British GP 2013

[JC!]

Thanks for taking the time to update this Tsunami, good to get insight, even if it leads you to imagine an old bloke with a fag out of his mouth pulling the tarp off, seeing a deluge hitting the shale and hoping no-one will ever notice. Climate control speedway style!!!

[Daniel Smith]

I keep changing my mind over the Heat 14 crash. One thing I am certain of it should have been 2 riders excluded.

 

Vaculik went down 1st, alone and should have gone. No question. Ok, he took evasive action but only for a potential crash not for the actual crash.

 

Woffy or Freddie should have also been excluded but I can't make my mind up who. Freddie chucked in a proper dive bomb on turn 3 but I'm not sure that caused the crash. Not one T.V. angle gives clear evidence of contact. Another thing is for certain, Woffy collected Pedersen but the cause is inconclusive so for that reason I'd of excluded Woffy. But like I said, tomorrow I'll probably say it was Freddie's fault

[Vince]

So the shale is not kept in a 'climate controlled facility' at all?

You are, entirely reasonably, thinking climate controlled facility equals a large warehouse with the ability to control the temperature and moisture content of the product store there. This is Speedway so a tarp keeping the rain off is controlling the climate by not letting the rain get to the shale

[nw42]

I keep changing my mind over the Heat 14 crash. One thing I am certain of it should have been 2 riders excluded.

 

Vaculik went down 1st, alone and should have gone. No question. Ok, he took evasive action but only for a potential crash not for the actual crash.

 

Woffy or Freddie should have also been excluded but I can't make my mind up who. Freddie chucked in a proper dive bomb on turn 3 but I'm not sure that caused the crash. Not one T.V. angle gives clear evidence of contact. Another thing is for certain, Woffy collected Pedersen but the cause is inconclusive so for that reason I'd of excluded Woffy. But like I said, tomorrow I'll probably say it was Freddie's fault

 

But surely the fact that he took evasive action to avoid a certain crash means he shouldn't be excluded, that's the way it's always been, quite rightly so. As has been said, he should be commended for that action.

[Mark]

. Tai it would seem has not just broken collarbone but a shattered shoulder blade, presumably when the bike hit him when he was against the fence, and is now to go under surgery either today or tomorrow.

 

 

How do you know about his shoulder ? That could be 6 weeks out like darcy ward

[mdmc82]

 

 

How do you know about his shoulder ? That could be 6 weeks out like darcy ward

 

Info about it being shattered has been taken from GP official site, although its his collarbone & not shoulder

Edited June 2, 2013 by mdmc82

[SCB]

But surely the fact that he took evasive action to avoid a certain crash means he shouldn't be excluded, that's the way it's always been, quite rightly so. As has been said, he should be commended for that action.

Ok then, if we're assuming that Vaculik took evasive action to avoid Woffy, Woffy was only taking evasive action to avoid Lindgren.

[JC!]

Info about it being shattered has been taken from GP official site, although its his collarbone & not shoulder

 

Tai tweeted a picture of the x-ray for anyone who may be Interested.

[nw42]

Ok then, if we're assuming that Vaculik took evasive action to avoid Woffy, Woffy was only taking evasive action to avoid Lindgren.

 

But I wasn't trying to take it to that degree, I'm not arguing in Tai's defence on this one, just Martin Vaculiks, he showed great skills to lay it down and avoid a certain collision with Tai & possibly Pedersen.

 

As for Tai, the whole thing was started by Freddie giving him a nudge, on another night, in another race it would probably not have led to the same outcome, Tai would have ridden through it, maybe lost a place end of. As it happened he was forced across into Pedersen, someone has to go, it had to be Freddie imo.

[Mark]

Why not just change the rule and give the referee some room to use common sense. Sometimes there is no one to blame for a crash as its just an racing accident. Ref should be able to allow all 4 back at any stage of the race.

[manchesterpaul]

NIcki Pedersen's view of the crash and of Tai....

 

"I lost four or five points because he drives like an idiot. I do not understand, why should he run as? He's good with speed, says Pedersen to Ekstra Bladet."

Edited June 2, 2013 by manchesterpaul

[Daniel Smith]

 

 

But surely the fact that he took evasive action to avoid a certain crash means he shouldn't be excluded, that's the way it's always been, quite rightly so. As has been said, he should be commended for that action.

 

But it wasn't a certain crash. Vaculik went down to save himself from a potential crash hence why he laid it down first. Because the crash did happen we automatically call it nothing is ever certain. He guessed.

 

In a GP earlier in the season, Iversen was excluded for taking evasive action for what he thought would be a certain incident.

