed holiday town packed even more by throngs of speedway fans from all over the world taking over the quayside and town centre bars. It was like a mini Cardiff. Then there was the event itself. A packed to over capacity stadium, superb atmosphere generated by the partisan crowd. Then to top it all, a thrilling nights racing with the whole WTC going down to the final race of the night. Speedway fans couldn't have asked for more. ( Other than a Britsish victory) Can Coventry offer the same? No. A bigger stadium but the atmosphere has never been very good. The track is very poor in comparison to Wimborne Road. It has no facilities in walking distance of the stadium, in comparison again Poole Stadium is in the town centre, close to the quay and many watering holes. Peterborough has a good track which can make for fantastic racing when prepared properly. It can hold a lot of fans, but what else is in the area to entertain holiday makers? The track is on the edge of a non holiday city. A walk up the river bank or a look around the cathedral and that's about it. Swindon is an even worse proposition. A track that rarely produces good racing, with the riders normally spread out over 100-200 metres. The stadium offers only mediocre viewing facilities and the stadium is well out of town. As for the town itself, read Coventry or Peterborough. Nothing to offer the tourist. Sheffield is a good race track, but the city again has nothing to offer. And the fact that the promotion are anti elite league doesn't do their chances any favours. Viewing at Poole is not the best. get there early to get a seat in the grandstand. But when last held at Poole, the temprorary stands made all the difference. Fantastic viewig from both bends. Obviously those with the cheapest tickets had to take their chances of getting there early, but overall it was a meeting not to be missed. I heard from several sources that Swindon had been given the nod, though I hope I am wrong. Hopefully Benfield will give us a repeat of 2003.

Thought it had already been announced that the semi and final were going to Swindon?

Well at Oxford on Friday everyone was saying that Swindon were getting it, but I have yet to see anything official. Be a major shame if true. The track just doesn't produce good racing and the semi and final would be a bit of a bore. It only takes me 90 minutes to get there so its close enough for me, but an opportunity missed after the fantastic night at Poole two years ago. That night had everything. Great racing, fantastic atmosphere, and high drama and controvesy. Poole just produces racing of a much higher standard then either Swindon or Coventry. Instead we will all be standing on the banks of Blunsdon watching 4 riders spaced out over 100 metres or so. Yawn. And who the hell wants to visit Swindon for a holiday? Christ, I even moved away from the place because there's nothing to do there! Hope BSI know what they are doing.

When I went over for the GP, I had to fly to Warsaw then drive 3 hours on dodgy roads with plenty of police ready to pounce on speeding drivers. Got an on the spot £40 fine, even though I was within the limit. ( In my opinion!) On the Sunday went to Pila one year and Torun the next. We were greeted by the owner of Torun who though I was a celeb and let us have the best seats in the house by the starting gate. he even turfed out his missus and kids so we had front row posh seats! TRick was riding for Torun and we called him over and he managed to get Mike Golding and entourage in with us. Drizzly day and Crump got a max. Torun won. My guess is when the GP is announced the plane will be booked up straight away, so get read for a stampede! I will go Saturday, back on the Monday, and get a league meeting in as well. Hope RyanAir are not on the ball and know about the rush for tickets on that day.

Thanks for the info Mateusz, i will be loking forward to the big clashes next season in Bydgoszsz. I have been there a few times, staying in the City Hotel, Brda and one calloed the Ratsewer(or something like that in the old square) very rough but the only hotel available on gp weekend.

Yes this is excellent news and I will be going over a few times next year to see the local derbies between Bydgoszsz and Torun. One question though. Arre the big meetings ticket only or first through the gate? No point in flying out only to discover its a sellout in advance.

Let's just hope, if there is a long term injury to one of the selected, Andesen gets to take over the place while the injured rider is out.

When Andersen and Sullivan, both Poole assets, lost their places?

The guy shouldn't be in it. Not good enough.

Have to agree with some on here who say that Hans has been hard done by. He should definately have got the nod over all three wildcards named this week. Better than all of them. If I was in his shoes I would be absolutely fuming and upset at the decision. It's not right at al, regardless of the fact that "what goes around comes around". Yes, it can be sweet for some that he misses out, and is some form of retribution for his antics in the SWC 2004. But for BSI to leave him out of Iversen and Zagar is a crazy decision. Pepe got in through his sponsors, I am sure.

Just caught up with this thread and must say I am shocked...that Kasprzak hasn't been given one of the remaining wildcards. a better rider than both Zagar and Iversen, so why did they get picked before the U21 world champion? Zagar is at best a second string and will be the Chzranowski of 2006. he will do OK around his own track but struggle at all other places. Iversen is a good rider but certainly not world class and hasn't done anything in 2005 to warrant being picked over Hans Andersen and KK. Yes the BSI needs fresh faces in the GP series otherwise it will go stale, but Pepe has had his chance and KK should have got the nod over him. Pepe has not done it at this level. Replace Zagar, Pepe and Iversen with Kasprzak, Andersen and Lindgren and it would just about right.

What? Are you cycling to Poole Shortoi? Poole to Swindon is 90 minutes in the car. So if you live 20 minutes north of Swindon is, say Cirencester, it would only take 2 hours!

People don't go to a place for the hotels. They stay in them and explore the local ammenities. Coventry is NOT a holiday destination. Poole and Bournemouth are. This has been discussed before, but 7 miles of award winning Blue Flag beaches for starters, versus a bit of park. 1-0 Poole. August is the peak season. Plemty of scantily dressed babes to oggle in their bikinis from Bournmouth Pier. Coventry has its cathederal and some Mrs Mangle types. 2-0 Poole Hundreds of stacked out watering holes and clubs, all stuffed full with sun tanned babes, or a burger and onion rings at TGI Friday? 3-0 Poole. Need I go on? And that's before I get to comparing the tracks, which would make it 4-0 Poole, and the fans, 5-0. BSI want people to have fun. They would get it in Poole and Bournemouth, I doubt it would be the same in Coventry. And yes I know the place quite well. I have an uncle and aunt, with 5 cousins, who live a mile from Brandon. Been out in Coventry and its not a bad place, but it just doesn't compare for tourists. Sorry but that's the truth of the matter.

But is not a holiday town. Who wants to go to Coventry for a week? I just about manage a few hours and that's enough! BSI want a holiday town, not an industrial city which offers nothing for the tourist. They would never, ever chose such a place over Poole. Award winning beaches, a vibrant night scene and a great race track. Granted Poole doesn't hold as many fans, but a packed out 7,000 capacity is better than 7,000 rattling around in a half empty Brandon. There is an atmosphere at Poole which is not found at any other club.