PHILIPRISING

WELL put Arthur Cross... would just add that BSI have nothing to do with qualifying rounds for the SGP. The fact is that there are many more speedway meetings taking place across Europe than ever before, especially 20 or 30 years ago. Riders have much more choice when it comes to earning a living now than ever before. Kelvin Tatum and I spoke to Martin Vaculik at our hotel in Dauigavpils last weekend and suggested that a few meetings in the UK might be good for him, not in terms of money but widening his riding skills. He wasn't interested in the slightest. Actually said that he could never see himself racing in the UK. Doesn't like the tracks. the surfaces and particularly the thought of commuting in and out of the country. He can race as much as he likes across continental Europe and he is not alone in that.

HOW many more times! BSI have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Challenge and, anyway, are more than happy with the current British representation in the SGP.

BIGGEST load of rubbish I've read in along time

SAD news. Had a great voice, made for commentary. Full tribute in SS next week.

KNUDSEN'S performance at Long Beach in the 1985 World Team Cup Final was one of the best I ever saw ...

THAT probably had something to do with not knowing which TV company would be covering the GPs ... think the start time will be known earlier this time around.

I CAN at least remember that Jan O also had to contend with some pretty useful fellow countrymen at that time...

THAT'S the trouble with getting old and a fading memory...

DON'T think he had that many injuries before the one that ended his career

PROBABLY the latter ... will check Have checked ... no decision as yet but likely to stay at 6pm

BUT no mention on Monday that a British rider was leading the World Championship ... do you not find that strange?

THE wife of one of the guys who works for PInegen has spent all her working life in the travel business. She used to operate from a High Street office. Now she works from home for a major travel company. No office costs for the parent company, no rates, fewer overheads, etc, etc. It ain't just quaint, it makes economic sense. And, Marky, TP do far more than just make a few clicks and pick up a phone on your behalf ... their tours are meticulously planned months ahead, hotels visited and vetted, internal travel arrangements put in place, a complete itinerary pieced together. Why knock it? You obviously prefer to do your own thing. Fine. Others like to have the work done for them, to have the peace of mind that goes with it. Why the criticism? Anyway, time to put this one to bed. Each to his own...

AND being replaced by tour operators who do their business over the telephone ... as do TravcelPlus

PAWLICKI jnr and Lahti are both in the meeting. CHALLENGE draw The riders entered for this event have been drawn to start in the following positions: Ballot N° Rider FMN Country 1 Vaclav Milik ACCR Czech Republic 2 Maciej Janowski PZM Poland 3 Krzysztof Kasprzak PZM Poland 4 Peter Kildemand DMU Denmark 5 Timo Lathi SML Finland 6 Hans Andersen DMU Denmark 7 Kenneth Bjerre DMU Denmark 8 Troy Batchelor MA Australia 9 (Wild Card) Daniel King ACU Great Britain 10 Niels Kristian Iversen DMU Denmark 11 Thomas Jonasson SVEMO Sweden 12 Michael Jepsen Jensen DMU Denmark 13 Piotr Pawlicki PZM Poland 14 Martin Smolinski DMSB Germany 15 Matej Zagar AMZS Slovenia 16 Daniel Nermark SVEMO Sweden 17 (Reserve) Jurica Pavlic HMS Croatia 18 (Reserve) Chris Harris ACU Great Britain

NO mention of him during the Sky meeting last night either. Tai could be World Champion by the time the Elite League play-offs conclude, possibly with Wolverhampton involved. Will they still ignore him?

IT is true that Peter Kildemand is taking is place KNOW I shouldn't respond to such rubbish but, apart from anything else, the GP Challenge is nothing to do with BSI. Also wonder whether Patrick Hougaard realises his good name is being associated with a lunatic

LAZY or money to burn ... rather insulting to those who choose to go with a tour company. You might just as well say that those who go out for dinner are too lazy to cook and have money to burn.

TAI has shown himself to be the more consistent starter and that could be key

FOUR people with Ryanair to Bydgoszcz ... PAYMENT DETAILS *******287.92 GBP Total Fare *******204.96 GBP Taxes, Fees & Charges ********20.00 GBP Passenger Fee: EU 261 Levy ********56.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Web Check in *********2.00 GBP Passenger Fee: ETS ********56.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Administration Fee ********90.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Checked Bag(s) *********1.69 GBP Passenger Fee: Mobile Text ********80.00 GBP Passenger Fee: Reserved Seating ********15.97 GBP Passenger Fee: Credit Card Fee *******814.54 GBP Total Paid

RECORD number of punters think it is money well spent. Not sure what the Ibis charge in September has to do with what they charge over the GP weekend. Booked our Ryanair fights to Bydgoszcz for Torun GP in April ... cost £287 per person. Hotel in Torun (not modest or out of trown) around £100 per night. CORRECTION: cost per person was £203...

MORE a question of tidying up the wording to avoid the ambiguity that confused some but not all last year.

TRAVELPLUS sold out their original tour (more evidence that hundreds think it is money well spent) but have managed to acquire a few more tickets and have put together a second package.

CANNOT think of any reason why a British rider will get a wild card pick.

AT this moment you would bet on Ward making the top eight rather than Gollob once Holder drops out. Having watched Gollob all weekend, at the track and in hotel, hard to believe that he has much enthusiasm for it any more.

SOME decent weather obviously helps ...