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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:53:05 GMT 1
We've been working on a new section and hope to bring you interviews from time-to-time, and to kick off we're starting at the top with Andreas Jonsson. Enjoy!
Our thanks to Andreas and youngstanley for their help and permission to post the following:
1..It is often said in this country that to be world champion you need to ride in the UK, do you agree and if you do, why do you think that is the case? A..No, I don't believe it is essential to ride in the UK. It is important to ride many different tracks , and whilst British speedway is very competitive, it is nor more and no less important than Sweden or Poland. It is important to find the balance between riding a lot to remain sharp and riding too much and risking burnout.
2..We're often being told about "the next big thing" to come out of Sweden. Are there any youngsters who have particularly impressed you? A..There are a few very good, talented young Swedish riders up and coming now. I think Billy Forsberg is one of the brightest prospects.
3..Do you think there will be an Elite League next year, and if so, do you hope to be riding here again? A..I hope there is an Elite League and I hope I'm riding in it!
4..It's looking unlikely you'll be in the top 8 after the GP series has been run. What do you think your chances of getting a nomination, and would you like to continue in the GPs? (Asked before the nominations were announced.) A..I'm very pleased that I was nominated for a GP wild card. I had a hard season with some crashes and hard injuries, so I hope to do much better next year.
5..If you hadn't been offered a ride at Lakeside this year, would you have given Britain a miss? A..Yes, I will give Britain a miss if I am not riding for Lakeside next year. I enjoyed the end of last season with them and I really want to do a whole season with them in '08. I think we will have a very good team.
6..What changes, if any, are you hoping will come out of the BSPA conference this year? A..I would like the BSPA to be able to make a consistent race night for the Elite League. It is very, very difficult logistically and physically to be ready to race on a Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and sometimes a combination of those in an one week.
7..Prior to Tony Rickardsson retiring from the GPs, no other Swedish rider had claimed a GP win and then you won the first GP following his announcement. Do you think the two things were connected? A..No, I don't think Tony Rickardsson retiring had anything to do with me winning my first GP. I think I was just too young and not quite ready before that.
8..You were quoted as saying you'd stay with Bydgoszcz if they remained in the Ekstraliga, but if, as looks likely, they're relegated, where would you like to ride in Poland? A..Even though I said I will stay with Bydgoszcz as long as they are Ekstraliga, I will stay with them now they are relegated, too. I am the captain and they are my team. I want to be there to help get Bydgoszcz back into Ekstraliga.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:53:51 GMT 1
Interview with Adam Shields, with huge thanks to both him and MD.
1..You first started riding in Mulbring, but what got you interested in speedway in the first place? It was my family's sport but I had a real passion for Speedway since as far back as I can remember...
2..We've seen some poor tracks this season, especially in the GP series. What, in your opinion, gives the best racing, and do you prefer big tracks or smaller tracks? I like watching racing on smaller tracks. It's more about the skill of the rider than the engine he chose to ride in the meeting...
3..You didn't go through the GP qualifying series last year. Did you prefer to concentrate on the leagues, and do you think you'll enter next time around? I don't see me wanting to go down that road. I would like to be one of the top guys in whichever of the leagues I am racing in, I don't think you need to be a GP rider to achieve this...
4..You've had a great season with Lakeside, and are still contracted to them. Can you see yourself back there for 2008? Yes, I did a two year contract and am very pleased to be going back there...
5..Are there any young Australians you think we should be keeping an eye on for the future? My neighbour Richard Sweetman is doing really well. His family are from the property across the road. He wants to finish his trade before coming to race professionally which, I think is a very good idea. However, he would do well enough to earn a living even now...
6..You've done a fair bit of guesting this year. Has the extra track time helped with experience, or was it more tiring than anything? It is a little tiring but so is getting up to go to the office or whatever kind of job you have. This is my job and like most people I am always glad of a little overtime...
7..Are you hoping to be riding in Sweden again next year? I did a two year contract with my team Bajen...
8..What do you hope the future holds for you after speedway? Not exactly sure which is a little scary when you consider that it is not far away. I am hoping to be able to be around for another 10 years...
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:54:33 GMT 1
Short interview with Ales Dryml, with thanks to both him and oxonian.
1..Your father was, of course, a famous rider - did you and Lukas feel compelled to follow him into the sport? It happened that way. We were travelling with our father to his meetings from a very young age and speedway was a big part of our lives. We started from 6 years riding a small 50 motocross bike and from 12 on speedway bikes, from 15 and 16 we started racing.
2..You had a superb season in 2005 with Peterborough and you still have that average now - do you think your high average will lessen your chances of riding in the Elite League in future, and would you consider coming back to Britain? I would like to come back to Britain again, but as you said my average is pretty high now. I think that especially after my accident at Oxford in 2006 it is a bit wrong for me to have such a high average (7.70)
3..Brother Lukas is now back in the GPs - would you like another go in the GPs? In 2006 I qualified to the final at Vetlanda which was my home track in Sweden for 3 years, so I was looking forward to this meeting and was hopeful of being able to get back into the GP's. After my accident I was not able to compete in it. I will try to qualify again, would like to have another go in it.
4..I read the messages of support on both your own website and the Oxford site after your horrific accident. Did you ever consider retiring from the sport after that, and if so, what convinced you to carry on? After the crash I wasn't thinking about if I will come back or finish riding for around 2 months, but then me and my brother were at the Czech Golden Helmet in Pardubice as commentators for Czech TV. That was the first time that at a meeting I wasn't riding in didn't feel right. So a week after that, me and my brother made a secret practise, no TV, no fans, only us. And it felt alright and we had fun so we decided to carry on riding.
5..You ride in various meetings with Lukas. Do you treat him any different to other riders, or is he just another opponent? Of course I like winning races, but wouldnt do anything stupid just to beat him.
6..Torun just missed out on the league this year. Would you like to stay with them for next year and help them to go one better? My season was far from perfect, had many up and downs. I hope I will get back to my old form quickly and can help my teams in the fight for the title.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:55:59 GMT 1
Interview with Chris Harris at the National Motor Cycle Museum, Solihull, on Thursday 22nd November. My personal thanks to Chris for his answers, and to Jim Blanchard for putting the questions to him.
1..You've had a great season - winning the play-offs with Coventry, a silver medal with your Swedish club, Vastervik, and, of course, that memorable win in Cardiff. What was the proudest moment for you? A..Obviously me winning the British Grand Prix at Cardiff in June. Though this year for me has gone better than my expectations, so I am very happy about my season as a whole.
2..What did you do to celebrate in each case? A..I really just chill out with my friends. I drink very little (one will usually put me to sleep) so there is never a really boozy party or anything like that. We just have a laugh and relax.
3..Now you have a nomination for the GPs do you think you'll be able to repeat this year's success? A..To be honest, I cannot see why not. I’ll keep up my strict training routine of daily visits to the gym and, providing I remain injury free for the season and we can maintain the level of reliability with my bikes as we have enjoyed, I’ll be disappointed if I do not.
4..Can you give us your take on "that incident" with Scott Nicholls which put you outside of the top 8 in the GPs? A..OK, its something we have all done at sometime or other and I have not a problem with Scott at all. I would just like to say that that I was not very happy with the referee's decision.
5..What do you, personally, hope comes out of the BSPA conference? A..That they get the points level right without going over the top. After all, a team to be sure of winning needs to get somewhere around 45 points to win a match. I feel confident I will be riding for Coventry next year.
6..A few of the top riders have been quoted as saying they'd like less meetings in Britain. Would you agree? A..Well, really no, not at all. I like to race and I really enjoy riding my bike and how many meetings I ride in the UK is not a problem for me. I would not like to see the amount of meeting I do ride here reduced really.
7..Can you give us any hints on where you'll be riding in Poland for 2008? You're hot property out there for the Ekstraliga, according to reports. (Question sent before this was confirmed.) A..I have signed a contract with Ostrow.
8..You must be the most level-headed 25 (almost 26) year old I've ever seen. What keeps your feet on the ground? A..My shoes! Seriously, I think I'm an ordinary guy and just enjoy my sport. Nothing else bothers me or takes up my considerations. I really enjoy riding my bike more than anything.
