PHILIPRISING Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Definitely wasn't the best Cardiff GP ever, but not the worst by any means and certainly after last years farce it was an improvement. Thought really that Ward was the best on view, but he's still prone to the odd lapse. Falling in heat 8 when the win was in the bag, and then picking gate 1 in the final, leaving Hancock the better performing gate 4 was also dubious. A good slick running which the British promoters should look at. OK they cant afford the sort of things on show last night, but the quick turnaround between riders leaving the track and the next four coming on shouldn't be that hard to implement. Even the trip back out was easy, as we were back in the Midlands at 10 45, not in the small hours as normal HANCOCK would have picked gate 1 had Ward not beaten him to it... Did he mention what he did with Middlos testimonial money? And Eric Boocock's? LEGEND is a word like brave and tragic bandied too loosely at times around but, frankly, a speedway rider who has competed in all 175 GPs and can still win one, in addition to all his other achievements, is a legend in my book. In my humble opinion if there is any criticism due it should be aimed at those riders unable to pass a 44-year-old rather than Greg for using all his skill and experience to make great starts. Catch me if you can springs to mind. Woffinden and Hancock both praised the Cardiff track - "the best I have ridden" said Tai - but there are undoubtedly some weak links in the GP field this year with Bjerre seemingly without confidence and Batchelor unable to find his Danish form. On track entertainment would undoubtedly have been enhanced with the likes a fit Holder and Sayfutdinov but it is the whole Cardiff package that resinates with me. Popped back to the Millennium this morning at 10am to collect my car and all signs of a speedway track had already gone. Quite an achievement. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gresham78 Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Many congratulations to all involved with putting on yesterday's grand prix. I thought the presentation was excellent; light show, rider introductions and centre green announcements and the slickness of getting through the heats was first class. I also acknowledge all the work done on the track this year after last year's fiasco to make it the best surface possible. All this led to a great atmosphere with everybody enjoying themselves. Given the excellence of the presentation it was always going to be a challenge for the racing to match it and I have to say i thought it fairly average but there's only so much you can do with a temporary track. For pure racing the bench mark, I feel, this year has to be Malilla which served up terrific racing and was a great advert for the sport . Many congratulations to Greg - to win an event of this nature at 44 is some achievement. However I have to agree with those who aren't totally enamored with his riding style. Whilst acknowledging his technical excellence from the gate and ability at picking and defending a line, he's dull to watch and I can't really recall him passing too often when ever I've seen him. At the end of the day the sport needs people who can come from the back as well as trap so well done Tai, Darcy and anyone else capable of passing; they are the entertainers of our sport. Its a bit like the late 80s and early 90s in Formula 1; Alain Prost " the little professor" versus the late great Ayrton Senna. Anyway all in all I enjoyed the day and hope that the Cardiff experience continues to be the showpiece in the GP calendar for many years to come. Oh yes one more comment: didn't think the fanzone worked in its new location, far too cramped plus same old format. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g13webb Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 If people want to moan they will always find something that wasn't right. Some people are like that. To me, our family had a fantastic weekend. truly brilliant. Everything was amazing, The City, The Culture, The People, The Food, The Hotels, The Place, The Atmosphere, The Excitement, The Stadium, The Presentation, The Buzz. it was all simply amazing. Made me feel proud to be British...... The Speedway was fitting of a World Championship. Would have liked to seen Woffy win but Greg was the next best thing. Can't wait till 2015......... BSI: was totally impressed, that that's takes some doing...... Presentation simply awesome.......... Don't ever anyone tell me Wembley was better.. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fullbore Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 There were no draught beers only cans that were being poured to order Eh? The bar we went to at the Heat 12 interval was ready loaded with pre-poured pints of Brains Smooth and Fosters. Niamh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCB Wildcat Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Eh? The bar we went to at the Heat 12 interval was ready loaded with pre-poured pints of Brains Smooth and Fosters. Niamh Sounds like I was in the wrong place then. We were in U5 and the kiosks immediately behind us were closed. The steward directed me to the nearest one which was rubbish. Probably because it was one of the more sparsely populated areas I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruiser McHuge Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 I think the fact that Hancock is still riding at this level and winning at 44 is quite remarkable....he is also a really nice bloke and fantastic for sponsors etc.....but he is never a rider that will add lots of fans to a gate...he is never a rider that fans would turn out specially to see or for fans to want to return to a track because that have seen him ride....he hasn't got that something extra, something that a lot of lesser riders have had over the years None of this is Hancock's fault....he just is not a very exciting rider or a particuarly exciting personality ...but he is a great ambassador for the sport but I don't think many people will have him in their all time lists in a few years because of the reasons I have said 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgy Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 The bar we went to after heat 0,4,8,12,16 🍺🍻🍺🍷🍻🍷 hic! served pre-poured draught beer, albeit crappy Fosters. I've watched from all areas of the stadium and all serve the same. Great weekend. 😀😀😀 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepturningleft Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Greg Hancock is the nearest equivilant of todays riders to Ivan Mauger. Like Ivan, Greg is a gate and go, 'safe' rider who won't take many risks, and like Ivan this is why he has avoided any significant injury during his long career. Jason Crump virtually said exactly this during the pre meet talk on Eurosport. No-one wants to see riders getting hurt, but it's the Wards, Lorams, Collins and Gollobs we need. No-ones DVD shelf is ever going to strain under the weight of 'Greg Hancock's Most Thrilling Rides". I have a quite large video archive of 70's speedway with hundreds of races featuring Ivan Mauger. I cannot bring to mind a single, solitary race amongst that archive where Ivan actually overtakes anyone. Superslick, professional master craftsmen at work or 'fly by the seat of your pants' thrill merchants? No contest. