Great Britain V Australia U25 Test Match

[2ndbendbeerhut]

No King tonight, apparently its Chris Shramm instead.....

[Badge]

And Lewis Bridger failed to turn up, alledgedly broke down on route.

 

Not a bad meeting, and up until heat 13 it was a close run thing, but as expected the strong Aussie squad were just too good. Eddie Kennett and Ben Barker were the stars of GB at the start of the meeting, Tai really doesn't ride Foxhall all that well, but started strongly, however when the Aussies got into gear he struggled a tad. Chris Holder really wasn't at the races, and he clipped the fence in one race and unfortunately took out James Wright.

 

Schrammy obviously didn't score as well as Danny would have done, but gave us the best race of the night with Cory Gathercole, with Cory beating him to 2nd place, but no lack of effort from him, and it was so nice to have him back in the pits again.

 

Darcy hmmmmmm

 

taken from speedway updates:

 

GREAT BRITAIN = 38

 

1. Edward Kennett - 3,1,1,3,3,1 = 12

2. Ben Barker - 2*,3,EF,0,0 = 5+1

3. R/R (For Lewis Bridger got 9 points tonight)

4. Chris Schramm - 1,0,0,1 = 2

5. Tai Woffinden - 3,2,3,3,0,0 = 11

6. James Wright - 3,2,1 WITHDRAWN = 6

7. Joe Haines - 1,0,0,1,0,0 = 2

 

 

AUSTRALIA = 52

 

1. Chris Holder - EX,3,EX,1* = 4+1

2. Darcy Ward - 1,1,1,2 = 5

3. Rory Schlein - 2,2,3,2,2* = 11+1

4. Cameron Woodward - 0,1*,2*,3 = 6+2

5. Troy Batchelor - 2,3,3,2,3 = 13

6. Ty Proctor - 2,2*,3,2* = 9+2

7. Corey Gathercole - 0,1*,1*,2* = 4+3

 

Edited October 15, 2009 by Badge

[comet49]

Any news on James Wright's injury?

Edited October 15, 2009 by comet49

[Baldyman]

Well agin i thought the racing was rubbish apart from that one race. Once Barker blew his best engine it was good night from him as far as being competative was concerned. Tia started ok but then went backwards, and Darcy wasnt as good as i was hoping he was gonna be, but you can see he has alot of talent for someone so young.

[Trees]

OK first thoughts, disappointment, the sooner they change the track the better imo. Too many processional races full stop. Announcer was terrible, all he was concerned about was reminding everyone about the 16 lapper and a motocross meeting being held locally ............ hardly the thing for an International meeting! Good crowd but no bloody atmosphere whatsoever!!

 

I know I'm totally bias but had that meeting been at King's Lynn I don't think I'd have the same thoughts as tonight.

 

It was good practice to get the young teams together but perhaps wrong end of the season, do summat similar at the start of the season and NOT at Foxhall

[superguest]

Good score from Ty Proctor - Think that was his first visit to Ipswich!

[tone deaf]

Was expecting a lot from this meeting but there wasn't much excitement. Unfortunately theres not too many riders who are capable of passing on the Foxhall track. Lets hope they go ahead with the track widening over the winter, although that would involve spending money...

[MrMungo]

Not a bad meeting

 

Not a good one either, although it did liven up a little after the interval, which was after heat 7...how random is that?

3 decent heats; Darcy Ward's pass on Schramm in heat 5, Schramm's and Gathercole's dice for 2nd in heat 14 & Schlein's last to second in 15.

 

Good to see Troy Batchelor riding so well. Looked the best rider on show by far. Proctor was the surprise packet for me - didn't think he'd take to the Foxhall track. All the Aussies chipped in well, most of them improved as the night went on. Darcy Ward made some astonishingly awful gates. Hopefully he'll move a bit quicker out of the starts tomorrow night!

 

Kennett & Woffinden pick of the bunch for Team GB. Kennett giving it everything, Woffinden fast when out in front. Barker was flying until his bike gave up at the start of ht 6 & Wright looked good until his crash. Hopefully he's not too badly hurt.

[Daisy Duke]

Went along to this meeting but it wasn't the thriller I was expecting. One or two half decent races with some passing, but the rest were gate and finish races.

 

Very surprising that Darcy and Chris Holder only scored 9 points between them. Troy was absolutely flying and the witches promotion must surely be doing everything possible to bring him back next season.

 

For the Brits, Kennett impressed me as he never gave up and raced all the way to the chequered flag. Apart from his last race blip, Tai looked superb. James Wright also looked on the pace and hopefully the lad hasn't any lasting damage

 

Seen better, seen worse meetings at Foxhall and hopefully the track changes will happen over the winter which can only improve the standards of racing around the Heath.

 

Would love to see more Team GB meetings next season, possibly against the Poles/Swedes/Danes, etc.

[tocha]

Was expecting a lot from this meeting but there wasn't much excitement. Unfortunately theres not too many riders who are capable of passing on the Foxhall track. Lets hope they go ahead with the track widening over the winter, although that would involve spending money...

 

Well this is Foxhall Stadium after all and I have been watching speedway here of and on since 1998. Seldom has there been any atmosphere. I believe this is partly down to the noise restrictions they have which prevents air horns which in turn seems to have a calming effect on the spectators. There is no doubt that once riders exit turn two the order they are in then is the one they finish with. What disappoints me, though, is the apathy of the crowd. I was there with my son tonight on the back straight. but very quickly realised that when the riders came on the wind-down lap it seemed that we were the only two applauding the riders. We seemed to be amongst a group of waxworked figures most of the time. If I had been in possession of a mirror I might have been tempted to pass it around to see if any of them were still breathing!

Finally, when are you going to rid of the excruciating Bryan Knights?

 

There, that will get you going. lol.