9..Finally, do you have a message for the Coventry fans who have followed and supported you this year? A..Yes, I would like to thank not just the Coventry supporters who have been brilliant and backing and supporting me all season but all the fans that have been behind me. Its all been very much appreciated.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:56:38 GMT 1
Interview with Leigh Adams with my thanks to Leigh, Kylie and Jim for passing on the questions for me. Genghis, pay particular note to question 8!
1..In your own words, can you sum up your season to date? Best ever, constructive and slightly below full potential.
2..Was the disappointment of being runner-up in the play-offs with Swindon outweighed by winning the Ekstraliga with Leszno? Without a doubt.
3..Did that win cement your decision to stay with Leszno, or would you have stayed there regardless? No, I was thinking about changing teams but I have a lot of great friends and sponsors in Leszno so decided to stay put.
4..A lot of people were relieved at your decision to remain in the GPs after a very successful year for you. Do you think Nicki will still be the man to beat, or is there anyone else you'll be keeping an eye on? Nicki's certainly not the only guy to beat, there's a few others to keep an eye on too.
5..How big a difference do you think switching from Jawa to GM had on your performance in the GPs last season? Huge. There were a few other aspects that helped towards the difference in my performance this year, but the GM's were certainly a major player.
6..A hard question to ask without sounding a little rude, I'm afraid, but you're no longer in the first flush of youth, yet you're riding better than ever. And you're not alone. There still seems plenty of life left in the tank of the likes of Gollob, Hancock and you could also say Rickardsson could've gone on for years. We seem to have rider longevity that was missing in the 1980s; what do you think is the reason for that? Lifestyle, fitness and mental approach. Plus you can't buy experience.
7..Would you like to stay with Swindon until the end of your career? That would be a comfortable ending! Especially since my family live close to Swindon. I am very happy with everything at Swindon; the management etc, so it would suit me, but never say never!
8..There has been some criticism of Damian Balinski when he came in to help Swindon at the end of last season - in my opinion, unjustified. Do you think the results would have been any different had Mads not been injured? Not sure what the criticism was towards Damian but the guy helped us get to the league final, what more could you ask for from someone who has never ridden in the UK let alone in front of Sky cameras with that kind of pressure? Things may have been different with Mads but we will never know and it wasn't meant to be.
9..What do you think of having one race night per week in England? Would that suit you? It would certainly lighten the load, depending on what day of the week it was of course. Monday's are always a difficult day to return to England in between Polish and Swedish fixtures, but it's my job and I do what I have to do.
10..There has been plenty of talk over the last few months, and one thing that has been mentioned is having the elite league run without the GP riders. If you had to make the choice between the British league and the GPs what would you choose? Would Chelsea FC run without John Terry?!
11..What do you think is in the future for you after you retire from racing? Does managing the Australian national team appeal to you? My future beyond speedway is relaxing for a while in my hometown of Mildura! I have a few business ideas and I would like to move into helping junior speedway with training schemes. I'm not sure about Australian team manager as it would mean spending the season in the UK and my family and I plan to move to Australia on my retirement.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:57:22 GMT 1
Interview with Nicolai Klindt, with thanks entirely to maccattack for providing both questions and answers. I did sort out the spelling, but left the grammar as it was because, quite frankly, I think it's sweet.
1..First things first. How old were you and what made you start riding speedway? I was about 5 years old when I first started speedway - September 1994. I've always followed speedway when I was very young because we lived very close the the track in Outrup, and because my father always have been a big Ole Olsen fan. So in the summer 1994 my dad had a friend whose kid was riding and I tried his 50cc bike. And very soon I started as junior in the club in Outrup. But it was both motocross and speedway.
2..Who was/is your favourite rider? I have always been a big fan of Tony Rickardsson and still is, and that is from when I was very young. Later on have a seen some videos and heard a lot of stuff about Erik Gundersen which you can say, also is my idol. Now my favorite rider will be Greg Hancock, because he is very smooth on the bike and don't have to push the other guys to be fast, and he is a very good gater too. But of course nowadays there are lots of very good riders.
3..One thing i have noticed from watching the young riders (50cc,80cc) is that in Germany the riders are really only riding round the track, while in Denmark they are really competitively racing each other. A very big difference. What sort of coaching do the youngsters in Denmark get? Are all training sessions fully coached? In some of the clubs in Denmark there is some coaching, and I did also have some training sessions with the 50cc in Outrup this year (2007). When I was young and riding 80cc, former riders like Hans Clausen, Frede Schott and Kristian Lund had some practice with us youngster in the club and also on the national team. I was also in some practice-camps where Torben Hansen did coach us for a whole day, both in 80cc and first year of 500cc.
4..How many days per week were you riding (training and meetings) during your 80cc career? I could ride every day at that time! We had practices on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then sometimes on Wednesdays. On Saturday we had the League meetings and very often some Individual meetings on Sundays. So it was quite busy...
5..After all the problems last winter, what are your thoughts on the new look Danish Speedway League? Its difficult to say. In some way it's the best thing that had happened for Danish Speedway because we now have 8 teams and much more interest from TV, newspapers, etc. But on the other hand I think with the A, B, C and D "box" the riders is put in, its a bit stupid. Because you can forexample have A, B, B, C, D on riders your team (we only have 5 riders), but some riders will be on the side line because there is too many B, C or D riders - and thats not good for the riders who should be "the up and coming".
6..Your thoughts on 2007 for Nicolai Klindt? (Must have been a frustrating year to an extent what with the injuries. Particularly at Vojens for the U21 semi. That must have been the low point of the season. Did winning the European U19 final make up for the disappointment after all you had been through?) It's have been very much up and down, but mostly in the leagues. Because when there have been Championships I've been on the top of my game. For example did I win the Under-19 European and Scandinavian final, 2nd in the Under-21 Scandinavian final, 3rd in the Scandinavian final (seniors) and 3rd in the Golden Band in Pardubice. But I have also been very unlucky with my crash in Vojens in heat 1 in the semifinal of the Under-21 WC. And I should have had a very, very bad meeting if I didn't take it to the final. And in the Danish Under-21 final did I blew an engine up just before the green light, which on paper was my easiest heat - and was just 2 points from the final. But my injuries have been taken a big part of my season, so I hope and think I will be back and better for 2008.
7..Is there a big rivalry between the Danish and Swedish riders? You grow up together from an early age in the 80cc class with Test matches against each other and the Nordisk, European and YGT. Is it very important for the Danes to beat the Swedish boys or is it very friendly between the two countries? Because there is rivalry between Danish and Swedish riders, but I don't think it's such big a deal. When I rode 80cc the Danish riders was so much better.
8..How hard is the move up from 80cc into the 500cc class. I imagine you ride 500cc bikes while you are still in the 80cc class. But one minute you are one of the best in the world and then you have to start from the bottom again. Does it take time to adjust physically and mentally? It's very difficult because you are winning all these heats one year, and then the next year, you just loose the same amount of heats you won the year before. But when I was stepping up I knew it wasn't the same, so I took it okay I would say.
9..What do you think of the Wolverhampton track. How different is it to the tracks in Denmark? It's very different to the Danish tracks, because it's so narrow and tight. But the track itself is very good, and I think when I have done some more laps I will take some good scores. Danish track I would say, is more like Poole, Stoke, Oxford and that kind of tracks.
10..How hard is it riding in 4 or 5 countries throughout the season? And how many bikes will you have ready for 2008? It's very hard. Last two years I have been riding in Denmark, Sweden, Poland and Germany, and was cleaning my bikes by myself. So its a hard job to do, but much better than sitting in the school.
For 2008 at this point I will have 4 bikes - 1 brand new, and 3 from this season. I hope I can get some sponsorships in England, and I'm speaking with some companies now.
11..How many meetings do you think will you be doing next year? I don't know right know how many it will be, but I think all the Danish, Swedish and UK meeting will be around 95-100 meetings around Europe. I'm also doing 4-5 meetings in Poland and all the Championships aswell.
