Cardiff Thoughts

[xDx]

I had a really good day as per usual.

Was really nice to see some friendly faces who I hadn't seen for about a year. Loved it.

 

A great day out. Roll on next year!

[hammer66]

Well I enjoyed it - And so did the missus, who before Cardiff was a Speedway virgin

Was great to catch up with everyone I spoke too aswell, some that I havent seen since last year!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

same as that,pretty awful racing but great weekend and me and mrs be back next year

[SCB]

PS anyone between bends 1-2 spot the guy ranting about Greg Hancocks exclusion in the final.      ---- what was he on????

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm told a member of this forum was having a strop at that point too! Mind you, he did have a £2 bet on him!!! Was it really that disapointing to lose £2 Robbo? Mind you, I was pretty gutted, I had an each way bet on Greg too, I was not too upset when he was excluded as I had Jarek Hampel in the sweepstake. That two years runing now that Cardiff finals have bene something of an anti-climax from a money making POV!! I like Crumpy tho so was not too disapointed.

 

I seem to be meeting the same people over and over again now at Cardiff, does nobody different every bother coming along these days?! I think I only met 2 new people, tho I did meet some "old" people (who are not actually old, some of them are young ), which is always nice

 

Not sure what my favourite moment was, there was Billy Janniros females friends show in Zync (one time Sams Bar, the blokes will be disapointed we did not arranage to meet in there first like we normally do ). There was Judge Jules and his pastie and there was Pinny and his hotdog.

[FairyTasha]

I seem to be meeting the same people over and over again now at Cardiff, does nobody different every bother coming along these days?!  I think I only met 2 new people, tho I did meet some "old" people (who are not actually old, some of them are young    ), which is always nice

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I would come along but i didnt know where the POW was! Well did but didnt know how to get back too it!

[London Witch]

My 6th Cardiff GP and I still think its an amazing day out.

 

I have to admit that I didn't think the atmosphere was so good this year either, not just in the stadium but around the City as well, but this didn't spoil things for us.

 

I was absolutely gutted when Greg fell in the final, as I knew Crumpy wouldn't let a second chance go by and the meeting was his, fair play to the guy, but I felt for poor Jarek. Jarek winning the meeting would have been the icing on the cake for me, but it wasn't to be.

 

Cardiff's always a good opportunity to meet new people, and this year I had the pleasure of meeting: Triple Bs - at long, long last. The two Poles Mateusz and Tommy, Vog, thetiger2799 and I was also introduced to Spook, whos the spitting image of someone I already know!

[smillie]

my cardiff memories are being in the same hotel as the hancock group (including the man himself )

 

The weather, it was lovely and hot, the perfect way to top my holiday tan up

 

Walking through cardiff after the meeting and being mistaken as an american from a group of local lads, and was asked to sing the american national anthem!! and why may you ask....................................... Because I has a large american flag !!!!!!

 

Was well miffed that greg didn't win but hay thats racing!

 

All in all had a wonderful weekend(Inc newport on friday night!) and am already waiting for next years date to be confirmed!

[a61]

The racing was fairly rubbish, but the company was amazing and definitely made up for it

 

I had a brilliant weekend, it was just what I needed, and everyone that I'm grateful to knows who they are. You're all absolute stars.

 

Just uploading my photos now - will put the link in my signature

[shazzybird]

It might be different next year if the play off finals are held at wembley,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I just seen a pig fly past the living room window

 

Have to agree with all of that.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Without quoting JLs' posting I agree with what he has said also.

 

 

Rickardsson was the only rider booed - which was fun.

The white line painter was clearly drunk.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Steve someone who's name is spelt almost the same got a rather nice reception over on the 1st bend as well especially in one particular race apart from his one fan that was in front of me who snarled at the other rider for not letting him through in the first place!

 

 

you try pushing that line marker over 4" deep ruts and trying to do a straight line with sky on your back with 40,000 people around you! 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Ohhhhhhhhh drunk in charge of a white line machine ohhhhhhhhhh

 

Easily the best GP at Cardiff,

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

Can you send me a copy of that year please for memorabilia (you're about the only person who's said this year was the best)

[KevH]

How many years will we have to wait until we have a competitive british GP rider again? Nothing currently on the horizon.

