Inside Speedway Magazine - British GP Issue by Marc Gent

JUNE 2013 BRITISH GP SUPPLEMENT PRICE: FREE

BRITISH CHAMPION TAI

The Czech Republic grand prix winner is firmly in the running for the world championship crown, a win in Cardiff would elevate him to the top of the standings.

FEATURING: GREG HANCOCK EMIL SAYFUTDINOV CHRIS HARRIS

PLUS: NIGEL PEARSON & KELVIN TATUM’S PREVIEW AND GARY HAVELOCK’S TAKE ON THE 16 RIDERS

WELCOME Hello and welcome to this free edition of Inside Speedway Magazine. With the 2013 FIM British Grand Prix just days away, we felt it was a perfect opportunity to give supporters something special in the build up. Czech Grand Prix winner Tai Woffinden is our cover star, and in current form there is no better rider. We also chat to current standings leader Emil Sayfutdinov and former British GP winner Greg Hancock. Gary Havelock goes through the riders while Nigel Pearson and Kelvin Tatum preview the event. I hope you enjoy reading it and don’t forget you can still get the opening edition of Inside Speedway from our website, amazon or at trackshops up and down the country.

Marc Gent

Managing Editor at Inside Speedway

Managing Editor: Marc Gent e. mg@insidespeedway.co.uk t. @marc_365 Contributers: Scott Frame e. sf@insidespeedway.co.uk t. @scottframe_ Shaun Reynolds

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WINNING IN CARDIFF... ....CAN DEFINE A CAREER

The only pressure I've got, is the pressure I put on myself

CHRIS HARRIS Chris Harris is determined to prove what he’s made of when he takes on the worlds best in this weekends British Grand Prix as wildcard. The Cornishman has endured a tough start to his debut Elite League campaign with new side Birmingham. However his continental form is a contrast as ‘Bomber’ has been piling up the points for both Grudziadz and Vastervik with double figure scores in almost every meeting. Harris hopes to convert his Polish league form into GP success as he explained “I’m really looking forward to it, I always enjoy going to Cardiff, being my home Grand Prix.” Unlike recent years, where the wildcard has been awarded to the highest placed non GP member in the British Final, Harris was directly confirmed as the wildcard, a month prior to the event.

The 30 year old even admitted he was surprised by the decision as he continued “It was a bit of a shock, I just assumed like everyone else it was going to be on the British Final like it has been for a long time now. For one reason or another the BSI have decided to change it and thankfully for me they did. “I want to go there enjoy it and do the best I can even though I know how good I can do there. I can do better than previous years; it’s all about getting the right setup, going there and enjoying it. “The only pressure I’ve got is the pressure I put on myself, I’m going there for myself and not worrying what everyone else has got to do and no pressure will get me the points needed to qualify for the top eight.” When asked about the unique atmosphere that Cardiff generates, Harris responded saying “You can hear the crowd and the air horns when you go round to the starts, you try to block it out and just concentrate on focusing on your race but the atmosphere is second to none, it’s the best atmosphere you’ll ever feel. As a speedway rider being there, every rider in that Grand Prix loves it when Cardiff comes round cause it’s a special time.” SPEEDWAY365.COM // 3

CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER

2013 has been a phenomenal year so far for Russian superstar Emil Sayfutdinov on the track. He takes a one point lead in the overall championship standings into the British Grand Prix and he is determined to increase his advantage at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Away from the track it has been the toughest time of his life. The 23 year-old lost his father Damir, who lost his fight to cancer before last months Swedish Grand Prix in Gothenburg, a meeting Emil won only to find out afterwards about his fathers passing. His results and his form since have shown that it hasn’t affected him on track. He is showing a mental strength that few would possess in his position and heads to Cardiff feeling he hasn’t any pressure on his young shoulders.

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“I am very happy with the way things have happened so far this season, if I can

keep going like this it will be good. This season has been very different for me, I have problems with my fathers death but it has made me want to enjoy every Grand Prix and get as many points as I can from each GP.

“To win my first world championship would be a dream but it is so tough to achieve this. It would be good to win it this season, I have to keep scoring as many points as possible and I will have a chance.

“Cardiff is very big for me, I think this is my third time and I know its massive. I have won at Bydgoszcz and in Gothenburg. In Prague I got to the final so this has been good for me and I am happy with my speedway. Now this week we go to Cardiff and I am ready 100% and I will be going there to win.

“In Prague I scored 17 points which is very good for me and I want to do the same in Cardiff. I want even more points but I know I have to score well in every Grand Prix and I think I will do that.

“The GP in Cardiff is very big as there are so many fans who come and watch, they are so loud as well. The atmosphere is always very good so that makes it very enjoyable and it would be awesome to win there. “I don’t have any pressure on me as its only speedway. I have waited many years to lead the world championship and this year I have a chance. I just want to keep working like I have before this season and I think it will work out good.

