Woffinden plots route to big time
Wolves ace Tai Woffinden wants a route to speedway's Grand Prix series - even if another rider has to crash out.
Wolves ace Tai Woffinden wants a route to speedway's Grand Prix series - even if another rider has to crash out.
The teenager is reserve for tonight's British Grand Prix at Cardiff. But, while he soaks up the atmosphere and the possibility of the odd ride, Woffinden is also plotting his route to the big time.
He's already made the world under-21 final, a competition which catapulted last year's winner Emil Sayfutdinov straight into this year's GPs.
But his alternative route, through the GP qualifying series, stalled when he qualified only as first reserve for the next stage in Russia. To race there, someone will have to drop out - probably the hard way.
"I'm first reserve, which is not good, but someone might crash," said the 18-year-old. "There's a fair bit of time before that yet, so we'll see how that goes. I don't want to go all the way to Russia for nothing. It's pretty bad to say but it's a tough sport."
It certainly is. Woffinden has already ridden for Wolves earlier this season with hand injuries that were initially expected to mean a month out. The under-21 path offers the likelier route at the moment and he is already through to the final in Croatia.
"I'd like to win it because I want to get in the GPs. I see that as the easiest way of getting in the GPs as fast as I can," he said.
He'll face stiff opposition from the likes of fellow Brit Lewis Bridger and also Jurica Pavlic, who will be on home shale.
While Woffinden hopes for a ride at Cardiff, team-mate Freddie Lindgren is right in the groove.
Lindgren has piled up the points this week in Britain, Sweden and Poland and could hardly be in better form as he continues his attempts to nail the top eight place which will guarantee his place in next year's series. He's currently seventh.
"I like to be busy, it keeps me sharp and it's working for me this season," he told the Speedway Grand Prix website. "My league form has been good, but I know Cardiff is a big meeting for me. I have to have a good one. My target is to finish in the top eight."
Draw: 1 Emil Sayfutdinov, 2 Nicki Pedersen, 3 Kenneth Bjerre, 4 Rune Holta, 5 Scott Nicholls, 6 Fredrik Lindgren, 7 Greg Hancock, 8 Hans Andersen, 9 Sebastian Ulamek, 10 Andreas Jonsson, 11 Tomasz Gollob, 12 Edward Kennett, 13 Chris Harris, 14 Greg Walasek, 15 Jason Crump, 16 Leigh Adams. Reserves, 17 Tai Woffinden, 18 Simon Stead.