I know it will hurt Steve, but Lewis Bridger (over at Eastbourne ) is the man for the job.

 

TRick - when he rode his last race at Monmore he did a lap of honour and stopped to throw his goggles in the crowd. Thought he would do the same here, but obviously prefers Wolverhampton

How biased is that? Great to meet you mate and I hope the horn didn't keep you awake. lol

 

I enjoyed Cardiff...not the best ever, but still an enjoyable day and night - and that's what it's all about.

That sums it up for me too.

 

I take great pleasure in pointing this out to you Subedei

And I take great pleasure in reading that hehe

 

Downsides: the crap driving of people on the roads from Bristol to Cardiff. Best leave it at that or I'll get wound up again. Muppets.

Oh come on Rabski, you're amongst friends here.......... please tell more lol

 

Well I enjoyed it - And so did the missus, who before Cardiff was a virgin

That's my boy lmao

 

The racing was fairly rubbish, but the company was amazing and definitely made up for it

Absolutely right.

 

I just seen a pig fly past the living room window

For Gawd's sake put that vodka down bird lol

 

 

Cardiff for me was a great weekend - met some new folk and caught up with many old friends too - photos to follow (only joking Rabski lol). And to top the weekend off, I bet nobody can guess what I saw in Tescos.

Edited June 4, 2006 by Kevin Hammond

[Mateusz]

It was my first Cardiff GP and I definitely enjoyed it !

I was working in the pits during the meeting (fueling bikes) and it was a pretty nice job. Something totally different than sitting at the stadium, an interesting experience for sure.

The Millenium Stadium is absolutely amazing. Got a chance to watch it from both perspectives - normally from the stands and from the pits (and other inside areas) and I was really impressed..

However, the start tarts made me even more impressed.. They were wonderful (got a pic with them and pics of them). My fav one was the red but the rest was superb as well. Must admit I also loved Sophie Blakes' cleavage

Cardiff seemed to be a nice place. Hard for me to assess the atmosphere of this year as it was my first time but I think it was really good - especially on Saturday just before the event. You could get that feeling that it was a day of a really special speedway event.

As for the GP - didn't see much of it carefully (only on a telly in the pits) but it seemed to be quite a good one. Shame that Hancock fell down as Hampel could win it...

The only nasty business of the whole trip was a sandwich or something I ate on Friday which kicked my poor stomach badly and disallowed me from having fun at Friday's night.. But fortunately at Saturday's night that was it If I only could have understood what a local chick was talking about ...

 

Summing up I had a wonderful weekend (finished tonight in Swindon at BEL Club Pairs Champs) and in this place I have to thank very much my friends who made this weekend so great: Rico, HenryW, Tom Elwood, Tommy. Thank you guys! That was cala przyjemnosc po mojej stronie

[Addy]

Best bits

 

Non-speedway

 

Having the services of the excellent Chivs travel - thanks for that

 

Friends - you are so great (Thanks - and you know what for )

 

Friday night / Saturday morning and Saturday night / Sunday morning !

 

The sunshine - and the sunny personalities that were around me

 

Fun, laughing ... and still laughing when I think about it.

 

Spending Sunday afternoon in the sunshine by the bay.

 

 

Speedway - best bits

 

Excellent result

 

Great atmosphere, fireworks and company

 

Very glad I went

 

 

 

 

Regretable bits

 

The sound system ...

 

Missing people - like Liontamer and a few other forum members who were there, such as Mateusz.

Missing people who couldn't be there ...

 

Having to say goodbye to people I may not see for some time

 

 

Getting home and finding that Sky plus had experienced a technical fault and had failed to record the GP

Please can someone send me a copy?

 

 

Just off to do something i haven't done much of over the weekend ... sleep.

[Midnight_Lady]

I was working in the pits during the meeting (fueling bikes)

 

Hmmm friends in high places then Mateusz

[crazysue]

Another good day out but as others have said the atmosphere was a little flat compared to other years. I did however make it to the forum meet up this year but this meant sacrificing seeing the youngsters doing their bit in the stadium...why oh why have them on so early, it would really get people going if they came on after the GP warm up band.