12..What will you be doing during the winter to prepare for the season? Do you still manage to get out on the track and do you do any other sports? No, I'm not riding in the winter time. There are some Ice racing in Germany (like Telford-On-Ice), and some Indoor meetings, but I want to be 110% fit for 2008. I run, have some boxing sessions and go a bit in the gym. Then I do some handball too.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:57:59 GMT 1
Some of you might be aware of the problems faced by young German Henning Loof, so I took the opportunity to put a few questions to him. Thanks to Henning for the interview.
1..You quit racing at the end of last year, and have become a nanny in the UK. What made you want to get back into racing? I planned to see my friends in Carlisle one weekend in march and thought I'd made it a speedway weekend with Workington on saturday and Newcastle on sunday. When I arrived at Derwent Park at around 6:30 I found out the meeting was called off, lights out and no one was there, I spent the night at my mate's house. Next day I was at Newcastle, basically where my "GB-Adventure" all began. I watched the meeting and it was freezing cold, but still, I really enjoyed the meeting, seeing old friends and the thought of a come-back arised when people said they were gutted that I had to retire because I wasn't a bad rider at all. So I got a bike and kit together, went out for some 2nd halves and even managed to ride in 2 meetings towards the end of the season.
2..Do you think the way the averages are assessed is unfair? To be really honest, I can understand why the rule is there (don't think I have to explain). But, of course I'm not exactly happy about it. There's no difference made between a rider that guested for a Danish league team twice 5 years ago and a rider that has been ridden there regularly for the past 5 years. I wouldn't say it's an unfair rule in general, but, like me, there are always individuals that suffer the most. I would like to add that I'm not the only one in a situation like this.
3..What was your previous average prior to the assessment, and do you think that should be your current average? When Newcastle wanted to give me a chance in 2005, they had me down on a 5.00. Frankly, I don't really care about my assessed average at the moment. But I really want my chance to ride 12 (6H & 6A) matches for a team and then I can tell you what my current average should be. Also, I'm confident in saying that it wouldn't end there. Once I have my actual average, I know what I can improve on. With my average being assessed on 8.00 I have absolutely no idea if I can reach that figure, all I can do is give it my all and score as many points for my team as I can.
4..Clearly you are committed to British racing, but the BSPA don't seem to want to help. I understand it's a rule that they can't bend, but what assistance do you think they could give to younger riders looking to race in the British leagues? It all depends on the circumstances. Riders like me, who base themselves over here all year and make British racing priority #1 should be able to ride in whatever league they want to (I would ride in Conference League, if I was eligible for it). And my explanation for that is - before someone says 'you are taking places away from young brits' - in Speedway terms I should be classed as a brit. I live in Britain, work in Britain and race in Britain. I understand that I would not be able to compete in the British Championships, and that's ok, because my priority would be to race for a team, and I want to do well for a team and be loyal.
5..Do you have a club in mind that you'd like to ride for? Any club that is prepared to give me a chance.
6..What's the difference between the help given to youngsters in Germany to the help you'd get in Britain? It depends on the Speedway clubs in each country. Don't think they differ much from each other. My former club in Germany "MSC Nordhastedt" always tries to bring youngsters on, but from what I've seen, only very few made the step up to the big bikes. Maybe the German kids' mentality is different to the British kids. Over here, Sittingbourne really has a nice setup, having been there a few times now with a kid, I'm currently looking after. He's taking his first steps on a Speedway bike now and is improving each time he goes out on track. But I think Sittingbourne is a good place to start riding, they're very good there.
7..If someone were to give you a team place on your 8.00 average, do you think you'd be able to maintain, or improve it? I can't say that now. But what I can say is that I will give 100% to score as many points as I can.
8..If you don't manage to get a team spot, do you hope to be included in some more individual meetings? I certainly hope so. Also, I will do more 2nd halves, try different tracks. I won't give up.
9..The points limit for the premier league has just gone up. Do you think this might increase your chances of getting a place in a team? Obviously a team has now a few more points to play with, but in the end I don't think it will make much of a difference to me. If a promoter really wants to give me a chance, he will do that, whatever the team average is. And that's why I'll keep trying, and trying, and trying...
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:58:28 GMT 1
A double treat today, with an interview from Davey Watt. Many thanks to him for getting back to me so fast, and thanks also to kevh and tonym for a couple of the questions.
1..You've had what must have been your best season ever, yet you didn't enter the GP qualifiers. Do you think you'll have a go next year, and if not why? I didn't enter the GPQ because in order for me to do them i must first qualify through the Australian Championships. Last year i decided to have a break from racing in the winter in Australia so i didn't compete in the championships and therefore didn't qualify. This year i have decided to brave the English winter (Not sure if that was such a great idea !!) so i wont be doing them again. Maybe next year i will ride in Australia.
2..What do you attribute to being the reason for last year's excellent results? I was happy at all 3 clubs and had some great mechanics and people arond me so i was finally able to just concentrate on my racing instead of all the other things to do.
3..You had a couple of nasty crashes last season, and one late on in Poland. How are you feeling now? Alot better than i felt when it happened ! I have been getting work done on my back and neck every week since then which was about 2 months ago. I feel pretty good now but still wake up sore and by the end of the day i'm starting to ache. All in all, i have come along way so i'm happy with the progress. I have started riding motocross for fitness and a bit of fun and it hurts but well worth it !
4..You chose to seek pastures new with Eastbourne after a fairly successful season at Oxford in 2006, despite alledgedly being offered a place with the Cheetahs in 2007. With the benefit of hindsight this proved to be a good decision, but can you enlighten us why you made that decision at the time? I got an offer i couldn't refuse ! Even though you may think it was successful for me at Oxford, I felt that my season was too inconsistent and i wasn't progressing as much as i was struggling to remain the same as the season before. I was super fast in one race and last in the next and i didn't know why. I was looking for a vast improvement after that season and didn't feel as though it was going to happen for me at Oxford. I enjoyed myself at Eastbourne in 05 and although i had a few offers, i saw an oppertunity at Eastbourne that interested me alot.
5..You've just re-signed for Rzeszow, but it's looking unlikely that Nicki Pedersen will partner you here, and he's signed for Czestochowa in Poland. Was he a help, and do you think not riding with him next year will make a difference to you? Nicki and i are very good friends and talk alot. He was without question one of my biggest influences this year but he has got me onto the right path so hopefully i can keep it going without him beside me in the pits.
6..News from the BSPA conference has seen a reduction in the points limit. Do you think this will force out the GP riders, and do you think that's a good or bad thing? I believe it is not a good thing as the fans want to see the best riders compete. It is called the ELITE league after all ! I certainly hope that there is a way we can keep them all here. I do also believe that the product of speedway is great and hope that the promotors achieve whatever it is that they are trying to achieve by doing this and we can make the british league better as time goes on. Lets hope that fans of speedway continue to support their teams no matter who is in their team and not just support one rider.
7..And following on from that, it's looking like you could be riding at number one next year. Do you think that adds to the pressure, or do you take it all in your stride? Riding at number 1 does add a bit of pressure but that isn't a real problem. I did it half of the year this year when my mate Nicki was away winning the world championship !
8..And will that be at Eastbourne?! I can't say where i'll be next year ! YET !!
9..What's your view on having regular race nights in Britain? It seems that the GP riders are all for it, but those who rely on riding here would like to see more meetings. Which side are you on? I can see the advantages of a regular race night. I might get to spend more than 1 night in a row at home ! I also see that not all riders are riding in 3 different countries and need to ride a bit more. I don't know a good answer to that one ! Maybe the riders that are only riding in the U.K could double up in a league that is run on GP nights. I don't know. I'm just a rider, not a promotor !!
10..What are your views on long term contracts versus the asset system? I don't get the asset system.For example, If you are offered a deal by the club that owns your contract and it is not a good offer or you have some reason for wanting to ride elsewere but they dont want to loan you, it may make it difficult for the club that you do want to be at if they have to buy your contract. Also, it looks like you are turning your back on the fans if you ask for a transfer and that is not the case at all. I would much prefer to see that whole idea scrapped. I don't see what it achieves.
