Post by PLUSTAR on Jun 5, 2010 17:29:18 GMT 1
« on: December 12, 2009, 12:44:22 PM »
QUESTIONS FROM LEX
Q DID YOU ENJOY YOUR TIME AT GLASGOW TIGERS
GS - I really enjoyed my time racing in the tigers race jacket. Glasgow gave me the opportunity to pick up my career in Britain, after I broke my back at Coventry in 2000. At that time there was limited interest in me as my average was 10.72 towards the beginning of 2002 season. During my time at Glasgow I had many ups and downs but the promotion, fans and team spirit always helped me through. I made many friends during my 4.5 years as a Glasgow rider and also met my fiance Lauren too.
Q WHAT WAS YOUR BEST MEETING RIDING FOR TIGERS
GS I had so many good meetings with Glasgow that it is hard to pick one. I always tried my best for the team that gave me a chance. There were many instances where league meetings were very close and we managed to win them in heat 13 and 15. Also the Pairs and Ashfield Classics will always stay in my mind.
Q DID YOU ENJOY RIDING IN THE LOCAL DERBIES AGAINST MONARCHS
GS I was extremely fortunate to experience riding for both sides of the Scottish Derby which as a rider enjoyed being part of the excitement between the two cities. I enjoyed riding both tracks. I tried to ride 100% against any team for Glasgow so I didn't feel any more pressure riding in the Glasgow V Edinburgh matches. As riders we are all friends so there was more rivalry between the fans than the riders. I was one of the lucky riders I was in the winning side for both Glasgow and Edinburgh!!
Q HOW MANY CLUBS DID YOU RACE FOR
GS Britain - Sheffield 1994-1995
Wolverhampton 1996-1999 (PL Champions & KO Cup 1996)
Coventry 2000
Glasgow 2002-2005 and 2007
Newcastle 2006 and 2008
Edinburgh 2007
Ipswich and Wolverhampton 2005
Poland - Gdansk 1993-1994
Bydgoszcz 1999
Germany - Neuenknick 1994-1996
Brokstedt 2000-2002 (Bundesliga Champions 2001)
Sweden - Bysarna 1999-2001 (League Champions 2001)
Indianerna 2000
Rospiggarna 2003
Czecho - Plzen 1992-1996 (Extra League Champions 1994)
Slany 1997-2006 (Extra League Champions 2005/2006)
I was luck to make a number of guest appearance for many teams also.
Even although my career has ended, I am still a Glasgow Asset.
Q BEST TEAM PARTNER YOU RACED WITH
GS There are too many names whom I enjoyed riding with but when you weigh up the points won and knowing how another rider is on track, I would say Shane Parker was the most reliable on a bike during my time at Glasgow. However my long time friend James Grieves I rode with many times for Glasgow, Newcastle and Wolverhampton. I didn't always know where he was on the track but we won many races together.
Q WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW YOU STOPPED RACING
GS - At the moment Lauren and I are getting to know our beautiful little girl Mia Amalka who was born on 4th December so most of my time is taken up with her at the moment! I work full time and have taken up moto crossing as my hobby. I also enjoy playing football on a regular basis and a spot of golf during the summer months.
Q WORST AWAY TRACK YOU RACED ON
GS I generally keep an open mind when it came to riding away tracks but when Hull opened in 1995 (the new track) I didn't like the surface for racing as it is the same texture as Italian tracks. But when they changed the surface a few years later I really enjoyed racing there.
I remember Exeter was the worst prepared track I have ever raced on in 2002 season. The weather was 30+oc and when we arrived at the stadium we couldn't believe our eyes, you would have thought there had been at least 3 hours of rain. The track was very wet. Normally Exeter was known to be a bumpy and scary track but this day it was just totally over watered. Glasgow raced under protest but the referee was adamant the meeting must go ahead. We didn't score very many points that day, about 23. However believe it or not, I scored 15 points from 6 rides and I had the fastest time of the season down there!
Q NAME THE HARDEST RIDER YOU RACED AGAINST
GS - Every rider could put up a fight on their day, no one in particular springs to mind. If you are in heat 13 or 15 it is always hard against the top riders especially if the team needs the points. Riders never forget, so if you do something nasty to them accidently or not, they may retaliate so you always have to be aware. Every race is different, depends of various things such as track or conditions.
Q WORST INJURY IN CAREER
GS - My worst injury was 24 June 2000 I was racing for Coventry against Ipswich. I was racing in front and we were fighting for first place when I clipped the other rider and we slid off, we were fine and picking our bikes up when Jason Bunyan came from behind (he was half a lap behind us) and he crashed into me and I broke my coccix. But that year I was back on the bike on 9th August in Czecho for practise and I returned to Britain on 28th August when I crashed on the first bend with two other riders and I ended up back in hospital with muscle damage and that was the end of my luck that season.
QUESTIONS BY GRASSCUTTER
Q YOU WON THE PAIRS AT ASHFIELD YOU MUST HAVE BEEN HAPPY THAT DAY
GS Of course.......the pairs that year was a great day. We were the favourites because the meeting was at Glasgow, however two weeks before Shane broke his collar bone and I was having a couple of bike problems. But on the day we somehow managed to pull out all the stops and beat Somerset in the final. Both Shane and I were so proud to do this for the Glasgow fans and the management because the last major honour for Glasgow had been the League win in 1993-1994.