“I think this year is the best chance for me to win a world championship. Tai Woffinden has been a really good rider so far this season, in the league and in the GP’s. I think he also has a good chance of winning the world title. “This season is really hard because we don’t get double points for reaching the final so it will be very close throughout the season for everybody but I want to be the one come the end of the season who has more points than anyone else.”

HANCOCK

GREG

Standing on the top of the podium at Cardiff would be any young riders dream and things don’t change as you get older. Double world champion Greg Hancock knows the feeling of winning at Cardiff and is something he hopes to replicate come Saturday night. Hancock celebrates his 43rd birthday two days after the event and victory at the Millennium Stadium would be the perfect way to start the party. Greg said “The British Grand Prix is just incredible, its the biggest crowd of the season and you always get such a wide range of fans. Because so many of the riders have ridden in the British league, on and off throughout their career, they build up a fan base from their clubs.

to. He’s not just stepped his game up he’s over stepped his own boundaries this season and raising the game for the youngsters. “I’ve always liked the kid and I know that he is out to do this as much for himself as he is for his late father who gave him a good start and a good shot at the game. He is obviously missing him a lot but everything he is doing is showing his true colours and I am very proud of him.” Like many of the Grand Prix riders Greg has turned down the chance to race in the UK this year and has indeed for the last few years. Although he has said in the past he wouldn’t rule out a return to the UK its looking increasingly likely that we have seen the last of the popular American in league racing in the UK.

“Every British fan just seems to show up at Cardiff and suddenly it’s this wall of noise. To stand on the top of the podium in that place is unreal and the noise when you do just echos around the whole stadium. Its as close as we could probably get to replicating the atmosphere of the old Wembley that everybody talks about.

“I will never ever exclude the chance of coming back and racing in the UK completely. However with the way things are now it won’t happen soon. Things changed when I moved my base to Sweden and set up camp there.

“It is pretty much a home from home for me. I rode in the UK for so long for a few clubs and its the one event where I see the most American flags or people coming out to support me, screaming my name when I go out there. I’m really grateful for that and appreciate how much the fans have stood by me.

“The racing in the UK is so hectic, there is so many meetings going on. It tends to take me away from home to much. Its a lot to fit into a schedule which for me is already important and demanding. Sweden and Poland for me are two very important leagues, they require a lot more motivation and hard work.

“It’s awesome, I can’t say anything negative at all about the whole event. The way they market the event is fantastic and the countdown to Cardiff has became the biggest thing in speedway every year. We obviously have the World Championship but Cardiff is another level within that. Nothing has really compared to it yet, it really is an awesome weekend out . The stadium is situated in the middle of town and the city is packed from Friday onwards, it turns into a speedway heaven for a couple of days.

“I have watched these leagues grow and grow, they have got to such a high standard. I like the fact I can focus on two leagues and race 75 events a season compared to 120 or so I would need to do if I rode in England.

“It’s nuts but if anyone has a weekend off they should be heading to Cardiff for the party. “Its so important for me to have a good weekend and not lose grasp of a shot at the world title this year. I have had a couple of rounds that have been well below par for my own standards mostly because I have had some little injuries but I am getting back to feeling good again now. Theres no better place to start going well than at Cardiff. I know the track and stadium very well. I love to go there and I want to make that my most positive inspiration. “I’ve been so impressed with the younger guys this year, Tai Woffinden has been amazing. I’m not surprised at how well he is doing but I am surprised at the level he has taken it

“Its nice to sleep in your own bed, go training and spend time with the family. All these things have to be factured into it. I like it the way I have it now, I have cut the expenses down and it works really well for me. “The talk has went on forever about squad systems. I know Colin Pratt tried to start this way back when and everyone laughed at him but the more you see it now I don’t think people are laughing so much. “It would definitely tempt guys like myself to do more meetings and ride in the UK because I could select some and work out so I would be at my best instead of flying into a race when you haven’t slept for days on end. “I think it would be a great thing to introduce squad systems in the UK. I can’t say it would be the answer to it all but that’s just a riders point of view.”

