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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:03:23 GMT 1
Many thanks to Chris Louis for taking the time to answer the following:
1..You've re-signed for the Ipswich Witches. Are you looking forward to having Jarek back, and how do you think the team is looking so far? It’s great to be doing another season and I’m really looking forward to it. It’s fantastic to be riding with Jarek again and I know he’s really looking forward to this season as well. We first met in 2001 when I was riding for Pila in Poland and I was responsible for bringing him over to England so its going to great to ride with him again and see first hand how has progressed as a rider. It’s one thing to watch a GP and sit in the studio and talk about the guys but you cant beat being in the same team to really understand how they are getting on. I expect him to hit the ground running and be a real true number one from the off. Yes I think in the context of the league we are looking quite competitive.
2..Are you still enjoying your racing, or have you considered retiring in the near future? I am definitely still enjoying my racing and to be honest I don’t think I could turn up every week if I wasn’t. I think once it becomes just a job or even a chore then its time to quit. I said when I came back to racing in 2004 that I would take each year as it comes so ask me in October and I’ll let you know about 2009. 3..What do you think is in store for you after racing? Would you like to remain involved in the sport, and maybe continue with Sky? I am pretty sure I’ll continue to be involved in the sport one way or another. Initially it is my intention to continue to run Ipswich once dad decides to call it a day, although I don’t expect he’ll ever be far away! Things have changed quite dramatically over the past five or six years as far as running Elite League Speedway so I’ll be keeping a close eye on things through this season. Sky is something that I do enjoy doing especially at the big events like this years World Cup running around the pits and grabbing interviews wherever I could. I guess it keeps me in the thick of things and close enough to feel the buzz that the guys are getting. 4..What, in your opinion, is the best way to prepare a track for good racing? For me the only way to prepare a track is start off with an even amount of dirt all over the track from inside to outside. I’m not a fan of ripping the outside of the track as part of the pre meeting preparation. It’s ok if you do that just to even the surface up as we do at Ipswich but in my opinion its no good if you start the meeting with more grip on the outside than the inside as is the case at a lot of tracks. All that achieves is giving the track one fast line and encouraging everyone to ride as close to the fence as they dare! I know only too well how hard it is to prepare a good consistent track every time from the odd occasion I have helped our track man Bob. I have to say though at Ipswich we are very lucky to have one of the best track men in the business. Bob will never shy away from a challenge when it comes to getting the show on the road! 5..I believe you worked on the promotion/relegation committee. Is there any way a PL team can apply to join the EL, other than promotion, during the next 3 years, or is the EL having a final total of 9 teams now? The plan is to make promotion the only way to move up in to the Elite League, although if new tracks join the Premier League then it may be necessary one season to have the winning Premier team automatically promoted with the second spot raced in the play offs. 6..What's your opinion on the new points limit? Having seen how team building is coming along I'm convinced the league will be much more even. Would you agree? To be honest even though Ipswich were cited as one of the clubs in favour of the very low points limit we were not. We thought that it would be set at around the 40 point mark but in all honesty that would not have achieved anything. The low points limit has certainly evened the league up and I think that was absolutely necessary after last year. The low points limit should only be viewed as a bandage to stop the bleeding the BSPA needs to set about putting many things in place to heal the wound completely. 7..My only reservation is that the world champion looks to have been forced out by the points limit. Do you think that will make a difference to how outsiders view the sport? Whilst the points limit certainly would not have made it easy to fit Nicki in I believe he had already made his own mind up not to race in the UK. He had allegedly made very large wage demands and who can blame him - he is the best in the world and can realistically expect to earn big money in Poland, Sweden and Russia. It is and will continue to be a trend amongst some of the best continental riders to miss the UK and concentrate on the other three big leagues. Having said that you will still see most of the top guys here because the variation of tracks helps to keep them sharp. I am sure that it won’t make any difference to how outsiders view the sport, it’s not the first time the World Champ has not been racing in the UK and it will make him an even more valuable commodity as the UK fans will only be able to watch him in the GP’s. 8..Would you like to see a single race night in the UK, or do you think that's unworkable? Yes I would like to see fixtures condensed to one or two nights but I can’t see that happening too soon. Each club has a different agreement with their stadium landlords and many of them have a minimum number of events they must run. I would not go as far as saying it’s unworkable and I do know that the idea is gaining support all the time. 9..You didn't take part in the world team cup last year, opting to give the youngsters a go. With the benefit of hindsight, do you think that was the right decision? I was always available for the World Cup and Neil knew that, he chose not to use me. It will be the same situation this year but to be honest I don’t blame him for going with the younger guys. If I’m asked I will be there no question.
