nw42

Cheers Paul, I knew you'd have it all worked out and showing on your bank of screens

And PK is there tonight apparently, so am I right in assuming he's well on the mend? Sorry but I haven't seen anything about his progress.

Cheers Paul, that's exactly how I have it Thanks of course to your racecard, I worked it out after my post. So is NP still right that he needs 12pts, surely not, that's only if Hampel doesn't drop a point, isn't it?

Can one of our more mathematical heads tell us whether it can still be won tonight, if so what has to happen? Or will it go to the last GP? Thanks in advance.

I know it's dragging on but I'm finding it quite exciting, really big night for most of us on here, a British World Champion in the making, fantastic. Got to say it's the least expected of all the British winners(in my time), I wish I was one of the ones who grabbed the 200/1 or better odds.. Come on Tai, just keep your nerve for another.... 6hrs or so and you'll win it.

I think you could be right, they are all falling like flies around him, except for Greg, the added incentive, if he needed it, is that now TG is out of the meeting he can definitely put himself in the top 8 with a good night tonight.

I'm convinced this is a euphemism for some unusual pursuit you'd rather not share with us

Great ride from Ward, it's as though he did what Tai should have done in ht2, just held the inside, maybe he didn't have the strength with his shoulder. Like SCB said, he just seemed to do nothing. Well at least it seems we have a racers track tonight, hope they don't have a curfew.

Great call Alan, he can trap that's for sure, looked at home throughout the race. Maybe it's because he's not a good journalist.

Agreed, it would be a crying shame if that were his last ever GP, early days I know but that was some knock he took, poor bloke. Get well soon Tom.

Looked like he had too much power for the move he wanted to make, which if he saw Lindbacks last bend effort would mean he was for going around Gollob. Going to be a long old night.

Sorry, hope they're both ok, looks like TG has copped it bad. Great minds you say, don't know about that but there was definitely something intuitive for me, even on the first 2 bends. Who knows, maybe we'll have a final round showdown after all, the pair of them in plastercasts, or whatever.

I've never raced a bike but somehow I could see that coming a mile off, hope he's ok.

Great picture Pete, I never saw him ride as I was only born in 1960. My first favourite rider was Soren Sjosten, apparently similar in stature to Peter Craven, definitely similar in style judging by the stills I've seen of Peter. I loved watching Soren, even at 10yrs old I reckoned if he could do it at five foot nothing it wouldn't be long before I was on the track myself, sadly my hopes dwindled. RIP Peter & Soren. Nice thread OP

Still looking good on grass a couple of months ago, seems to have kept himself in shape and was in a league of his own at the meeting I attended, good shout.

Ok, my mistake, I was following the thread though. Wrongly thought you were highlighting how differently Briggs is/was perceived by the british public in comparison to the likes of Lennox Lewis. Lennox won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, just like Greg Rusedski, yet both of these would be considered not to have quite captured the British public's hearts. It was indeed a great accolade for Briggs when you consider he was 2nd only to Bobby Moore (RIP) in 1966, Geoff Hurst was 3rd, can you imagine the British public voting for a New Zealander in front of their own World Cup hero? I've never been confident in the reliability of the voting system for these awards. He was a great rider but he's been even better at keeping his profile high since he stopped riding. Fair enough Philip but the same would have happened if you'd turned up with Joe Bugner, or Lennox Lewis, but, as Sidney pointed out earlier, they weren't taken to the hearts of the British sports fans.

Fair enough if you haven't warmed to him iris but it's worth pointing out he won the British under 18 Championship back in September 2007, the following year he was British under 21 Champion, so it's a bit unfair to keep questioning his loyalties. From your comment on PC, maybe it's the true racers that do it for you, Tai is fast but he hasn't been as spectacular as Emil can be, just a thought.

Yes they did, when it suited all concerned, I suppose Commonwealth rules kicked in. They won their individual titles as NZ riders, I'm fairly sure that's the case.

Yes but he wasn't winning the World title as a British rider, which is the thread subject. He wasn't universally popular when he rode either, had his detractors just like all riders, can recall him getting the bird at Hyde Rd, was a dirty bugger when he wanted. I think what I've seen of Tai's on screen interviews he could definitely connect with and draw in a big numbers of youngsters, maybe the skateboard/surfer/BMX crowd, no reason why they can't begin to incude speedway as a 'cool' sport. Big job on Tai's broad shoulders but he seems really level headed this year, good luck to him.

I'd say in 1976 I wouldn't have expected any sort of coverage from Granada, although I can't remember specifically I'd expect that PC's win would have been covered by Look North on that Monday evening. BBC Radio 5Live dedicated their Sunday afternoon just gone to Triathalon, can't imagine them even having a 5minute feature on Tai next Sunday if he manages to lift the crown this weekend.

Can't argue with those 2 Sidney, I'd have to add Anders Michanek though, in fact Anders epitomised smooth/stylish, he had it all.

Likewise thanks for the company, thanks also to MP for the scorecard.

thanks, he owed me for previous GP's where I've expected more from him. I've liked the look of Vaculik since I first saw him in that wild card appearance, really expected more from him this season, bit unfair of me really I suppose, first season in the big time. Just hope he doesn't diappear from the GP's after just one season, even if he misses out next time.

Maybe Alan, although he only made the last chance race by the skin of his teeth. Come on Martin, give it your best shot. Good on yer Gollob...