iris123

I don't see it so dark as you.PePe isn't stupid.He knows just as well as you and i,that his chances of becoming World Champ or even finishing in the top 5(i could be cruel and say top 10)are about as much as my chances of running 100m in less than 10 seconds.I said a while back that all he and Bjarne will contribute to the series is one or two good meetings.Now personally i don't see it as being a big deal if he and or Bjarne decide it isn't worth their while entering.But i thought the FIM were taking action against this infringement?What happened there i wonder?

Think i will be at both Berlin + Dresden.Not sure about any others.Probably pretty spur of the moment if i do go to any more

Yes i was referring to a post or a mail you sent me about him It would seem like practically every rider in western Europe will be needed that day then Do hope Dresden happens.Quite fancy that trip Might be different in a few months though

It would seem the town got its name from the race track.According to the towns website it was "incorporated" in 1926.But the race track was from the first days called a "speedway". From the Indy website March 11, 1909: The Indianapolis Sun (later The Indianapolis Times) makes reference to the track as the Indianapolis motor speedway, rather than the motor parkway, And the first ever race meeting was for motorcycles on a tar surface which was found to be dangerous and was soon changed to a brick surface.And a in a local paper in 1909 refers to "speedway races",although this was specifically the car meet i guess where a number of people were killed speedway races And here is one of the earliest films(1913) featuring motor racing.Not that much of interest i guess,apart from the fact it features Barney Oldfield,who so it say's on Wikepedia didn't brake in the corners like other drivers,but slid like motorcyclists.... The Speed Kings And here is an interesting piece from the Indian Motorcycle website about producing racing bikes without brakes near the end of WW1 "Of all the inspired "wrenches" who picked up Indian's engineering reins after Oscar Hedstrom's departure, the two most remarkable were Hedstrom's long-time assistant Charles Gustafson and Charles B. Franklin, an Irish immigrant who had ridden for the "Indian Rules" team that swept the Isle of Man TT in 1911. Under their leadership, Indian celebrated the War's winding down by firing a broadside that resounded throughout the entire racing world, the introduction of the first dedicated board-track factory racer ever offered for sale directly to the public. Featuring a four-valve-per-cylinder, overhead-valve engine and a lightweight rigid frame without such "nonessentials" as brakes, fenders or throttle (the bikes were run with the carbs wide open), the Model H carried a top speed of over 120mph and a sticker-shocking price of about $375, roughly a third more than a fully equipped Chief of the era. Because not many club racers were both wealthy and brave enough to buy and race one, relatively few were built, but those few --particularly when "loaned" to professional riders by the factory -- took home trophies and track records almost everywhere they competed"

Yes,absolutely right that the Speed Skating body is the most important and have priority with dates i think.Wanted to go to Berlin a couple of years back for the World Championships.Just €18 on the bus...... Other news on Germany.I did see somewhere that Berlin were also planning on some sidecar races on the ice alongside this Open championship they are planning.Could be quite exciting.Think they used to have the sidecars at Erfurt? Oh......wait to see what Petteri say's about Teromaa.

Well you would have thought the talks were going on while everything was still in the planning stage,but like i said i would have thought Inzell would have to bring their meeting forward rather than Togliattis being moved.Obviously couldn't be done,sadly

I see there has been an official statement from the Inzell club,due to false info on "forums".Doubt they are meaning this one though.But their reason for cancelling the meeting is down to a clash of dates,so they say.The only date they could fit the meeting in was the weekend that Togliatti have down for the Team Final.It seems according to the statement that Inzell had asked Togliatti to move the final back so they could host the semi-final.Togliatti turned this request down.It sates that the Triathlon World Championships being held in nearby Ruhpolding meant everything being booked out afterward.Though not sure what "afterwards" has to do with anything.Surely they needed a date before the Togliatti date.But maybe there were other events being held that stopped them being able to host the Ice Racing earlier.Anyway,they say they will host an FIM meeting in 2013

There you go Jack.In black and white.....just like i was saying.There's your evidence,whoops!where's your evidence? Wikepedia,don't you just love it

We don't know what other two wheeled sports they were using as examples.Doubt it was MotGP or even Tour de France

And? I would hazard a guess that the top table tennis players earn less than Andy Murray

Yup.Fingers crossed PePe * Bjarne have to turn down their places as well

Have you looked at the source given for this Maitland meeting being called speedway?It is a website showing the programme where presumably the guy running the website has written on the programme in red type "first speedway meeting",and that is the "evidence".Because the programme nor the newspaper ad mention "speedway".The only thing mentioned is "Motorcycle racing".Now i could find a programme from an earlier meeting anywhere in the world and with the use of a pc type first speedway meeting on it and that would be evidence? Please.........