10..It's been said that we (Team GB) simply don't have the young riders coming through to compete in this tournament. Would you say that's unfair? No I don’t think that’s unfair at all, in-fact it’s quite true and has a lot to do with the problems that we have in the UK. I think I’ve been talking about the lack of Brits coming through and the lack of structure to help them for about 15 years now! The sport is so expensive to run at the moment and a big part of the problem is a lack of British based riders whether they be British, American, Australian or New Zealanders. Over the past few seasons we have proven that we are still capable of making it to final four but we just can’t compete with those guys. 11..What help do you think we should be giving our youngsters to help them make that step up that the Danes seem to be so good at? I think that a four league structure starting with an amateur league at the bottom would be a good start. The leagues would have slightly smaller gaps between them than we currently have now between the Premier and Elite leagues. We must have at least four area academies set up around the country to help the youngsters get started and get regular tuition. Obviously this would take some serious funding but absolutely needs to be achieved. These same academies could also be used to help the guys getting near the top like Eddy Kennett, Lewis Bridger etc to make that final step. 12..This must have been the worst year for people predicting the "end of speedway." How do you think we should be progressing, and what would you like to see happen with the sport over the next few years? I guess I have answered this one a bit in question 11. There are many more areas that need investigating but I don’t want to discuss them right now.
13..Are there any rules you don't agree with, and, conversely, are there any you think add something to speedway? My only bug-bear with the rule book is it is far to complicated and yet at the same time open to conjecture. I would like to see a card system at the referee’s disposal. I will be meeting up with a recently retired referee this week socially but I will be running the possibility by him. It would run much along the lines of football for instance if you receive more than three yellows in a 12 meeting period then it’s an automatic red and you have to miss the next two official fixtures. My aim would not be to make the sport too clinical just an attempt to stop the outright dangerous stuff. 14..And finally, would you like to see a governing body come in to shake up the sport? Oh, the best question till last. I would love to see a board set up consisting of a promoter from each league and perhaps two more suitable people who have no vested interest in any clubs, the chairman and casting vote holder being one of those. It would be a dream but alas a long way off I feel.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:03:58 GMT 1
Interview with Rory Schlein, with our thanks to him, and to Sandie for passing on the questions. 1..You won a couple of individuals last year, including the Garry Stead benefit meeting at Stoke with a maximum. But what happened in heat 6 where it looked like you thought there were only three laps, and, more importantly, were you pleased with the attendance and the money raised for Garry? Well as the track was so wet the racing was really slow I guess I felt it took that long it had to have been 4 laps but when i slowed I saw other riders still racing so I just kept going. And yes, of course I was pleased with the turnout for Garry, I wish him well and will always do what I can to support him.2..What were your reasons for not entering the Australian Championships this year? I’d been planning on buying a house with my partner Natalie, and just before Xmas we did, and I have been putting all my time and money into that over the winter. And I'm still working flat out at the moment on getting the house finished, plus my new workshop before the season starts. I would love to have gone back to Oz and ridden in the titles but I had to think of my future with my partner and setting myself up for the years to come. 3..To follow on from that, during the final round of those meetings it was mentioned about having a GP in Australia, possibly Sydney. Do you think there’s a market for that, and would you like to see a “home GP”?I think so, but it needs to be run at an already built track and not a one off, because the racing would be a lot better plus I think you would get more people. If I had to choose what track, I’d say Mount Gambier in South Australia. Not many meetings are run there any more but when there is it’s the best racing in the world. 4..If speculation about Leigh Adams possibly retiring in the near future is to be believed that would leave Australia with a sole representative in the form of Jason Crump. Would you like to fill that gap, or do you think all eyes will be on the likes of Chris Holder?Not sure on how long Leigh is planning on riding in the GPs but that's up to him. My dream is to be in the GPs and it would be great if I got a wild card as I have set myself a goal this year: I want to earn my way into the GPs and I'm planning on doing that this year. It might sound cocky but I want this more than anything, and my whole year is being built around that goal.5..Without a domestic league, what is it, in your opinion, that makes Australia so successful in terms of bringing on talented riders?We have great under 16 riders on 125cc bikes cut down to size and small built tracks, and they race as I did to win races, trophies, and titles. They have a season just like us but they ride for themselves, but to help them get ready for England they put a team meeting on to teach them how to be a team rider, which I find great.6..What, in your opinion, is the best way to prepare a track to give good racing, and which are your favourite tracks, both domestically and abroad?Well every rider likes tracks done differently. Myself, I like a bit of dirt not just on the outside but on the inside too, because that is how you get different racing lines and you prepare the track the same each week. If it’s been raining you just do the best you can do but if it hasn’t and you think its gonna rain don’t be a woos and say a hard slick track takes water better, you're silly if you say that. You can make better racing with more dirt than without as long as it's not too deep where you can't turn the bike. Only if you HAVE RIDDEN a bike you would know if the track is safe to ride or not. 7..Would you like to see a single race day in Britain?I'm not sure about that. I'm happy with how it is now but I guess everybody has their own opinion.8..You’ve won three league titles with two different teams – Coventry in 2007 and 2005, and Edinburgh in 2003. Which was the most special and why?Well I’ve won 4 leagues: 2 with Coventry, 1 with the Monarchs and 1 with Sheffield Tigers in the CL. They all have their great moments but winning the elite league last year with over 7000 fans watching and sky there, plus scoring paid 17 and beating Adams twice was very special to me. (My apologies for being a snob and forgetting the CL - schumi.) 