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Tai Woffinden heads into the British Grand Prix in the form of his career. The Scunthorpe based racer carries the weight of the nations expectation on his shoulders, after lifting his first ever British crown last month in a flawless display and followed it up with victory at the Czech GP in Prague. The Wolverhampton man’s form this season has been nothing short of stunning and in the Grand Prix’s leading up to this weekends GP in Cardiff, he has looked to be one of the quickest riders in the series. Woffinden sits in second place in the overall World standings behind Russian Emil Sayfutdinov. No one could have predicted how well he has done so far in the series. There were many

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who were sceptical about him being handed a wild card place for this years championship. After four rounds, there is no one questioning the young mans capabilities about being able to compete at the highest stage and now the critics and sceptics are asking the question. Can he sustain his form and actually challenge for the world title? Tai has no interest in talking about World titles and insists his goals in the Grand Prix’s are still the same as they were at the start of the campaign. “I have been going really good, it has been a great a start to the season. The British Grand Prix is going to be huge, I really want to give the fans something to shout and scream about. I’m feeling awesome but I have to take every meeting as it comes and score as many points as I can. “The British Championship and Czech GP wins I haven’t really thought about to be honest. They were just another

FIND

meeting but they gave me awesome pride to win but I have to carry the form on. I watched the GP back last week for the first time but I have to look forward. “My goal for this season is still to make the top 8, I don’t want to try and run before I can walk. I want to go into the British Grand Prix and do exactly what I have done in all the GP’s so far, score as many points as I can in my heats and hopefully reach the semi’s and see where the night takes us from there. “I am riding the exact same engines I was using last year, I am just more focused and more determined. I have stepped up my training this year and it looks to be paying off. “Down time this season has been good, its just as important as racing, It gets pretty tough. Some weeks we could have Poole on a Wednesday, fly to the GP Thursday, Practice Friday, Grand Prix Saturday, Poland Sunday, Wolverhampton on the Monday so adding in Sweden this season on a Tuesday just wasn’t for me. Freddie Lindgren and Chris Holder do it but I don’t know how they can do it. “I don’t really look at what other people are doing though I try to concentrate on my own work. The only time I see speedway is when I watch

from home or at the track. When I have free time I don’t look at my Twitter, I might post something but I don’t read what people say about me as I want to be fully concentrated on my racing. “My focus this year has changed but I can’t tell you how I’ve done it because people might want to copy what I’m doing!! (Laughs) “Every meeting I go to, I am 100% committed to racing as hard as I can. I go to every meeting looking to score as many points as I can and Saturday at Cardiff will be no different. Go in, score some points and give the fans something to cheer about. “I still have plenty of space on the bike for new sponsors, its something we are always looking for. I am always looking for ways to train harder and I am always looking to be more consistent in meetings as well, everyone strives for perfection. There is always room for improvement though.” Tai maybe striving for perfection but with 40,000 screaming British fans cheering him on lets hope he sees it as his moment to shine and give us that British winner we have been striving for since 2007, The roof will come off the Millennium Stadium if he does. SPEEDWAY365.COM // 7

GARYHAVELOCK 1992 WORLD CHAMPION & CURRENT COVENTRY BEES MANAGER TALKS US THROUGH THE 16 RIDERS

Gary Havelock is one exrider who knows that feeling of standing at the top of the rostrum as the world champion. In 1992 Gary won his one and only World crown in a rain soaked Wroclaw in a night that defined his career. As the build up to Cardiff begins and the nerves start to creep in Gary is only to aware of the feelings going through each riders mind. Looking ahead to Saturday, Gary gives us his take on the field and their chances of glory in the Welsh capital. Chris Holder: He has a really good chance, he has won at Cardiff before and knows what it takes to win there. He is used to the atmosphere as anyone can be. He has a slow start by his own high standards but he will be in there fighting to be on that podium. Greg Hancock: What an unbelievable career Greg has had. To be still racing at world level at his age is just remarkable and he is a guy that no one can write off in the GP’s. His style is suited to the man made tracks, they are small and technical and that suits Greg.

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Tomasz Gollob: The enigma that is Mr Gollob! He is another that to be still competing at the highest level at his age is remarkable. He always been the same, he’s either unbelievably brilliant or slightly rubbish. He is a big confidence rider and when he isn’t confident he doesn’t seem to be able to perform. He started off the series pretty well but in the last GP in Prague he let himself down on a track he should do better on. He’s like what Forest Gump said, he’s like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get. Nicki Pedersen: All the way through his career he has been unbelievable. In my opinion Nicki isn’t blessed with the greatest amount of natural talent, he’s probably one of the least talented guys in the GP’s. To win the world titles he has and to be so consistent in the GP’s is testament to him. What he lacks in natural talent he more than makes up for in professionalism, guts and determination. Love him or hate him he can pull a crowd, people will buy a ticket to see him. Half will love him half will hate him but he puts bums on seats. The grand prix’s would be a much poorer show without Nicki. Emil Sayfutdinov: He has done amazing considering everything that is going on in his personal life. He burst on to the scene a couple of years ago and big things were expected of him but he had a couple of nasty injuries that set him back. This year though he seems to be back at his

