The Cardiff Grand Prix Discussion Thread

[Wackie]

Absolutely disgusted with the 'fans', who cheered when Nicki P fell off in the final

He landed on his head and did a couple of somersaults across the track, but the anti- Nicki P fans found it hilarious

 

 

Yeah we gave him 6/10 for artistic impression for that.

[Max the rebel]

What a load of rubbish, unless you're an international speedway rider past or present then you have no authority to make such a comment. He got pretty battered about tonight, you don't lay it down to get battered about.

 

Don't get me wrong, each occasion I think NP was to blame, but he was not conning anyone, he just got very, very lucky.

there is no way bjarne should of been ex

nicki is a con man

[Max the rebel]

Yeah we gave him 6/10 for artistic impression for that.

he should not have been there anyway

[Trees]

I for one don't enjoy seeing riders continually come so close to disaster.A few of these temporary tracks have been dangerous and it is only because of the skill of the riders and not a small amount of luck that a serious accident hasn't yet happened.

Not sure how Nicki is taking the .......The fault is entirely with the ref and it should be the last GP he ever officiates at

Totally agree with this post .......................... I'm so glad the stupid GP ended up a farce Only good thing about it was Crump won!

[Midnight_Lady]

Referee - Pitiful

Track - Usual Cardiff, ruts providing the thrills and spills. a shame as Copenhagen proves that the concept can fully deliver

Presentaton - From my view on the couch, the musical choice seemed fantastic, with the walk of Harris providing a genuine TV moment, the flame throwers looked great as well

Crowd - Looked pretty similar to last year, but as always will be open to debate

Race of the night - The Brits relegating NP.

and Scott you tube!!!

 

 

Agree with all that.

 

Had a tear in my eye (and I am Scottish ) when Land of Hope and Glory was played and the crowd getting involved whilst Bomber was walking back to the pits.

 

good to see a Kings Lynn involvement tonight ... start girl in white was Jonathan Chapman's sister Becky.

 

And Edinburgh....one of the start marshalls was our very own Jim Syme

 

Yeah we gave him 6/10 for artistic impression for that.

 

To be fair Pedersen should be applauded for getting off the track so quickly to ensure the race continued.

 

I'm so glad the stupid GP ended up a farce

 

Sorry to disappoint you Trees but it wasn't a farce. Yes the track cut up just like it normally does at Cardiff but the meeting was entertaining and had a great atmosphere.

 

[Wackie]

Agree with all that.

 

Had a tear in my eye (and I am Scottish ) when Land of Hope and Glory was played and the crowd getting involved whilst Bomber was walking back to the pits.

 

From what I could hear, thought the musical choices were excellent.

 

Land of Hope & Glory was brilliant hairs standing on end stuff, but the pièce de résistance was the first semi final when Bjarne got wrongly excluced. Don't know if the music was aimed at the Ref or NP but I nearly spat my JD out when I heard When the sun goes down by the Arctic Monkeys blasting out........

 

"And what a scummy man

Just give him half a chance

I bet he'll rob you if he can"

 

and

 

"Cause he's a scumbag, don't you know

I said he's a scumbag, don't you know"

 

 

 

 

 

To be fair Pedersen should be applauded for getting off the track so quickly to ensure the race continued.

 

Shame he didn't see fit to do the same when he ran into the back of Adams & B Pedersen.

[speedy den boy]

Did anyone see what object came out of nki bike in heat 1.It looked like cushion,but kelvin and nigel failed to spot the object!!!!!!!!!!!

[shortoi]

VERY cheesed off at the exclusion of Leigh Adams. The ref didn't put the lights on until it was obvious that Pedersen was going to stay down, and then instead of calling all four back he excluded Leigh. If Pedersen had got up that wouldn't have been stopped, they were three quarters of the way around the track before the lights came on. I feel sorry for Leigh.

 

Pedersen pulled that stunt twice tonight, both times sliding gently into the air fence with no injury, but staying down, and the one time he really fell off in the final he was up quick as anything! Didn't want to risk an exclusion in that one, did he!

 

IMO Nicki Pedersen cheated his way to the final tonight. I was so hoping he wouldn't get on the podium but Scott was just slightly over-eager in the final. Gutted for him.

 

There was some great racing tonight though, although it was about equal to the number of 'from the gate' heats. I took a newbie with me for company and she says she enjoyed it, though she looked wholly confused through a lot of it. Still, she says she'd go again so the racing couldn't have been too bad!