9..With the points limit being reduced were you worried you’d be out of the team at Coventry, and did any other teams approach you over the winter?I was really worried, as most riders would have been, as you don’t know if you have a job or not. But thankfully I'm still with Coventry which is great as I have some of my sponsors there and the team is the best in England.10..How do you feel about the successful Coventry team being broken up because of the points limit, how much of an influence was Scott Nicholls to you personally, and do you think his input will be missed?I could go on for ever talking about this. My opinion is that some clubs want to bring the standard of racing down to suit them instead of trying to become better and more successful. They want clubs like Coventry to come down to their standard and run like them. Maybe its time for an outside person or a group who don’t have any involvement in any clubs to come in, so they don’t change things to suit their own club. Maybe if they thought of the sport and not themselves, speedway would be better off. Riding with Scott has been great. I got a lot out of Scott by watching more than talking because of the way he rides. I think he has one of the hardest styles and one of the more ruthless ones in the sport. And that is what I need to work on, to be a bit harder.11..What would you say to those who think you’re a “gating tart”? Just ask them who won the last meeting at Coventry, I think you had to start on handicaps didn't you? But not sure, so best buy them the DVD!! And if they want to call me that, so what. Remember, there was a rider who was known more for his gating - these people might of heard of him - Ivan Mauger!! He won 6 world titles - not bad for a gating tart... 12..You’ll become the second heat leader this year with Coventry. Are you confident you can increase your average, or do you think there will be more pressure on you to perform?Not at all. I feel I'm a strong heat leader now and I can put some points on my average. I’ve got plenty of meetings and I'm looking forward to it.13..How are you preparing for the new season? Do you have any new sponsors or machinery lined up, and how are you feeling physically?I'm being trained by an ultimate fighting coach. He has been working on my upper body as he said I'm like a TWIG. I have already put on 7kg of muscle and he is planning on putting 2 more on me. He has changed a lot about how I eat including only one takeaway a week!! Its hard, but I wanna be the best and this is what it takes. Plus I’ve been seeing a sport psych in helping me be a lot harder in my racing. Not changing a lot on bikes and setup. I feel I have the bikes to get me where I want to go. Yes I do have some new sponsors - ‘Drains Are Us’ a local company who have come on board - need your drains doing they’re the people to call. And SPIKED CLOTHING is a new clothing brand that has just hit the scene -(extreme sports) and they want to get into speedway. With great people behind it the signs look good for the brand in the future Check out www.getspiked.co.uk to see their clothing and other great stuff on the web page. 14..And finally, who’s your tip for the Elite League Champions this year?Its going to be a hard year this year as all the rule changes. But Coventry to win - WHO ELSE? But the Hammers look strong I think, so we will have to wait and see but ‘go the bees’!!!
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:04:45 GMT 1
Interview with Freddie Eriksson with thanks him, and to Linda for helping facilitate this. Freddie's Swedish interview can be found at www.aktuellspeedway.sePlease pop in and have a look. 1..You started your British career at Kings Lynn. Do you have fond memories of riding for them, and would you ever consider going back there? Yes I thought I had two really good years in the club and I got treated really well too. About going back there, I can’t answer that at the time. 2..You rode for Ipswich for a spell in 2003, yet didn’t have enough meetings to get a new average, despite there being meetings available. Why was that? I don’t know. I just got the message that day that I was no longer included in the team so it was nothing more to do than to pack my bags and leave, but I wanted to race so it was a bit sad what happened. 3..You helped Oxford win the Craven Shield in 2005. Was that a career highlight for you, and do you have any others? Yes and it was fun to race and fun to be a part of that moment and it wasn't that much pressure. We were a team in the bottom and no-one believed that we would win, but we did. So it was really fun. Another good memory was also the time when I raced in Rospiggarna ( Swedish EL) and we won the SM- title. 