POWER
Picture: TAYLOR LANNING
who could forget Darcy Ward's epic victory over Gollob and Greg Hancock on his GP debut in 2011. There are too many classics to list.
In the main, the line-up has always been close to being the best riders in the world, unlike the previous system when five – most often inadequate – continental riders were given places in the world finals.
But questions are certainly being raised over the strength of the field for 2024. On paper, it is arguably the weakest in the history of the series.
Paris about whether rivalries were key.
Tai Woffinden said: “I haven’t spoken to Rob (Lambert) for 12 months, I hate him!
“Seriously, though, it’s hard because one day you might be racing in the same team with a rider, then you are rivals in the GP.
“If you don’t get on with somebody, you are just making your own life hard.
“I just stay true to myself. I am who I am and if someone doesn’t like it, I couldn’t really care to be honest.
“A rivalry doesn’t give me extra motivation or an extra edge, not for me anyway. It doesn’t change anything.
“It doesn’t matter, I’m just Tai. It is what it is. I know deep down in my heart that I’ve done everything I possibly can for the sport. I’ll continue to do that until I finish racing.”
There was a hint of aggro between Woffinden and Leon Madsen a year ago when the three-time World Champion continued on next page
WHAT’S ON
FIXTURES: APRIL 11-24
= provisional fixture THURSDAY,APRIL 11 King’s Lynn v Belle Vue (Premiership) 7.30 pm Leicester v Sheffield (Premiership) 7.30 pm Oxford v Ipswich (Premiership) 7.30 pm FRIDAY,APRIL 12 Glasgow v Edinburgh (BSN Series) 7.30 pm Redcar v Workington (BSN Series) 7.30 pm Scunthorpe v Plymouth (Knockout Cup) 7.30 pm SATURDAY,APRIL 13 Berwick v Edinburgh (BSN Series) 7.00 pm Plymouth v Scunthorpe (Knockout Cup) 7.00 pm SUNDAY,APRIL 14 Kent v Eastbourne Select (Challenge) 2.00 pm MONDAY,APRIL 15 Belle Vue v King’s Lynn (Premiership) 7.30 pm Birmingham v Leicester (Premiership) 7.30 pm WEDNESDAY,APRIL 17 Oxford v Plymouth (BSN Series) 7.30 pm THURSDAY,APRIL 18 Ipswich v Oxford (Premiership) 7.30 pm Leicester v Belle Vue (Premiership) 7.30 pm Sheffield v King’s Lynn (Premiership) 7.30 pm FRIDAY,APRIL 19 Glasgow v Berwick (BSN Series) 7.30 pm Redcar v Scunthorpe (BSN Series) 7.30 pm Edinburgh v Oxford (National Development League) 7.30 pm SATURDAY,APRIL 20 Berwick v Plymouth (Knockout Cup) 7.30 pm Workington v Redcar (BSN Series) 3.00 pm SUNDAY,APRIL 21 Leicester v Middlesbrough (National Development League) 3.00 pm Oxford v Edinburgh (National Development League) 3.00 pm MONDAY,APRIL 22 Belle Vue v Ipswich (Premiership) 7.30 pm King’s Lynn v Sheffield (Premiership) 7.30 pm WEDNESDAY,APRIL 24 Poole v Edinburgh (Knockout Cup) 7.30 pm
The scoring format also lacks a bit of jeopardy. The previous ‘top two elimination’ format back in the early 2000s was far more cut throat and heartstopping for participants and punters.
In all honesty, the series hasn’t really felt the same without the perennial pantomime villain Nicki Pedersen. He had followed Gollob as the rider who would constantly ensure there was rarely a dull moment.
Post-Pedersen, GPs have lacked controversy and unpredictably.
There also isn’t that juicy rivalry anymore. The series has been laced with big gun headto-heads from day one: Hans Nielsen v Hamill, Rickardsson v Gollob, Crump v Rickardsson and Crump v Pedersen.
The last series that went down to the wire was Artem Laguta v Bartosz Zmarzlik – and that was hardly a thrilling battle.
But what do the stars of the show think? I asked the riders in
TV TIMESCompiled BY PHIL LANNING
TV TIMES A
FTER Storm Kathleen comes the streams. Well, hopefully.
BSN’s magnificent marauding around the UK has been slightly halted by rain and wind.
But there are potentially four broadcasts lined-up in eight days with another fascinating set of fixtures and three different competitions.
First up is Redcar taking on Workington, followed by Ipswich against Oxford, Glasgow versus Berwick and then, possibly, Bandits’ KO Cup clash against Plymouth, although that one depends on the Gladiators defeating Scunthorpe in their first round tie this weekend.
Lewis Kerr will be in action on consecutive nights, racing for the Spires in Suffolk and then for Berwick at Glasgow.
He admitted: “It’s two really tough away meetings. Ipswich has become a hard place to go with their powerhouse top two. But we have a good side at Oxford, we won our last away match (at Birmingham), so we go to Ipswich full of confidence.
“Likewise at Berwick, we’ve made a great start. Glasgow has become a bit of a fortress in recent years. But I believe this Bandits side has got real potential to get a result anywhere.”
LIVE SPEEDWAY THIS WEEK BRITISH SPEEDWAY NETWORK (watch.britishspeedway.co.uk)
FRIDAY, APRIL 12: Redcar v Workington, BSN Series (Northern), 7.30 pm. THURSDAY, APRIL 18: Ipswich v Oxford, ROWE Motor Oil Premiership R1, 7.30 pm. FRIDAY, APRIL 19: Glasgow v Berwick, BSN Series (Scottish), 7.30 pm. CLUB STREAMINGS (all £11.99) BERWICK: tv.berwickspeedway.com EDINBURGH: www.edinburghmonarchs.co.uk/ live-stream PLYMOUTH: plymouth-speedway.com/live- streaming POOLE: livestream.poole-speedway.com REDCAR: www.redcar-speedway.com SCUNTHORPE: tv.scunthorpe-speedway.com
BSN also continue to break new ground with their firstever feature show Breakdown, which aired on YouTube on Sunday evening. Presenter Ian Brennan interviewed Rory Schlein and gave his verdict on the leagues. It’s the first magazine-style show for the sport and is worth a viewing.
April 13,2024 speedway star 3