 

Good on Crump and Hancock, they fought their way to the podium with good form and clean racing entirely on riding ability as opposed to acting ability. It's a shame the same can't be said for all the riders tonight.

 

Was glad to see both riders get up and walk away from the nasty spill in heat 20, though I was sat next to an absolute idiot of a Polish man who was swearing at all the Brits and booed when Harris got up from that crash, he also swore all the way through Land of Hope and Glory, didn't stand up for the national anthems and smoked all over me AND kept reading my programme over my shoulder. Not even discreetly! I paid eight quid for that programme, he can bu**er off and buy his own! Ignorant swine. Fortunately I know quite a lot of Poles so I realise that he's the exception rather than the rule.

 

Still, had a great night, despite only making the decision to go at 4.30pm and not even getting into Cardiff until gone 6.30pm!

 

My friend was extremely unimpressed with Pedersen's antics. She could see what he was up to and it was her first time. She'd have made a better referee! She at least had her glasses on.

 

To be fair Pedersen should be applauded for getting off the track so quickly to ensure the race continued.

 

Am I the only one looking at this with a cynical eye? He was quick to get up when staying down could have cost him a podium place is the way I see it. If he'd stayed down he'd have been excluded for stopping the race and forfeited his podium place.

 

Tonight I saw desperate riding from a man who will do anything for another world title. I haven't been to speedway properly for months and Pedersen hasn't mellowed out in the slightest on-track.

[jgl07]

Unfortunately when the Grand Prix are held on a proper track Ole and his "team "even make a mess of that by making them slick. Proper track a nice bit of dirt and these men will show you what SPEEDWAY really is . Whilst i really admire the superb skills of the top men these are the same people who would walk out of a league match pack up and go home if faced with the conditions they have had tonight. It is happening to often now , if man - made tracks cannot be perfected by now they never will be IMO.

The obvious answer is to have them made by Chimps.

Edited June 29, 2008 by jgl07

[Wackie]

You'll be pleased to hear Shortoi that although Pedersen, like Nicholls stood on the rostrum, neither scored any points in the final.

 

You'll be even more p!ssed off though when you watch the Sky coverage & see Pedersen touching the tapes & getting away with it earlier in the meeting too!

[shortoi]

Track seemed fine to me. Provided some good racing, nice grip around the outside and a good line up the inside. Not perfect perhaps but then what track is?

 

As for the 'if we haven't got it right by now, we never will' comment, you may as well say 'if we can't cure cancer by now, we never will be able to'. Things change, techiques improve etc.

 

The talk about man-made tracks makes me giggle, are other speedway tracks natural phenomena then?

 

You'll be pleased to hear Shortoi that although Pedersen, like Nicholls stood on the rostrum, neither scored any points in the final.

 

You'll be even more p!ssed off though when you watch the Sky coverage & see Pedersen touching the tapes & getting away with it earlier in the meeting too!

 

Great! More to look forward to!

[paulr]

Well Ive just raced back from Cardiff and as the screen we were looking at was bust so we did not have the benefit of replays at the event so could only base our opinions on the live action - the screen we were behind was working and the crowd were not pleased with a certain Danes antics...nuff said here about it already... but certainly a couple of head scratching decisions.....

 

Let me ask a few questions here :

 

If the bikes go round the track in an anti-clockwise direction, what direction do the track grading tractors etc normally go round in ?? - cos for the last 2 track gradings they went in the opposite direction thus pushing all the shale towards the outer barrier leaving bugger all on the inside and middle of the track - now who is it that normally like slick tracks ? , and who is responsible for track prep - and their nationalities are ????

 

Great atmosphere tonight - some good tongue in cheek choices of snippets of music too - it will be a bit of a comedown to go to Brandon on Friday after tonight.

Edited June 29, 2008 by paulr

[JT]

The acoustics in the top tier of the stadium were awful, for the entire meeting I found it impossible to fathom what the announcer was saying. The broken big screen was also highly annoying and prevented a great deal of supporters on the 3rd and 4th bends witnessing replays, a real bugger with the amount of controversial incidents.

 

As for the meeting itself, it certainly livened up towards the end, mostly as a result of a totally inept referee, Pedersen ‘diving’ and crashes on the 3rd bend.

 

[shortoi]

I have to agree about the music!! Very amusing.

 

Personal favourites "I get knocked down, but I get up again, you ain't never gonna keep me down..."

