OveFundinFan

and where does processional riding with hardly any overtakes over 44 heats stand in the likes/dislikes of supporters in other countries????? The riders seem to take what comes, even Tai in the studio didnt overly criticise the track. Are riders under some "hold", like if they speak their mind they would be blanked by the "higher authorities". If the wife or I dished out bland food with no flavour, no colour we would soon be changing the "menu", but the powers that be seem to want to take the worlds best speedway riders to unappetising tracks time and time again, and dish up totally inept referees as well. Dont supporters who pay lots of money, not only on admission, but travel and accommodation, subscription to TV packages etc deserve much better?? IMO they do indeed.

and when there are only a few tracks in the country running anything like a meeting, rides will be low in numbers, so all their fancy equipment is lying there doing nothing. Cant even use a speedway bike on the grass, wouldnt last 2 laps with no suspension. Mind you, there could be a resurgance of grass track racing, but prize money is not too generous except for the very top ones, most do it as a hobby.

Cook riding the centre of the track is what he did i the year he was in the GP’s. Even when he gated opposition went under him into the bend and that was that, he couldn’t come back. Didnt Tai say Bewley had messaged last night “get me to Russia and I will ride”. He should have been there in the pits if he was or in the team (which he should have according to Tai, me and a few others on here). Team riding is none existent with some teams. My award to the best team riding goes to Team GB, in heat 11 tonight against Germany, what Cook and Harris did for the first two laps was pretty good....... problem being they were 3rd and 4th. Ah well. The Togliatti track will be ideal for ice racing, flat and long straights, absolutely fine for ice machines with big spikes in the tyres. Rubbish for shale speedway. Please, no speedway GP there, though I think there may well be.

The riders will certainly have a load of door stops when speedway in the UK collapses.

Could be he needs to find a way to Specsavers...if so he could take the referee with him. Is there a different referee for tonight?..... as in the rules, one for Saturday, different one for Sunday.?

I dont think I misunderstood you, think I knew where you were going. You said "If Bewley at reserve we are in the same boat as all those others", maybe except for one country - Poland, who have Drabik, they could equally have had Smektala, or even Kuberra. Point is, their reserves are pretty good. Why? Because they have been exposed to top class racing for so long. ONly now for last couple years is it, GB has the Poultec training. But what is the point of training youngsters if we dont expose them to international racing. Even last year Dan Bewley who is what 20?, is still behind Drabik/Smektala even younger Kuberra. Without Tai our chances of a win were massively reduced, but still in with a chance maybe of a top 3 place, but still tough. But importantly we got to bring the youngsters through. I understand why you say keep Rob at reserve (he will still get the rides) but does GB go for a minor place this year, or invest in future years. When Robert is over 21 (isnt this his last year at under 21"s competition), then Cook is out it will be Tai and Robert, but who at under 21 reserve. It will be an inexperienced rider who HAS to have a ride, maybe finish last, best 3rd place. Get them trained up at every opportunity, like now, when we cant win, and maybe when they do race they are well capable of 3rd or even 2nd. Those points may be the difference between win or loose. Cook, Lambert, Bewley for me this year.

So, if not Harris, which over 21 rider would you have picked? Without Tai, it could still have been Cook, Lambert and reserve Bewley. the reserve has to have a least one ride, hence in the disastrous last heat Sweden put i their reserve - they had to. If Tai had been fit, the team picks itself..... Tai, Cook and reserve Lambert. That’s a well formed team, if Cook does not perform you put Lambert in. Not the best chance from pre start yesterday, but GB first race wrecked any chance of top 3.

Krsko is not a good racing track, but Togliatti is much worse IMO. Look at the results of the 2017 go challenge from there.... Przemyslaw Pawlicki, Artem Laguna, Dudek, Cook (Cook qualified because Dudek came in top 8 gp,s year before). Three renowned gaters not racers. It’s got to be a NO to a gp in Togliatti.

Cookie did exceptional tonight considering his crash. (Meeting just finished for me-I been watching a recording as I was out when it started. Hope tomorrow is better then today but I can’t see how.

I no good at COUNTDOWN either.......... until they get to the numbers.

Referee rubbish, track rubbish, racing rubbish (not riders fault), camera work rubbish. Other then that everything is ok.

The future of British speedway is NOT with Chris Harris, he had his day, and he had some very good days, but they have gone. Team GB management should be building for the future. GB is not going to be on the podium this year now that Tai is out, so it was a chance to take the bull by the horns and put new blood in. So, a combination of experience and youth would be good. Cook has experience at GP level and of the Togliatti track, Lambert has the youth and experience, so who should be the third rider. To build for the future it should be someone younger, someone with a future (rather then a past). That someone had to be the likes of Dan Bewley, someone with potential to go forward. Missed opportunity in my mind.