To appease the angry PC brigade and even better,confuse the Sky commentators,i would nominate Shanchajan Vasantharajan But sadly i fear he has retired from our sport,so i think Parsloes should nominate the "new face"

I don't really want to get into anything personal with you,but where is your evidence that the page has been there for years?I will put one bit of eveidence against......it mentions Gollob is the first Polish World Champ since Szczakiel.So that bit of evidence has been posted relatively recently wouldn't you say?But the thing with Wikepedia is a certain page might be there for years,but info within that page can be changed continously.This was my point with the Custom House page.Ok the info that Hoskins didn't build it can be corrected.But what is stopping someone some minutes,days or weeks after changing it back again..... And just to point out that even the page you mention does actually state that there is eveidence that meetings were held before Maitland

Wikepedia isn't 100% correct on these things though.It relies on people putting the correct info on AND other checking and correcting false info.I once put a link on here to a Wiki page that stated Custom House stadium was built by the one and only Johnnie Hoskins.Of course it wasn't.Hoskins involvement with West Ham started after the stadium was built and after West Ham had been racing.I think it was Norbold who corrected that Wiki page The Heritage wall is in the General speedway section of this site

Did wonder those same questions myself.Bauer is obviously the big name in German racing.To go without him is a big risk.But sometimes in these things the line-up seems fairly unimportant.Fans turn up regardless.But like you say,it devalues the title somewhat if you don't have the best riders.And anyway the German Championship never has 16 Germans.They have to complete the line-up with foreign riders.So to go without one or two Germans menas even more foreigners.I also looked to see who was behind it and found the name of Schiffner.Wondered if it was the Sievers,but saw no evidence......

Now i see on the NSS heritage wall thread,we have someone suggesting that Hoskins is honoured becaue he "brought speedway to this country".Surely the honour should go to a few others,rather than Hoskins.AJ Hunting for instance.As far as i know Johnnie had nothing to do with any of the meetings claimed as the first speedway meeting in Britain.But the myth goes on.....and it isn't anything against Hoskins to want the real people honoured

Wouldn't mind a bit of that.Sounds great.Ice Speedway and a visit to Dresden.Sounds like a super idea of the German Championship,followed by a ko system against some top foreign riders.But if it clashes with Assen,not sure how they can advertise "top Russians" for the Golden spike.Well unless Krasnikov doesn't go for another World title,but does the Golden Spike instead.Now that would be a coup

Surely it isn't about liking a theory,it is about what is correct.And you say you support the words of those who were there over those who weren't born.Yet you can't wait to read the words of Ian Hoskins to back up the theory you so like about his father.Sorry,but it all seems a bit like picking out things that suit you,rather than wanting to really find out the truth

Just what i was told by one of his colleagues.Good friend of mine,Conkers(on this forum) Was told this after i travelled up to Vojens for a rained off practice a few years back.Like i say,just what i heard and not all important.If riders or photographers attend or not,i don't see the practice being held for the fans benefit.And thought there were some that fans were not allowed to attend

Say#s it all about the ACU.Pity you never got the chance to turn out in the Team Championship

It is what it is.It is there for the riders and maybe press etc.Not really for the fans.Just they can go and watch it if they want,i think.So can't really see the idea of "making it interesting".I guess the riders are a bit more relaxed and you can get to mingle.Surely that is enough?I know a few photographers that go and take hundreds of pix.But also heard that others like Mike Patrick couldn't be bothered with fotos of practice.

Good question.Not sure of all the alternatives,but if Sanok can't host the meeting there was a meeting on a lake in Poznan(i think)last season.Think Jouni + one or both of the new Dutch riders were there and Crump was watching with interest Might be a big gamble though with the weather.

I thought maybe Poland as i thought it was Poland pressuring for a place in the team championship.Heard something about all of this at Inzell this year and it sounded doubtful.

Can't say i am surprised at that.Great new stadium and such a low key meeting.Not sure such a meeting is realy viable.Wonder if anyone else will take it on?