PHILIPRISING

VERY hot here in Horsens today and track covers back because there could be a thunderstorm overnight. Looks a picture, nice stadium.

IF you read it all you will have noticed that I said we would be doing just that ... starting next week

THE problem isn't people watching on TV because they are ... Sky averaging around 80,000, 150,000 for Swindon v Poole, 175,000 on Quest for a SWC meeting. The problem is that the vast majority of those people aren't paying at the turnstiles to watch a meeting.

THINK that more than any other country the Polish fans want to see their own riders and to see them at the very least in with a chance of winning. Gollob has obviously left a massive void, Hampel is now injured and may never be the rider he was, Kaspzrak always an enigma and never that popular in his home country anyway. Polish speedway in general and the SGP in particular desperately needs the new breed, now being led by Janowski with the Pawlicki brothers, Zmarzlik, perhaps Dudek and Przedpelski to step up to the plate and have the desire and ambition to become World Champion. Sweden, despite their shock SWC victory, still mourn for Rickardsson and right now LIndback is probably their only rider who might put bums on seats. Latvian promoters say that their somewhat disappointing SGP attendance was due to virtually no Polish fans travelling... ironically the meeting was won by Janowski of course. If there is a SGP at Warsaw next year, which is more than likely, the lack of 'Gollob's farewell meeting' and possibly only a couple of Polish riders might be a serious handicap to pulling in a viable crowd along with the legacy of 2015. Having said all that, from what I hear the Gorzow drawbridge hasn't been raised just yet.

At least all eight Elite League tracks had a home meeting last week... how often does that happen?

NO matter what happens in GP Challenge must surely get a 2016 SGP wild card slot.

NO it isn't.

WOULD be amazed if SGP returns to Finland in 2016 ... lot of unpaid bills including for production of programme!

Or Warsaw, Copenhagen and Stockholm?

AGREED but at least we live in hope that both the wallies see sense

HE does at Vojens ...

AT this moment in time I would go for Tai, Emil and Darcy ... of the three think Tai is a better starter than the other two which gives him the edge.

LET'S hope the 30 grand they spent on covers for the track is money well spent!

WHO said Hancock cannot pass and Ward making some fantastic moves

1,4,6,7 and 2,3,5,8

HAS tweeted that there is no chance of him riding at the Etihad

IT is ...

Understand the Sky viewing figures for Ward's return with Swindon against Poole were over 50,000 above average.

COVERS lifted after 6pm, took about half an hour. Not sure exactly how many helpers. Something similar should be a viable option for TV meetings at least.

THEY were fairly basic sheets rather than custom made covers as at Vojens and borrowed from another track. No lack of volunteers at Malilla to help put them down on Friday evening and take them up on Saturday. Fair play to Phil Morris who was one of those getting his hands dirty. But they did the job although it has to be said that the equipment at the stadium and the expertise of those using it was paramount in eventually getting the meeting on only an hour late. But the critical point was that it stopped raining. However, without the covers there would have been no chance of a meeting, the track would have been flooded such was the amount of rain that fell during the afternoon and, as we drove back to Gothenburg this morning, it was again very wet and there had been heavy rain overnight as well so a Sunday start would have been out of the question too.

FOUR Aussies ... Adams, Crump, Lyon and Wiltshire

I'M sure they will but, of course, everything will depend on Alan's situation at the time.

SHORT answer yes but think Emil gives him a run for his money ... no one rides the inside line better in my view.

GOOD to see Lindback back on the scene. Had a long chat with his 'mentor' who says he has turned his life around and is determined to get back into the SGP full-time and to become World Champion. Brings entertainment and charisma to the series, rather more so than his Swedish colleagues.

WHAT planet were you on yesterday? Find me a rider who doesn't think that the Malilla track is one of the best in the world. It was pounded by several hours of heavy rain from mid-day until after 6pm and although the covers did a job it still required a lot of work before the meeting could go ahead. Even Buster Chapman who have struggled to do better. All the pre-meeting presentation plans went out of the window and the graders were still on the track while the riders walked a lap to see what they felt. Even then some remedial work was required on the first corner but all of them were fulsome in their praise for how the track settled down and wasn't just rideable but raceable. Pre-meeting practice was certainly not an option while they struggled to get going at 8pm with the various TV companies hanging on to ensure they could cover the meeting live. I'm sure that many people would hesitate before travelling some distance to KL if the rain had been heavy throughout the day with a strong possibility that the meeting would be postponed.