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Cardiff 2022


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7 hours ago, R87 said:

Absolutely laughing my head off at the long overdue lambasting of this awful track and disgusting city.

I went once, hated it and never went back.  It's crap.  Can't believe Bewley had the brass neck to celebrate.  He must be so shallow to be pleased about winning this joke of event.

And yet u still watched it,think the fool is in your mirror 

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9 hours ago, chunky said:

Again, I can't argue that. The thing that bugs me is why did we plan a "National" speedway stadium with such a limited capacity. No, it didn't have to hold 80,000, but still... It didn't even have to be permanent, but just be able to expand when necessary...

Manchester City Council funded the BV track. That part of Manchester, east, has the ManCity football ground (built specifically for some athletic championships maybe 20 years ago) , and close to that the National Velodrome, plus lots of other sporting venues. Chris Morton and Dave Gordon worked hard for many years to get a speedway track that matched the original Hyde Road track…….the site is just a few hundred yards away (now a car auction site). The council came up with the land, it’s area to build on was already determined by a road, housing, school, other sports facilities. The stadium is the biggest it could be. I know how the term National a speedway Stadium was born, I suspect as the council was stumping up the £6 million to build it, and considering the area is a sports area of Manchester they may well have dictated it gets called National Speedway stadium. Whether he SCB or anything high up in speedway had anything to do with that I havnt a clue. The track, as we know, quickly became renowned as one of the best racing tracks in the world, which it is, no doubt or arguing about it……. In the top 5 if not the top 3.

The track organisers knew this weekend the Cardiff track was going to take some heavy usage with SGP1 and SGP2 taking place Sat/Sun plus practice/qualifying. They surely would have thrown everything at the preparation of the base upwards to ensure it would cope. It didn’t. We saw that Vojens stood up to 5 meetings and practices….a permanent track. Personally, for me, last night sounded a death bell for temporary tracks. Apart from the probability of poor race surface, the tracks are too small for frequent opportunities to overtake. How long the Cardiff contract is for I don’t know, but I want to see the British GP on a permanent track, so no to Olympic stadium (London), no football stadium (Newcastle), just a permanent track where good racing can be achieved. If, at the moment, that means BV with its limited spectator space, so be it. There are now no speedway tracks in city centres, so stop “making tracks”  fit what some spectators want (pubs) and give what ardent speedway racing fans want….. world class racing “out of top draw".

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20 minutes ago, paulboy said:

Excuse my ignorance but is Discovery + internet only, can’t find it on sky guide

Discovery+ is £60 per year, has all the Speedway GPs, British Premier speedway, World Superbikes, world MotoX, loads of other motor sports, loads other sports (snooker), plus loads of other programmes and films. Beginning of this year the £60 was slashed to £30, they might do that again, and you could (may still do) a month trial…..time it right you could get 2 speedway GPs watched), plus, the events are available to watch again. You need to load the Discovery app. I got it on my iPad, a modern telly should load the app, my bedroom tv needs ROKU box (or Amazon stick etc) plugging in to be able to get the app. Picture quality top notch.

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14 minutes ago, davidncohen said:

Congratulations, Dan, a future World Champ in the making.

One question about the crowd - The whole of the lower tier was closed off, but I'm sure that wasn't the case in previous Cardiff GP's. Anyone know why? It means that fans are a lot further away from the racing action.

The whole of the lower tier wasn't closed off.

We were sitting there!

First twenty rows were covered in tarp for debris.

It's very convenient to get in and out sitting there but it's not the best viewing point as you only see the rider's helmets for about a quarter of the track.

We're usually middle tier third bend and I think we'll head back there next time. 

