British Final And Semi Finals

[MFE]

What a sad reflection on British Speedway - the line up last night was awful,the BSPA should have seeded both Woffinden & Richardson to the final - Congratulations to Bomber, Nicholls Barker, but really the Top 6 riders on the night had nothing to beat, most of the Premier League riders did not perform, not worth £20 admission or even the time wasted to watch it on TV.

 

The track preparation was great though, consistent with grip, not like the slick surfaces we have become used to in the GPs,

[philfromcov]

The PL riders were shown exactly what SKY think of them last night. Tatum was a disgrace, if anymore PL meetings are shown on SKY keep that frog-eyed buffoon away from it.

 

Someone asked if there was a more competative meeting other than the GPS/WTC...erm yes, I watched one 2 weeks ago - Sheffield vs Birmingham, but I guess that was in the inferior league so doesn't count.

 

Last night bored me to death, and I can't wait to get back to watching inferior speedway where you ain't excluded based on which league you ride in

i dont know why your so upset, as most of the riders were from that"inferior league" you should have been happy!

4 maybe 5 riders elite league standard at most, only 2 true heatleaders as well, so alot about the brit boys

[paul84]

Didn't think it was a bad meeting overall:- overtaking, crashes etc, but (and I know other people have raised the question) WTF was the ref on for excluding Schramm??? Harris screwed up and Schramm paid the price - ludicrous

 

What sort of qualifications do some of these refs need to be in charge of high such profile meetings (or any meeting for that matter) some of the calls made were of serious cause for concern for our sport?

 

Memorys from that year in Cardiff came back last night, cant remember the exact year or his name but the Polish fella made some shocking decisions then, im sure his licence was suspended, although i could be wrong?!

 

Where is the consistancy, wether it be consistanly wrong or right....?

Edited June 15, 2010 by Stoney=Legend

[scotty2hotty]

Does it really matter whether there were EL or Pl riders in the line-up. It was speedway, something we obviously all enjoy. I used to be an elite league snob, but now I just enjoy speedway racing. As far as I am concerned it was a good meeting, full of incidents and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't care that some of the riders were from different leagues, if Woffinden and Richardson had qualified they would have been there, but they didn't. How many months ago was it that everyone was insisting that riders should not be seeded through to the GP (ie Nicholls, well now you have got your qualification process and you are still not happy.

[paul84]

What a sad reflection on British Speedway - the line up last night was awful,the BSPA should have seeded both Woffinden & Richardson to the final - Congratulations to Bomber, Nicholls Barker, but really the Top 6 riders on the night had nothing to beat, most of the Premier League riders did not perform, not worth £20 admission or even the time wasted to watch it on TV.

 

The track preparation was great though, consistent with grip, not like the slick surfaces we have become used to in the GPs,

 

If that did happen then that would of been a sad relection on the BSPA as those two you name did'nt deserve to be there.

[Cornishman]

That's not correct surely? Riders sometimes have to push home for a point if there is no 4th rider in the race. As long as they are in contact with their bike as they cross the line they get the point....... but I could be wrong of course.

 

 

I thought that too. If that's not the case then I've seen plenty of 'illegal' points scored over the years

[21st century heathen]

Watching the replay of the tangle between kennett and scott on that first bend, Eddie bounces around quite a bit and i think gets his foot stuck between the track and the footrest in the process which it seems pushes the footrest backwards on its pivot so its the footrest is much further back than it should be, meaning he couldnt put enough weight on it to slide the bike round. on the replay it shows kennett scrabbling to get his foot back on the rest round the first bend but not quite being able to find it. i think that was the main reason why he was just nursing it round. that said, kennet said in an interview that his engine was seizing up too! so my theory could be poppycock, but his footrest did look to be out of place after the prang.

 

 

 

 

 

Come on, you cant deny that it was at the very least tricky to ride early on. if the track was more like the usual monmore we often see, both grippy and smooth im sure it would have made for a much better spectacle. im all for passing in every heat, but id much rather watch it from riders going at it hammer and tong together a la robson and steady, rather than riders bucking about and straightening up heading for the fence and being passed. that, to be honest, doesnt really excite me at all, its just unpredictable. each to their own though.

 

the last meeting at monmore on sky, i thought, was a much better watch, even though the track was slick, but it was consistent, meaning all riders could have a go.