 

Was great to meet some new faces (Vog and er .....well just Vog really) and say hello to familiar faces in the beautiful weather we had.

 

After being a little reticent about having 4th bend seats I have to say I loved it there, although we did move up the top tier about a quarter of the way through to avoid the sun glare and also to sit with the very large Chivsy group including the Fairies....this certainly made the fun even better.

 

Next year though, I am definately staying over.......I do not want that journey again, left my house at 9am, Ipswich at 10am and arrived at Cardiff at 4.45 then straight after the fireworks a mad dash back to the coach (he had said he was leaving at 10.30 and if you wasn't onboard then he was going to just leave you there! Thankfully enough people hadn't arrived, well none actually so he didn't carry out his threat) leave Cardiff at 11pm and arrive back to my home at nearly 5am....shattered.

[beesboybert]

Once again another great day out in Cardiff. The atmosphere in Walkabout for the football was top notch and then the festivities continued in the POW.

 

As Everyone has said it wasn't the greatest Cardiff G.P but still a thoroughly enjoyable one.

 

The only downside was some small child harrassing my friend and keep ruffling her hair whilst we tried minding our business. Thought he was very rude and needed some discipline. It just wasnt on

[Jay]

Sorry Bert, I won't do it again I promise

[beesboybert]

I should hope not too son!

 

 

Oh and I also forgot to say, we finished the weekend in style with Gatehouse F.C (including such forum legends as myself, Gansta Fairy and Chivsy) romping home to a 13-3 victory to put us top of the league!

[boss 2]

Ok, obviously i'm alone here but thought referee was awful, replays quite obviously show Hampels rear wheel sweeping Greg's left leg from under him, not deliberate but how can you stay on the bike when your leg aint there??? Referee watched 4 replays 2 of which proved this and(surprise surprise) the Polish ref excluded the American and left his fellow countryman in the race. Believe Johnno's offer to "Give the ref a clip" was close to being carried out then judging by how angry he was in commentary.

How was Richardson not excluded in heat 3?? And why after 2 third places, one of which was gifted when he should not even have been in the race, and a second, which was admittedly a good ride, were all the Sky presenters raving about "turning his season round", being "a changed rider" and "back to his brilliant best" has he really been that bad??

Think Nicholls was a little unlucky in the semi, think Pedersen caused his lay-down- but also think he saw a get-out-of-jail-free card in the offing as ref would have had to re-run the race.

And Nicki Pedersen also laid down in his first race and was lucky to be in the re-run.

Zagar's front wheel was parallel to the tapes in his third ride which put Adams off (cue Johnno's "clip the ref" being uttered for the first time.)

And Crump?? This bloke is about as affable and likeable as Gengis Khan, or in the context of being in Wales, Robbie Savage!! He is bad tempered and ignorant in defeat but when he wins can't wait to get his face on telly- although just before the interview started his pit-crew were shoving the camera crew out of his pit area (again).

But more to the point, watch the video if you don't believe me, 7 rides and (regardless of finishing position in each heat) 7 rolling starts, green light goes on Crump moves back 2-3 yards every single time, how did the muppet in the box fail to notice it even once?? It was like watching Sir/God Gundersen back in the days when you WERE allowed to move!! And now he has the World Title all but sewn up I'm sure speedway fans around the World can't wait to see him crowned-NOT!!!! Can't think of a single rider i'd like to win it less-and bearing in mind my previous comments about a certain English Wolves/Oxford rider thats going some!!

Had my moan now so i'll go and do some work.

[Joanne]

My weekend started off feeling really excited after a nights work on Thursday. The journey to Cardiff wasn't too bad, even managed not to get lost.

 

Hotel: Stayed in the McDonald lodge. Rooms were massive. Breakfast wasn't up to much and the bar prices were too high, £6 odd for a becks and bud. Not as far as I had imagined to town though.

 

Friday night: Saw my first Glasgow away win since 1984. Brilliant. But before Pammie laughs again, Glasgow probably beat Edinburgh then. My scarf is locked away now away from matches

 

Saturday before the GP: Managed to get Kevin Hammond totally lost in Cardiff. Sorry Went to the POW far too early, felt tired and hot and didn't meet any new forum members there

 

GP: Different. I thought the crowd was quite large but not as noisy as last year apart from when Scotty made his passes. Felt sorry for Greg, nearly started crying when he fell off. Racing wasn't up to much, nor the entertainment.

