PHILIPRISING

GREAT place to keep your tees if you're a golfer...

HOW can you say that it is none of the FIM's business if a rider or riders, having represented one country in the SWC, decide they want to ride for another?

HAD a text from Tony Olsson at 20.30 bst and he says the latest is that Emil is still trying to be there on Saturday ... AND yes, Woffy uses Peter Johns tuned engines

REALLY have no idea of the nationality of the doctors who look after injured Red Bull 'athletes' but they certainly performed more than one operation on Jason Crump. 19.00 BST and still no word to the FIM (Tony Olsson) about Sayfutdinov...

WHY not Sam Ermolenko? A former World Champion and back in the saddle... Briggo still fancies himself on a bike ... Ove Fundin is riding a motorcycle from one end of the USA to the other at the ripe old age of 80. Plenty of life left in him yet.

THE difference with Rune was that it was essentially to allow him to ride for Poland (not the country of his birth) in the World Cup, which he did winning gold or more than one occasion. There has been some mutterings that the Laguta brothers were looking to ride for Latvia next year but I believe that has been blocked by the FIM. But it's hardly just speedway is it? An Irishman helping England win a cricket match in Dublin yesterday.

DRMYL is riding on Saturday ...

ALMOST noon on Wednesday and still no official word from the Sayfutdinov camp about whether or not he is withdrawing from Saturday's event ...

THAT'S putting it mildly!

KIM Nilsson will be the wild card at Stockholm

ANYONE who has seen the crash knows it will take a miracle to see him back this season let alone Saturday... IF, as reported though not confirmed, he has gone to Switzerland to see the Red Bull doctors he could not be in better hands. Jason Crump had access to them, too, and said they were fantastic.

STILL nothing official as yet ... but my guess would be Madsen and Batchelor

YES it is but Buckley now has an extension of his agreement with Auckland city officials to run motorsports at Western Springs and the speedway meeting comes at the end of the car season. Really depends on how long his love affair with the speedway event continues. Don't think money is a major issue for him.

NOT a fan of tattoos either but didn't seem to lessen Beckham's popularity. Perhaps we are just too old-fashioned.

IT probably won't have any effect on whether or not they televise EL speedway in 2013 but Sky weren't happy last night with the abject performance of Lakeside and the injudicious remarks attributed to Swindon captain Hans Andersen about the scheduled visit of the Hammers on Monday. Both were instrumental in Sky deciding to switch their cameras to Belle Vue, although that may still change if Poole's play-off hopes are scuppered by then. For those who haven't seen or read Andersen's comments in the Evening Advertiser, here are the relevant quotes: Andersen believes the meeting is the perfect chance for the Robins riders to test their equipment ahead of their play-off challenge, and also hinted his side may consider their options ahead of the final meeting depending on who they would rather face in the post season. “We wouldn't be in the position we are in now if we had been bad all season, and obviously there have been various things which have been going on which people know about,” he said. “We've had some injuries, but now we have a full side everyone wants to go out there and do their best which we showed on the track against Poole. “I think now we have a part to play in the final meeting about who we want to see in the play-offs, and if things go the way they might go we could decide who gets fourth place or not whether we win or lose the final meeting. “If it suited our team we have to do what’s best for us, we don't think about other teams, so if it suits us better we have to do what we have to do to retain our title. “Now our play-off spot is assured I will say to the team if they have engines or anything they need to test out that this is the best time to do it because we can make sure it’s all right for the play-offs. “There’s no better test to do things like that than in a proper meeting, and it’s good to have that chance maybe against Lakeside. It was a good story for Andy Warren at the Advertiser and one can even understand Andersen's logic but it certainly sent shivers down Sky's spine, especially given the fact that in normal circumstances Lakeside wouldn't be considered to have a cat in hell's chance at Blunsdon. What I do find odd is that Swindon must be favourites to win the title again even if Poole were to join them in the play-offs alongside Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Peterborough might be a threat but they could be out of it anyway if Poole collect the maximum in Manchester. Meetings between Birmingham and Wolverhampton and Swindon and Poole would be guaranteed money-spinners, just what the doctor might order at this stage of a campaign that hasn't exactly been financial fruitful for anyone. Perm any two from those four for the final and good crowds can be anticipated once again Sky's decision to cover all three of Lakeside's last away fixtures was always debatable. No disrespect to the Hammers but they are hardly great entertainment on the road, especially with the evergreen Peter Karlsson sidelined. Sky were already mindful of a switch but last night's encounter at Poole and Andersen's comments really gave them no choice unless Lakeside pull something out of the hat at King's Lynn.

WAY before his time...

THE last time I spoke to Armando Castagna, who is close to Per and keeps in regular contact, he said Per was going through a rough period. Will try for an update.

NO I don't ... believe they are still trying to get permission from the council to relax the noise restrictions and allow a later start.

APRIL 5th

WHY not a fan of Woffinden?

BOTH Swedish GPs run by BSI ... still unconvinced that either Gollob or Harris will get the nod but nothing more than one person's opinion. Of course, if Gollob were to win in Torun (certainly not out of the question) that might change but quite a few people within the paddock feel that his GP race is over. And what a race it was.

STILL waiting for some answers from a couple of FIM officials ... However, I do know that some riders were loathed to attend the Challenge simply as meeting reserves while Harris was happy to do so. It wasn't until Zagar withdraw that he was actually included in the 16 starters. IMG/BSI have been content to have just one Brit in the SGP for a while so personally see no real reason why they would want to add another to Woffinden. Bumping up the Swedish and Polish representation might be higher on their agenda.The crowd at Cardiff is not so nationalistic as those in Denmark, Sweden or especially Poland. British fans have always been prepared to support a wider selection of riders no matter what nationality and especially those who race for their club. Gollob's age cannot be discounted, he isn't quite the Peter Pan that Hancock is and if Poland can leave him out of the World Cup I'm sure BSI and the FIM will think along similar lines.

Craven, Fundin, Mauger and Collins for BV ...

HOW many times a day does the asylum let you loose on a keyboard?

WHO says they have to get a ferry? Mechanics are being paid anyway? Haven't heard a word of complaint from any of the riders about getting their equipment to Amsterdam. It is very convenient for them. Even you must have had a couple tonight to compare F1 to speedway... but then you never miss an opportunity to have a pop at the SGP. Greg Hancock obviously travels from Los Angeles and Chris Holder came from Sydney but their travel expenses are also met and in both cases their equipment comes from Poland via Amsterdam. Your point is?