11..In terms of finances, how much support do you think should come from team, and how much should riders need to look for their own sponsors? I would love it if it were like Moto GP or motocross where the team covers everything and just pay a wage with bonuses for wins . Then riders just look for personal sponsors but the fact is, there is not enough money in our sport to do this and the system we have works fine. I'm sure the promotors would be happier if riders all had bigger sponsors and we relied on sponsorship more than point money but it is hard enough to get the support we do. It's a tough situation for all involved.
12..If you could make any one change to the rules in Britain, what would that be and why? I would love it if they decided not to have an AGM for another 2 or 3 years and teams were able to maintain most of their riders and kept the same rules going so we had some consistancy year after year !
Merry Christmas and happy new year to all Support your local speedway !
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:59:00 GMT 1
Interview with Nicki Pedersen, with my thanks to Nicki, and his manager, Helge. 1..It’s been a fantastic season for you. How does it feel to be world champion again? It feels great. When I won the title in Slovenia I was very reliefed, all the hard work had paid off. But when I am thinking about it now, it is actually the trip towards the title that makes me happy, more than the final heat.2..What’s the secret of your success? Hard work and good organisation are the main factors. When the season begins in March you have to be in the same shape as when it ends in October. In that period i only have to concentrate on being a speedwayrider and keep my form in good condition. The people around me takes care of all the other stuff like sponsors, planning and everything regarding my business. 3..The media have made a big thing out of your rivalry with Hans Andersen. Would you say any of it is accurate, or is it all in good fun? The media loves this kind of rivalry. It is just like Erik Gundersen and Hans Nielsen back in times. But I am not sure I will send him a christmas card this year 4..Who do you consider to be your main rival in the GPs next year? I think all 15 riders can win a single GP. But in regards of consistancy, you have to look at the more expierenced riders like Jason, Leigh, Greg, Gollob and riders like Hans and Andreas will also be up there. 5..What do you think of the British asset system? In a way I think it's ok, if the club who makes a contract with you in the first year. They have to invest a lot of money into your speedway education, and it's only fair they get some money later if they have doen a good job. 6..There are a lot of youngsters coming into the sport, but the Danes seem to be ahead of the rest. What do you think the reason is for this? In Denmark you can start on 50 cc when you are 4 years old and then later you go to 80 cc. In that way the young kids are learning the technique in the early years, and when they are 15 - 16 years they can go on 500 cc with a very good speedway education. 7..Is there anyone you have your eye on for the future? There are so many good riders in Denmark, that I can not pick just one. 8..You’re due a testimonial. Would you still like to see that at Eastbourne? With the new point limit in England I doubt that I will be riding in England next year. 9..There are rumours that Kings Lynn may be joining the elite league. Would you consider returning there ever? See above. 10..You’ve had a few big accidents this year, but the last one, whilst riding for Rzeszow, must have knocked the stuffing out of you. How do you feel now, physically? It' s actually first now I am really fit after the big crashes this year. I have just started up working on my physically form now, so I can be 100% fit when season starts in March. 11..You’ve changed teams in both Sweden and Poland. What was the decisive factor in those decisions? I had many good offers from clubs in Sweden and Poland. The decisive factors have been logistics, club feeling and of course the economy. 12..You’ve done a few meetings in Russia; how does that compare to other countries? Are the tracks really as dusty as they look?! The tracks are very similar to the tracks in Poland. I have only good things to say about Russian speedway. I hope I will go there more in 2008. 13..Would you like to see a single race night in Britain, and do you think that would encourage more riders to stay? YES. That would be very crucial if the Elite League will continue to have the best riders in the world. 14..And finally, following on from that, the question everyone wants to know – will you be riding in the British league next year? I would love to ride in Britain next year, but at the moment it does not look like it. Eastbourne can not fit me into the team with the new point limit.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 15:59:41 GMT 1
Okay, so we've heard that Nicki P is unlikely to be sending a Christmas card to Hans Andersen, now we get to hear if young Andersen's going to be sending one to the world champion: 1..Your form in Poland, Sweden and in the GPs seemed to dip towards the end of last season, although it held up well in the UK; do you think this was possibly down to your remaining loyal to Jawa, or do you think there were other factors and what would they be?There were other factors involved, it was nothing to do with Jawa, it was a common problem in Europe that took time to isolate. I even swapped my English bikes for my bikes abroad at one point and it made no difference, but it did lead to us resolving the problem.2..As a follow on, I believe I read somewhere that you used GMs in a meeting in Poland towards the end of last season, so are you thinking of following the likes of Jason Crump and Leigh Adams into the GM stable?I was given a GM to test, but I never used it in an official fixture. I was a GM rider in 2003 but changed to Jawa for 2004 onwards. I am not looking at changing back to GM at the moment, I am very happy with Jawa.3..You were somewhat controversially over-looked for a place in the 2006 GPs, which I think has possibly been a positive, given that your form in 2006 was outstanding; would you agree?I think being dropped from the GP taught me not to take anything for granted. It also taught me to relax more at GP’s when I am competing in them.4..You made certain statements immediately after the 2007 SWC final which I thought ill-judged and displayed a lack of grace (although probably not as outrageous or lacking in grace as comments directed at you after the 2004 SWC final); do you regret making them?You have to remember sometimes the adrenalin is pumping and what you say when a microphone is put in front of you is often not, how shall we say, diplomatic, but this is really what the TV people like and want. But wouldn’t life be boring if everyone towed the line all the time! The World Cup is important to me, I am captain of my country and I am very very proud of that. I was gutted that we never retained the trophy.5..As a follow on question, the 2008 SWC final looks like being held in Vojens and with the current strength of the Danish side, is it really worth the other teams showing up?Well the honest answer is that most of the Danish team rarely ride at Vojens, so there is not much advantage for us, but if the other teams don’t want to turn up, that’s fine by me!6..You're back with Peterborough and Dackarna Malilla for the 2007, but you've moved clubs in Poland from Wroclaw to Torun; you always struck me as being very popular in Wroclaw, so why the move?I have been at Wroclaw for quite a while, but I thought a move would sharpen me up. Torun came knocking and the rest is history, although I have to say I enjoyed my time at Wroclaw, it is a great club with fantastic supporters.7..You seem to have had the happy knack of winning league championships the last couple of years (Peterborough and Wroclaw in 2006 and Dackarna Malilla in 2007); which of your 2008 clubs do you think will enable you to continue the trend?All three have a good chance. That’s good for me, because I like a winning mentality, it rubs off on me when competing on a personal level in the GP’s.8..The media made much of some clashes between yourself and fellow countryman Nicki Pedersen last season and in an interview young Pedersen jokingly said he probably wasn't going to send you a Christmas card; do you have any comments on the so-called "feud" and will you be sending him a Christmas card this year?We are obviously both very competitive, he’s World Champion and I respect that, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to roll over every time we meet on track. Yes I’ll be sending him a Christmas card, but I might not put a stamp on it though!!! By the way, did you know I’m the Danish Champion 9..Both Pedersens (Nicki and Bjarne) have made comments about looking to ride in Russia in 2008, although Bjarne Pedersen seems to have backed away from that now, but it's not something you ever seem to mention; have you considered the Russian scene?I was signed to a Russian club last season but never rode for them. I’m not desperate to do it, if the opportunity arose, then maybe. For me it’s not about money, it’s about reaching the very top of the sport and enjoying getting there.10..The BSPA have just had their annual AGM where they tinker with points limits, tactical rules and the like, yet my view is that good speedway begins and ends with good track preparation, which is something I believe you criticised last season; what makes a track well prepared and do you believe track preparation should be higher on the agenda in the UK?Don’t get me started on that subject!!! All I want is for an all over even racing circuit and not a race track that’s roughly a metre and a half wide next to the air fence. It’s not much to ask for, is it?The above interview was possible thanks to the assistance of young Bratley at Peterborough.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:00:19 GMT 1
Interview with Martin Smolinski, with thanks entirely to maccattack.
