British Final 13th May 2013

[Gresham78]

I went to the meeting on Monday and it was my first British Final and first visit to Monmore Green.

 

Having returned to the sport 5 years ago after a gap of 25 years I was a bit disappointed with the quality of the field on display. I guess its one of the things I've noticed most about the sport that when I left it in the early to mid 1980s the British final would have been made up of the likes of Michael Lee, John Davis Gordon Kennett, Peter Collins, Dave Jessup Kenny Carter, Les Collins Chris Morton etc. All these guys were top riders in the British League and there would certainly be nobody from the 2nd tier of the sport i.e the National League.

I suppose its the reason interest in the sport has waned given our lack of home grown talent. However that's not say I didn't enjoy the meeting and thought Tai was truly outstanding as his form has been throughout this season so far and I hope we now have a top British rider to really challenge in the SGP series. Credit to Danny King who gave him a hard race when the two met in heat 19.

As for Monmore Green I thought it a tidy track and liked the open view of the pits and I know the race track itself is considered to be one of the best prepared, however the stadium does suffer with the limited spectator access to just the home straight and first turn and I assume should the new track at Belle Vue get built the meeting will be shown there given the track's billing as the National Speedway stadium.

[guitar_art]

Another stupid daft ruling gives British Speedway no credabilliy once again, bloody rediculous. They all want their heads banging together.

 

Wasn't a British speedway ruling. You lay the blame at the doors of BSI.

[stratton]

of course non gaters can win what a daft comment! Woffy Nicholls and Kennett all passed people! If they did that at Lynn everyone would be raving! How good would it be to watch Tai thrash people at Lynn! There is more skill passing someone at wolves then just blasting round the boards at Lynn!

Twenty races at Lynn or 20 races at Wolves no comparison,there are loads of lines to ride at Lynn.It isn't just a throttle and go job there a non gater has much more chance.The other night gate 4 on the whole was terrible i am not saying Wolves is a bad track just that there are at least six better. King,s Lynn is fast of course but when it is prepared right i would say with no hesitation it has to be in the top 15 tracks in the world.

 

 

 

You clearly don't see much action from or at Wolves if you think it is a gaters track.

 

 

 

Given how long SKY have been showing live matches there have been more good meetings from Monmore than not.

Certainly generally speaking most will agree that it is usually a good meeting watching racing at Wolves.

 

Even i will say that i have watched some meetings where races are long drawn out.

 

It happens at all tracks.

I am glad i don't go there every week,once or twice a year is plenty but everyone to there own it is what people are used to i suppose.

[Gavan]

Twenty races at Lynn or 20 races at Wolves no comparison,there are loads of lines to ride at Lynn.It isn't just a throttle and go job there a non gater has much more chance.The other night gate 4 on the whole was terrible i am not saying Wolves is a bad track just that there are at least six better. King,s Lynn is fast of course but when it is prepared right i would say with no hesitation it has to be in the top 15 tracks in the world.

 

I am glad i don't go there every week,once or twice a year is plenty but everyone to there own it is what people are used to i suppose.

can you hand on heart say the British final would have been better at Lynn? The quality of the field would mean on a fast track the racing would have been far more spaced out and boring. How many more times do people need to realise its the quality of the line up that makes a meeting not how big and fast the track is. And wolves has loads of lines!

[stratton]

can you hand on heart say the British final would have been better at Lynn? The quality of the field would mean on a fast track the racing would have been far more spaced out and boring. How many more times do people need to realise its the quality of the line up that makes a meeting not how big and fast the track is. And wolves has loads of lines!

I believe so,everyone has a view it's down to the individual.Who would prefer a British Final at Wolves or would they prefer King,s Lynn Lynn all day for me.

[Gavan]

I believe so,everyone has a view it's down to the individual.Who would prefer a British Final at Wolves or would they prefer King,s Lynn Lynn all day for me.

i get your point Lynn is a racers track. If the British final was the class and line up of the late 80's early 90's then Lynn would be good. There is such a lack of strength in depth that on my opinion the racing would have been more spread out at on a faster track.

