OveFundinFan

The Man says it all really I was there in 1967 as well CHR

The make or break for temporary tracks surel has to be the British GP (Cardiff) in 6 weeks time. If the track ruts up and kills the racing, as opposed to riding, I think that could finish off temporary tracks at the end of 2015, or at least put it into motion so it ends when current contracts end. Having said that, I just feel that Cardiff 2015 is going to be a good one.

Nice to see Martin Vaculik pounding a way to next years GP's. After 2013 I remember he said he would wait a couple years to get more experiance then try again..... looks like he's trying.

Much better meeting then I expected, though as others have said, the first half dozen races were boring. Some good action later though. I recorded it on Sky (as I usually do). Was watching F1 qualifying, then I watched the recording of Prague, just about got heat 20 watched then turned over for Eurovision which wasnt too bad this year. When it got to the boring results time of Eurovision I turned back to speedway and got the 2 semis and the final, which I watched again on Sunday.

Latest statement re Marketa:- The Czech Republic FIM Speedway Grand Prix will stay in Prague for the next three years after Autoklub Marketa signed a new three-year deal to host the event until 2018. Hope tonights racing justifies that contract.

I agree with you, CB7, here is a quote from one of my earlier posts..... "Big shake up needed from the top down."

Has'nt worked for them yet.

If I were the GP organisers I would be getting very worried. There will not be 52000 at next years Warsaw GP and there will be even less if there is a GP at Tampere in 2016. You cant take the paying public as stupid year after year, expecting them to pay out for sub standard racing. The riders are well capable of putting on a good show, but they need the tracks to do it on. And what about Eurosport? Come the time they will be thinking they not getting what we pay for. Saturday night they were showing the 12 heats of Warsaw followed by the Tampere meeting. Any new viewers to speedway must have wondered what on earth was going on, and if they tune in next week for Prague that will convince them speedway is not worth watching. What I do when watching GP's is record whilst watching, record so I can watch again in the winter months. However I have recorded the last two GPs and then immediately wiped them off - not worthy of watching again. Sometimes I will record the edited "highlights" but not even bothered with these last two. As there seems to be a lack of good racing tracks with a decent crowd capacity, maybe what is needed is a shortened 6 series GP raced on the good tracks that do have good crowd capacity, even helping tracks out to develop good spectator facilities and going for longer contracts ie 6,8 or even 10 years, so there is a chance of a payback. I just hope Cardiff will be ok, if not that will be a load more nails in the coffin.

That was 100% an awful meeting. Where was the crowd, must have been just a few thousand there, and the track was simply bad, not a race track at all, not a lot of passing, most races won from the gate. Why persist going to these pretty places with tracks which rate rock bottom as far as racing goes. And as said, where is the show next week.... Prague. Yes a beautiful city but not a racing track. I'm beginning to despair and say the same as some others have indicated.... the sport is dying if this is the best it can dish up. Big shake up needed from the top down.

What is needed is more indoor tracks with green light starts. That takes care of the rained off tracks and starting gate/tape problems. I'll get my coat.

Thank you for that, good action shots.

Have you been to google maps and looked at the St Boniface Arena? I have (since your post) and can see a bus stop right outside McDonalds one way, and reasonably opposite on the other side. Your only a few hundred yards to the Arena, but major roads to cross, might be simpler when on the ground as opposed to looking down on google maps.

Cold shower for you, Triple H

And if it was the starting gate, could they not have sourced a replacement within 24 hours and run the meeting on the Sunday evening. Give time to do more track work as well. Above everything though, the track and the starting gate should have not been a problem at all. That means only the ref to sort out.!

Sometime before March 19th 2016 - opening meeting Peter Craven Memorial Belle Vue Aces website says the steel girders for the main grandstand are now on site. If we get a dry (ish) summer progress would be at a good pace. Be good to see the track laid before winter.

If Ward rides as a wild card any time this year I will seriously think about not going to the Cardiff GP next year (hotel booked and already got tickets for this year) You cant commit a "crime", and expect any favours even after serving it, certainly when you virtually stick two fingers up to the "establishment" like he was doing on twitter/facebook on the lead up to his official banning..

Sorry Arya, a good race but well behind the KK, Zagar, Gollob race - in my opinion.

Certainly hope not!

or £20 on the terraces as an alternative. Its the opening of a brand new stadium, rare thing these days, and its the Peter Craven Memorial Trophy so I would imagine it would be a good rider field with some past Aces riders being on show as well. Only my thoughts though.

Brilliant racing and all looked clean racing too.

Barrycuda, interesting you say that because I was thinking something similar. I dont know why I thought that, I have no "proof" to back up what I was thinking, I was just thinking is action (or non action as it was) being taken to make a point to someone (or something as in "an organisation"). There it was, a showpiece meeting in the capital of a country that desperately wants speedway to take off in that city and for some reason it all goes wrong........... but then again even if someone wanted failure to happen, how does one persuade others to go along with the plan?

I watched the 12 heats of Warsaw last night on You Tube, fast forward through the delays - just wanted to see the track again and how much it deteriorated from heat 1 to heat 12 Ok, I know I was not riding it, nor have I done speedway (but grass tracks I have ridden been pretty rough), but I am surprised it was called off because of track conditions. Its got to be refereeing or the green light issue, or maybe a combination of all three, track, ref, green light that made the riders pull out.

The track was more then rideable, it was raceable - as demonstrated by the 12 heats run. The reffereing was questionable right from heat one. Heat one with Batch could have gone either way but after that it went downwards. The starting gate - a shambles. Cant believe no backup. As already said there must be something more up to date then having tapes wafting about. Transponders like F1 and Moto GP already in use and work, so why not speedway. The green light system seemed to work very well anyway. Plus point - Harris performance. I was very critical of him last year and I stick by that - he should not have been in the 2014 GP series the way he rode. But Saturday was different. I never saw him in his "good years" but Sat. he gated, raced, passed....the full monty. Just hope he can keep it up. To those who say they not going to Cardiff because of Saturday..... have no worries, they dare not get Cardiff wrong this year, and if they can get it right at Cardiff then that sets the stage for all other indoor meetings. And I reckon there could be a chance for anyone on the forum who fancies taking on temporary track preparation, if heads must roll it seems arguably the most popular one to go is Ole Olsen. Anyone fancy starting a new business in track preparation? And very possibly there has not been many statements form the various organisations involved with Saturdays event because every word spoken/printed will be examined by lawyers. Its just like being involved in a road accident - you are advised to never admit guilt. The legal guys will already be working on this because I reckon there will be serious consequences following last Saturdays let down.

Good find, thanks for that

Yep, you missed it, loads of tributes and rightly so too.