4..In 2006 your average was reduced to enable yourself and Todd Wiltshire to replace Tony Rickardsson and Adam Pietrasko at Oxford. What was the official reason given for this unorthodox reduction in your average, and do you think the points limit works, or would you like to see a different system used in the UK? A part of the reason I think was that I had raced too few meetings to get a new average. There are some rules that say that you have to have raced in England for a number of years and/or also you have to race a certain number of meetings to get a new average, and I hadn’t done that, so that was part of it. I don’t think the system is good but we got to have something and I don’t know how we are going to solve it in another way so that the teams will be equal, and so that not only the clubs with better economics will have benefits. So I think the system is both good and not. 5..To follow on from that, you seemed to struggle for form that year, starting in the main body of the team, but then dropping to reserve. What do you think the reasons for that were?I dont really know. I came into the English league with a low average and I hadn't raced that much so I took some chances with the material and it didn't work out. Things didn't flow or happened at the times that I had wanted them to. 6..I believe you helped with the track preparation at Oxford. How do youlike to see the track prepared, and what gives the best racing, in your opinion? I like technical tracks more than fast ones. 7..How much of a shock was Oxford's withdrawal from the Elite League to you? I had heard it been talked about a while before it happened, but anyway it was a little shocking that it happened so suddenly. 8..There were rumours you didn't get paid for your time at Oxford. How true is this?It’s very true. I still haven’t got paid for one month and they don’t answer the phone. 9..It has also been said that you didn’t want to return to the UK this season due to what happened at Oxford. Is this true, and what persuaded you to ride for Poole this year?Yes I felt that I didn’t want to race in England after what happened in Oxford but I heard that Poole is a good team, have good fans and good order. It’s also a club that stands up for what they say and they are looking into that everybody is well and taken care of.10..What are your targets to achieve this year? Do you think you can improve your average, and are you looking forward to the season ahead?Yes I definitely do. I have a low average in England so that is something I’m going to change, and I feel that I am well prepared with engines and cycles. 11..Do you have any ambitions to ride in the GPs, or are you happy doing league racing? Of course I have wanted to race in the GP :s but I’m pretty happy about racing in the leagues and at the moment I don’t really have the resources that’s necessary for riding in the GP series.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:05:17 GMT 1
Interview with Ove Fundin, with thanks to all the people who put questions to him, and to Jim for passing it all on.
Robert: 1..Which opponent did you fear most? Ove: I guess you will be surprised, it was Peter Moore because he could always out gate me and was so very hard to pass.
Robert: 2..Who in your opinion is the best speedway rider of all time? Ove: No one can name a "best rider of all time", it's wrong to compare riders of different eras.
Sonic: 3..Do you think it was harder to become World Champion under the single meeting format, or is it more difficult as it is now with the GP series? Ove: One thing is for sure, you couldn't have a bad meeting trying to qualify for the World Championship as every round was a "knock out" (it was never a "single final") The way the GP is run you can have a very poor meeting and still become "Champ"
KevH: 4..Which of your five World Championship victories gave you the most pleasure, and why? Ove: Of course the first one, but I was as happy every time.
KevH: 5..At the time of your fifth Gold Medal, did you imagine that record would ever be beaten? Ove: Remember, I was the first rider to win 3 finals, first to win 4 and 5 times, if I could go on beating that record, surly others could and would.
KevH: 6..You won your third crown at Malmo in 1961, which was the first time the final was held away from Wembley. Did you use your position as reigning Champion to influence the decision to hold it there? Ove: If I could have in any way influenced the decision of where to hold the final it would have been for Wembley.
KevH: 7..You rode in an era of legends, included amongst them Peter Craven, Barry Briggs, and Ronnie Moore. Which rider of that era did you consider to be your biggest rival? Ove: You named them, they were my rivals.
KevH: 8..You represented Norwich, Belle Vue, Long Eaton and Wembley in the UK. Can you recall the high and low point at each club? Ove: If Norwich had not closed down, I would have stayed as long as I was in speedway. I rode my few meetings with Long Eaton, Wembley and Belle Vue after I had retired from the sport
KevH: 9..Can you give us a little background on your well documented use of the Norwich track spare? Ove: The bike I brought with me to Norwich when I first arrived was so bad that Mr Parkins (the manager of Norwich) asked Les Mullins (the track mechanic) to build a bike for me from one of the track spares, that was the "No 2 Track Spare" I rode it all my years with Norwich. True, the engine and frame was not the same all the time, but it was always "No 2 Track Spare" and it belonged to the promoters, I was hoping I would be presented with it when they closed the track, but no, a friend of mine bought it at an auction for me.
Trees: 10..Does Ove think that the speedway authorities should have given the "Winged Wheel" to Ivan Mauger? Ove: No, for the same reason as I don't think Barry Briggs should have kept the trophy (as he has) from before the "Winged Wheel"
Sube: 11..Well, I thought the SWC Final at Leszno was one of the best meetings I've ever seen and would be interested to know what Mr Fundin, who was there of course, thought of the racing. Ove: For sure it was the best SWC final I've seen
Genghis: 12..Has speedway become too professional? Should juniors be spending thousands of pounds on bikes, or should more emphasis be placed on the skills of actually riding the bike? Ove: Earlier speedway was the one motor sport anyone could get into, without lots of money, I do think it's wrong with the very expensive bikes today and" the teams "around the riders. I think it was much better in my days, we all rode "JAP's" and if we had a helper with us in the pits we were happy. Of course any old man, like me, would say, "it was better in the old days"
Genghis: 13..You have a reputation for not being a team rider. Is that justified or were there occasions where you would team ride with a lesser partner? Ove: I know about my reputation, but I did win the first" World best pair" together with Toby Harrysson.....