1..How did you first get started in speedway, and how old were you? I was about 4. My dad was a speaker in Olching, and my mum and dad were really involved in the club. 1990, it was. They start with the junior class. I liked the sport, sat on a big PW 50 from the club, and at this moment I decided to be a speedway rider. Since 1992 we had junior championships, so 2008 is my 16th year of racing speedway.
2..Do you think the authorities in Germany are doing enough to attract young girls and boys into starting speedway? Look at Denmark and they have about 200 kids on 50cc, and another 160 doing 80cc, whilst in Germany there are just a handful of youngsters. Oh, I wouldnt say that. Okay, Denmark are really big with the youngsters, but I think it's really good in germany with the youngsters. They do a lot, and when I look at other countries, I think we've got a good background with kids.
3..You were quoted when you signed for Coventry as saying they are the "Man Utd of speedway". What was it that impressed you at the time about the club? You certainly joined at a successful period. If you look at Coventry, it's one of the best stadiums in the UK - brilliant fans, nice people, and they know how to be successful. I really enjoy looking back on the last 3 years when I raced for coventry. We will see what goes on 2008.
4..I also think you mentioned the different mentality and maybe also the food? After 3 years, what are your feelings on the subject now? Was it just an initial shock or do you still feel like you are in a strange place? And have you got used to the food yet? No I am not used to the food - I cook myself, with German quality. Its not easy when you go over, alone; no family, on your own feet, but when you start to know how they think you can enjoy racing in the UK. But the lifestyle is not easy for me as a German. We are a complete different mentality.
5..You have taken a steady approach to entering new leagues. You got established at Coventry before entering the Polish and Swedish leagues. Did you turn down other offers at first until you were ready to do the other leagues? You must know what you can do. I learnt you have to work step by step - that's the way to do it. And sometimes is better you don't take a step backward but to another side. A bit less is sometimes more.
6..Are negotiations well under way now with all your clubs? Will we see you riding next year in all the top leagues or is it still undecided? Unfortunately, as you did well in Denmark you have now been graded as an A rider. It must be frustrating to be in a sport that sometimes seems to punish success? At the moment only PL with GTZ Grudziadz is signed. All the rest we will see.
7..If Coventry couldn't fit you into their team would you consider dropping into the Premier League for a year or is it Elite league only? No. Premier League doesn't work together with Poland, Sweden and Germany.
8..What are your feelings now on the German wildcard decision? Were the reasons for choosing Christian Hefenbrock explained to you? If the decision was based on Christian being German Champion, does that mean you are almost certainly the wildcard for 2008? I only can say, the politics weren't on my side.
9..A number of years ago you suggested you were frustrated with the Bundesliga. That there was a promise to use a team v team system. Denmark took the leap and by all accounts it went well. We had the new Eurospeed Cup in northern Germany. I think it is hard to build up a team mentality among the fans when they only see their team ride once or twice a season. I heard about a new fan going to a meeting, liking it, and then asking when the next meeting is. The answer: "same time next year". Do you think a team v team format is the way forward? It's hard to say if it's the better way. I would say it needs me more then one side. I would prefer one against one, then we have more meetings in Germany and I'm more in my home town. You can look better for sponsors, but it's hard to choose, I prefer one to one.
10..What are your thoughts on how a speedway meeting in Germany is run compared to the other countries you ride in? Are the tracks well prepared and are there important lessons that can be learnt from other countries in how to get the crowd involved? I was surprised at how long and drawn out meetings can be here. I think all the riders at Coventry have their own special song to ride out to for instance. Oh yes, we have our own song - it's cool. The German speedway is quite good, we just need a bit more press and one from us - Kroner, Hefenbrock, me - someone else to make a step in the GP. Then the press get interested and the sport's profile goes up. I want to see again a stadium full like Olching 20 years ago at the time of Egon Müller and Karl Maier.
11..Keeping with the theme of presentation. I was at the joint freestyle/speedway show in Kiel this year. The way both sports was presented was very different. The freestyle was exciting and youthful. The young guy doing the presentation got the crowd buzzing. Then you guys, in my opinion, were let down by the way speedway was so badly presented. It looked like speedway was just the filler between the gaps in the freestyle. In the end it was left up to people like yourself and Stephan Katt to try and lift the crowd. Surely if the freestyle guy was given half an hour with you and Stephan Katt, he could have put on a better show? Were you disappointed in the show? It was a bit bad. A lot is about the announcer, but it was the first time, so I think next time it will be better. It's a club who want to work hard. I look forward to it.
12..And also did you know you would be racing on the concrete floor? There were a number of riders on the injured list after that meeting. Would you do that again? Yes, I knew it before. You have to be a bit clever on this floor, and as it's a show meeting and not a race meeting, you can't race in there. The show is important to get new fans interested, so I will race there again.
13..You have seen the transformation in Chris Harris over the past few years. There were calls from the fans to drop him from the Coventry side at one stage and now he is a GP winner. Would qualifying for the GPs next year be too much of a jump or would it open up many more doors sponsorship wise and enable you to move to another level? It's hard to say. First I have to work with what I have, but I look forward to upping my performance and making a step forward, but like I said before - step by step.
14..Germany go into the SWC qualifiers in Miskolc with a new manager. You must be glad to have avoided Finland ;-). The US struggled to put a decent side to back Greg this year. Do you think Germany have a good chance next year, and what are your thoughts on René Schäfer being team manager? I want to do it, and we will do it. The past two years we've gone out in the last 3 heats, but that's speedway. All things come in threes, so we will do it now. I want to do it for Germany and my German fans.
15..What will you be doing during the winter to prepare for next season? Will you be in the mountains Skiing or Snowboarding? Oh I do a lot: Motocross, skiing when there's time. Once per week personal boxing training and jogging, three times per week I work on fitness. I also prepare the bikes, look for new sponsors, etc. I can say I don't get bored in the winter.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:00:57 GMT 1
Interview with David Howe, with our thanks to him. 1..You finished 2nd in the British Final, gifting yourself the wildcard for the British GP for your second appearance there. What was it like riding in front of the home fans again, and do you hope to be there again next year?It was really special, something that 12 months before I would never have dreamt of doing, ok I didn't do fantastic but I had a great day and loved every second of it, and I'll be doing my best to get back there again, but if I don't manage it I achieved something that was very special to me and got some great memories from it.2..You spent a short time as captain at Oxford, making you one of the youngest riders to hold that position. You've also been praised this season for helping out the younger members of the team; does leading come naturally to you, or do you take any advice when you can get it?I've always been one to ask all the time, maybe to the point of annoying people, but if you don't ask you don't get. Peter Karlsson has always been great with me and I have learnt so much off him, same can be said about Todd in 07. I think without him I would have walked away mid season and that was the reason I gave up the captain's job, because he was so much better than me at it. As for helping others I think at times last year some of the younger riders found me easier to approach than, say, PK and I did enjoy it, but being captain or not I'll always be the same. I love being in the team environment more than individual.3..You were back with Wolverhampton last year, but have spent the majority of your career at Peterborough. Where would you call "home"?I actually raced for both clubs the same amount now, so that's even, but Wolves is my home for sure. The whole place suits me and I love being there. Peterborough was special; I was very young when I first rode there and had so much success in the years I spent there, but to be honest it was never quite the same after Peter Oakes left - he was the person who first went out of his way to help me ,so when he left it never felt quite the same. Since I left there I have had so many bad injuries at that track that it has left me with a bit of a block of the track but I am starting to get better there again.4..What do you think about the decision to lower the points limit in the elite league?I think something needed to be done. Whether it is the right thing we will have to wait and see. I do think the league looks like it will be closer together now, which is a good thing. We have to remember it is only elite by name - it's no good having a super strong league and in one or two years it totally falls apart. The elite will still be the strongest in this country and with the injection of some new exciting riders, ie Holder, I think it will be an exciting year with some great racing.5..There's been no increase to the British reduction for next season, although it was widely speculated there would be. Do you think it should have been considered, given that it's possible British riders like Lee Richardson and Scott Nicholls may be struggling to find a team place next year? (Asked the day Eastbourne announced, funnily enough.) It did surprise me, to