brilliant best. He is making gates and riding the tracks a lot smoother than he did in the past, he could be accused of being a bit erratic in the past but now he has it sorted and he seems to have the full package. Come the end of the season I am sure he will be there or there abouts for the top places on that podium. Antonio Lindback: He is a guy I’ve known since he was 16 when he came into my Swedish team. In Marsana he joined me, Tony Rickardsson, Leigh Adams in a reserve position. Right from the start he was an amazing talent, a bit wild back then but the talent was there. I remember one time we rode against Tomasz Gollob’s team who came to our track. Antonio dived underneath Mr G and ended up putting him three rows in the crowd. He has matured since then, he hasn’t had the best of starts but he proved last year that he is capable of winning GP’s and competing against the very best. Freddie Lindgren: He is fantastic in league racing, whenever you see him he is always dominating races and scoring maximums but when it comes to the GP’s, he struggles a little. He hit some form in last years series but has yet to recapture that this year. Maybe its a case of over racing but he has the talent to come in and do well at Cardiff. Andreas Jonsson: Another guy I’ve known really well for years and another who has really struggled since the start of the season. I know one of my old mechanics in Sweden came in to help AJ just before the Swedish GP and told him his

set-up’s were all wrong. They are now going back to the set-up’s they had a couple of years ago, so I am expecting him to start hitting form in the not so distant future. He is one to watch at Cardiff. Krzysztof Kasprzak: If a British rider can’t win at Cardiff I want it to be a Coventry rider and Krysztof has all the talent to go out and do well. He is very much a confidence rider. When he is a bit down on confidence or he doesn’t feel his bike is right he can look terrible at times but when he gets it right, he is phenomenally fast. He can beat anyone in the world at anytime and had a good GP at Cardiff last year so he is definitely going to be one to keep an eye on. Jaroslaw Hampel: I think Jaroslaw is a rider who has slightly under achieved in his career so far. I know he had a bad injury last year but he should have won more by that point anyway. When he is on form and in full flow he is fantastic to watch, he rides the bike really nice and really neat. He generates a lot of speed because he keeps his wheels in line very well. He’s won GP’s and won world cup’s but you think by now he would have worked it out what its all about to get himself a world championship. He has the talent and skill to win. I hope he does well as he’s a nice kid. Neils Kristen-Iversen: Last year he was the best rider in the world on league form, top of the averages everywhere he rode. You would think a guy like Neils with his kind of form would be able

to fit right into the GP’s but it just proves how difficult these meetings are. There is no reason why he can’t beat these guys in GP meetings, maybe its just a case of getting settled in but I think once he does, he will be making semi-finals on a regular basis. Watch this space. Matej Zagar: I have been very impressed with Matej’s start to the series. He was one I wondered about at the start of the season, he never really done it at world level for me. He has been a good league rider but had never stepped up. This year he seems be doing very well, his league form is good and he is performing brilliantly at the highest level. He will no doubt be looking for more semi’s and finals to secure his top 8 position come the end of the season. Martin Vaculik: Cardiff is an unbelievable venue and is the biggest test of anyone’s personality, although he won the first GP he ever rode, this will be his biggest test. He exploded onto the scene last year and I was really impressed, I had been noticing his scores across Europe and thought he might be one to watch and he could step up. He did really well last year but maybe he is feeling the pressure of being a full time GP rider this season. He has the talent to do well and maybe Cardiff could be the inspiration he needs to kick start his series. Darcy Ward: He is going to be a huge miss. Talent wise he is the best rider in the Grand Prix series. I think at his age he is the best rider I have ever seen ride a speedway bike. Some of the things he can do on a bike are mind blowing, half the time I’m not sure even he knows how he is pulling them off. I really don’t think he realises how good he is, he is still very young and has such a great chance of achieving greatness in this sport.

He could challenge Ivan Mauger and Tony Rickardsson for the title of the best speedway rider ever, thats how highly I rate him. If he gets focused away from the track he will be the best rider who ever lived. Tai Woffinden: He must be going into Cardiff with huge confidence. He has been flying the full season every where he has been and is breaking track records all over Europe. To win your first GP is massive and is a huge shot in the arm. He is past the stage of ‘I know I can beat these guys’ because he has beaten them all on any given day but to beat them all consistently and get to semi-finals and finals and win, takes him to another level. Prague was one of the best displays I have ever seen from a British rider and if he can keep himself together I’m sure he’ll be challenging come the end of the season for the Championship. He is without a doubt a contender for the World Championship, there is no point going in just for experience. When you get in there you want to win. I know that from personal experience. He has a focus this year that I haven’t seen from him before. I watched him at Coventry and when he was in the pits you could see him getting ready for his races mentally and he looked like a rider who is in the zone and this could be his time. The penny has dropped and although its a long old season he is in there with a chance. Chris Harris: I think Bomber will do well, he will pull out his usual Cardiff form and be in there battling. What can I say about Bomber, he was never blessed with good gating ability and that has been his downfall his full career. For guts and determination and sheer will to win, I don’t think there is anyone who can match him. I would love to see him do well.

