cinderfella

Let's hope the Glasgow riders were jesting and paying the young lad a compliment. I remember back in the early 70s a tremendous young rider called Barry Thomas at Hackney being accused of having an oversized engine and it took ages to sort out and it badly affected both his confidence and finances as he had to do without his engine while it was examined, and of course found to be totally legal. Also hope Scotty is OK.

The loser of this argument (once the DVD is out) can buy the other a copy lol

Pinny I think you've hit the nail firmly on the head when you mention age. Sadly I think Cookie came to late to speedway to make his mark on the International scene. When you look at the ages of the Poles in the GP series you can see they have achieved that level as a result of starting at a young age. British hopes have got to lie with the likes of Lambert, Ellis, a fully recovered Bewley and the amazing talent that is Drew Kemp. We have to make sure they get the opperchancities but at the same time don't lead them down the path where it leads to exhaustion as Robert claimed he was heading a few weeks back.

You could really have insulted Sheffield and mentioned Mildenhall lol

As much as I like the lad Glasgow should have released him earlier last season like the wee Tigers did this year. If he made the gate he was fine but struggled if he didn't and sadly his confidence suffered. I am of the view the reserves should only race each other with a start from each gate position and that way their confidence isn't affected.

I honestly think that may have just given Glasgow the edge now. Nico certainly can't do any worse than he did yesterday and Coty also knows his way around Glasgow so it will be a good tight meeting I expect

Come on guys promoters change the rules to suit themselves all the time that's why we need an independent body running the sport.

At the moment he is a GP rider having qualified last year. Sadly I think the debate here is over whether he is of the 'standard' expected of GP riders. I'd bet that a lot of the folk on here slating him were on their feet at Cardiff cheering him on. Here is Woofy's record to 2016 Speedway Grand Prix results[edit] Year Position Points Best Finish Notes 2010 14th 49 7th Debut in SGP season. 2011 25th 2 16th Track wildcard at Cardiff GP. 2013 1st 151 1st Six podium finishes including his first SGP win at the Czech Republic Grand Prix. He eventually finished the season as World Champion with 151 points. 2014 4th 121 1st Four podium finishes including wins at both the Czech Republic and Swedish GP. He had to participate in a bronze medal race off with Nicki Pedersenbut lost resulting in him finishing fourth in the overall standings for the world championship. 2015 1st 163 1st Won Czech Republic and Scandinavian GP. Woffinden becomes the first two time British World Champion since Peter Craven won in 1955 and 1962. 2016 2nd 130 1st Won Polish Grand Prix.

Ippo seem a bit at odds regarding guests. They are entitled to use two guests when their two top riders are injured but for some reason they are not doing so. If he was at 1 and assuming their 2nd highest rider was r/r at 5 he would have been eligible.

I suppose that would be one way of Sheffield securing a home victory if you banned visiting riders .

Yeah seem to remember a rider relatively unknown apart from in his own country winning "the Big One" in 1973 in the one off final. Take a bow Jerzy Szczakiel even though he did get an absolute flyer of a start. Still amazed the ref didn't stop the race after Ivan went down.

Is there any point in comparing two riders who started the sport at different ages or considering the age gap? Both have a tremendous talent on a bike but the one thing they definitely share, although Cookie's is declining, is arrogance. Lambert will eventually earn his place in the GP series but let's also remember he was close to turning his back on British Speedway.

Haha Do any tracks actually have 'track spares' these days? The last time I recall seeing one was at Coatbridge in the mid 70s. Mitch Shirra had to use it but being knee high to a grasshopper he somewhat struggled on a bike that had been obviously set up for taller riders. He had mastered the art of leg trailing by the end of the race though.

Can't say that about Glasgow and Edinburgh. Certainly when you look at what you get for your money now it is poor value. A few years back I took my two sons to the stock car racing at Cowdenbeath and it cost about half the price of going to the speedway cost but there were 20 races generally over twenty laps with car shapes the boys could relate to. You can guess where they wanted to go rather than speedway after that. And never the likely hood of a rain off due to the tarmac track. They just brushed the water away.

That is statement of the century. Only folk that disagree are the BSPA and SCB. The only way British speedway is ever going to move forward is once a totally independent ruling administration is put in place.

And let's not forget what he did for young Dan Bewley too

Isn't it amazing how folk can decry riders who put their life on the line for our entertainment? Yes there are riders we wonder why they are in the team or even allowed on the track but they do it because like real fans they love the sport. Yes I questioned Cookie's involvement in the meeting but at the end of the day he beat the other 15 riders and that's what it's all about. If you want to slate riders then maybe you should find another sport

So what would you have said if Sheffield had been successful in their bid to bring Woofy in? As for Glasgow throwing their cash, why not if they have it? The Glasgow promotion are doing what they think is right to attract crowd and increase attendance thus ensuring the future of the sport in Glasgow. They've modernised the stadium and when you consider a few years back a young Danish rider turned his back on riding for Glasgow after seeing the rundown condition of another so called stadium that should be taken as a positive. Incidentally there are other promotions splashing the cash too if you look but you'd have to take your blinkers off to see that!

Perhaps like many before him he hasn't got the budget that is really required. Jason Lyons struggled when he qualified and he later said the only thing he learned was that there was better ways to spend his money. He spent nights at GPs sleeping in the back of his van while the likes of Tony Rickardsson and Nikki Pederson had motor homes that wouldn't have looked out of place in a F1 paddock. Cookie will come out of the GP financially poorer but a better rider from the experience.

Now here's an interesting situation : Proctor guested at No5 against Scunny but If he had guested at No1 (Ippo used r/r) he would have been permitted to guest again at No1 as the home team is permitted to use the same guest within the 8 days Speedway regulation 18.10.2 A rider may ride as a Guest (in an Official Meeting) at a Track only once in an 8-day period unless he is replacing the Home Teams #1 or is a NDL rider guesting for the Home Team.

Can't guest for Ippo under the 8 day rule surely as he rode for them in their home match against Scunny?

I know teams requiring guests and their fans want the best available but have to wonder if, for safeties sake, the number of guest bookings a rider can take should be limited? I seem to recall Edinburgh limited their riders taking bookings in the run up to the final weeks of the season after Frede Schott got injured at Glasgow while guesting for Swindon.

I like to keep an eye on ALL teams and what's happening. As for being cheesed off, not at all. I'm just going by other posts, many by Witches' fans who seem a bit bemused by the fact that there has been a noted absence of guests. As for King and Schlein being better, on paper maybe but it's another matter on the track and both Scotty and Ben are no slouches. As for Glasgow, I'd take nothing for granted these days as we never know who is going to turn up. We were favourites in many folk's eyes for the title this year but events on and off the tracks changed that. I'm sure it will be a good close meeting.

Really? Wonder if he'll cop a ban a la Noddy at KL?

The two Scottish ones I bet including a very successful one at Shawfield in 1994?