 

All riders should be excluded on the basis of guess work.

[nw42]

But it wasn't a certain crash. Vaculik went down to save himself from a potential crash hence why he laid it down first. Because the crash did happen we automatically call it nothing is ever certain. He guessed.

 

In a GP earlier in the season, Iversen was excluded for taking evasive action for what he thought would be a certain incident.

 

All riders should be excluded on the basis of guess work.

 

Ok well call me old school or whatever but any rider that dropped a bike to avoid an opponent who was about to come to grief should be applauded and should not be excluded. From your post I take it you would rather they just keep going and cause even more injury, great stuff.

 

Vaculik had a box seat view of what was about to happen, all in a split second he could see that Tai was going to take Pedersen out and took the necessary action, well done I say.

[Ghostwalker]

Haven't seen the incident on the TV at home but I thought the track more than Freddie was responsible for the crash. And Vaculik should have gone with Tai - crashes independently IMO. Two man rerun with Freddie and Nicki would have been my decision. Would like to have seen KK ride full four laps around the outside in the final. Could only have cost him one point at most and seemed faster than Emil. Thought he (KK) had the best package of gating and top end speed throughout the meeting. Hadn,t gone since Bomber's win and thought racing wasn't that good.

 

Vaculik laying his bike down was not the cause of the stoppage and that is what matters not who fell first.

 

Lindgren is the cause of the stoppage since he is the one causing Tai to hit Nicki which is why Vaculik laid his his bike down.

Vaculik realizes quickly that Tai is out of control and he (Vaculik) anticipated that if he continued he would most likely

have ended up hitting Tai. Vaculik didn't really have any option then to lay his bike down and fair play to him for his quick thinking.

Edited June 3, 2013 by Ghostwalker

[DukesGreg]

With this type of temporary track, I suppose that a problem like this is always a risk which can be found lurking in the background.

 

What I did find noteworthy was that the problems after the 'total re-laying' of the track were STILL mainly located on the 3rd/4th bends. And we were told that the WHOLE track had been re-laid? Surely then, the problem shouldn't have been localised to one part of the track, the same region where the problem arose the previous day? Is there a problem with the arena / stadium that could have seen a repeated problem?

 

I do appreciate that it was rutting all over, but the part they were rolling / flattening was isolated to where the problem had been all weekend. Funny how the problem remained there. You would expect that 'starting over' would not bring up a repeat problem?

 

 

 

 

 

As for the meeting / racing. Yes, the track was breaking up towards the end. Some of the racing was fine, some of it processional. But when isn't speedway, aside from the odd meeting, processional by nature? When we get spoiled with a great GP, with great racing, it does tend to blot our our memory of how the sport can be follow-my-leader.

 

As a fan, with a ticket outlay for one adult and one child, the cost of return fuel from Leeds to Cardiff (470 miles approx), and the effort of taking the time off from working, to attend, the meeting that I got was a much better one than the one I was sweating over on reading riders Tweets and social-networking sites on midnight Friday!

 

So yes, not the greatest GP, but lets be real, not the worst. Compared to a no starter, it was fine. However, the reputation of the organisation and the event in general due to the cloud of doubt will indeed take some repairing. The geography of the meeting sees people part with a LOT of money to attend Cardiff. The only bonus was that you KNEW that it would NEVER be cancelled due to it having a roof. Erm.......???

 

 

As for the Wuffy crash... it really put a dampener on the event. We have a real contender this year, not just for the British GP, but for an assault on the World Crown. He is THE form man. It was galling to see the crash, and the result.

As for the exclusion of Freddie... I do think he clipped Tai. They were racing on a track that 'wasn't behaving,' and I feel that Lindgren DID give Tai a nudge. But totally by accident. I see comments about him not hitting him hard, but a nudge on a speedway machine only has to be minimal, and the momentum and balance are affected. Speedway has that stupid rule that somebody HAS to be deemed at fault. However, as we all know, it's not always that simple. The track took Freddie twice on Saturday, again in the Final! I felt for him both times, however, I feel that by applying the rule to the letter, he had to go. Sadly.

 

 

As for the victor, I was very pleased for Emil. As much as I want Wuffy to win the title, which isn't helped by Sayfutdinov racking up points, I do have so much respect and enjoyment for the guy, and fully applauded his win.

 

 

I'd also like to thank the riders for turning out and giving it go. It was far from ideal, but they (mostly) were up for it, and Kasprzak inexplicably breaking the track record in such conditions was surprising.