Q YOU RETIRED AT ANY EARLY AGE FROM THE SPORT WHERE THEY A WEE FALL-OUT OR WHERE YOU NOT ASKED BACK THE NEXT SEASON
GS There were no fall outs. The decision to retire from the sport was entirely my decision. I crashed at S****horpe at the start of 2008 and injured my collar bone. It took a while to recover from that injury and I came back to race at the end of May, however at the back of my mind was the injuries to two of my closest friends, David McAllan and Garry Stead. When I was racing I kept thinking of that and about the other riders who were racing with me and if we were going to crash. I wasn't comfortable on my bike anymore and I knew that when that happened it was time to stop racing before I did get hurt. I did ask Newcastle to replace me in July because I felt I wasn't doing my best for the team and that was my job. They tried to keep me and couldn't find anyone to fill my position. I did stay with them and try to find my confidence again but my final league meeting ended up being at Edinburgh (a track that I love) on 12th September when I made my decision after my 3rd ride to retire. I did however ride one more time for Neil Collins at his Farewell Meeting in Stoke which I had agreed to do before my decision. I had a fabulous speedway career racing for 17 years in many countries and for many teams. I was lucky to be in a few league winning teams too. Since 1991-2008 I rode in 974 meetings and I managed 31 maximums and 20 paid maximums. I have been asked by a few teams to return to ride for them but I have made up my mind that I won't be returning to speedway competitively, however I'm not saying I will never ride again. My aim was to retire still as a heat leader and I did that.
Q IF A OFFER CAME IN WOULD YOU CONSIDER A RETURN TO THE SPORT YOU LOVED
GS See question above.
Q YOU MUST HAVE BEING PROUD OFF YOUR DAD WORLD-FINALIST-AND OTHER BIG EVENTS DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE FOLLOWED HIM TO THE BIGGER STAGE
GS Of course I wanted to be the world champion and follow in his footsteps but it was so hard to be the son of the greatest rider ever in old Czechoslovakia, everyone expected me to be the same as him and ride like him. We had very different riding styles. My Dad was there for me through everything, he was my Manager, Mechanic, Tuner and my travel companion. He taught me everything I know about Speedway and for that I am truly grateful. At the end of the day he was my Dad and wanted to do everything for me, he even gave up his job. We had our good days and bad days because we used to argue about things just like fathers and sons do. After my broken back, I knew I wouldn't be world champion so I decided to concentrate on being a heat leder in the Premier League and I was for a good few years. My Dad was lucky he had the skills, the competitive attitude and only a couple of injuries!!
Q YOU WON THE ASHFIELD CLASSIC WAS THAT ONE OFF YOUR BIG ACHIVEMENTS
GS Winning the Ashfield Classic twice was a brilliant feeling especially because each year had different conditions. The first year I will never forget because I was in front when Adrian Rymel fell and we had to restart. I missed the gate and thought I had no chance but I never gave up and somehow I managed to pass an Elite League Rider and Scotland's number one and master of Ashfield and WIN!!!!!!! And become the second Glasgow rider after Les Collins (my childhood hero) to win the Classic. I don't think James was very happy.....but we are good friends and I'm sure he didn't mind because he won it 2008 and I was very happy for him. My second Ashfield Classic win will also stay in my memory because I won it when I rode for Edinburgh after being sacked from Glasgow. Derek Sneddon couldn't wait to give me an Edinburgh race jacket for the podium!!!
My greatest achivements was probably my first year at Wolverhampton when we won the league and cup double.
Q WHOS YOUR BEST CZECHS RIDER YOU WATCHED
GS My Dad
questions from merv janke fanclub
Q ARE YOU MISSING RACING AS MUCH AS YOU THOUGHT YOU WOULD AND WHAT ARE YOU UP TO NOW
GS I don't miss the racing anymore, I made my decision to retire and I am sticking to it. I enjoy watching the GP's on tv because Speedway was, is and always will be in my blood forever. See previous answer for what I'm doing now.
Q WHERE WERE YOUAT YOUR HAPPIEST DURING YOUR CAREER
GS I had good times in every team that I rode for, both ups and downs, it is too hard to pick one specific time as I rode for 17 years.
Q WHAT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER
GS As above, too many memories, however Wolverhampton days winning the league will always be special.
Q WHAT WAS YOUR WORST INJURY
GS Broken back - see question before
Q WHO WAS THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOU
GS My Dad. I would also like to mention the late Simon Wigg who was a good friend of my family. He really helped me to get my work permit when I came to the UK, along with Peter Collins and Reg Wilson.
Q WHICH TEAM-MATE DID YOU ENJOY PARTENING MOST
GS See before - Shane Parker we always respected each other. I also rode with James in many races however sometimes we went for the same line!! At the end of my career I was trying to team ride more with my partners like David McAllum or Derek Sneddon.
Q WHO WAS THE BEST PROMOTER YOU RACED FOR
GS Chris Van Straaten, he was always one step ahead and respected his riders.
Q WHO WAS YOUR BEST ONE TO SEVEN BE ,FROM EX TIGER TEAM-MATES
GS
1. JAMES GRIEVES
2. LES COLLINS
3. SHANE PARKER
4. GRAHAM JONES
5. DAVID MCALLAN
6. MICK POWELL
7. TRENT LEVERINGTON
Q YOUR FATHER IS A BITOF A SPEEDWAY ICON IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC,WAS THIS A HELP OR A HINDERENCE WHEN YOU STARTED OUT ON YOUR RACING CAREER.
GS See previous answer