be honest. When I heard the limit I did think that they would increase the reduction because it would encourage britsh riders, but then again there isn't enough good British riders to go around, so again there would be an uneven balance. I mean just think how strong Eastbourne would be if there was, say, a 10% reduction because they have (and fair play) got most of the English talent.6..And promotion and relegation - do you think that will work?I hope so. It works in other leagues so why shouldn't it here? I know not every premier club would want to come elite but there are a few that do, and the play offs give those teams a chance -and if nothing else, some exciting end of season matches.7..What's your view on having regular race nights in Britain? It seems that the GP riders are all for it, but those who rely on riding here would like to see more meetings. Which side are you on?The problem is that we share most of our stadiums here, so the times are limited. Also its okay for a GP rider to say I only want 15 or 20 meetings, but what about the other 75% of riders, and riders that only ride in england. I mean, the elite lost Kevin Doolan mainly because there wasn't enough meeings for him. I need about 60 meetings over here - 15 or 20 just isn't enough.8..How do you like the tracks to be prepared, and what do you think gives the best racing?I prefer tracks to be fairly deep - how Wolves was prepared at the start of the season was really good, plenty of dirt and you could pass anywhere. I just think slick tracks are boring, its boring to ride on as well as to watch.9..Do you think there should be more support for young Brits looking to come into the sport, and if so, what form should that take?The hardest thing for a British youngster is getting track time. Obviously its an expensive sport, but if you were a young rider in Poland you would be able to go down to your track and practice, and that doesn't happen in England as the promotions don't own the stadiums, which makes it harder for British riders to progress.10..If you could make any one change to the rules in Britain, what would that be and why?That the number two rider in the team can start off the inside starts in heat one. For years I couldn't understand why this wasn't the case, as number three and five start on the outside in their first race, so why not the number one rider? But ask me again in twelve months time and if I've been number one I may not give you the same answer. To be honest all the silly moans about stupid rules, i.e green or white helmet colours, tac sub rule etc, does it really matter? I go to watch speedway because i enjoy the sport and I think some people get caught up in a wave of negativity and are more happy to poke faults at what we've got instead of enjoying the sport. At the end of the day it should be four riders doing four laps, hopefully in the same direction. It seems pretty simple to me.11..Thoughts on next year? Do you have any new sponsorship deals lined up, or any goals you hope to achieve?Myself and Paul (my manager) are working hard on trying to secure old and new sponsorship for the coming season. As for next year I want to improve again, enjoy myself and get as far as I can in the gp qualifiers.12..Young Dane Nicolai Klindt has just joined Wolverhampton. Are you looking forward to riding with him next season? I think Nicolai is a very exciting young rider, but the problem with him is that he comes with such a big reputation. But for one reason or another he had a tough year last season and people are writing him off now, which maybe is a good thing as he can now focus on his racing without people expecting so much of him. And if i get a team place at Wolves it will be great to ride with him.13..How's the collarbone injury? Has it healed, and are you feeling fit and ready to ride?The collarbone is coming along well. Within a couple of weeks it should be fully healed, and by the time the new season comes around I should be fitter than ever.14..And finally, are you hoping to be part of the WTC squad next year, and do you think we have a hope of winning it?!Yes, if I've had a good enough season I would love to be part of the WTC team. As for winning it, sadly I think we are behind the Poles and the Danes at the minute, but if another English rider has a season like Bomber did maybe that would turn around.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:01:35 GMT 1
Interview with Lawrence Hare, with thanks to Nevs, and a happy New Year to you all.
1..First things first: what got you into speedway? I understand you were riding motocross at the time, so what made you change? My Dad knew John Louis, and me and my brother grew up with Chris. He was racing junior Grasstrack and we followed him into that, then we went on to Motocross, and he followed suit. Then when he went into Speedway, he told me that this was the way to go - you even got paid to do it! Strange really, a lot of to-and-fro and all great experiences. In a perfect world, I'd have started 4 or 5 years earlier really.
2..Unfortunately you've had some very serious crashes over the years, the worst of which were at Newport. Did the track have a psychological effect on you, or was it just one of those things? It was a bit of a worry first going back to Newport after firstly the back injury, then the broken lower leg, but it wasn't a huge hurdle. After the back injury I had a great meeting to qualify for the British Final, so when I went on to hurt my leg it wasn't too bad to return. Ironically, my first meeting for Exeter was to be my first return to Newport after that injury. Also ironically, my van kept overheating on the way and I never made it!! I got ribbed over that in the changing rooms over the year but when we were there the next time I got 14 points and I won heat 15!! (Before these inuries I went for around 4 1/2 seasons without missing a meeting. I guess that's the way it goes.)
3..Following on from that, it has been said that the New Years Day meeting at Newport 2000, where you suffered a crushed vertebra in your back, was in appalling weather conditions. In hindsight, do you think the meeting should have gone ahead? No, not really - it was terrible. In the end I just couldn't see a thing and I lost all account of where I was on the track. It was quite scary as I was like a blind passenger waiting for a big bang, and when came it hurt to say the least! As it happened, when I had the final crash it had started to rain during the previous race and the track was very tricky again, and conditions played a part again. It's the type of material, I think, that makes it awkward when the weather changes for the worse.
4..Obviously you've become a great campaigner for sport safety and actively support the Leatt neck brace, which is designed to protect against spinal injuries by keeping the head still on impact. Have many speedway riders taken the opportunity to get hold of one? I had lots of enquiries at first but it's died down now a little. I'm very surprised as I thought in the off-season would be the ideal time to get set up, as riders are getting race suits sized up. Maybe, and hopefully, there are more guys going ahead and sourcing them.
5..What do you think is stopping more riders from utilising it? I do think speedway is a sport where some areas are slow to change. I can't understand for the life of me why this is one of them. There are heavier duty boots, but most stick to the more flimsy ones. Most guys are now going for the padded undersuits, and I'm hoping that when one top rider goes with the brace then it will snowball. I'm currently speaking with a GP rider regarding promoting safety, so fingers crossed, but like I say, speedway can be a fickle sport. I went to Mark Woods of Race Bitz back in 2001 and we made the fibreglass bike fairings and fork covers that evolved into those that the Reading Team used the season before last, but people were reluctant to go with them - they looked ace for sponsors etc too?
6..What do you think of the changes imposed by the BSPA this year? I guess something had to be done after last season. Only time will tell if the changes will work. Many clubs struggled last season but I didn't think the limit would be quite this low, however it looks as though Nicki Pedersen is the only top drawer casualty.People talk of attracting the top riders back but there are not many missing - most who are don't have many years left at the top anyhow. I had hoped that there would maybe have been a bit bigger British rider reduction but really, a weakened league should promote more British Premier League riders so maybe this will happen. This has got to be an area that we need to build on. The trouble is, many are earning a decent living in the Premier and staying put. Going Elite may end up a costly exercise, so it's a brave step, and I will say that the Premier is still very competetive, and the guys do have ambition, but ambition doesn't always pay the mortgage. There was also talk here and there of racing on a regular race night but I doubt it would work as some clubs can't move their race nights, (and what are the chances of all Elite clubs moving and agreeing to a specific day?) and attendances always seem low when clubs run on alternative days. Promotion and relegation is fine, I suppose, if the financial reward is suitable for a club going up, but what if they stay up and still struggle financially and ask to go down again? I'm sure these questions must have been talked through.
7..What do you think would be in the best interests for the future of speedway? Do you think sweeping changes need to be made, or do you think we're on the right track (pardon the pun)? I don't really know the answer. Like I say: time will tell and building from the bottom is crucial, I feel. The Conference League now has a solid base and is projecting riders into the Premier. Hopefully the projection into the Elite will follow a bit more, and we can get to the forefront of world speedway, with the most prominent league again. The other thing we need are air-fences for Premier League tracks, or those that want them - there are some painful looking accidents.
8..What about track preparation - what gives the best racing, in your opinion? Evenly prepared, maybe a little more dirt outside than in, but not as much as we often see where riders are scraping the fence at about heat 4 or 5!
9..And finally, who do you think will be world champion this year? I'm going with (and hoping!) Leigh. We all know he has the tools to do it, and think the last couple of seasons have made him the strongest he's ever been mentally.