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33 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

Manchester City Council funded the BV track. That part of Manchester, east, has the ManCity football ground (built specifically for some athletic championships maybe 20 years ago) , and close to that the National Velodrome, plus lots of other sporting venues. Chris Morton and Dave Gordon worked hard for many years to get a speedway track that matched the original Hyde Road track…….the site is just a few hundred yards away (now a car auction site). The council came up with the land, it’s area to build on was already determined by a road, housing, school, other sports facilities. The stadium is the biggest it could be. I know how the term National a speedway Stadium was born, I suspect as the council was stumping up the £6 million to build it, and considering the area is a sports area of Manchester they may well have dictated it gets called National Speedway stadium. Whether he SCB or anything high up in speedway had anything to do with that I havnt a clue. The track, as we know, quickly became renowned as one of the best racing tracks in the world, which it is, no doubt or arguing about it……. In the top 5 if not the top 3.

The track organisers knew this weekend the Cardiff track was going to take some heavy usage with SGP1 and SGP2 taking place Sat/Sun plus practice/qualifying. They surely would have thrown everything at the preparation of the base upwards to ensure it would cope. It didn’t. We saw that Vojens stood up to 5 meetings and practices….a permanent track. Personally, for me, last night sounded a death bell for temporary tracks. Apart from the probability of poor race surface, the tracks are too small for frequent opportunities to overtake. How long the Cardiff contract is for I don’t know, but I want to see the British GP on a permanent track, so no to Olympic stadium (London), no football stadium (Newcastle), just a permanent track where good racing can be achieved. If, at the moment, that means BV with its limited spectator space, so be it. There are now no speedway tracks in city centres, so stop “making tracks”  fit what some spectators want (pubs) and give what ardent speedway racing fans want….. world class racing “out of top draw".

I suppose Odsal is permanantish, if the inside line was temporarily pulled in so its half permanent, half temp. I've been in there with a 37000 crowd, good road links, a 3 meeting weekend sgp 1 and 2 and British Final maybe or something, an Invitation meeting, whatever. Much cheaper to put on and hopefully better racing

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51 minutes ago, paulboy said:

Excuse my ignorance but is Discovery + internet only, can’t find it on sky guide

If you look back on this thread in the next few hours or so I’m sure R&R will post a few links to streaming of SGP2. I usually find that kergel.ucoz.lv  who streams European speedway is a reliable link.

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7 hours ago, R87 said:

Absolutely laughing my head off at the long overdue lambasting of this awful track and disgusting city.

I went once, hated it and never went back.  It's crap.  Can't believe Bewley had the brass neck to celebrate.  He must be so shallow to be pleased about winning this joke of event.

There might have been no overtaking but Bewley was quicker from the gate than the rest and earned his great win. As for the City I reckon the people who live and work there are glad you never went back as well with an attitude like that.

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9 hours ago, Turnip said:

I have already congratulated Dan then u av to consider the wider watching audience especially after the fiasco of the British Final that I attended.

You have to remember that the GP is being shown worldwide & u av to think of the overall impact it as on trying to attract people to attend.

Imagine you live in Australia or anywhere in Europe, would u really want to fly over for that turdge! Seriously would u?

If your not British wot are u left thinking about the winner?

I won't ever be going to Cardiff again!

I'd be thinking "bloody he'll he was quick out of the gate he'll be World Champ before long"

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34 minutes ago, jrs said:

If you look back on this thread in the next few hours or so I’m sure R&R will post a few links to streaming of SGP2. I usually find that kergel.ucoz.lv  who streams European speedway is a reliable link.

I have put some up already but they are on the meeting thread on the International world of speedway section “ world U 21 Championship “ more to follow including VK nearer to start time.

Edited by racers and royals
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7 hours ago, someone said:

The ping-pong was part of the overall package of events they got from Matchroom Sports, the darts etc. people.  Though they appear to have used Covid to quietly kill it off as it never took place this year and there is no mention on their website of it ever having happened!  But that was only a two-day event at the end of January with nothing at all to do with speedway decisions.

But Sky dropped the GPs because of a period of British failure and declining audiences, and that they won back the Saturday evening Premier League matches. This gave them three live events on Saturday evenings with a Super League match played then, the soccer at the start and end of the season or cricket in between.  So because of the audience being split and to cut costs they dropped the speedway and moved Super League to Thursday.  And as soon as they did that Woffinden became World Champion and it no longer mattered that Harris was at the back.