Genghis: 14..You won the World Team Cup six times with Sweden. Which one was the most special? Ove: Again, the first win was the best....
Genghis: 15..How many times do you think you would have won the World Championship under a Grand Prix system? Ove: Who knows.....but I think the system would have suited me.
Genghis: 16.. Do you consider yourself to be a better rider than Tony Rickardsson? Ove: No, but just as good
KevH: 17..You lost the 1957 World Final in a run-off with Barry Briggs when you fell. What can you recall about that race, and do you consider it to be 'the one that got away'? Ove: Yes there has been moments when I thought of 1957 "as the one I should have won" But Barry won and "that's it"
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:05:45 GMT 1
Interview with Jonas Davidsson, with thanks and best wishes to him, and thanks to KevH for a few of the questions.
1..Your first team in the UK was Reading in 2003, so can you tell us what it was about the Racers that initially tempted you over to ride in Britain? I wanted to come over and try it out, and at that time I had Per Jonsson as a trainer back in Sweden, and everyone know he had had a good time at Reading, so he helped me out a bit and took the first contact. And that’s where it all began.
2..When you were based at Poole in 2006, your brother Daniel was also in the team for a while. I guess riding alongside your brother adds extra pressure, so do you prefer to ride for the same team as him, or would you rather you both represented different clubs? Yeah I don’t know, but I don’t think its adds extra pressure. I think its good though, I mean, we can help each other out and stuff. But as it is now we ride for different clubs and it works out good too.
3..You’ve ridden in three Grand Prix as a wildcard. Has this given you an incentive to qualify for the series in the future, and if so, when do you think you could realistically achieve that? Yes it’s been good to have a go at it and try it out, and its a lot different to a normal league meeting but it’s been good fun. My goal is to qualify this year or next year, and hopefully we can do that.
4..And as a follow up, now that Freddie Lindgren is in the GP series, are you hoping to get the wildcard for this year’s Swedish GP? Yes of course I would like to get the wildcards, but I have to keep working hard as we did last year, and if we do that I should be the wildcard, but you never now what’s happening when other people decide it.
5..In some countries the winner of the National Championships automatically goes through to the GP qualifiers. Is it the same in Sweden? Yes I think it’s top 4 or 5 in the Swedish championship who goes through to the qualifiers.
6..Stuart Douglas has stated that your enthusiasm to ride for Lakeside was a major factor in signing you. What was it about the club which attracted you, and did the fact that Andreas Jonsson and Ricky Kling are in the team have any bearing on it? Yeah, I mean we are almost 4 Swedes in there now so I hope we can help each other out good and that we will have good fun. Also that I wanted to try Arena out – it’s one of my worst tracks, so if I can learn that it will help me out a lot for my riding in UK.
7..You’ve often been described as an Enigma (now your official nickname!), as your scoring in Sweden has been far better than your results in the UK. Why do you think this is the case, and do you feel confident that you can find your Swedish form for Lakeside this year? That’s been the case so far, and the problem has been I have been good enough for one season but never got another chance the year after, so I have had to move around and that hasn’t been too good, I think. That’s how it is. I’m not the only one - they change rules and they can’t fit you in – it’s either too high or too low. But I look forward for this year and I think we have a good chance of winning the league with lakeside.
8..Also, Stuart Douglas said in an interview with us that Peter Karlsson had a number of suggestions which he felt would help you settle here. Can you tell us what they were? That must be a few practice days at Lakeside before the season starts, I guess. That’s a hard thing as well - in England you can never have a practice spin and try things out like you can in Sweden or Poland.
9..Having said that, you were the surprise package during the WTC round at Coventry and described by us as “splendid” on a couple of occasions. What happened (!) and how did it feel to top score for your country? Nothing happened really - that’s how my season was really in Sweden and Poland so was no surprise for me. I know I could do it and I did, which was great.
10..Which riders inspire you, and who has been the biggest influence on your career so far? In the beginning of course Tony Rickardsson was the idol. But in the later days its been Greg Hancock who I’ve been riding with for five years now, and he is a really good friend of mine. He always has something good to say.
11..You were the Swedish Under 21 Champion in 2006; was that a career highlight for you, and do you have any others? That was of course nice. And my silver in the nationals last year and WTC was good too. And last year in the league as well, I was the best Swedish scorer in the league.
12..Like a lot of riders, you’ve had your fair share of injuries. How are you feeling now, physically? I’m good – I’m ready to race.
