salty

Think you will find the drop from the British League to the National League took place prior to the 1985 season, with the 1984 campaign being the last in the top flight until the ill fated venture in 1991.

Could you explain the significance of 1986? Surely if it died it was in 2005 or even 1991.

Thanks for the info. Hope the content is as well put together as the Cradley one.

I think one of the reasons for this is the change in format to a 20 Heat formula. Under the old system of eliminations throughout the meeting, it was 2 bad rides and you're out. The 20 Heat system whilst being fairer means that there is less chance of a freak result and consequently the best riders with the best backing are pulling clear of the rest.

Quite capable of understanding that, thank you. But the fact remains that one does not compare well with the other in terms of value for money. Just out of interest how many pages does the new Wimbledon book run to?

Well I don't know whether 86 A5 pages could be described as a book either. Just for comparison some other Speedway books that coincidentally retailed at £14.99 like John Berry's 1st Confessions book ran to over 250 pages.

I was talking about the Cradley booklet - not the Wimbledon one as I haven't seen that yet. Cradley one was £14.99 for 86 pages, which I suggested (in my opinion) wasn't the greatest value. Maybe our definitions of what constitutes a book may differ....

In a pefect world I can see a lot of merit for your idea, but unfortunately commercial considerations mean the picks aren't done on ability alone.

This system was tried a couple of years ago, but such was the outcry that the the qualifying system was re-introduced after just one year. I'm afraid the seven permanent wild cards don't pick themselves, because the criteria for picking them isn't simply the next 7 best riders. Other factors like sponsors (Pepe a few years ago), nationality (as in the case of the Brits) and a punishment for talking out of turn (Andersen 3 years ago) have affected the decision making progress.

Read the sentence again Derek. The qualification process is more open! You do not have 5 or 6 place allocated to Continental riders as in the days of the one off final. Agree that only 3 riders can qualfy, but at least you should in theory get a GP qualifier consisting of 16 of the "next best" in the world.

And these World class riders sitting in the stands are? Difference between the old world finals and now is that there used to be approximately 5 spots for qualifiers from the Continental Final (Poles, Russians, Czechs or Germans) leaving possibly better riders from the "West" missing out. Nowadays the qualification process is more open and everyone gets an equal chance. The 3 guys got there fair and square and beat everybody else to do so - fair play to them, much worthier of a place than those who have to rely on a nomination.

Can't honestly see NKI getting a nomination, not with 3 Danes already in. I know there were 4 Danes this year but they had all qualified as of right. I suspect that there might be a call for the young bloods of Holder, Sajfutdinov and Pavlic to be given a go as you say to "freshen the series up a bit". However, there was a similar impetus in the recent past for riders like Zagar, Lindback, Lindgren and KK, but they have all struggled to consistently challenge the top 8. If the likes of Holder and the others have the right sort of backing and support teams then I would love to see them get a go, but it takes serious money to be competitive in the GP's.

Congratulations to the 3 qualifiers. Might not be everybodys cup of tea but I reckon they all have the potential to cause 1 or 2 shocks next season. Hope Kenny B sends Davy Watt a bottle of bubbly because without Watt's travel nightmare to the semi final Bjerre would not even have got to the final. Biggest losers tonight were Rune and the 2 Danes currently in the GP's, Bjarne and Puk. With 3 Danes and 3 Poles now guaranteed for next year it would appear the only hope for these guys is to make that top 8 slot their own. I think Bjarne is too far back and with Puk and Lindgren riding with injuries (as is Holta) it looks like it is a shoot out between Holta and Nicholls. Then it will be interesting to see who bags the nominations....

Which is a joke. What if he finishes one point off 8th place and say wins the Super Prix. How can riders who finish below him be considered for nominations instead? Unfortunately I agree that the ridiculous politics of the sport mean he might miss out.

Heat 17 will be a crunch race. Sulli, Ulamek and Puk fighting it out. Walasek and Kenny B look to have easier races and Jedrezek has every chance of finishing on 11. edited after I realised Ulamek had already won it. Sullivan out, so the door stays ajar for Holder.

No doubting that Holder has the ability to go a long way in the sport, however, it would be wise not to underestimate the level of finance required to compete at the top level. Whether Holder has the team in place to make a season long mark as early as next year is the doubt I would have.

Think you will find that the interviewee is Gollob. Surely it is more disrespectful to try and interview a Polish rider in a Polish stadium in front of a Polish audience and expect him to reply in English. The TV audience isn't just those watching in the UK and Brandon is interviewing for all who take the GP's.

Thanks. I couldn't remember last year but I could recall PK missing out in a final a couple of years ago. Much fairer to do it over the 20 heats.

Why on earth should Gollob attempt to speak in English when the interview is being broadcast to a Polish crowd? Maybe the Gp organisers should pay for a proper interpreter instead of foisting English upon everyone. Gollob was pure class tonight, but blew it with his gate choice in the final. Great cut back by Hancock in the Final, after all the garbage talked about the GP needing new blood it was good to see the veteran show them how it's done. As for the sponsors drink, come on its just become a joke, how can anyone get annoyed by it?

Fully agree. Whatever the merits of this line up at least they have all been through the qualifiers and therefore fully deserve to be described the "best of the rest". Is the format of this meeting a 20 heat affair with a final tagged on?

On another thread it says Mads gets a go instead of Jonas. Thought it would have been Pavlic as he is No 17, but Mads was in Jonas's semi. Anyone able to confirm?

Should be a tough meeting. Who gets through is anyone's guess. You would expect the 4 Poles to be in with a shout, but then again the Danes are always dangerous in these meetings. My 3 against the field: Walasek Puk Kenny B But would love to see Pavlic get through.

Sounds a similar format to the Cradley one that came out last year. I found that a very interesting read and thought it was very well put together. Having said that the price is very much on the high side for what is a little more than a booklet.

I'm not going to bite. I'm not going to bite...... Edited to say but Sub did.

Know exactly the point you are making. I just sense a change in Holta since he won in Gothenburg, last year he absolutely rode his socks off (and was involved in many of the series's more exciting races) but in the past 2 Gp's he doesn't seem to be getting stuck in so much. Mind you he pulled out a good last bend overtake on Lindgren that could be very important in the greater scheme of things, so maybe he is just struggling for fitness. I was so glad he qualified by right last year because as you say he was the only rider who went into that run-off knowing he absolutely needed to get in the first 2 to get a spot for 2008. Hopefully he will be fully fit for Bydgoszcz and reclaim the 8th spot.