 

 

Thanks for the info on the first bit. Could well be that both contributed but the bike definitely didn't sound right and Ed seemed reluctant to rev more than the bare minimum to keep it running. When he rolled passed on one lap (3 I think) it was almost as though it was rolling on tick-over (which I know it wasn't). He must have been concerned about a potentially big repair bill. It may be the bent foot rest was why he initially backed off.

 

Well, my post was rather long so perhaps you forgot what I had said at the start by the time you got to the end. We had heavy rain late PM Sunday and I acknowledged that it looked as though there may have been 'soft' spots that were giving the riders more grip than they wanted. It definitely didn't have any more dirt than normal (to look at from the terrace). I'm with you in that passing solely due to rider error on a poor track is not the best but this was not the case last night. Most, if not all, of the incident after the first couple of heats was due to riders making mistakes that had nothing to do with the track or riders that are not always the best at Monmore. Bomber's crash was due to the track in one sense but I maintain my opinion that he was risking it by going in so fast and tight on a grippy track.

 

 

The last Monmore meeting was good by the standard generally seen on Sky but below average standard at Monmore. Understandably, given as soon as the meeting finished it peed it down for 12 hours straight, it was prepared with rain in mind.

 

That's not correct surely? Riders sometimes have to push home for a point if there is no 4th rider in the race. As long as they are in contact with their bike as they cross the line they get the point....... but I could be wrong of course.

 

 

I think they are supposed to be sat on the bike not just in contact with it. Could by a myth or the rule could have changed though. I'll have a look.

 

What a sad reflection on British Speedway - the line up last night was awful,the BSPA should have seeded both Woffinden & Richardson to the final - Congratulations to Bomber, Nicholls Barker, but really the Top 6 riders on the night had nothing to beat, most of the Premier League riders did not perform, not worth £20 admission or even the time wasted to watch it on TV.

 

Why should Woffinden and Rico been seeded? They had their chance to qualify and blew it. Congrats to the lads that knocked out a couple of big names.

 

Bit harsh on the PL lads.

[stevebrum]

Ill be watching this on SKY if its on.

I wont be parting with 20 quid for a largely PL line with only nicholls, Bomber and Kennett likely to feature - with Stead as a threat.

 

Bomber 1st Nicholls 2nd. Cant see any other way.

 

As expected i was correct

 

 

Stead for me. Former wolves rider and in the form of his life so far. At 14-1 @ Sky Bet couldn't resist, small wager placed.

 

 

never looked capable of mastering Monmore.

 

PL doesn't appear to matter.

 

In an EL type meeting , then no.

 

Yeeeeeeeessss, go Bomber . BRITISH CHAMPION in spite of two bad falls - fantastic. Congratulations to Scott too in getting the wild card for Cardiff.

 

 

Completely agree.

 

Barker reminds me of Kenny Carter.....

 

 

 

without the talent

 

 

 

All I can say is, I wish all tracks were as shocking instead of the slick crap we see week in week out

 

 

Thats why most were struggling. we put DIRT on our track

 

Something to do with it being £20 for what is largely a PL standard line up? Think it was maybe the first time at a speedway meeting I have felt a little ripped off.

 

 

Totally agree. That`s why i saved my money.

 

As for the meeting, certainly warmed up once they all had had a couple of heats under there belt.

Yet again shows why the track is voted best track as often as it does.

Some superb heats that went some way of soothing the dull first hour.

Well done to Barker, deserves resrve place at Cardiff.

Why oh why the BSPA try to make the qualifiers fair when PL boys can up the anti in there own league yet, as expected, are fodder in a EL line up.

 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BSPA - reward those riders that move up to the EL with a place in the Final and let the PL makeweights fight for the remainder of the places.

 

Expected more from Schrammy, however the rest were as poor as i expected. Tho Jason`s win over his brother was a great heat. Glad he wants to try get a EL place. Lets face it, its the only way he will progress in his career.

[screm]

If that did happen then that would of been a sad relection on the BSPA as those two you name did'nt deserve to be there.

Ive some sympathy with Richardson who missed out due to injury but I suppose thats speedway.Woffinden on the other hand had the chance but didnt get enough points at Sheffield,ok the meeting was curtailed but all the riders had the same amount of rides.

 

Lewis Bridger,a one track show pony whos career is going nowhere.

[Coventry_Bee]

21st century heathen,

Is this interview online anywhere?

 

 

 

There was a good interview with Scott in the local paper last night. The gist of it is that he's not interested in the GPs this season, he's happy just riding league speedway and is enjoying his racing for the first time for a couple of years, the nights off are family time and they don't even watch speedway at home, and he was desperate to regain his British Champion tag last night. That was more important to him the wild card.

