PHILIPRISING

YOU actually seem to be making a case for a new engine that doesn't require all the tricky stuff.

PRETTY certain Armando Castagna is in Argentine although not necessarily at the speedway.

BUT with respect tuners don't want engines to run for any real length of time. It would cut down on servicing which is where they make money. I know of one GP rider who paid his tuner over £7,000 for a new engine and after two rounds sent it back for a service costing several hundred pounds. There has to be scope to improve on that surely? An engine that performed at least as well as a GM but required far less maintenance and was more versatile could over the course of a season actually cut costs for riders at all levels. The real problem facing any one hoping to develop and market a new engine is the cost of getting it up and running and the relatively small market that is available. WOULD the opposite not be true if it proved to save riders a significant sum over the course of a season?

BUT if (and it remains a big if at present) the engines were to prove far more economical over the course of a season and actually save riders money why would they bankrupt themselves? Some riders are paying the sort of money quoted earlier (£6,000) for GMs once they have added all the trick stuff and had them finely tuned. And many are going back for servicing every 15 or so races. So you prefer GM to retain a monopoly and have the market to themselves? I wouldn't pretend to have anything like your knowledge of the mechanics of a speedway engine but Gerhard is no fool. 600 races is obviously a pipe-dream but even a fraction of that would represent a massive step forward.

BELIEVE that the new engine, if it actually materialises, will in the long run prove much more economical than current GMs ... will come pre-built, not in kit form, stronger, longer lasting components, fewer service requirements, more easily adaptable to different tracks (could mean riders require fewer engines) and a lot more that, as I understand, is in the pipeline. Might be an impossible target, but an engine that can run for 10 hours (600 races) without any deterioration in performance would last a whole season. Wouldn't call that a brick...

Ronnie Moore and Malcolm Simmons respectively

WHEN talking about best racer think Chris Morton has to come into the equation. In his case probably borne out of necessity because he was in the Chris Harris class when it came to gating! Personally would put Ivan at the top of my gater list (anytime, anywhere) but am told that in his day Peter Moore was outstanding. Briggs always told me that PM was the most nervous rider he knew before the start of each race and that probably helped to propel him from the tapes...

THINK it is true, as HA alluded to, that the novelty of PARKEN wore off and let's not forget the cost and availability of hotel accommodation in Copenhagen and the fact that there was a second GP in Vojens last year which attracted an attendance in excess of 20,000.

ERIC Riss could turn out to be the signing of the winter. Those who have seen him ride on speedway tracks rave about him. Good looking kid, great personality, desperate to do well.

WENT out as usual by first class mail on Wednesday morning. December 27 issue should arrive on Tuesday, December 23 January 3 issue on Tuesday, December 30 Any problems call 020-8335 1113

BEEN doing some research for a forthcoming Speedway Star feature and after his World Final win in 1985 Erik Gundersen offered to help bring along young English talent. Thirty years later he's still waiting ...

WAS getting a bit worried ... no one had posted here for almost three days!

Hear, hear to that ...

TERRIFIC feature by Paul Rickett on Ricky in this week's Speedway Star

BSI statement re Melbourne wild card http://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/3858/aussie-sgp-statement

UNDERSTAND ticket sales for Melbourne are pretty impressive, too. Jason Crump has been doing some great promo work. The tough part will be getting people to keep coming for five years. Know lots of people in NZ in general and Christchurch in particular who have already bought tickets and booked flights with Melbourne the city being quite a pull for them (great shops!). Not changed Andy, it was never the intention. But if Ward is free to ride then of course he would be the logical choice to add a few bums on seats and perhaps earn a place in the 2016 series.

JUST checked with BSI and that info is wrong ... expect a retraction soon.

THOUGHT I would say it before someone else!

Why would that rule him out of a wild card in Melbourne ... or am I being stupid?

HOPE that is the exception rather than the rule. Smudged pages and blurred typefaces suggest a rogue copy. Call 020-83351113 for a replacement. Great Doug Wyer feature coming very soon ...

WILL see what I can do...

OUR standard format is 48 pages ... we increase to 64 after each SGP and prior to some and the SWC. Also when we include brochure for TravelPlus tours. But 48 is the norm...

LAST April there was a dreadful turn out for the SGP in Bydgoszcz and all sorts of theories were being put forward including Polish fans turning their backs on the series, the perceived dispute between BSI and One Sport and so on.

JOE Screen and Kelvin Tatum features in the pipeline

WAS a good Chairman of the BSPA too. Didn't stand for any nonsense. Someone you could have heated discussion with and a beer a few minutes later.