 

 

In reality, the billing and the venue / crowd / atmosphere ALWAYS sees our hope spring eternal for some great racing in Cardiff. In reality, it's always OKAY.

 

 

The spectacle is often better than the action dished up, but many take it as a day / weekend away. The craic, the city centre, the main street with all the speedway goings-on, the works. It has become a pivotal event in many people's speedway calendars. A weekend to look forward to.

 

 

 

To go to Cardiff and genuinely expect to see great racing would be a bit daft. And unless you go watch your speedway at the likes of Scunthorpe, Somerset etc., where it is often great, then to turn up at ANY speedway meeting hoping for great racing would be the mindset of an eternal optimist.

 

 

In general, it can be pretty follow-my-leader, week in, week out.

 

 

 

As a fan... happy to have a seen a GP.

 

As for the riders. Too dangerous for them, and lessons need to be learnt for the future survival of the event.

 

 

If things go according to plan.... Odsal anyone???

[T.N.T.]

Someone mentioned a chain shedding for Freddie, hence why his mechanics lifted his bike off???

 

The reason the mechanics had to lift his bike was because the forks were damaged and pushed into the frame. He smply caught a rut and fell

 

 

Heat 14 Crash.

 

A rider i excluded for being the primary cause of the stoppage FACT

 

So did Freddie cause the stoppage by hitting Tai ? ...... NO

 

Tai was clipped but very minimal and Tai changed his line slightly. Did Tai catch Vaculik's front wheel with his dirt deflector ? ..... For me the reason the race was stopped was because there was a crash and in my opinion Freddie was not the cause of the crash more like Tai moving slightly offline and with Vaculik on his outside, Tai ouldn't stop the momentum of running into Nicki who was putting it on a slight locker

 

If someone had to be excluded, in my opinion it should have been Tai butas it's on the first lap and they are still vying for places, maybe an option of all four back should be applied.

 

 

Q - At what point in the track can a referee call all four back ? ..... Is it once they exit turn two ? ..... Is it after turn one ? ...... maybe turn three should be allowed as an option.

 

NIcki Pedersen's view of the crash and of Tai....

 

"I lost four or five points because he drives like an idiot. I do not understand, why should he run as? He's good with speed, says Pedersen to Ekstra Bladet."

[OGT]

But surely the fact that he took evasive action to avoid a certain crash means he shouldn't be excluded, that's the way it's always been, quite rightly so. As has been said, he should be commended for that action.

I can remember a Birmingham rider at PB (Chris Kerr?) dropping his bike when the rider in front suddenly slowed up off turn 4, then got going again. Although he took action to avoid a possible collision, the ref excluded him. I thought Vaculik should probably have gone too.

[trubruv]

Vaculik laying his bike down was not the cause of the stoppage and that is what matters not who fell first.

 

Lindgren is the cause of the stoppage since he is the one causing Tai to hit Nicki which is why Vaculik laid his his bike down.

Vaculik realizes quickly that Tai is out of control and he (Vaculik) anticipated that if he continued he would most likely

have ended up hitting Tai. Vaculik didn't really have any option then to lay his bike down and fair play to him for his quick thinking.

We were sitting in the stand on bend 3 , and freddie came in hard, hit a rut which caused him to give tai a nudge which made him lose control and hit nicki which caused Vaculik to take evasive action, you see these incidents in many GP,s !

 

The track was not great, and yet most speedway riders ride Motor x bikes so are experienced in dealing with such ruts etc! what annoys me is that not enough care or preparation went into providing a good racing track, the increased cost of storing the shale in a warehouse would have been minimal compared to losing 1,000 s of fans from future GP,S

 

Perhaps its time to approach a scientist to work with BSI on creating a more sustainable shale that would hold up much better for temporary tracks, the cost would soon be recouped! just a thought!

 

I took 2 new fans to Cardiff for the day who enjoyed it so much they now want to follow league speedway as well, so there was some good plus points as well!

 

Not all doom and gloom

[Grachan]

 

 

Tai was clipped but very minimal and Tai changed his line slightly.

 

And that was what caused the crash. So the ref was correct.

[fullbore]

Tai was clipped but very minimal and Tai changed his line slightly. Did Tai catch Vaculik's front wheel with his dirt deflector ? ..... For me the reason the race was stopped was because there was a crash and in my opinion Freddie was not the cause of the crash more like Tai moving slightly offline and with Vaculik on his outside, Tai ouldn't stop the momentum of running into Nicki who was putting it on a slight locker

 

So Freddie nudges Tai which makes him move of line and you think Tai should be excluded because he moved off line?

 

Niamh