PHILIPRISING

AIN'T that the truth!

YOU are quite right. I was lucky enough to spend time with riders like Barry Briggs, Ivan Mauger, Kenny Carter, Simon Wigg and Kelvin Tatum. Believe me, being BRITISH Champion was hugely important to them.

WHICH would suggest you think actually winning the British title, without the Cardiff carrot, is meaningless.

DON'T think so. GPs always start on time ... first race at 19.15 local time (other than Italy or Cardiff). Parade starts at four minutes past the hour exactly, the TV companies have that time to lead into the opening heat. Most opening ceremonies are rehearsed and timed so that riders are ready to go onto the track at 12 minutes past the hour. We then run to a timed schedule throughout the night although obviously unforeseen circumstances (as in Torun last October) mean constant amendments.

SCB .. your view is probably most in tune with BSI. 2ndbendbeerhut ... cannot see how a Sky meeting can adversely affect their business. In fact, BSI are keen for Sky to continue showing speedway in this country, it all helps to spread the speedway gospel to a wider audience and potentially more Cardiff attendees. Also, BSI have nothing to do with the European Championship. Wild cards are picked in other countries so I assume they felt it time to revert to that - the pick didn't always come from the British Final. One thing I do know categorically: Harris didn't know until it was verified by the FIM this week. It would be lovely to have a young Brit to throw in as the Danes have done for the past couple of years but, in all honesty, do we have one? Maybe down the line riders like Cook and Worrall will warrant a go but not yet.

SORRY to be pedantic but it doesn't necessarily go to the winner...

PROBABLY because they think he is the second best British rider ... and he probably is. Not sure there is another Brit who could compete but then not sure Chris will either. Just about sums up the paucity of British talent right now. If not Harris, who?

WHY is he a disgrace? Neither Rossiter nor Woffinden could make a definitive call despite watching it numerous times. Probably was 50/50. He made one of two equal options. Hardly a disgrace.

LETY'S just hope it stays dry. Will this be the last SGP at Ullevi for a while, that's the big question right now.

SPOKE to BSI today and their answer was "50/50" right now...

NOTHING for a while... still early stages

HE'S 'Monster' Joe, one of their top men in Europe and very "enthusiastic."

EUROSPORT are aware that they got that bit wrong.

HAPPY to report that Eurosport are delighted to have Nigel and Kelvin on board and very impressed with the pair. Their commentary of Heat 22 in Bydgoszcz was brilliant ... "Speedway from the gods" ... "Obscene speedway" ... "I'm going to have a lie down in a dark room." I actually spent some time yesterday watching the highlights show being put together when they both have to redo their commentary from a sound booth, tailoring their words to a specific time frame measured in seconds. And then adding other comments before and after races, again measured in seconds. They are both brilliant at it and work superbly in tandem. In the TV industry their rankings are very high so sorry Andy and the rest of the usual suspects... they ain't going anyway.

IT won't be for the lack of trying I can assure you but the track in Bydgoszcz is almost freakish and it just needed bringing to life. That won't always be the case but it does underline how good speedway can be when the top performers have the perfect stage on which to strut their stuff.

PRACTICE starts at 5pm. I think it is open to ticket holders.

TONY Olsson has always known what is required to produce a good track but it isn't always as easy as some on here think. It is not just the surface at Bydgoszcz, the track has so much else going for it which isn't available elsewhere. Even Paul Daniels doesn't know enough magic to transform Terenzano. If we could take the Bydgoszcz track to every GP speedway's popularity would go through the roof. Some of the Eurosport execs were there watching live speedway for the first time and they were dazzled.

CERTAINLY were ... not easy keeping going for 35 minutes but then both can talk the hind legs off a donkey!

THE club said that on Friday and there weren't that many empty spaces but what there were seemed to be together. Club were very happy...

SLAP on the wrist...

HATS off to Tony Olsson, too. He fought tooth and nail to get the track staff to produce a racetrack to showcase speedway at its very best. NO, he just missed the start and in that company that was enough. But what a performance, so good it almost brought a smile to the face of Peter Adams who was in the pits with him.

DON'T think he would want it slick either.Fingers crossed ... they were working on the track early today and the weather is fine so no excuses.

TONY Olsson very disappointed and annoyed with track at practice yesterday. It was still under heavy snow a few days ago but Tony went ballistic at the track staff yesterday after they packed it so hard (fearing rain) that as one rider said it was more like Terrenzano. Strong words at after after-practice meeting and hopefully they will do as they were told (doesn't always happen in Poland!) and get it right for what is apparently a sell-out crowd today.

CLOUDY and occasional hazy sunshine here in Bydgoszcz today. The draw for tomorrow's SGP will take place in a big new shopping mall here at 2.30, practice starts at 5pm. The PKS Polonia stadium is a little second hand compared to Torun and Gorzow these days but, hopefully, the track will live up to expectations. Gollob still the local hero ... taxi driver couldn't stop talking about him on way in from airport. Mind you he only used two words ... Tomasz Gollob, Tomasz Gollob.

I'M ecstatic ... would be even more so if you actually bought one.