jrs

Processional racing? I have just had a brief read through the updates heats comments and I counted at least 34 passes during the meeting. I thought it was the best meeting by far of the series, and on a REAL speedway track with a consistent surface that the riders have confidence in. Not a single fall or a re-run race.

After several years of presenting speedway both Huewen and Greeny never seem to have grasped much real knowledge of the sport. Even though Georgie clearly knows even less than Huewen and Green she is a very credible presenter. I don't care what she looks like, it's the professional touch that Speedway needs.

I had my doubts when Chris was first selected for the GP series, thinking it maybe was a year too soon. I thought that his debut at Lonigo was impressive, and I would think that his target for this season would have been tenth place, with occasional semi-final appearances. Last night was a massive step up the ladder. I hope in my heart that he can follow in Mark Loram's footsteps and always be in the thick of it in the future. Some tracks won't suit him thats for sure, but if he can now achieve a top eight place in the series at the end of the year, then we should all be proud of him. One thing for certain is that he will now have earned even more respect from the established GP riders, and I should think that without doubt every rider in the series is thankful that Chris does not have the gating ability of a Pedersen ! Congratulations Chris - better than any of us could have dreamed of.

Sadly the choice of Reading. stadium wise, is a sad reflection on Speedway and it's politics in this country. If you are going to present a supposedly prestigious competition to the rest of Europe, then it should be held at a venue that at the very least looks like a stadium, with real terracing and stands and not temporary meccano structures, and one that can provide international visitors with some decent facilities. To my mind of current stadiums only Coventry, Sheffield and possibly Poole should only be considered as possible venues for what is supposed to be the next biggest event in World Speedway after the SGP. Seems like the powers that be want to make speedway even more of a laughing stock in UK sport than it already is. I suppose its a case of you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours. So why not take the event to a real stadium?