Edited June 15, 2010 by Coventry_Bee

[Coventry_Bee]

Ive some sympathy with Richardson who missed out due to injury but I suppose thats speedway.Woffinden on the other hand had the chance but didnt get enough points at Sheffield,ok the meeting was curtailed but all the riders had the same amount of rides.

 

Lewis Bridger,a one track show pony whos career is going nowhere.

 

The bike Lewis had did at times last night just look like a rocket, he moved away from eastbourne to learn and maybe he is the hard way but he is where Ben Barker was in throwing the bike around a few years back. He is entertaining, you can't take that away from him.

[squall]

In an EL type meeting , then no.

 

Have a day off. It wasn't the EL final, it was the British Final. There were 2 semi finals, the top 8 from each semi qualified for the final. Not so hard to grasp really is it?

 

I take it you weren't a fan of the old qualifying system when EVERYBODY was given an equal chance of qualifying for the World Final?

[screm]

The bike Lewis had did at times last night just look like a rocket, he moved away from eastbourne to learn and maybe he is the hard way but he is where Ben Barker was in throwing the bike around a few years back. He is entertaining, you can't take that away from him.

And what has Bridger learned,so far it seems he has learned he couldnt hack it at Peterborough,he made a switch to Coventry and so far the jury is still out.His averaged has crashed,his continental bookings have dried up,maybe a drop to the PL might be an option but would his self inflated ego allow that.

[SCB]

And what has Bridger learned,so far it seems he has learned he couldnt hack it at Peterborough,he made a switch to Coventry and so far the jury is still out.His averaged has crashed,his continental bookings have dried up,maybe a drop to the PL might be an option but would his self inflated ego allow that.

He's had 3 meetings for Coventry, 1 poor, 1 excellent and 1 not so great.But at Coventry we're seeing him as a 4 point man with little to prove, if he goes to Eastbourne they'll be expecting him to do what eh was doing at number 1 last year and he knows he can ride the place well.

 

Regarding his continental bookings, he's doing just fine in Poland, I don't knwo where you go it from that it had dried up, he's riding more regularly than last season and with a reasonable degree of success.

 

Lewis doesn't need PL speedway, he proved last year he can average 7 in the EL, he's going through a bad spell and he's over riding, hopefully with the low expectation levels at Coventry he can take it easy and see that scoring 4 and 5 is not the end of the World, as long as he slowly picks things up, if he can be riding like a 7 point man again by September I think most Bees fans will be happy, in the mean time, 3-5 a meeting will do, just to settle things down. one thing nobody can ever accuse Lewis of is not giving 100% and that, for me at least, is the biggest way to win me over.

[SPEEDY69]

As some of the nominations for the GP in the past seem to have been based on National Champions, this includes Britain, then it seems certain that Harris will be in the GP again next season even if he fails to qualify again - perhaps I'm wrong but I don't think he's ever qualified has he?

 

Good for him to win last night, he made a great start in the final and has been on top form in the last couple of weeks. Does anyone know if the ref was watching the meeting at any stage?!!

[mc131]

so is barker now meeting reserve at cardiff? wel i for 1 sure hope he gets at least 1 ride coz he will guarantee a whole hearted dispaly! dont no how people can slag him off on here sayin no talent and so on hes come up from the national league and worked his way up through the leagues and nw 3rd in a british final in my eyes quite good for so called NO TALENT!

[T.N.T.]

So the comments on this thread lead you to the following views

 

 

So there are not 10 - 12 riders that are of the standard that could win the title (like the 70's/80's)

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

An increase of foreign riders in the PL means any PL riders are of a weaker standard to thos of years ago

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

The referee made some howlers

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

Chris Harris was unbeaten in all his races .. (he stayed on the bike)

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

Bomber and Nicholls were clearly head and shoulders above the rest

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

Well Done to King, Barker and Robson on some great performances

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

There was plenty of passing, good interviews and a good viewing for the sport

 

 

 

PS

 

The track was grippy and well maintained which led to good racing

 

 

 

 

Anyone reading this post will know straight away ....

 

 

 

The meeting was held at MONMORE GREEN , Wolverhampton !!!

[screm]

Fair post TNT,but how was the track ?.

[philfromcov]

Fair post TNT,but how was the track ?.

only one comment, despite peoples memories being vague.