"Hey, sarrah, sarrah, whatever will be, will be..."

Fat Bottomed Girls! What the..? Love it!

"I want to ride my bicycle, I want to ride my bike..."

 

Some excellent song choices, and some rather bizarre ones in the mix too!

 

I was lucky enough to be sat in front of the working big screen, and yes the acoustics were poo! Not only could I not hear who the announcers were announcing, but I wasn't wearing my glasses, thus couldn't read the screen I was looking at for filling in the programme. Too far away.

[spook]

Absolutely disgusted with the 'fans', who cheered when Nicki P fell off in the final :emoticon:

He landed on his head and did a couple of somersaults across the track, but the anti- Nicki P fans found it hilarious :emoticon:

There are far too many serious injuries in speedway and fans cheering a rider when he falls, is just pure pathetic and disrespectful.

 

Also, the decisions between N.Pedersen/ B.Pedersen/ Adams, were all made by the referee not Nicki P. So I don't see how in this world you can blame Nicki, when it is obviously down to the referee's judgement of the incident :emoticon:

 

I understand what you are saying speedchick and on the whole speedway fans are a good sort and dont revel in crashes...................... however............ this guy, due to his antics down the years brings out passion in people............... there is no doubting that speedway would be poorer without him but by the same token it would be richer if we could have a world champion that didnt have to resort to the depths that he does..... and thats just on the track.... we arent even talking about the 'assistance' provided to him which sadly makes the whole competition mickey mouse in the grand scheme of things...................... I dont cheer when riders crash but I was not unhappy after he walked away and told my tv and the neighbours so

 

the exclusions were an absolute joke and reek of something fishy....... if anyone should have been excluded in both incidents it was nicki ............ he knew exactly what he was doing and both times came across too early.............. however any sane and un 'bought' ref would have given all 4 back for both incidents ................... there was no need to make any other decision........................................

 

this also reminds me of the tortoise and the hare though............ nicki may feel that there are short term gains to make sure that if he doesnt hit the front that an incident happens instead....... but he should remember that incidents dont just involve one rider and that quite often the most inoculous slides off a bike can result in injury

 

 

 

 

 

 

I felt so bad for Scotty and usually my initial reaction would be to criticise but he really gave it some welly out there and has obviously made efforts and most likely spent a pretty penny on overhauling his machinery................. I dont think he was helped by the uncertainty of what the heck the ref was up to with the tapes in the semi's but at least he went for it instead of gating badly on the worst gate and trailing in

 

looking at the replay though he jerks forward and there was a moment where he could have saved himself..... i'm not sure why he carried on but to me in slo mo it looked like he got into a muddle with his clutch lever............. thats a bit insane for a top level rider though surely? Good signs though from both Brits and suddenly they are within 11 points of 8th place

 

 

 

It is typical of Tomasz that he completely blew his chances tonight despite it being the first chance to really gain on Nicki .... just as we were starting to believe in the dream ...................... but i'm far more confident of Crumpy being able to overhaul a 10 point lead and with the form he is in right now it is game on

 

I just hope karma has a part to play if it is needed

[T.N.T.]

The referee is a disgrace

The track is clearly rutted and causing the riders major problems.

The track is a disgrace

 

Yes ..... Got to watch the replay after just getting back but although there was some ruts, it didn't seem that bad and many mistakes werre done by entering too fast on the wrong line. In all there was some great races, but the track preparation after 20 heats has to be questioned.

Why for the Semi-Finals and Final did they grade the dirt off the inside and push it to the outside line ?

 

Was it something to do with Bomber and Nicholls being in seperate races

 

what is pedersen playin at he got aff the track there like a gazelle could he no have done that in his previous two rides

The difference being Nicki knew he would not be in any re-run. In the others, he got away with a few, but its the age old ploy of .... they cant put the 2 mins on while a rider is on the track ... meanwhile his pit crew rush his bike back to clean out the clutch, re set it etc etc. Time Wasting

 

 

Absolutely disgusted with the 'fans', who cheered when Nicki P fell off in the final

He landed on his head and did a couple of somersaults across the track, but the anti- Nicki P fans found it hilarious

There are far too many serious injuries in speedway and fans cheering a rider when he falls, is just pure pathetic and disrespectful.

The fact he got straight up, ran to his bike and cleared the track proved in a few split seconds there was no serious injury.

 

The initial reaction was the same as any crash, but after two seconds and he is up running, then the jeers were only directed at possibly the most disliked rider the sport has seen for many a year.