13..Along with Andreas Jonsson, you decided to stay with Bydgoszcz, despite them being relegated, and despite having offers from other teams. What influenced that decision? I like Bydgoszcz - it’s a good club and good people, and it’s worked out good for me there. And I wanted to stay, and the only goal now is to go back straight up to extra league.
14..Finally, you’ve changed teams back home, from Rospiggarna to Smederna. Do you think you’ll settle quickly, and do you think you made the right choice in moving? I really hope so. Everything is feeling great so I hope it stays like that when the tapes are ready to go up as well.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:06:25 GMT 1
Interview with Mike Spink, with thanks largely to mr3awards, bryn and kevh - and of course, to Mike.
1..First of all, how did you get into speedway? Went to the East of England show when they used to have Speedway on during the show and got hooked.
2..You started your career with Mildenhall, but then moved to Middlesbrough, which was considered a long way in those days. What was the reasoning behind that decision? They came up with the best deal!
3..During the winter of 1984-85 it was said that you wanted to leave Middlesbrough, and eventually came to Canterbury. Was it a problem with the club that made you want to leave, or the location? It was more that the track was not very well prepared and I did not enjoy racing on it.
4..You were born in Peterborough, yet never rode for them. Didn't you consider it, or did the opportunity never arise? The opportunity never arose and I was happy where I was.
5..You rode at Canterbury for three seasons, and seemed to have a good relationship with the then manager, Dick Searle. Do you still keep in contact with him, or any of your old team mates? Yes we had a good relationship but the most contact we have now is the usual Christmas card exchange with Dick Searle and Ted Hubbard.
6..What are your fondest memories of your time with the Crusaders? Having a good laugh with the other riders and the supporters especially people like Mrs Moon!
7..How did you feel about the closure of Canterbury, and how did you hear the news? Sad to hear of the closure and probably heard of it from Dick Searle.
8..To follow on from that, you only rode in one more season after the closure at Kingsmead, for Long Eaton. Why was that? Did you achieve everything you wanted to? I had come to the stage where I was not prepared to risk it any more so it was time to stop, and no, of course not, as everyone wants to be world champion, but I realized that it was not to be.
9..You also made a few appearances for various Division One clubs. Which were your favourite and least favourite tracks, and why? Favorite first division tracks were Coventry and Kings Lynn but I didn’t ride at many so I didn’t have any tracks that I didn’t like. In the second division my favorite tracks were Berwick, Rye House, Ellesmere Port and Stoke.
10..Back in those days, teams went on Northern Tours for a few days at a time, meaning you'd spend a lot of time bonding with team-mates. You must have some funny moments you can recall. Can you share any with us? The funniest moment was at Bagwell Farm Campsite in Weymouth when Tony Coupland set fire to Martin Dixon’s tent and his own tent by accident whilst cooking breakfast on the fire and it made the local newspaper - we could not stop laughing for ages.
11..Did you ever get fed up with being confused with Mike Spinks? No it was never a problem.
12..To put Subedei's mind at rest, did you hold the first track record at Berrington Lough when it opened in 1982? Yes, I had a great race with Bruce Cribb - we were almost side by side for four laps - it was a hard but fair race.
13..Do you still have an interest in speedway now, and if so, in what capacity? I have not had much to do with Speedway for 5 years since I finished helping Sam Tesar as a mechanic, but we go over to Czech Republic regularly to see him and his family.
14..If you had your time over again, would you still ride speedway, and if so, what would you do differently? I believe that if you want to do something then you should do it because if you don’t you will always regret it, so yes I would do it again but I think that I would try to be more professional.
15..Finally, change is inevitable, but do you think the sport has got better or worse, and why? I think that British Speedway needs to get its act together and not allow as many foreign riders in both leagues as it does at the moment because we will never have another British World Champion if it continues like it is. Also there are too many prima donas in the sport.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:06:49 GMT 1
Interview with Ricky Kling, with thanks to munners for her help in setting this up, to kevh for being interviewer for the day, and, of course, to Ricky himself for giving up his time amid a very busy schedule.
How did you first get involved in speedway, and what influenced you to have a go? My Dad rode speedway so I was always aware of the sport and he actually ‘forced’ me into riding. He came to pick me up in the van one day with the bikes in the back and took me to the track and let me have a go...I loved it straight away and didn’t want to do anything else.
You first rode in the UK for Oxford last year – who and what tempted you to come over? I’d always been told that Britain was the place to ride as there are so many meetings and the tracks are all so different, so when I got the opportunity to ride for Oxford I jumped at the chance.
Everyone knows what happened at Oxford – did that put you off riding in England, or were you pleased to get the call from Lakeside? I look at it like this, if I’d not ridden for Oxford then I may not have got the chance to ride here (Lakeside), so it’s all worked out well in the end.
The team spirit at Lakeside seems to be very good – what do you think the reasons for that are? We’ve kept more or less the same team from last year, we’ve been winning and we all get on well. We’ve all got the same aim and all do our best in every race we ride...that’s where the team spirit comes from.