 

yes ther were big crowds in the 70's, i was one of them, but to suggest 10-12 could win was wrong, normally lee, collins, jessup and one other1

 

at most 4 in with a chance although all competitors were in the top league and most were heat leaders.

[Badge]

Think the British Final is fast becoming a Mickey Mouse event!!! Wasn't impressed one bit with last nights meeting although Ben Barker produced some balls out racing!!! Respect to Bomber for beating what was put in front of him. Whilst I agree all tracks should be deep and not as slick as an iced penguin I dont think the meeting was that entertaining.

 

Take a look at the 1989, 1991 and 92 British Finals on Youtube....the British Final was the jewel of the British Speedway Calendar staged on a weekend at prime time for viewing on an easily accessible track. The difference in crowds levels is alarming to say the least. It was a highly polished, well presented affair then with the emphasis on entertainment. I seriously think World Championship qualification has to be brought back into it and the meeting has to go back to its roots a bit instead of just giving it a ridiculous Super Seven name!! The meeting might actually hold some credibility then and give some of the British lads the emphasis to be in it, raising there game and in turn developing further.

I have to disagree with you saying it is a Mickey Mouse event now, OK GB haven't the wealth of talent of some other Countries, but last night we had the best qualifiers in the meeting, and there was no doubting the passion of the riders wanting to win this event, do you honestly think Bomber would have carried on after those 2 horrendous spills if he didn't want to win

 

 

It might sound like ingratitude but I thought it sounded like someone who really can't be doing with it anymore. He just wanted to win this title - whether Micky Mouse or not - and nothing more. Maybe with his family matters covered in a national newspaper some weeks ago I wonder if he has more important things on his mind. So good luck to him.

Scott was devastated not to win the Final and become British Champion again, and had the mike thrust under his nose almost straight after the race, I'm sure today or tomorrow when he has got over the disappointment he will look forward to Cardiff, but his aim last night was solely to become British Champion again, so I agree with you on your post.

 

 

the british final these days is nothing like the finals i went to as a kid at west ham and coventry. those were raced in front of 20,000 crowds and were really hard meetings to win. we as a nation just don't have enough riders of that standard anymore. i thought last night's final made good viewing with plenty of incident on a grippy track. it kept my intrest going right to the end which takes some doing for these type of meetings!.

Don't we just love to look back!!! and everything was wonderful then , sadly those days have gone, and British riders are thin on the ground, but I enjoyed the meeting, apart from the shocking decisions by the ref re: Schrammy and Jordan that is, I thought everyone gave it a real go, and well chuffed with Danny's performace, bearing in mind he had an extra race too.

 

 

Without bothering to read through about 10 pages, the ref made some major cock ups last night. Harris should of excluded for running into Bridger and falling - how on the earth was Schramm excluded when he didn't touch either Harris or Bridger, and laid the bike down to avoid Harris? Amazing.

 

How on the earth Frampton was excluded for Lanham turning in on him is unbelievable as well, it makes you wonder why Frampton was excluded for that and then Kennett wasn't chucked out for doing the exact same thing to Danny King later on.

 

Decent meeting in the end, shame Nicholls didn't win though.

 

 

I agree

 

 

Didn't think it was a bad meeting overall:- overtaking, crashes etc, but (and I know other people have raised the question) WTF was the ref on for excluding Schramm??? Harris screwed up and Schramm paid the price - ludicrous

And again

 

What a sad reflection on British Speedway - the line up last night was awful,the BSPA should have seeded both Woffinden & Richardson to the final - Congratulations to Bomber, Nicholls Barker, but really the Top 6 riders on the night had nothing to beat, most of the Premier League riders did not perform, not worth £20 admission or even the time wasted to watch it on TV.

 

The track preparation was great though, consistent with grip, not like the slick surfaces we have become used to in the GPs,

Why should Tai and Lee been seeded in, they didn't qualify...end of. Thought we all moaned about the fact that the top guys used to get seeded in and how unfair it was

 

Does it really matter whether there were EL or Pl riders in the line-up. It was speedway, something we obviously all enjoy. I used to be an elite league snob, but now I just enjoy speedway racing. As far as I am concerned it was a good meeting, full of incidents and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I don't care that some of the riders were from different leagues, if Woffinden and Richardson had qualified they would have been there, but they didn't. How many months ago was it that everyone was insisting that riders should not be seeded through to the GP (ie Nicholls, well now you have got your qualification process and you are still not happy.

Yep my feelings too