 

 

Great final and a truly remarkable piece of bravery and great riding from Crumpy to edge out Herbie to lift the title.

 

Leigh Adams was wrongly excluded and it cost him a semi-final place, but poor Bjarne was excluded and it cost him a place in the final and a golden chance to win the meeting and go into the big German race. Thats some serious money by being excluded after showing great riding skills all night.

 

[buzzybee75]

First time poster here. Hi to my father who introduced me to Speedway AND the forum. How on earth could a ref exclude someone for what was going on BEHIND him???? Odd odd odd! Great racing though. Thrills n spills. I was a big Nikki P fan up until I watched him not drag his sorry arse from the grit and get outta the way so the race could continue. But hey...It's not gonna stop me from cheering him next time. I'll swindle a sweepstake to get Nikki P but I really felt for Bjarnie P and Leigh Adams. I thought he was gonna cry...The ref should be called to answer his critics at least?????

 

 

[spin king]

Well been back about half and hour and throughly enjoyed the meeting especially as I had two quid on Jason Crump to win, so I have won a bit of money. First of the crowd to me appeared to be down, walking around before the meeting, there did not seem to be the same amount of people walking about, not as noisey as well, and the bars were nowhere near as full, and looking around the stadium there certainly did not look to be anything like 40,000 people.

Onto the meeting, I thought it was a decent meeting, this was my third year at Cardiff and the racing has got better every year, had to feel for Bjarne Pedersen and Leigh Adams, certainly think that they can feel hard done to with the referee decisions, especially Bjarne who rode his best Grand Prix this season, Adams was below par most of the night. and I was struggling to qualify, but even so the their exclusions shoulf never had happened.

Now onto the present Speedway World Champ, Nicki Pedersen, where would we be without him, where would the Grand Prix be without this rider, I love the guy, I think that he plays the villian brilliantly, never a dull moment around when Nicki is around. The guy had a poor night as he always seems to have at Cardiff yet he still makes the final, and still leads the Championship, and still yet to win a Grand Prix, and chances are he will be crown Champion again. And does Nicki worry that the crowd boo him and don't care for him or that they want to see him lose, does he hell, and he will do it with that smirk upon his face, like I say he will always be the villian of the piece, but does he care, does he hell.

Onto the two British Grand Prix riders Nicholls and Harris, both had their best Grand Prix's this season, Bomber got the ball rolling really with his win in his first race, and Scotty got better as the meeting progressed, of the two I felt that Scott was the better, but I think that he bottled it in the Final, and I think that he missed one of his best chances to win a Grand Prix, with the tape breaking in the final, Bomber did really well I thought to make his first semi.

And Finally to the winner Jason Crump, rode well again and fully deserved his Grand Prix win, I know that when I was thinking of who to back to win , I chose Jason on his present form, and the fact that he had not won a Grand Prix for sometime. He now turns the screw and puts pressure on Nicki Pedersen for the title, and I will be interested to see how both riders deal with the next Grand Prix.

[snapper-racing.co.uk]

How did my little friend and training partner James Sarjeant do in his races.

I only saw the final because im in Arizona USA at present, but coming back in a few days so I can ride with him again at Scunthorpe

 

[D.I.G.]

What a magnificent and exciting event, with Crumpy coming out the deserved winner (though I will admit to being a tad biased) . At last a track that Olsen couldn,t prepare as his usual slick and hard borefest, I don,t like seeing riders getting injured ,but you have to admit the track lead to some entertaining incidents.

Did anyone wonder why Hans A. chose gate 3 in the Semi as gate 4 had consistantly been the better gate, could it have been something to do with the fact that Nikki P. had the last pick. Talking of Nikki P. you have to admit he brings out the reactions from the fans, particularly his conning of the Ref. when he had missed the starts, but credit to him getting his bike off the track in the final, as the fall wasn,t self induced, and he probably was hurting.

The music choice was great, I still wonder why we English have to put up with the Dirge of the National Anthem instead of the arousing Land of Hope and Glory, the P.C. brigade again no doubt, no wonder we win so little in International events. Feel sorry for Scotty he always seems to make a cock up , when the pressure is on, and Bomber showed true Britt Grit in getting up and carrying on, not like the mamby pamby football stars.

Thank you again Cardiff for providing a superb piece of entertainment, Please Please dont the the we want Wembley brigade win out over the British G. P. or better still let us have two G.Ps. with one of them at the end of the competition.