[jim3751]

Tai has learned a great deal since Rico showed up his shortcomings a few years ago. I doubted he would be an improvement on Harris but he most certainly is. But is it just his ability or has he more sponsorship?

 

He's now dropped the Jawa engine and joined the GM majority but not only that he just happens to have a PJR GM. Doesn't that help a little?

[stratton]

i get your point Lynn is a racers track. If the British final was the class and line up of the late 80's early 90's then Lynn would be good. There is such a lack of strength in depth that on my opinion the racing would have been more spread out at on a faster track.

Good point i can see where you are coming from about races being spaced out, the good old days have gone. That,s why i really hope a Ellis or a Lambert can become the real deal be a force.Out of the lesser Brits i enjoy watching Auty exciting to watch achilles heel dreadfull gater reminds me so much of a young smudger Smith( odviously not as good as Smithy). Edited May 15, 2013 by sidney

[Dave_minall]

I have seen very good speedway riders struggle around Wolves.!

 

I saw Gollob ride there with Ipswich back in the day - he came out of the 2nd corner in last place and yanked his cutout off - he did this 2 or 3 times in one night!

[stevebrum]

 

I am glad i don't go there every week,once or twice a year is plenty but everyone to there own it is what people are used to i suppose.

 

And Wolves fans are used to their track being voted one of the best in the country on a regular basis. Says all we need to know.

 

I believe so,everyone has a view it's down to the individual.Who would prefer a British Final at Wolves or would they prefer King,s Lynn Lynn all day for me.

 

Yea we get it, you prefer kings Lynn to Wolves to watch racing.

Kings Lynn is excellent to watch Speedway from a racing perspective. so is Wolves.

[Gavan]

 

 

I saw Gollob ride there with Ipswich back in the day - he came out of the 2nd corner in last place and yanked his cutout off - he did this 2 or 3 times in one night!

whats your point? So Gollob gave up! Been known to do that once or twice! Mark Loram used to fly round Lynn and Odsal but yet was a master of both Wolves and Arlington when he rode there. Some riders can turn their hand others can't!

[stevebrum]

 

I saw Gollob ride there with Ipswich back in the day - he came out of the 2nd corner in last place and yanked his cutout off - he did this 2 or 3 times in one night!

 

Struggled in his opening 2 rides then showed his class after. Good riders can ride a well prepared track.

[Blazeaway]

Bomber, Scott, Scott, Bomber. It's like being given the choice of catching your foreskin in your zip or sitting on one of your bollocks.

[stratton]

whats your point? So Gollob gave up! Been known to do that once or twice! Mark Loram used to fly round Lynn and Odsal but yet was a master of both Wolves and Arlington when he rode there. Some riders can turn their hand others can't!

Are you doubting Gollob,s ability? Wolves is a hard track to ride i believe,Phil Crump who i see there quite a few times his scores were good but he didn't look comfortable there.And when you maybe only visited there once a year made it even harder.

[Gavan]

Bomber, Scott, Scott, Bomber. It's like being given the choice of catching your foreskin in your zip or sitting on one of your bollocks.

Bomber, Scott, Scott, Bomber. It's like being given the choice of catching your foreskin in your zip or sitting on one of your bollocks.

both on the decline but still the 2nd and 3rd best British riders we have and that shows how poor we are really! Cook had done well but if he rode at Cardiff he may make the odd gate but would basically be outclassed where as Scott or Bomber could on a good day get to the semis

 

Are you doubting Gollob,s ability? Wolves is a hard track to ride i believe,Phil Crump who i see there quite a few times his scores were good but he didn't look comfortable there.And when you maybe only visited there once a year made it even harder.

no not his ability but temperament certainly back then and I'm an Ipswich fan! It is a technical track some apply themselves some don't. And from the man himself Mark Loram loved Lynn's track and Wolves but hated Peterborough!