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Grand Prix Sereis So Far... One of the most anticipated Grand Prix series since it’s birth back in 1995 certainly hasn’t disappointed – not least because heading into Cardiff Tai Woffinden is just a point short of current leader Emil Sayfutdinov. The series has seen its highs and lows throughout the opening four rounds; with most notably Darcy Ward’s confirmation of a fractured shoulder blade following the third round at Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium. Also battered and bruised, is three time world champion Nicki Pedersen, who is using a silicon brace to support his broken forearm sustained in a crash during the semi final stage of the Swedish Grand Prix. Injuries aside though, there are moments of endeavour, toughness and inspiration as 15 of the worlds best riders battle for that all important prize of becoming world champion – and the best part is we’re not even half way through yet! The opening round took place in New Zealand – staged at the natural amphitheatre that is Western Springs in Auckland. With a field full of both class and experience everyone anticipated the best series in recent memory.

wins, whilst Gollob secured second with Pedersen third. Despite the win though, due to the change in rules regarding double points in the final, Hampel was joint top at the summit of the table with Gollob on 15 points. The series returned to Europe four weeks later in Bydgoszcz for the European Grand Prix. Having not hosted a GP since 2010, Bydgoszcz was a popular choice of venue amongst locals as fans packed out the traditional stadium routing for a home victory. It looked promising as home icon Tomasz Gollob forced his way past Nicki Pedersen in the pairs opening rides in typical Gollob style. Pass after pass resumed as Pedersen was once again involved in the thick of the action when fending off Tai Woffinden in heat 8 in the first of many stand out races. Pedersen’s commitment was repeated once more in heat 11 as the Dane fended off Jaroslaw Hampel in heat 11 to move Pedersen onto 7 points from his opening three rides. However the race of the night occurred in heat 15 as Sayfutdinov and Woffinden traded blows on several occasions – only for Woffinden to run out eventual winner when cutting back on the Russian on the final bend. Heat 20 saw the battle of the Aussies as Darcy Ward squeezed past Chris Holder to get the better of the reigning champion as the business end of the meeting began.

Despite the lack of overtaking, Western Springs did, once again, produce a handful of memorable races; most notably heat 20 which involved a race long scrap between the series youngster of Emil Sayfutdinov and Darcy Ward. Tai Woffinden made a solid start to his comeback campaign in the series whilst the familiar faces of Holder, Hancock, Gollob, Pedersen and Hampel joined Ward and Jonsson in the semi final stages.

Firstly Gollob won semi final 1 ahead of Zagar and a helpless Holder who appeared to struggle for pace. Then the youngsters of Woffinden, Sayfutdinov and Ward were all involved in a three way scrap in the second semi final with Sayfutdinov eventually winning ahead of Woffinden who stamped his authority on Ward during lap three.

Semi Final 1 saw Jaroslaw Hampel blast around both Pedersen and Ward off the unfavourable gate 4 as Pedersen tucked in for second with Ward and Woffinden failing to progress. Jonsson went from first to last in semi final 2 as Gollob and Hancock made their way into the final.

The final saw Russian sensational Emil Sayfutdinov move inside Slovenian racer Matej Zagar to pick up his first GP win since his debut season back in 2009. The win for Emil however only put him in 6th position following a poor first round as Gollob led by 6 clear points ahead of Ward, Hampel and Woffinden.

Hampel then went on to win the GP with a routine win off of the popular gate 1, which produced 15 race

Gothenburg’s Ullevi Stadium once again hosted the Swedish GP for round three of the series. Despite a slow

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start, wheel to wheel action quickly resumed as world champion Chris Holder won his opening rides. However the meeting shall be remembered for two separate incidents as Darcy Ward fractured his shoulder blade in heat 6 whilst attempting to pass Chris Holder – Ward was taken to hospital where the fracture was confirmed, the former world under 21 champion targeted the Danish GP on June 29 as his comeback date – 8 weeks after his crash. Whilst Hampel and Holder made their way through into the final, Woffinden and Pedersen were involved in a horror first bend pile up in semi final 2. Woffinden made the better start, however a determined Pedersen denied the Brit a way past as elbows traded. Both riders then lost control of their machines and piled into the safety fence at high speed. It was confirmed after the meeting that Pedersen suffered a break in his forearm, whilst Woffinden escaped relatively unhurt. Unaware of his injury though, Pedersen continued as he went on to make the grand final alongside Sayfutdinov who eventually found a way past the Dane. The final saw Hampel completely miss the start as he was overhauled by Holder in the first turn, however Sayfutdinov hunted down the champion and made his move on the last lap to earn himself back to back GP wins, something that hasn’t been done since Jason Crump back in 2006. The win for Sayfutdinov moved him up the standings into 2nd as Gollob still led, despite a poor GP by his own high standards. Hampel joined Sayfutdinov on 38 with Woffinden waiting in the wings on 35. The Marketa Stadium hosted the Czech GP for the 17th time running as Sayfutdinov aimed to become the first person to win three back to back GP’s in seven years. Iron man Nicki Pedersen raced on with a broken forearm, however first reserve Ales Dryml was brought in to replace the unfortunate Darcy Ward. Tomasz Gollob quickly lost his status as world championship leader as consecutive last places summed up a disappointing