A couple from Nevs added on...
10..When you were at Exeter you and Seemond were great crowd pleasers as a double act in front of the grandstand - matching bikes and kevlars. How did that first come about? We used to get on really well. I rode Exeter on the Monday and most of the summer ended up carrying on down after the meeting to Newquay (Trelawny were also running then as well, so I'd have the odd meeting there, or we'd sometimes go down anyway.) We'd often go for a night out too, and do our bikes, have a laugh, etc. We both seemed to bounce off each other and really started scoring well, and when you hit a purple patch it all seems to fall into place. We rode with wigs out of the back of our helmets, even an 18 inch kipper tie, and so on. The fans loved it!! The baggy gear came about when we found the Evel Knievel stuff, and we did the bikes the same. Like I say: it was fun, it worked and we rolled with it.
11..At The time of your accident, Seemond in particular appeared to be particulary supportive and a great mate to you, and at The Malthouse reunion of the Exeter faithful. How much do you value his support and are you guys still as close now? Time passes and things drift, but we are still in touch and still very good pals. But being in my situation and the distance invoved, it's hard to get together more often, although I made sure to get together when Plymouth were at Oxford at the tail end of last season, which was good.
12..Final question from me: County Ground - being famous as Last Lap Lol. What is your fondest memory of your times at the County Ground? There are many. I had some great times, and met some great people. A great memory was on the last lap of the last race of the KO cup semi against Swindon, going into the first turn about 10 metres behind Charlie Gjedde, riding up to the fence, hitting in with a big smack. It fired me up the inside of him going past up the straight to win the match. I wish you could bottle that feeling! The other that made me laugh so much was going back to the baggy gear. Someone complained that me and Seemond were riding really well but were not setting a great example with this untidy, baggy attire so we apologised on the microphone after a home meeting, saying we'd smarten ourselves up for next week. With this we went down to Oxfam and bought some pinstriped suits, and went out on parade and then in heat 1 of the following meeting with them over our Kevlars. To this day I still can't believe we did it!!
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:02:10 GMT 1
Interview with British Ice Racer, Mark Uzzell, who will be our representative in the European Championships in Sanok, Poland. Many thanks to him, good luck in Sanok, and best wishes for the season ahead. With thanks entirely to maccattack.
Brief biography for those who are unaware of Mark:
Born: 1959 Married to wife Pam sons Malcolm 23 Andrew 21. Occupation: Engineer. I raced grass track for 21 years doing about 20 meetings a season, but I gave this up when I moved to Sweden to concentrate on ice racing. I was riding in the Swedish league and spent a lot of time here. I grew very fond of the country and the people so bought a house. I got offered a job at Bergströms, an engineering company and decided to move. This company is also my main sponsor. When I moved to Sweden I think I brought the English weather with me as the climate has changed dramatically in the last 3 years. Hopefully this is not dying sport and I hope for better weather in the future.
If anyone is interested in having a go at ice racing (weather permitting), you are welcome to contact me by email:
markuzzell@hotmail.com
1..I guess the question everyone wants to know: Whatever went through your mind to make you get on a motorbike with all those spikes in the tyres and ride around at that angle on ice!? Dickie Davies – World of Sport on TV somewhere in my past. I was playing golf at the time and looking for something more adventurous. It had to be tried. It took me a long time to save up and get there, although I rode grass track for 20 years which gave me some competitive experience.
2..And once you thought it might be a good idea, how does one go about learning to race on ice? It's not like speedway where there are a number of training schools you can sign up and borrow the equipment, I imagine. There are training camps, but not in the UK, obviously. Sweden run a good training camp in Funäsdalen where there is always a warm welcome and good advice, from preparing the bike, to riding it.
3..Run us through your season. How many meetings are you hoping to do and how often will you be out training? Hmm, a difficult one due to the weather. I will train as often as possible in the winter, but the weather plays a big part. The ice on the lakes needs to be at least 10cm thick. This can take a week or more depending on the temperature. I was supposed to train with the Finns in Finland before Christmas, but it was plus temperatures over there. Several races I was due to ride in were cancelled due to the weather. I still hope to have about 9 – 10 meetings this season.
4..How long does it take to prepare a tyre? The front tyre has 180 – 220 spikes depending on the pattern and takes about 8 hours. To prepare a front tyre you need to: Cut off the nobbles from a standard speedway tyre. Mark the holes with a tippex pen. Drill holes in tyre. Insert spikes, washers and nuts.
The back tyre has between 250 – 280 spikes and takes about 16 hours, as it is more technical and difficult to prepare.
A first aid kit is advisable (!)
5..What is your favourite track, and do tracks only vary in shape, or does the weather play a part in how a track rides? My favourite track is Bollnäs. Tracks that are artificial are usually speed-skating circuits and are about the same. Natural tracks can vary but the weather is an important factor for these tracks. The harder the ice, the harder it is to ride.
6..You must have seen a lot of the greats of the sport. Just how good is Nikolai Krasnikov? Nikolai Krasnikov, well he’s Russian, a 3 times World Champion. So the record speaks for itself.
My first ice racing meeting I rode in was in the European Semi-Finals in Saransk 2002. I didn’t know whether to collect autographs or get out and race with them. It did seem a bit surreal.
7..How much media interest is there in Sweden for the sport? Posa is a household name in Sweden, but the overall media interest is a bit low key.
Apart from Posa, the local press has interviewed me a few times, but I think this is more out of curiosity than interest for the sport. (Posa is still riding and is about to turn 60, I believe! - Schumi.)
8..How hard is it for a western European rider to compete with the Russians? In the last three years it’s been nearly impossible due to the climate change. Most Russian riders that ride in Championship meetings in the West are Professional riders racing in 30 – 40 meetings in a season, which is from November to March, riding in league and open competitions. The Western European riders who can compete with them have a lot of race experience. You can’t compensate for track time, which Western riders are sadly lacking. More meetings and colder climates would be helpful. Bike preparation is more important in this sport than speedway. Tyres and suspension settings need to be tested and set, which requires “Ice Time”.
9..How physical is the sport? To control the bike when you hit a rut on ice must take a lot of power? In my opinion, the sport is more physical then grass track and speedway. You need to have a lot of physical strength and confidence. You know if you hit a rut the spikes will bite into the ice, so you need to have the confidence not to shut off the throttle.
The riders seem to be stronger in physique than speedway riders. The bikes are also heavier at 110kg minimum. The main difference in the riding technique is on ice, the rear wheel always drives as opposed to the spin you get on speedway. So you need more strength to steer.
10..Travelling in Russia is quite problematic, I have heard. Have you encountered any problems? There are always problems on the roads in Russia with the traffic police stopping you and fining you large sums of money for imaginary offences. Last year I failed a breath test even though I hadn’t had an alcoholic drink in 2 years. (Tourists always have money.) It is important to say that the people surrounding the sport and the Federation are great. I was alone and given 2 Russian mechanics who worked really hard in the pits (Thanks guys.)
11..What does an ice rider do during the summer? There seems to be less cross-over with speedway these days - Daniil Ivanov and Grigorij Laguta being a couple of the few riders who compete in both disciplines. When I lived in England and returned from ice racing, the grass track season had started ,so straight into grass track doing about 20 meetings a season. Now in the summer I train on local speedway tracks. Most riders do some kind of motor sport to stay race fit, but only at low level. Ice racing is quite an expensive sport so after the season, you need to start getting prepared for the following season.
12..What sort of targets do you set yourself when you start a season? To try to get as much practice as I can, and enter into as many meetings as possible. Track time with others is the only way to improve.
With limited places that the Brits get, it is impossible to compete at higher levels. This year there is one place in the EM and one place in the WM.
13..There are only a very limited number of riders in the west at least. Is it a very close knit group? Are you always helping each other out and travelling together? Despite cultural and languages differences, we can all communicate well and always stick together, especially travelling to Russia when you have no outside contact, and away for long periods of time. Last year I travelled to Russia in a convoy with Posa, Torleif Burman and Peter Koij. I drove for 37 hours, as it is bleak after Moscow with nowhere to stop. Posa loaned me his mechanic for 2 hours around Moscow so I could rest.