[crazysue]

Should have been on my side Tocha, I was not quite dancing but moving at least to the music...I also clapped (as much as I can when texting) when the riders came round.

 

Not the most sparkling of meetings at Foxhall, have seen a lot better (and this season too!) with only a few heats of passing, the rest pretty processional.

 

 

[Trees]

What disappoints me, though, is the apathy of the crowd

OMG, you can say that again ................... I stood on the apex of 1st/2nd bend for quite a bit of the meeting and the deck chaired mob seemed oblivious to what was going on. Went round to the 3rd bend with Mungo, Baggy and family and it was a little better, not a lot but a little, at least there you are closer to the action and it's good to watch the riders coming into and exiting the 3rd/4th bend. Ipswich definitely need an injection of enthusiasm in all quarters ............

[westhamboy66]

For the size of the crowd it was a shame that this meeting was such a let down.

Sadly for some years now i don't enjoy the racing. The only racing line seemed to be two inches from the fence

Good effort from Edward and Ben Baker looked good til the engine failure. Yes Tai did look fast when in front but nothing from him when he wasn't.

You can say loads of stuff like no airhorns etc but unless the racing is up to scratch the atmosphere will be absent

Agree with the comments about the announcing. I wasn't too impressed when he spoke about the witches when he should have said GB. had anyone told him Ipswich weren't riding?

I'd love to see more of these sort of meetings instead of the meaningless bore's but they do need to be on a track where passing is threatened

[leighton]

For the size of the crowd it was a shame that this meeting was such a let down.

Sadly for some years now i don't enjoy the racing. The only racing line seemed to be two inches from the fence

Good effort from Edward and Ben Baker looked good til the engine failure. Yes Tai did look fast when in front but nothing from him when he wasn't.

You can say loads of stuff like no airhorns etc but unless the racing is up to scratch the atmosphere will be absent

Agree with the comments about the announcing. I wasn't too impressed when he spoke about the witches when he should have said GB. had anyone told him Ipswich weren't riding?

I'd love to see more of these sort of meetings instead of the meaningless bore's but they do need to be on a track where passing is threatened

 

Probably too busy reading from the programme which had witches v visitors in the score columns.

 

Thought they could have got this basic part of the programme correct.

 

Speaking about the programme couldn't they have also made a better effort with the cover i.e a british flag and aussie flag with maybe pictures of some of the riders present instead of the witches.

[iand]

1st time visitor to Ipswich. Really looked forward to the meeting as soon as i saw the line ups, but came away very disappointed. No atmosphere, very little passing. Whether King and Bridger would have made any difference to the result we will never know Just came away form the meeting feeling very let down by the whole nights action.

[Ron Flegg]

I thought I’d visit Foxhall for the first time in quite some while last night and unfortunately the meeting encompassed all the reasons for why I have stayed away so long. The racing is dire, and that is no way down to the track preparation as they do the very best with the tools they are given, it is the shape of the track. I used to see some fantastic speedway at Foxhall in the 80’s, 90’s and even early 00’s, albeit sporadic, but for whatever reason the shape of Foxhall does not create good racing anymore. It may be bike speeds, the air fence narrowing the corners, I don’t know, but something needs to be done. The large majority of races are over by the end of the back straight on lap 1 and even entertaining racing is down more to rider’s mistakes (Schramm leaving the very same huge hole for Gathercole two laps on the trot does not make great racing in my book). I can see why Ipswich have for so long relied on Polish gating specialists to spearhead the teams, gating is imperative.

 

As for atmosphere, air-horns do not make atmosphere (in fact they do the opposite in the eyes of some) it is good racing and entertainment that creates the ‘buzz’ factor that Foxhall so lacks. People know the result of the race by the end of lap one and are therefore moving onto their next conversation when the race has finished rather than being on the edge of their seats (wooden railway sleepers) and applauding outstanding performances.

 

Foxhall has so many plus points, the stadium has a real bowl shape gladiatorial feel to it with good access in and out, decent enough facilities and some of the best fans in the country, I just wish those fans were served the Speedway they deserve.

 

Ron

[2ndbendbeerhut]

Can't add much more tbh. meeting had the makings of something good but didn't match up, for whatever reason. seemed a lack of effort from team GB side, Bridger "breaking down" summed it up.

 

Mike Bacon's blog in the local paper also sums it up nicely.....

Edited October 16, 2009 by 2ndbendbeerhut

[Wacky racer]

Announcer was terrible, all he was concerned about was reminding everyone about the 16 lapper and a motocross meeting being held locally ............ hardly the thing for an International meeting! Good crowd but no bloody atmosphere whatsoever!!

 

He does most peoples heads in. Bring back Kevin Long, he had a great banter with the riders and a wicked sense of humour. We had him back for one meeting this year and the atmosphere was decidely better.

[SCB]

Well agin i thought the racing was rubbish apart from that one race.

Welcome to Foxhall Heath, home of the gating championships.

 

 

Once Barker blew his best engine it was good night from him as far as being competative was concerned.

2nd bike at least as he blew one at Lakesdie the night before.

[speedwaysupporter]

Was so looking forward to this meeting. What a disappointment, no atmoshphere in the ground desite the large crowd and only one race with passing. The only form of entertainment was the Ipswich "supporter" standing beside me, who for some reason laughed loudly when Chris Holder came off in the first heat and then announced in an even louder voice that "Chris Holder cannot control a Speedway Bike and will be absolute rubbish and a danger in the Grand Prix Series next year"! He then continued to spout his speedway wisdom to all around him, including me and my friends, for the rest of the meeting. As far as we could all make out, Australians cannot ride speedway, only British Riders! So at least there was a few laughs throughout the night. Would just like to say, Good Luck to Chris Holder in the Grand Prix Season 2010.