night for the Pole – who picked up just three points. Woffinden won his opening four rides, whilst main championship rival Sayfutdinov dropped just one point heading into a mouth watering heat 17. Sayfutdinov won the race whilst Woffinden settled for third behind Hancock. The major surprise though was Chris Holder who failed to make the semi final stage after only collecting 7 points in total despite a win in his opening ride. Also missing out were Greg Hancock, Niels Kristian Iversen and Antonio Lindback, whose poor form continued. The major surprise though was Krzysztof Kasprzak who, off of the unfavourable gate 4, moved inside both Lindgren and Jonsson to earn himself a spot in the final, with Sayfutdinov who won from the gate. British fans were lifted when Tai Woffinden won by the width of a tyre over Nicki Pedersen in semi final 2. Pedersen led the entire race until the dying metres where Woffinden cut back off the final bend to earn himself a crucial extra championship point. Sayfutdinov opted for gate 2 in the final, leaving Woffinden with the inside, drama unfolded as both Sayfutdinov and Woffinden touched the tapes. The Russian moved first and was consequently excluded leaving Woffinden left with the task of beating Pedersen and Kasprzak. In the re run Woffinden made the start and left Kasprzak and Pedersen to squabble over second place. Eventually Pedersen hit the deck on the last lap, though the move was judged clean, as Kasprzak claimed his first GP podium since Cardiff last year. Sayfutdinov still led the world championship, however now only by a point as Woffinden closed the gap heading into the greatest Speedway event on earth – the British GP in Cardiff. There’s an eight point gap between Woffinden and Hampel whilst Pedersen, Gollob and Holder have also reached the 40 point mark.

2013 GRAND PRIX STANDINGS

2013 GRAND PRIX WINNERS

RIDER

EMIL SAYFUTDINOV

MARCH 23, 2013

Tai woffinden

1. JAROSLAW HAMPEL

jaroslaw hampel

nicki pedersen

tomasz gollob

chris holder

matej zagar

greg hancock

niels-kristian iversen

fredrik lindgren

andreas jonsson

Krzysztof Kasprzak

Darcy Ward

Antonio Lindback

may 18, 2013

Martin Vaculik

1. tai woffinden

ALES DRYML

NEW ZEALAND GRAND PRIX

2. TOMASZ GOLLOB 3. NICKI PEDERSEN

EUROPEAN GRAND PRIX APRIL 20, 2013

1. EMIL SAYFUTDINOV 2. matej zagar 3. tomasz gollob

swedish GRAND PRIX may 4, 2013

1. emil sayfutdinov 2. chris holder 3. NICKI PEDERSEN

czech republic GRAND PRIX

2. Krzysztof Kasprzak 3. NICKI PEDERSEN

SPEEDWAY365.COM // 11

COMMENTATING DUO

PEARSON&TATUM

EUROSPORT’S NIGEL PEARSON AND KELVIN TATUM PREVIEW THE MOUTHWATERING BRITISH GRAND PRIX Tai Woffinden was truly sensational in Prague, not only winning the Grand Prix, but scoring the highest point’s total of any round this year; this surely cements his place as one of the favourites for this year’s series? NP: He’s still trying to keep his feet firmly on the ground, I speak to Tai quite a lot as he is based in the UK. I spoke to him on Monday after the Prague success and he still says his priority is to assure himself of a place in the top eight next season, but it’s getting to the stage now where he may have to re-evaluate his targets. I assume his next target will be a top five place, the next would then be a top three place and then who knows, maybe the top of the lot. But that’s a long way off at the moment, we are only a third of the way through the season, there is still eight rounds to go and anything can happen. It’s great to see, it’s fantastic for British racing, it’s fantastic for Cardiff. For the first time since the year 2000, when Mark Loram won the world title, Great Britain actually has a rider that is a genuine contender. It’s a remarkable transformation of Tai’s career, and his life. KT: Yes, you could look at it this way, I am a little more cautious than that, I’d love to think that he could go on and win the World Championship this year, but there is a long way to go, but certainly at this stage, his form is superb and he is deservedly where he is,// it’sSPEEDWAY365.COM no fluke that’s for sure. 12