Clearly it’s going to be difficult for the team with the recent injuries to Joonas, Jonas and Adam. Firstly, do you know how they are, and do you think the rest of the team can find ‘that bit extra’ to cover for them? I’m not sure how their injuries are other than knowing Jonas Davidsson is still in hospital, but I’m sure, as I said before, we’ll do our best, it’s not going to be easy, but I believe we can still do it. Kauko Nieminen has come into the team and he’s been riding really well and I’m confident.
The Lakeside promotion showed their faith in you by making you their first signing for 2008...are you hoping a similar agreement can be reached for next year? Definitely, I would sign right now assuming they still want me, I’m very happy at Lakeside. We’ll probably have to wait until after the promoters’ conference in November before anything can really be sorted out but I certainly want to continue here.
Do you consider riding in Britain as an important part of your career? Yes I do. As I said earlier the huge variety in the tracks and the number of meetings suits me. I like to keep busy and just enjoy riding, so Britain is very important to me
You’ve put in some great performances at away tracks, notably at Peterborough, Wolverhampton, Ipswich and Eastbourne; do those tracks ride similarly to Swedish tracks? Not at all. Peterborough is very large and the others are quite small. Really only Peterborough and Poole are big tracks over here but each track needs a different set-up. When I first rode at Ipswich I only got a couple of points but when I went back a few weeks ago I was set-up right and felt confident, so I did much better, but I always give my best wherever I’m riding.
What are your thoughts about the points limit for team building in Britain – do you think it’s a fair system, and how would you improve it? Yes I think it’s fair, but I really hope the promoters raise the limit to about 42. With the low limit it freezes out some of the better riders and really affects the middle order riders and that is not good for the league.
Do you think British Speedway needs to make any changes, and if so what? They need to get more people to come to the tracks. A lot of people watch speedway on Sky so that proves the interest is there, and we need to get some of them to come along. If you get bigger crowds it’s easier to get more sponsorship, and with more sponsorship comes more attraction for the fans and riders so it’s better all round. We need to promote the sport better.
In Sweden you ride for Lejonen alongside World Champion Nicki Pedersen – does Nicki share his experience and help out in the pits? Yes he does. I thought he might just come along and ride but he’s great and will spend time with you if you ask him and is a great help - he’s a really nice guy.
Which other riders have helped or influenced you during your career? I’ve had a lot of help from AJ and PK, but the biggest help has always been my Dad.
What are the main differences between riding in the Swedish, Polish and British Leagues – for example, how do the tracks compare, and are the opportunities for youngsters getting into the sport similar? In Britain there are so many different tracks but it’s very similar to Sweden in the way the riders and the fans talk to each other and it’s very much a club thing. In Poland it’s very different as the riders and the fans are kept apart and you just go along to do a job.
How do you cope with the constant travelling...do you enjoy it, or do you see it as a necessary evil? Definitely a necessary evil but you just have to do it. Airports are no fun, and doing around 100 meetings a season means you have to be organised and arrange to be picked up all over the place. I enjoy my racing so have to accept that the travelling is part of it, but I really don’t enjoy it.
You were part of the Under 21 Swedish team who have qualified for the World Final at Holsted later in the year – do you think you can beat the Danes on their own soil? Yes definitely...in our qualifier at Pardubice we were eleven points down at one stage but we managed to come back and beat the Czechs so I’m confident we can do it in Denmark too. In Thomas H Jonasson and Billy Forsberg we have two riders who can beat anyone and I will be giving my best as always, so we can definitely do it.
Sweden recently finished third in the senior Speedway World Cup – were you disappointed not to be part of the team? Not really...I think Sweden have better riders than me who were not in the team so I wasn’t disappointed. I just have to keep improving and then in a couple of years time I may be ready for the team, but at the moment I have no complaints about not being included.
In Poland you ride for Zielona Gora whose fans are notoriously passionate – does that pressure help or hinder you as a rider? It’s very intimidating...I remember the first time I walked onto the track with around 15,000 people chanting my jaw just dropped; I’d never seen anything like it before. In Poland you are judged on your last race...you can have a good meeting and score some points but if you come last in one race the whistling starts and it’s very intimidating, but they do get behind you when you’re winning so it works both ways.
How do you see the future – do you hope to continue riding in the three major leagues and do you intend to get into the GPs? I love racing speedway and just want to ride as much as possible so riding in all the leagues is something I want to continue with. Racing in the GP is every kid's dream, certainly mine, so I am aiming for that and just need to keep improving and hope that in a few years time I’m good enough...that would be a dream come true.
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Post by speedway_history on Oct 31, 2008 17:29:06 GMT 1
We heard what he had to say at the start of the season, but here are Adam Shields' thoughts at the end of it. With huge thanks to MD and, of course, Adam.
