PHILIPRISING

HOPEFULLY all above board. Draw will be interesting. If Hampel goes out first and wins, pressure on Tai. Of course, they could meet first time out, Tai wins, Jarek last... game over!

TRACK has been relaid since then and, frankly, riders weren't complaining on Monday. How often do you see a 'perfect' track these days anywhere? In fact, a track that is too easy to ride and doesn't cause any mistakes can result in a boring meeting. It's all in the eyes of the beholder of course.

IT isn't just Nigel Pearson fearful of future employment - and why wouldn't he be? There is a whole production unit at Sky whose jobs might well be at risk without speedway to supplement the darts they are also involved with. It was actually people within the Sky organisation hoping that Barney Francis might watch (not all obviously) the play-offs and see some value for his money. They, too, have a vested interest as explained above.

18.00hrs

THIS has nothing to do with BSI. They cannot ban riders from anything let alone the SEC. It is essentially an internal conflict between the FIM and FIM Europe. As others have mentioned, cannot see how the FIM can prevent riders from competing in the SEC if they so wish - restraint of trade and all that - but there is certainly concern in Geneva that one faction is over-stepping its perceived authority and must be brought into line.

OUT of curiosity... when were those harder (economically) times?

ALL permanent SGP riders are given a similar sum at the start of the season ...

BY today's standards they were good crowds and probably viable ones, too

BUT the final, especially the second leg, isn't on Polish type tracks

OVER the past two Mondays we have been greatly entertained on Sky with terrific meetings from Swindon, Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Poole. Last night's fare from Wimborne Road, especially for neutrals like me, was pulsating. Good racing surfaces, good crowds, what more could you want? If British speedway was always like this (an impossible dream I know) the sport would have no financial woes and Sky wouldn't even hesitate about a new contract. What is does prove is that fundamentally the actual product can still be terrific. That's the frustrating part.

NIGEL said on several occasions that perhaps Batchelor was looking to slow the race down and then threw in the possibility of a puncture, which he quickly ruled out. Fair comment in my book, and yes he is a mate. Incidentally, are you there or watching on TV at home, in which case you will actually have a better view.

Plus, their viewing position at Poole isn't great and it was a legitimate question.

I THINK you will find he was enquiring whether he had a puncture... why call someone a pillock?

CANNOT blame Armando for this. He inherited the mess and is trying to sort it out. DON'T think that's right ...think it was 10,000, around the same as for a GP win (though a max not required) BUT on a level playing field... same inscription fees, etc

NOT sure that too many tracks needed a Wembley hand out ... know one promoter whose sole reason for having a Rolls Royce was the size of the boot. He needed it to cram in all the cash from his weekly meeting!

IS he really Tony Blair... wow!

MIGHT not be that clear cut ... what is? Could be a condition of their licences...

WHY cheap ... outside broadcast facilities aren't exactly cheap and the rigging required for a speedway meeting is quite extensive. Compare that, for example, with snooker and darts, inside small arenas and with no weather constraints. Some might argue that Sky going a little overboard with around 60 personnel on site at each event and their costs are reported to be around £30,000 per meeting. Do the sums ... it ain't cheap.

IF true, and I do know that no decision has yet been made, your comment about restraint of trade is a valid one. For starters, while BSI/IMG might be quite happy with such a ruling, it is the FIM who are pushing in this direction. In other disciplines riders are not allowed to compete in both European and World Championships but that is more easily enforceable because the FIM have contracts with teams rather than individuals. Speedway riders are essentially self-employed and their position is very different. There is a huge disparity in the fees paid to the FIM by tracks staging rounds of the SEC as against the SGP (about 17,500 euros a pop) and, of course, One Sport do not pay the FIM the millions that BSI/IMG do. You are also right that there is a civil war going on at the FIM right now and not only on the speedway front.

SADLY there isn't always Eurosport... no interest in domestic speedway in the UK

NOT sure Freddie LIndgren would agree ... but I take your point

SPOKE to him in Stockholm and he said he wanted a break from the SGP.

REALLY surprised at how often Nicki has failed to get the job done this year, falling at the last hurdle. No GP wins and now this.

HIGHLY unlikely

AS soon as the Russian federation confirmed that Sayfutdinov and the Laguta brothers had withdrawn and the FIM were officially notified the announcement was made to all and sundry. The difference here is that Tai officially withdrew from today's meeting last Sunday and yet the organisers were still using his name in publicity blurbs as late as Thursday.