But I am certain that Cardiff looked a lot better on television today than had it been in Manchester and full.

I agree that a full smaller stadium looks better than a half-full big one, but there is a limit to how small they can be before they just look small. And the National Speedway Centre looks not only small, but like it is part of a leisure centre.  Just a row of trees between the track and the massive brick wall that is obviously the back of a hall would have helped.

No doubt it has a much, much better track, which is a good enough reason to argue a GP should be held there instead of Cardiff.  But, to me at least, Manchester looks so municipal that if you want to sell the event and sport to TV viewers I fear it would just say small time sport.  The third biggest covered stadium in the world (apparently) or a local sports complex.

But what about the racing? 

The racing?

The racing? 

Because..

If it had good racing like the NSS, and some other tracks, UK Speedway would have no room left in stadiums each week given the tens of thousands who, after watching the British GP, would be instantly attracted to the domestic product.... :D

It must be an irresistible force that will take over them and suddenly make them part with money each week to watch a sport that they have only ever seen once on TV....:D 

As has been described by many riders over the years,  Cardiff is "Speedway's "Monaco"...

And as all know who watch F1, the racing in Monaco is often poor, usually close, but follow the car in front for the whole spectacle...

The "event" is why people are there and for Cardiff it is similar for many who go...

Loads of groups of people (families in the main), I got talking to yesterday were there with only one of their contingent being someone who attends UK Speedway...

With the rest "knowing" about the sport obviously but just going along for the "special event" rather than having any opinion on the racing standard..

Thousands left the stadium last night  very happy which was the icing on the Cardiff cake... 

Booking by ticket for next year as soon as they announce the date tomorrow..

Great venue and should be embraced by the UK promoters to "piggy back" onto given probably double the amount of fans will attend Cardiff that attend UK Speedway each week in total. 

Cardiff.  .:t:

 

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I want to say “well done” to Tom Brennan and Leon Flint as meeting reserves. They got rides, both of them, and were not disgraced, and am sure they gained loads by the experience.

And although it was not Robert Lamberts best meeting, his time will come, and soon. He is gaining experience, which Dan is still short off much more than Robert, obviously due to Robert having been at the upper level a couple more years than Dan.  
And whilst Tai had his own problems last night, how chuffed he must feel. He wanted to develop British riders in the Uk, his proposals turned down, so he has took the youngsters to Poland (Robert and Dan) and made racers of them. Can see Tom Brennan and others doing the same. another 18 months and perhaps Tom will be in Poland learning skills under the watchful eye of Tai.

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I support the idea of the meeting being moved to Belle Vue, in theory is should be a lot easier to improve the track at Cardiff than make the area that Belle Vue is in more suited to a day long event, but they have had years of practice, and still cannot get it right.

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13 minutes ago, OveFundinFan said:

I want to say “well done” to Tom Brennan and Leon Flint as meeting reserves. They got rides, both of them, and were not disgraced, and am sure they gained loads by the experience.

And although it was not Robert Lamberts best meeting, his time will come, and soon. He is gaining experience, which Dan is still short off much more than Robert, obviously due to Robert having been at the upper level a couple more years than Dan.  
And whilst Tai had his own problems last night, how chuffed he must feel. He wanted to develop British riders in the Uk, his proposals turned down, so he has took the youngsters to Poland (Robert and Dan) and made racers of them. Can see Tom Brennan and others doing the same. another 18 months and perhaps Tom will be in Poland learning skills under the watchful eye of Tai.

The British Speedway Site does not even have Leon Flint in the scores,that interested it’s just aCopy and Paste job.Poor Show.

Edited by Fromafar
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44 minutes ago, jrs said:

If you look back on this thread in the next few hours or so I’m sure R&R will post a few links to streaming of SGP2. I usually find that kergel.ucoz.lv  who streams European speedway is a reliable link.

The last SGP2 is on YouTube so that’s a clue?

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