Due to the lack of rides for the Brits, it’s “Dog Eat Dog”. I have never learned anything about ice racing from the other British riders.
Other nations are more helpful now that I’ve moved away from the British and give me great advice in all areas from tyre patterns, machine set ups, travel help and riding tips.
The Ice racing world is a family. Our house is open house during the season, with all nations welcome on their way to meetings or training. The favour is always returned when I travel.
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Post by admin on Aug 27, 2008 16:02:44 GMT 1
Many thanks to Phil Morris for the following interview, with an honorable mention to RacerX for helping me with a little research.
1..You were quoted on your website as saying SKY has made a big difference to speedway. In what way? Do you think more people recognize what speedway is, or is it more the financial input? Sky has certainly raised the profile of the sport. I understand it gets very good viewing figures, the sport just needs to convert the armchair fans into members of the paying public. But, I don’t think the financial input has made a big difference to league racing if I am honest.
2..Following on from that, you were also quoted as saying better PR is needed to improve the sport. Is that with existing fans, or do you think promotion to a wider audience should be considered, and how? I believe there are too many complex regulations that the fans (and riders) are confused by, the ruling bodies need to keep things as simple as possible. There is simply not enough marketing of the sport at the present time, each club has a hardcore of fans but not enough is done to attract new fans. I still can’t fathom out why the Elite League in particular has failed to attract blue-chips companies into sponsorship, as soon a major backer is attracted then I am sure others would follow.
3..You were at Reading for 16 years. How did you feel about leaving, and do you think you’ll be able to settle in at Birmingham quickly? When you have been with a club for a long time then it does tug on your heart strings a little and I will miss a lot of people that helped me in my career. I do believe that many riders just race for the money and don’t really give a damn about their team. I have always believed in helping out wherever I can as regards promotion of the team I race for. Many times I have travelled to Reading to meet the fans at functions and attending shopping malls etc, I have even jumped on a plane to Newcastle and got a taxi to a supporters club meeting unannounced and at my own expense, days after signing for the diamonds in 2005. It’s very important for riders to make this effort as fans want to see the riders not the officials. I am very much looking forward to doing my job for Birmingham and cannot wait for the season to start, I am confident I will settle in well and the fans seemed to take to me when I raced for the Brummies at the end of last season. I look forward to building a strong relationship with them this year.
4..I’ve been told you have an excellent understanding of the rule book. Would you consider promoting/managing in the future? I would most certainly consider the promoting and team manager options; I’d also like to get involved in helping to develop younger British riders, in a role like British under 21 Manager. As I have raced in leagues overseas and also competed in most European countries, I am sure I could help the youngsters concentrate on the racing and take the hassle out of logistics (getting bikes through control, getting signed in and collecting the money can be very stressful I can promise). I have also enjoyed 5 years of running training schools and helping out youngsters as much as possible. I believe it’s in my own interest to know the rule book inside out and I think I have a very good grasp of the rules. I’m always aware of what the score is on the night and I like to be involved in tactical talking with the manager. I did consider getting involved with some unnamed people in taking over Reading Speedway when BSI were selling it but unfortunately the figures did not come close to adding up!
5..And as if that’s not enough you’ve appeared on various quiz shows, and turned your hand to modelling. Are they things you’d consider doing more of, or was it just a bit of fun? I’m always looking at things to do outside speedway and all of the things I have done have helped me get exposure for myself and the sport. I am happy to have a crack at most things and if Speedway was a household name sport I would love to do something like Strictly Come Dancing or Celebrity Big Brother. I’d also like to run the London Marathon to raise money for seriously injured riders, I have unsuccessfully applied in the past for the event, but hopefully one day I will be able to get in and raise money for riders like Lawrence Hare and Garry Stead etc.
6..You’re taller than the average rider. Do you have to adjust your riding style because of your height, and is it a help or a hindrance? Yes, I am just over 6ft tall and I guess that is quite tall for a speedway rider. As I played lots of Rugby when I was young I became quite big in my upper body and torso which sometimes does not help as I would find it impossible to get my weight down to under 10 stone for example. I think the lighter you are the more it helps in speedway but we have to deal with what we are given and for everyday life I enjoy being the height I am.
7..Much has been made of your crash with David McAllen, for good or for bad. In your own words, can you tell us what happened? So much has been written about the accident, but it was just a pure racing incident. Some guy that was on the centre green even wrote that I looked David in the eye and then t-boned him, which is so untrue and the video clearly proves that. I was riding a tight line, but the shape of the track at Glasgow is quite square (as are many around football or rugby pitch’s) and makes you drift slightly as you come off the final bend, that’s what happened in this case, I had no idea David was even there until I felt contact and to say that I deliberately went out to hurt him is complete rubbish. I think the fact that the Referee banned me from the meeting made things a lot worse. The SCB cleared me of any wrong doing within days of the accident and rescinded my fine and neutral observers of the video are saying it was an unfortunate racing accident.
I have never wished injury on any rider and I hope that he makes a full recovery from his injuries. I have seen the devastating effect that injury can have on a rider in Per Jonsson, whom I believe was the best rider I have ever seen on a speedway bike and is a very good friend of mine. He raced for many seasons and didn’t even have a slide of let alone a crash, then one fateful day in Poland he has an accident (again just a racing incident) and he is paralysed in his prime. All riders know it can happen but we just hope and pray it never happens to us to a rider involved an accident with you.
8..What about the impact of all the knocks and bruises you’ve had whilst riding? Do they still affect you? Not at the moment, as I work hard on my fitness. Apart from numerous cuts and bruises my most serious speedway injuries have been cruciate ligament damage in my knee (a simple fall in Sweden), a couple of dislocated shoulders and a broken rib. I have broken my leg and elbow whilst grass-tracking. None of the above affect me at the moment, though I am sure they will catch up with me in old age.
9..What would you say to those people who claim you always ride the inside line? I would say correct go to the top of the class! In many situations the inside line is the fastest because it’s the shortest and I have passed many opponents by cutting back and hugging a tight line, my Commercial Manager Big H calls it the Maurizio Shuffle, but when it’s obvious that the outside is quicker then I will go there.
10..Are you going to any GPs this year, and who are you backing? I will go to Cardiff as it’s on my doorstep and I usually do some media work for the BBC. I might get along to a few more this year, now that home meetings for me are on Wednesday’s, which will give me time to go along and be part of the pit crew of my good friend Jason Crump. I’d love to see Jason win the world title back, but of course I want to see the British boys do the business as well.
11..What, in your opinion, makes a good referee, and do you have any memorable moments of decisions that have gone for or against you? I have always tried to have a good relationship with referees as they have a difficult job to do. We sometimes don’t agree on things but I have never once (whatever the circumstances) ever raised my voice or used any bad language while speaking to a ref even if I disagree (hence never had a fine in my life.) As I have said they have a hard job and do it to their best ability so I will not go down the road of naming and shaming. One incident which stands out for me as a good refereeing decision was at Stoke many years ago, 3 riders entered turn 3 of the first lap totally side by side (myself, Paul Pickering and Jan Stæchmann I think) and all 3 bikes got caught up as we entered the bend with all 3 coming of in a heap and I’m not sure if it was Paul or Craig Ackroyd but the decision was to put all 4 back in the rerun, which both riders and teams seemed happy with (common sense prevailed) as the ref could see no fault with anyone of the 3. One amusing incident was at Reading, when I was excluded for bringing down Shane Parker on the pits bend, everyone in the pits felt I was very unlucky. Anyway the Ref’s wife was on the pits bend and she had a right go at him after the meeting for making the wrong decision. I wasn’t very happy at the time, but I can laugh about now though.
12..And finally, there’s a distinct lack of Welsh riders around. What do you think the reasons for this are? As we only have one track it’s not something many kids will want to get into unfortunately. Its so easy and much more profitable in this day and age to get your kid a snooker cue, a set of darts, football boots etc than to fork out for the bikes and all the equipment. British Speedway needs a structured development academy; until we do we will always be light years behind the Poles, Danes, Swedes and Aussies.
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