We spoke about the rivalry between the younger riders and the more experienced riders. At the moment, the young guns seem to be stealing the show, with the likes of Sayfutdinov and Woffinden far surpassing the performances of Hancock and Gollob, however, do you think the experience of the likes of Pedersen and Hancock will play a bigger part later on in the season? NP: Yes I do, obviously Nicki at the moment is riding with a lot of pain, he has that brace fitted on to his arm, because he is riding with a broken bone in his arm, and I have to take my hat off to what he achieved in Prague. The more experienced like Nicki and Tomasz have Grand Prix win’s in them, but there is no denying that Emil and Tai right now, are the front runners. I was looking at the beginning of the season at riders like Antonio Lindback making a go at the title, but he has been inconsistent, Jarek Hampel is inconsistent, the biggest difference between Woffinden and Sayfutdinov to the rest, is that they are performing on a consistent basis, they are making starts. You have to admire Emil as well, riding in Prague and getting to the final just two weeks after his dad tragically passed away. We are talking about Woffinden all the time, you cannot forget the likes of Nicki riding with a broken arm and Emil riding in a difficult time for him. I feel sorry for Darcy Ward, I really thought he would be a contender for a Grand Prix win this stage,

I hope to see him back after the Speedway World Cup, and hopefully he can play some part and joining the young guns in winning a Grand Prix towards the end of the season. Its very refreshing to see, with all due respect to the older guard of Greg, Nicki and Tomasz, they are still great to watch. KT: It may do, both Hancock and Gollob are in their 40’s, and there does come a time where you find it a bit more difficult, and you will drop down the table. They are under pressure to come up with some top performances in the upcoming Grand Prix, otherwise their chances of being champion will disappear. Hancock has been injured, and you could say he hasn’t been at his best in the last two GP’s, but you couldn’t rule him out, i’m certainly not! It will be difficult with the likes of Emil and Tai riding on a very high level. Freddie Lindgren upped his performance in Prague, getting his first Grand Prix win of the series, do you think he can potentially challenge for a podium place? Or has he left it too late? NP: I think he could potentially do it, but we are a third of the way through. I think that the main issue with Freddie is confidence, and I do believe that getting the first win out of the way will give him a lot of confidence. He is facing a make or break Grand Prix in Cardiff, if he does well, he can kick on and do

well for the rest of the year, but if he doesn’t, he will struggle. KT: He will be hoping so, because last year he rode very well. Making his breakthrough victory was important and he started to look like an established Grand Prix rider for the first time this season. He has started poorly, Freddie has got qualities and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him on the podium in the very near future. Ahead of the British GP, let’s talk about the wild card selection, Chris Harris, who won here in 2007. It was dubbed as the greatest moment of British Speedway in the last decade, what do you think he chances are this year? NP: Well it’s going to take something special. By Chris’s own admission, he is not riding at his best for his Elite League club Birmingham, I don’t think he’s done a lot of meetings this year, he seems to be low on confidence, even though the team he rides for in Birmingham are flying at the moment, they have got a reserve who is carrying a lot of points for them, but Chris at number one, hasn’t delivered enough points for them this season. He needs his bike setup to be absolutely spot on in Cardiff, there are a lot of things that need to fall into place in order for Chris to make it happen. It’s a tall order in his current form, but I really do wish him well and hope he has a great Grand Prix and at least makes the semi-finals.

KT: His form is not fantastic, he rode well in the British Final, finishing third overall, he was certainly ver motivated and he gave it his best. Chris has suggested that he would like to get back in to the World Championships, and I don’t see many other oppurtunities to show the organisers his form, so it’s a massive opportunity for him. I would like to think he will make a semi-final, I don’t know whether he is in the form that would see him win the Grand Prix, I think he needs to up it again if he going to do that. I was working in Cardiff in 2007 when he won, and it was a fantastic evening. The track conditions were difficult, Greg Hancock was full of speed in the final, Harris hadn’t made a start all night, but he carved and worked his way through the traffic to win on the final corner in front of a packed house at the Millennium Stadium. I would like to think we will experience something very similar next week, with Woffinden’s form, winning last time out and sitting one points of the top spot overall, it checks out very nicely. Chris Holder won here last year, a race in which he dominated his rivals, and really put him one step closer to winning the championship. He must be one of the favourites going into Cardiff, having two British GP wins under his belt already? NP: The track now is good, in the early days of Cardiff is was unpredictable, the organisers hadn’t really got it sorted, but right now the temporary tracks they do are better than ever. The dimensions of thwe track and the material on the track means that the riders know what to expect, so there is no reason why Chris can’t do well. I expect Emil and Tai to have another good race; Tai will enjoy riding Cardiff because it’s a track that is very similar to his home ground at