 

After GP: Met TNT for the first time. Was going back to the hotel for an early night but ended up partying until after 3am. Still I enjoyed it, and the hotel staff let us drink our own drinks.

 

Sunday: Too tired but managed the trip home after a detour to Burford and around Oxford. Watched the Pairs on TV. Glad I didn't waste my money.

 

Overall a good weekend. Nice to meet my friends from the forum. Its the whole weekend that made it so good, not the GP. Looking forward to next year.

[bananas]

And Crump?? This bloke is about as affable and likeable as Gengis Khan, or in the context of being in Wales, Robbie Savage!! He is bad tempered and ignorant in defeat but when he wins can't wait to get his face on telly- although just before the interview started his pit-crew were shoving the camera crew out of his pit area (again).

But more to the point, watch the video if you don't believe me, 7 rides and (regardless of finishing position in each heat) 7 rolling starts, green light goes on Crump moves back 2-3 yards every single time, how did the muppet in the box fail to notice it even once?? It was like watching Sir/God Gundersen back in the days when you WERE allowed to move!! And now he has the World Title all but sewn up I'm sure speedway fans around the World can't wait to see him crowned-NOT!!!! Can't think of a single rider i'd like to win it less-and bearing in mind my previous comments about a certain English Wolves/Oxford rider thats going some!!

Had my moan now so i'll go and do some work.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Steve Shovlar in disguise??????

Seriously, what is your problem?? We all have riders we don't like but we don't come on here and practically slander them, particularly when most of what you're saying is total crap anyway!!!!!

Jason may not have been the best rider on show (that was Greg) but he has to take the luck when its given to him, thats what you need to win a world title and thats what I believe he'll do. Obviously as a Belle Vue fan I'll stick up for him but I don't mind a bit of Crumpie baiting but you've taken it too far.

My mum actually met someone outside our travel inn who was as vile about Jason as you are, lucky I wasn't there or he'd have got one hell of a go at from me. Speedway fans are supposed to be nice, would you rather be likened to the footy hooligans on Jeremy Kyle this morning????

 

Anyway, the actual event!!!

 

Track - very bumpy and at times downright dangerous, but thats what happens with a one off track.

 

TRick - better than his last two, but still gives the feeling he couldn't care less

 

Nicki - where was he???? Awful "performance" from him

 

Greg - damned unlucky falling off in the final but right decision to exclude him (only right decision the ref made all night!!) otherwise, Greg was fab.

 

Jason - took the luck, and a deserved winner. Been the best all season. His year again methinks

 

Scotty - again he chokes at the semi stage.

 

Steady - tried hard but to no avail. Bit too big an event for him IMO, nerves a definite factor.

 

Rico - just not at the races.

 

Company was fantastic and I loved the atmosphere in the stadium, great weekend but unfortunately I missed the pairs

[ouch]

I wasn’t going to go this year, after the farce that was last years event, but I got some free tickets so made a holiday of it down there and took in the meeting. I’m glad I did.

Crump real is on a different planet at the moment in term of the GP’s. To win the flagship event and go 34 points clear at the top was awesome. He also provided some thrilling entertainment on a tricky indoor circuit.

It was a case of the local boy done good as Crump who hails from just over the bridge at Bristol stole the show to the delight of the fans both in the stadium and watching at home. After Hancock was unfortunately excluded from the first running of the final, it left Crump to represent British league speedway. He didn’t let us down and after the agonising disappointment of seeing an outsider win last year his victory was even better received. Quite how he managed the victory with 40 odd thousand British speedway fans riding pillion with him is beyond me.

 

The major disappointment of the night was the failure of the Brits on show. Lee and Scott carried on were they had left off, and Simon I believe was a bit “spooked” and seemed to continually be in the wrong place at the wrong time. No doubt this will be a major learning curve for the lad and with this together with the forthcoming world cup should hopefully see him better prepared for next year’s series.

 

Oh, one more thing, the ref was a bit weird in some of the decisions he made. It is going to be a tradition that we have an imbecile in the box at the Cardiff event?