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For someone who was there I thought it was a decent GP. Plenty of passing and Tai ride from last to first was almost worth the admission money on its own. Only thing letting it down was the starting gates it was known after the test event but seemingly couldn't rectify. Decent crowd too I thought.

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Well judging by the crowd reaction last night, Nicki P only had one fan in the stadium.

 

That was the electric one that his mechanic waves under his nose in the pits between races. :D

Which I am sure has kept Nicking up all night.

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I must admit I am finding it very hard to see how anyone (and I'd I fully accept its a matter of personal opinion) can term that GP as 'rubbish'. Surely Woffinden's fantastic last to first alone gets it above that, and there was a lot more decent racing than that one heat.

 

Personally, I thought it was pretty good.

 

Maybe Tai did go a little over the top with his wheelies but he has said that the reception he got out when he went out on the track was incredible and he wanted to thank everyone. As such, what he did was understandable at the very least.

Agree Halifaxtiger, some people just like a good moan!

 

Cardiff is what it is some good races some ok, its no Torun but Torun is not Cardiff!

 

Welll done NKI a very good racerand looks like a nice chap too.

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Think to many people get fixated by the lack of passing for the lead. Thing is, speedway's always been like that.

There was bags full of passing in the minor placings, some of it brilliant.

 

All motor sports are pretty much the same, the guy out front clears off in the distance.

 

Very enjoyable GP imo

Edited by screamer
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I was at Cardiff last year and watched last night's GP on tv.

 

For me last night's meeting was the better of the two, though of course there is no substitute for being there.

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I have to say that we (2 adults and 3 kids) had a fantastic day out. Tickets were very reasonably priced, the weather was great, Cardiff is a great place to visit for any age, the kids loved the intro with a closed roof, flashing lights and the massive trophy.

And crucially getting away afterwards was really easy (we parked east of the city centre).

From a speedway perspective, I thought was telling we got through the program so quickly. The track held up really well, so smooth racing and no ruts. Admittedly it became obvious that the Yellow helmet was a guaranteed no win, but I would be willing to bet that if you asked the riders, they would take that surface all over again as they could confidently throw the bike into the corner without worry about holes. And if you were someone like Kildemand (a definite GP rider ), gate 4 was still worth giving a go.

All the riders played their part, with a special shout to Tai, Greg, Holder and Pedersen. 4 World Champions who, in their own way, really got the crowd going. Whoever wrote that the atmosphere was flat - the only time I've experienced better was at White City in 1977, with Peter Collins blasting round the outside !. With the roof closed, it kept in the noise, cheering, smell and the darkness helped with the sheer spectacle of it.

My 3 highlights

 

(1) Tai's last to first

(2) Craig Cook holding off Hancock

(3) Nicki Pedersen playing the villain - we do need him, whether we like it or not

 

Only low point - the final race, which was a bit processional. I really like NKI but he contributed little to the meeting (overtook Pedersen perhaps?) but gated and was away.

And well done Tai for the wheelies. He is the main draw and focus for the event, was probably more disappointed than anyone with the last heat, and I doubt it bothered any of the rostrum riders.

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Compared to other years I thought it was a good gp Tai's ride was quality, watching cookie lead home current and former world champions in Hancock and holder was great to watch as well. Thought he did pretty well to score 7 points considering he had the outside 2 gates in 3 if his 5 rides and just missed out on the semi finals,

 

Bomber was rank rotten but not really a surprise. Apparently he was one of many struggling with set ups as the track was really icey and slick. Holder in the final was running about 3/4 teeth lower than they would normally be using that late on in the meeting at Cardiff. Kind of shows how slick it was out there.

 

Overall cracking weekend sitting in sunshine see you next year Cardiff.

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didn't hear them mention Poole... might've missed it.

Mentioned everytime Holder & magic were out. Even mentioned it when Coventry's asset Hancock was out. Didn't really affect the viewing though as did mention where other riders rode as well throughout the night.

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Mentioned everytime Holder & magic were out. Even mentioned it when Coventry's asset Hancock was out. Didn't really affect the viewing though as did mention where other riders rode as well throughout the night.

also mentioned other clubs as well. Belle Vue and Coventry.

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Absolutely brilliant day, saw lots of old friends, met some new ones and introduced youngest son to the delight that is Cardiff.

 

I thought the racing was actually pretty good for a GP, a fair bit of passing in most of the races although as others have said, it would have been better had the gates not been so unequal...think I prefer the smoother surface than one where you dread the riders going into a corner where a rut is and the potential injuries.

 

The biggest revelation for me was youngest son, he stopped going to speedway as he was finding it difficult to cope with the noise and people (it can get busy where we sit at Foxhall) and when he expressed an interest in going with me this year, I was a little dubious about how he would cope with it.....needn't have worried, he absolutely loved it and wants to go again next year! He even liked the socialising bit!

 

I know some others may not have been impressed with how it was run but he found it all very impressive, the lights, the music, the crowd and flag waving and he even (in his own words), was getting back into the actual racing again towards the end and found himself shouting until he was hoarse for Tai in the semi and final.

 

He still doesn't want to go a normal meeting though.....but at least speedway regained at least one fan last night.

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I really enjoyed the meeting as a whole.. had it's ups and downs and NKI got his set up right in his last few so deserved it.Tai was excellent and showed his ability to get drive down. (except in the final!!) The meeting didn't let our sport down in the least.

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Was that the best ever gp on a temporary track?

 

I'd say it was, no ruts and plenty of passing.

I'd love to know what Ole did to try and rectify the starting gates after the practice meeting. In the practice meeting there was little to choose between gates 1,2 and 3, but gate 4 was a graveyard, he was told to make gate 4 better, but all he managed to do was make gate 1 better. I appreciate it's not an exact science, hopefully lessons have been learned and next year the track and gates will be spot on.

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