Wolverhampton. There is no reason why Chris Holder can’t have one of his best rounds of the season. KT: Yes, his form at this track would suggest that he would be well and truly there. He had a disappointing Grand Prix in Prague, it has been a solid, not spectacular start to his Grand Prix campaign this year, but as you say, his form at Cardiff is absolutely brilliant and I’m sure Chris will love to win there again. You can’t rule him out. The British GP has been held in the Millennium Stadium since 2001, what are your best personal experiences from Cardiff? NP: I attended the press conference in 2000 with Terry Russell and John Postlewaite and they share this vision of what could be done to bring Speedway into the Millennium Stadium, and it’s a remarkable achievement. The highlights for me have to include the first year back in 2001, where I stood on the infield and was the stadium announcer for the night, I wasn’t working on television that night, I had to stand in front of nearly 50,000 fans and announce the riders, so that was quite a moment, I remember I couldn’t eat all day I was so nervous, but it was an absolute privilege to do that, on the first Grand Prix in Cardiff, to actually stand on the infield and announce the riders. Also there was the one year where Tony Rickardsson performed what can only be described as Speedway’s version of the Wall of Death where he went round the bend and was actually riding off the fence, it really was a truly remarkable sight to see someone doing that. And then of course, Chris Harris in 2007, when he got Greg Hancock on the line, a British winner at Cariff, it was just a fantastic moment.

KT: It’s the best show of the year, it’s a hell of an event, not just a Speedway meeting. There is a wonderful atmosphere, I think that the British fans and supporters bring that extra element; they are a very knowledgeable audience. Riders definitely up there performances here, every rider will want to say they have won at Cardiff. Every time you come here it’s magnificent, you can’t actually believe it’s a football stadium, it seems to be perfect for motorsport events. It’s one of those place you walk out the tunnel, into the auditorium and it’s just something else, you think, ‘this is what it’s all about’, and I have seen some dramatic scenes there. We are expecting to see close to 40,000 fans at Cardiff, making it one of the highlights of the Speedway calendar, and with Woffinden in such great form, this is surely one of the best opportunities to get a British rider on the podium here on home soil? NP: It is a great opportunity, not just for Cardiff but for the World Championship overall. We are expecting 40,000+, I tell you at this rate, the way people are talking about young Woffinden, it could be 50,000+. There is that much interest in Woffinden and the Grand Prix, and it’s great to see. British Speedway itself, and British league racing has gone through a tough time with the recession, it’s difficult to attract new supporters, whereas now, I hope Woffinden’s success can help British Speedway on the domestic front as well. I was at Wembley last weekend for the League one playoff, and Wembley is a magnificent stadium, there is no doubt about that, but I prefer going to Cardiff. It’s about the all-round experience, you’ve got the restaurants, the bars, you’ve got the Castle, and everything is within walking distance of the stadium. What I like the most is the Fanzone that the BSI have set-up, it reminds me of the old traditional FA Cup final days, where all

the fans from all over the country and Europe are there in the main street, mixing with each other, fantastic atmosphere and that is all part of the build-up from 10 o’clock in the morning up until the start time. This is where Speedway shows its true colours of being a fantastic family sport. I am really looking forward to Cardiff, it’s going to be great. Bring it on! KT: Yes, it’s the sort of track that will suit Tai. Obviously he will be under the spotlight, after winning in Prague, and just one point of the top of the World Championship, so leading up to it, he will be giving interviews and he is doing his cycle ride, so I do hope he manages to keep himself focussed. He rides at Wolverhampton in the Elite league which is a tight track. Cardiff is the first smaller track we experience in the World Champs this year. The racing is very close, there is going to be a lot more contact than there was in previous rounds, certainly going in to the first corner, you might see more restarts as riders crash into each other. It’s a more technically demanding circuit. Finally, who do you think is going to win this week’s British GP? NP: Emil Sayfutdinov, Chris Holder, Tai Woffinden, Nicki Pedersen KT: Tai Woffinden, Chris Holder, Nicki Pedersen, Jarek Hampel British Eurosport will broadcast exclusive LIVE coverage from every round of the Speedway Grand Prix in high definition including the British GP from Cardiff. Coverage starts Saturday 4.30pm on British Eurosport 2 HD or via the Eurosport Player. www.eurosportplayer.co.uk Saturday 1 June 1630-2000 LIVE Speedway GP from Cardiff on British Eurosport 2 HD SPEEDWAY365.COM // 13

BRITISH GRAND PRIX PAST WINNERS The Cardiff Years

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