Tactical Joker

Indeed they have, but to be fair they do have the commentary to concentrate on too. I’m slowly getting to grips with the points system but it takes some getting used to. At least that answers the anthem question, shame as the Russian one is one of the best. Well done Laguta.

Me too, never mind the racing, it's just a great trip. However the BBC weather forecast for Saturday looks unpromising at this stage In fact tonight's has got worse since this morning too.

Well done Lynn, kept hanging on in there. Been impressed with Richard Lawson ever since hearing him speak so well at the last ever Lakeside meeting, although handing him the opportunity for a tactical substitute ride in heat 14 probably helped tonight. Andres Rowe certainly saved it being worse.

Can’t think who you are referring to At least if the whole event is rained off no one has to take that trophy home.

Good point about an indoor track being capable of lasting 46 heats. Safety obviously has to be the most important consideration. But an indoor track does take the weather out of the equation. A whole weekend rained off wouldn’t be good. Like the idea of choosing two adjacent venues too, but how many other pairings are practical, especially outside Poland. Hopefully travel restrictions will be over for next season, really missed the European trips this year.

Assuming a Covid free season, and all the effort it takes to create an indoor track, back to back there would make sense if it generates the income. And Scott said that as I was typing

Decided to cancel earlier this week too so backed the right horse for once. Somehow feel the result may be a foregone conclusion for some reason but hope it runs close and Saturday still has something riding on it.

There’s a virus about, otherwise the crowd would have been bigger by at least one. Prague is on both the UK and German quarantine list which stopped me going.

Glad you think that too. That’s what I had on my Mk1 excel spreadsheet. Wonder when they will realise. Two nights of thoroughly enjoyable Speedway with the right winners each night.

According to my score chart, with apologies for any errors in advance, the differences between the two different scoring systems were: Lindgren +6, Woffinden +2, Zagar +2, Janowski +1, Chugunov +1, Doyle +1 Vaculik -2, Madsen -1, Sayfutdinov -1, Michelsen -1 The rest get the same under either system. Didn’t even try to work out positions 5 to 13, just took them off the GP website. Certainly gives you some homework to do after the meeting. Another vote for the old system. Laguta thoroughly deserved that, good to see a new winner.

Thanks R & R for taking the time to post that. Hopefully it is easier to administer on the night than it is to understand in print. I predict many a spoilt scorecard.

Indeed. The logistics of trying to sort out who can be admitted to the stadium, on which night and for which seats, from those who purchased tickets for the original event are virtually impossible. Similar for Prague should capacity be reduced there. I’m trying to get my head round the new scoring system as it is, without all this too. I can see me still working out my scorecard while the final is being run

Thanks, wild speculation was a bit tongue in cheek, just wondered why the website doesn’t say so.

Likewise. According to the SGP official website the event on the Friday before Toruń is at a place called ?TBC. Does anyone have any wild speculation where this may turn out to be?

Thanks for mentioning this, wouldn’t have known otherwise. So along we went and enjoyed some close racing with lots of passing. A couple of withdrawals during the meeting meant some races were run with three riders as there were no reserves, but overall well worth the visit. Jaimon Lidsey won the meeting with 14 points from 5 rides, beaten only by Andreas Lyger who eventually finished third following a run off with Dimitri Bergé after they finished tied on 13. Meanwhile back at Toruń the racing again was excellent. Leon Madsen’s performance was top drawer and beyond, but of course overshadowed by Bartoz Zmarzlik winning the whole shooting match. Madsen next year will take some stopping if he returns fit and remains injury free. Congratulations to Zmarzlik though who Is a worthy champion. Would like to see Sayfutdinov or Madsen win next year, and see Woffinden back to his best. As for the Greg Hancock debate, to deny him a wild card after all he has put into the sport would have been a travesty in my humble opinion. I get the young blood argument, but I’m just a sentimentalist that enjoys watching experience.

Just don’t get it. 10 points up why would two riders be so poor both in riding and it would appear attitude. Josh is a true gentleman. Nikolai, never heard speak him before but an excellent interview and Nico gives 100%, those three kept Poole from bigger embarrassment and are three riders I’d watch anywhere. As for Ipswich, what a roller coaster. Typical to produce that on night I couldn’t be there but congratulations to everyone involved and to the supporters who deserve some enjoyment, whatever the result in the final turns out to be.

Worse than shocking. Not much more to add. Good job it rained at the start. Will need all 7 riders on top form to turn this around for Ipswich now.

With regard to expensive accommodation, a big hats off to the organisers for the 17.00 (ish) start which allows train travellers to get back as far as London and Manchester (and Norwich, although didnt see Jason Doyle on the train!). Yes of course Cardiff must continue and £50 for any event of that duration for the pinnacle of the sport is the going rate.

Snag is that THE occasion of the season is now Warsaw. Of course money talks, no use pushing the cause for Manchester if the sums don’t add up. What would be the maximum capacity with temporary stands? And then the catering, that would have to up its game considerably too.

Sadly there was indeed little to get excited about. Some close racing but overtaking at a premium. The light show before the racing seemed to go on and on and the riders were invisible during the introductions. Have to agree the hype surrounding this event has overtaken reality. Warsaw is by far the best event on the calendar now for atmosphere, but speedway should be on proper tracks in the fresh air.

Off to Krakow tomorrow but Rybnik v Tarnow just looks doable if the train is on time. Haven't worked out how to get a ticket off the website yet or whether I can just pay on the day. This was never intended as a speedway trip but other things got cancelled so salvaging something from being in Poland with time to kill!

Watching it live from the second bend (Gorzow is a long way from Ipswich) Madsen had to do something desperate as Gorzow looked likely for a 5-1. Seemed a fair exclusion to me. Made no odds in the end as the re-run was 5-1 too. Despite the booing at the time, Madsen did well to hold his hand up, apologise, and therefore presumably got out alive. Move of the night was in heat 8 where Przedpelski (gate 1) took Zmarzlik (gate 2) wide from the start to allow Madsen to cut back from gate 3. Classic team riding to inflict the only defeat on Zmarzlik all night, who ended with a deserved 17 points.

Thoroughly deserved victory for Lindgren in front of his home fans. Another very enjoyable GP, stoping Madsen will take some doing though.

What was also amazing was how quickly the tickets sold out in the first place. We’d have been there too if we had realised how quick you had to be off the mark. So watching it on TV was second best but what a meeting. Can only guess at the atmosphere with a Polish winner. Luckily the Polish anthem is quite a good tune.

Quite agree. Not a rider I knew a lot about previously, but he spoke very well after the last ever meeting at Lakeside last season. Keep it going