[david2905]

Whichever EL track you hold it on, it will be an adavantage to someone, and I can't see it being held on a PL track.

 

Why not ? I'd of said Sheffield for one is more than capable and a decent track, would help bring the PL riders closer if one or two of them had home track advantage too.

 

No he wasn't, Bomber was, look at the scores. Tai 15, Bomber 12 and Scott only 11.

 

No, I'm pointing out that people are being selective. You can't chose to use last years rule of 2nd place get the GP place while ignoring old rules that 2nd highest scorer finishes 2nd.

 

Using you your, "second top scorer hasn't meant a thing for many a year" theory, finishing 2nd place doesn't mean you qualify for the GP any more.

 

Bomber has had chances, he's not even riding that well this year but honestly, who do you think will do a better job at Cardiff? Because Scott won't, he's riding worse than Bomber. Cook? Well he couldn't beat an under performing, off form Chris Harris and Scott Nicholls.

 

To be frank, Bomber and Nicholls at their ages are not going to get any better, their form might go up and down slightly but they are not going to put 2 points on their averages, Craig Cook while not up to their level, is making leaps and bounds improving all the time and currently looks our best hope for the future, he needs to be given the opportunity to develop that talent.

 

I THINK you also have to look at the geography. Wolverhampton is centrally placed and that must be a consideration for the fans surely?

 

Isn't a consideration for the fans when it takes until well after 10PM to stage the final, whether it's Wolves, The Ref or Sky to blame is irrelevant, people won't travel to it if the meeting goes on so late they have issues with return travel home or young children who are unlikely to see bed until AM.

[Dave_minall]

It's definitely a trick track - both bends are completely different.

[Fourentee]

he came out of the 2nd corner in last place and yanked his cutout off - he did this 2 or 3 times in one night!

That's teenagers for you.

[nw42]

Can appreciate what Sidney is saying re Kings Lynn but it's all in the eye of the beholder, also depends on what sort of track you are used to watching your speedway on. I've never been a fan of watching at Wolverhampton, probably due to the fact that I grew up watching BV @ Hyde Rd, so speedway at its best for me is about back wheel in the dirt full throttle speed, that's what I like seeing, if the racing is close it's a bonus, I'd much rather see any rider wind it on around the boards. Others prefer the technical tracks, that's fair enough, so there's no winners or losers in this debate, just personal choice.

 

As already pointed out, the British Final the other night was contested by riders of such varying skills, there were always going to be a few riders who didn't have the skill or speed to challenge, I suppose those shortcomings would have been magnified @ KL, I would still rather see the likes of Tai, Bomber & Nicholls wind it on round a big track.

I do think Craig Cook benefitted from the venue, can't imagine he would have faired so well @ Saddlebow Rd, so I'm sure it will have helped his confidence to have reached the final, here's hoping he can push on from it.

 

Edited for punctuation.

Edited May 15, 2013 by nw42

[Gavan]

Can appreciate what Sidney is saying re Kings Lynn but it's all in the eye of the beholder, also depends on what sort of track you are used to watching your speedway on. I've never been a fan of watching at Wolverhampton, probably due to the fact that I grew up watching BV @ Hyde Rd, so speedway at it's best for me is about back wheel in the dirt full throttle speed, that's what I like seeing, if the racing is close it's a bonus, I'd much rather see any rider wind it on around the boards. Others prefer the technical tracks, that's fair enough, so there's no winners or losers in this debate, just personal choice.

 

As already pointed out, the British Final the other night was contested by riders of such varying skills, there were always going to be a few riders who didn't have the skill or speed to challenge, I suppose those shortcomings would have been magnified @ KL, I would still rather see the likes of Tai, Bomber & Nicholls wind it on round a big track.

I do think Craig Cook benefitted from the venue, can't imagine he would have faired so well @ Saddlebow Rd, so I'm sure it will have helped his confidence to have reached the final, here's hoping he can push on from it.

spot on!