Re my post early Tuesday 16 July where I was critical of the Peterborough track, that post was written out of frustration. Yes, the track was rubbish on Monday night against BV, but my words were meant to be against most of the TV matches I seen this year. They generally speaking are not presented as good tracks fit for close racing, IMO. Having said that, from P'borough track going from good racing to what was served on Monday is terrible, and I not having a go at riders there, they can only ride whats presented before them. So sorry if I offended any Panther supporters.

I agree! What a track! Last night it was (I could not find thumbs down)

I always blamed him for Emils huge injuries which could have ended Emils top flight career. Nothing much was said about Miedzinski at the time, dont know why, butI never forgive him for what he did.

Have to admit, that was the first time I seen speedway from Peterborough, heard so much about the great race track......... so disappointed. That was rubbish. From the time Kelvin did the track test with his screwdriver I though “that looks like same material as KLynn”. Complete rubbish meeting. Poor advert for speedway, very poor. How much is British speedway payin BT to show it? After Silverstone, fantastic tennis on Sunday, and England winning World Cup cricket...... then Ultra drab speedway. The ref must have been a Panthers fan, some weird decisions, especially the Scott Nichols tape movement when already on a warning, disadvantaged himself so much at the start, allowed back in to win.... Crazy. sorry for the riders who were injured, hope they all recover well. NOT their fault, especially Bewley. 100% track fault, and that goes straight to the door of Chapman. What he is doing to British Speedway is disgraceful. Not liked the man since he butted his nose into the BV stadium affair/Gordon-Morton. Just one negative re BV, or more precisely Bjerre, yes he got a fantastic maximum last night, probably aimed firmly at Chapman. But, can’t he see the benefit of team riding, just looking after a team mate a bit, just like Fricke did with Lidsey. i really can’t see BT renewing a TV contract with British speedway. Which mean I will be paying just to watch the GP’s - which, generally speaking, are good value. Sad night for British speedway.

That was probably his first crash since last August, the big one. Maybe having a crash will help. Yes he had problems last night afterwards, but the crash was not his fault. (Positive), he was laughing with paramedics whilst still on the track (positive) and he didn’t give up, he was trotting in the pits (positive) and he got back on to try to race (positive). Give him a winters rest (was going to use the word “break”), and his full confidence, hopefully will be back.

I would have put Lambert in the team and Bewley at reserve. I know Bewley isnt the same since his very bad injuries last year, but come next year he will be back on form. Would have been just a brilliant experience for him, that would see him all the better for it.

If you mean the Eurosport UK shown meeting, you didn’t miss much. Just 6 races shown, ht 17-20, semi an final.

It looks more magnificent then todays lay down engine. Bring it back, racing will be just as good but cheaper. Sometimes progress can be a step backward.

When he gets his back wheel to slide out to the right, effectively shutting a door for Bellego that he was more then half way through. I like NP riding, it aways full of effort, but I can see this trait in him that he will do virtually anything to block a rider challenging him. Thats ok to a point, but sometimes he oversteps the mark, and sometimes the referees acts on it. As for the meeting shown on Eurosport UK, 5 races, thats all we got. If you going to do it do it right or not bother. If they cant show it live, show a recording at a quieter time, or if restricted for time, show some highlights from the previous 16 races then show the last 5.

Any comments on the quality of the racing? Did it detract, add or neutral the fact everyone was on 2 valvers? Would love to see that trial at BV, but from what people say IOW is a decent track, just a faff to get to it.

The BV ticketing part of their website allows you to pick a seat in the grandstand, and ther is plenty left and at a VERY reasonable price(£20 & £18 for adult, less for concessions). The standing area is even cheaper (less for concessions) but it doesnt say how full the booking is. I would imagine still plenty space.

Went on BV website and looked at the situ re ticket sales. As I look at the plan there seems to be plenty seats available in the grandstand. Am I "reading" the situation correctly???? If I am, it seems a shame. Poland on paper, look like they will dominate the meeting, but it should be good to see tomorrows stars having a go. I am half tempted to go.

Well, I did say I was guessing, but I nearly got the guess right. Vacukik and Emil tied on top points after 5 rides, Vaculik gets 1st semi (most heat wins) They both come 2nd in the semi so get 3rd and 4th picks , Vaculk still has most heat wins, so Vaculik gets 3rd pick and Emil gets 4th pick (no pick) for the final. Is that it?????