1..First off, how's the recovery going? Pretty good. I’m 80% of the way through the recovery process. I am seeing a physio and he is giving me some exercises to do to get some flexibility into my back so that in a few more weeks I will be able to start some light gym work. I am pushing it as hard as I can so I can reach the highest level of fitness before next season starts. 2..By all accounts, it was a very nasty looking crash. Do you remember what happened, and what went through your mind at the time? Yes, I remember the whole thing. I passed Kenneth Bjerre down the back straight quite quickly and he went for the inside and I ended up mid-track, I then decided to head for the outside which is not a good idea to do mid-corner. You need to set up for the corner on the entry. I hit the deep berm of dirt and it pulled me to the fence just after where the air fence finished. It was my fault, just a mistake that proved costly. 3..It’s well known that your friends and family keep an eye on the live updates, and were aware of the accident soon after it happened. I know the updates team ask that no announcements about injuries are posted until it’s confirmed, so it must have been an anxious wait for them to find out if you were okay. How do the family cope with that side of things? My wife, Karen, was online the night my crash happened and normally the updates team private message her and my mum before anything is announced. But on that night they put it on the website before telling them which is not the normal thing. It is extremely worrying for them as people try to put their thoughts and comments on before anything is really known, which sometimes helps and sometimes doesn't. My family just wants to know exactly what has happened and as quickly as possible, they just hate the waiting around for information. 4..Team spirit around the Lakeside pits always seems to be high. What do you think are the main reasons for that, and what is it that makes the team work so well together? Team spirit can be attributed to the fact that we had a good team and from that you get good results which makes the spirit reasonably good. 5..All three of your teams (Lakeside, Leszno and Rospiggarna) made the play-offs in their respective countries. Was it frustrating for you having to watch from the sidelines, and do you think you could have made a difference to the outcome for any of the teams had you been fit enough to ride? Obviously it was frustrating but whether I could have made a difference to any of the sides, no-one will ever know what would have happened had I been fit. What happened, happened and I am trying to think about what I can do in the future, not what could have happened in the past. 6..Mikael Messing has said he will come over to England to have talks with you, with a view to retaining you next year. Are you happy with Rospiggarna, and can you see yourself back there in 2009? I enjoyed my season with Rospiggarna and they are a very good club and seem to be one of the more sensible ones in Sweden as far as money goes. I haven't ruled out the possibility of going back there next year and I am sure if I go back, we could have another good season. 7..What do you think of Swedish proposals to have a closed league? Does the fight against relegation spur you on, or will it not make a difference? I don't agree with teams being relegated especially if they are a club that is strong enough financially to remain in the top division. 8..Mikael is also quoted in the papers as saying he's looking into helping you out with "mechanical back-up" in the pits. Is that in terms of pit crew or machinery? And do you really need it? Your scores seem to suggest otherwise. Pit crew was a major problem this year whilst at Rospiggarna. I had 3 different mechanics but never at the same time. The guys who helped did a great job but it was very difficult using 3 different people because it was hard to get a routine. I really just needed one person who could have helped me at the meetings and in the workshop. 9..Last year in Poland you rode for Leszno, who were just pipped to the Ekstraliga title by Torun. Despite that achievement, media reports are that you’ve signed this year for Wroclaw? I was speaking with Wroclaw but that is all it was. I have re-done my contract for another season with Leszno. 10..Will you be entering the Australian Championships this time around? No, I will concentrate on getting fit and practising but I will not do any racing. 11..The AGM is almost upon us once again. If you were in charge, what points limit would you bring in, and what other changes to the league/rules would you implement? I don't know. Speedway is going through a tough time in England at the moment which I put down to grand prix racing which distracts the top riders from British league racing, which is the most time consuming league. I have thought for a few years that there needs to be set up that all of the top riders can do British speedway but they only do half of the meeting (i.e "a" fixtures) and that team can be built up to 45 points. Then the "b" fixtures teams will be built to a 38 or something point limit. That way the top riders can still be involved in British league but wouldn't have to commit to so much time, but what do I know. 12..You’ve improved your average this season and put in some good performances for your teams along the way. Injuries aside, can you sum up how you think the season has gone for you? It had been going quite well. The best thing for me this year was that i started to do the polish league. I didn't really see myself getting involved with that until the Leszno club contacted me and got me involved. 13..Will you be working on anything over the winter, or are you just going to enjoy spending time with the family? Building bikes and getting into shape after an injury is going to be a full time job. If I am fit with competitive bikes by the start of 2009, i will have had a good winter. I am going to Australia at the end of January to see my family back home, and will stay there for just under a month. Karen will be staying at home here so I will have a cold Christmas before I leave. 14..And finally, will we be seeing you riding in Britain next year? I would be very disappointed if I am not. It's not the main league for many of the riders now, but it is for me.
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