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCB Wildcat Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 I've watched from all areas of the stadium and all serve the same. Great weekend. 😀😀😀 Blimey I must have imagined the whole thing then! Perhaps I'd drunk too much and it was all just a dream. I know a lot of people come on here just to moan but believe me there wasn't a draught pint in sight where I was, it's quite an important thing to me so trust me I would have noticed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f-s-p Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 And the crowd was? I thought it was quite big, third tier way more people than before if my memory serves me. Nigel mentioned 50k in his commentating... And the crowd was? I thought it was quite big, third tier way more people than before if my memory serves me. Nigel mentioned 50k in his commentating... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Did he mention what he did with Middlos testimonial money? Will lookforward too the book! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacques Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 (edited) Blimey I must have imagined the whole thing then! Perhaps I'd drunk too much and it was all just a dream. I know a lot of people come on here just to moan but believe me there wasn't a draught pint in sight where I was, it's quite an important thing to me so trust me I would have noticed! No issue where we were back straight middle tier plenty of draught beer available. Well, we went for the weekend and have done for the last ten years! I'm already looking forward to next year! The presentation was by far the best yet, ( although you could see the riders arriving in the white rental van, get out and go into the tent) the atmosphere was off the scale, unbelievable in fact, made the hair on the back of your neck stand, WOW! I wanted Tai or Nicki to win, but it was a superb weekend, with superb company. I haven't laughed so much in a long time.. I've just got up to the start of the meeting on the recording and the presentation looked even better on TV and the atmosphere electric How anyone can scoff at the Bristish GP is beyond me!! Edited July 13, 2014 by Jacques 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Except the hotels take the piss. . not if you do your homework .you could have stopped at the university or the youth hostel for less than £20 and they are clean and tidy rooms if a little basic. This year we stopped in travelodge in caerphilly (8miles from cardiff) got a family room for £58 and we only booked it last week. Those prices are hardly a rip off 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phlipphlopp Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Superb day and evening. Anyone that fancies a moan ought to be put in a padded cell for a while. Roll on 2015. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodgy Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Blimey I must have imagined the whole thing then! Perhaps I'd drunk too much and it was all just a dream. I know a lot of people come on here just to moan but believe me there wasn't a draught pint in sight where I was, it's quite an important thing to me so trust me I would have noticed! Oh no! No draught where you were, feel your pain my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THE DEAN MACHINE Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Every year cardiff shows me that nothing compares or even comes close to speedway as a specticle and a sport but when it leaves the millennium stadium it gets took over by the spoiler fairies and it all falls to peices 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
racers and royals Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 (edited) Really enjoyed the whole weekend as always-Somerset followed by the GP. thought the rider presentation superb-just one thing I would like to see at Cardiff is some sing-a -long songs during the interval`s to get the crowd on their feet.Poland do it well at their GP`S.Also didn`t see the bongo cam used this year-pretty funny when used before.Just thought the intervals were a bit flatter music wise,than in previous years. Edited July 13, 2014 by racers and royals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFCB Wildcat Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 Oh no! No draught where you were, feel your pain my friend.Thanks for sharing. No bottles left either by the time I got to the front of the queue!With counseling I'm sure I can get through the pain of this trauma and come out the other side but for now it's a bit raw. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soupdragon Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 First visit to Cardiff unaware of the restrictions of taking your own drink in so having 4 bottles of pop confiscated and having to buy overpriced drinks inside in stupid cups which someone kicked over as they squeezed past (not impressed) good job it wasn't beer. Atmosphere amazing, pity Woffy couldn't have won it but taking the lead in the Championship more impotent. Think that might be the last Cardiff GP for a couple of riders, Bjerre still in the GP Challenge but could struggle in that, Hampel may struggle to keep hold of a top 8 place, Harris just not consistent enough anymore same as AJ but he could put in a late challenge for the top 8 always seems to be better after the WC, cant see Batch challenging for a top 8 position. Amazed how smooth it ran not one re-run no controversy was there any need for a ref. Greg must have thought he won the lottery when Darcy picked G1 never saw that coming. For a temporary track thought it held up well. Looking forward to next year now aware of the pop police wonder if they'll confiscate oranges or opal fruits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keepturningleft Posted July 13, 2014 Report Share Posted July 13, 2014 I also met Reg Fearman and bought his book. I don't know about or really care about any indiscretions during his career, I only know that Reg brought speedway to Halifax in 1965 and promoted it brilliantly well for many years. This is where I saw my first meeting and became hooked on speedway, and for that I will be eternally grateful to Reg Fearman. Great night out, even if Cardiff annoys me with traffic / parking and just seems a crazy odd place for an international stadium but anyway great night once inside. Cant believe how "clean" the meeting was, not one rerun, no exclusions, no drama, only two uneventful falls, its was a great change from rerun after rerun and refs decisions. Nicki sure was popular in there eh! lol Could this be the first time ever at Cardiff - no tape breaks, no restarts for any reason etc?? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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