PHILIPRISING

PLENTY of candidates who I am sure would happily do the job when required. Doesn't have to cost much. Understand what you say about Lakeside ... but was that in the best interests of speedway?

GOING off on a bit of a tangent here but would be interested in people's constructive views... In light of the comments made by Wolves manager Peter Adams on Sky on Monday (with which I wholeheartedly concur), that any weak Elite League teams are to the detriment of the league as a whole, would it be better for speedway in the UK if for example... Coventry decide to dispense with Kaspzrak and Greg Hancock says he is prepared to help the Bees out for the rest of the season but his average prevents him from doing so. Would fans in general prefer that special dispensation be granted (by an independent adjudicator) to allow Hancock to compete. Such a move might not only boost attendances at Brandon (essential if we are not to lose them) but also potentially swell the gates at the tracks Coventry visit. Or do you prefer the current situation where clubs wishing to strengthen are effectively in a mathematical straightjacket? This is obviously a hypothetical example... cannot see any reason why Greg and many of his SGP colleagues would wish to return to the UK. But would more flexibility in the regulations be generally beneficial.

THE choice of wild cards is a consultation process but with whom they consult can vary from country to country and who is actually organising the event. In NZ, for example, it was Bill Buckley who had the major input, in Bydgoszcz it would have been the local club plus the PZM, in Sweden it would have been in consultation with SVEMO, in Denmark it will be through the DMU. In all cases the choices have to be verified by the FIM. SORRY but I don't understand that comment... UNTRUE ... the decision to stop British riders participating in the European Championship was taken by the BSPA.

IT will be forthcoming, certainly in SS next week after we have caught up with BSI boss Paul Bellamy in Gothenburg. My information is that the BSPA were informed that the British Final would no longer be a stepping stone to Cardiff some time ago. It was originally brought in as a concession to Sky and their coverage of the British Final but no other wild cards are determined this way and I imagine BSI and the FIM felt the time was right to end it.

WE would all love to see a British youngster going out and beating the best ... but who might that be? Apart from ability and experience, current SGP riders have equipment that is far superior to youngsters like Craig Cook. We need to be looking at the bigger picture and planing long term rather than contemplating throwing a kid in at the deep end in the hope that he can swim.

I am certainly no expert on Notts cricket but I would hazard a guess that any players replacing Broad, Swann and Lumb would closer in standard than NL riders replacing Zagar and Zetterstrom at BV. Mind you, how many county games do Broad and Swann compete in? There is no facility for calling off meetings in these circumstances. My question was: should there be? From the outset of this discussion I did point out this was not solely about BV on Monday.

I'M not defending BV here ... just asking what the paying customers would prefer under similar circumstances. As for Coventry v Wolves ... I felt like I was being ripped off just watching on TV. But then perhaps the majority of the crowd came from the West and enjoyed the massacre,

SORRY but you are missing the point. Speedway, like it or not, is unique. Replacing one of your top two let alone both with virtual novices simply doesn't work. You can cover for absent players in cricket to a certain extent but not speedway. And, I repeat, it is the fans who we are considering here. Of course it would have to be properly policed (again, an independent adjudicator) and postponements not permitted for just any spurious reasons. But in exceptional circumstances surely the option should be available. EL tracks have relatively few fixtures these days (BV one home meeting in May I believe), Scott Nicholls says he has just 38 UK meetings this year, that there must be some slack in the fixture schedules. The bottom line, as with any business and it is just that, is the customer. They are being ripped off, whether it was at Belle Vue on Monday or Coventry on the same night.

I understand what you are saying but I did mention exceptional circumstances. Riders caught in an airline strike or other circumstances outside their control are hardly guilty of not trying or worthy of a fine. Many riders are commuting in and out of the country all the time and these things can and do happen. An independent judicator (yes, that again) could be charged with making any decision after being afforded all the facts. But I go back to the paying public... what would they rather happen? These are the people who actually matter and who are currently voting with their feet by staying away in their droves.

THEY have made a statement to the effect that they made the wrong decision for the right (as they see it) reason ...

LET’S take a step back for a moment and examine what we can for the sake of argument call a hypothetical situation. Team A discovers on Monday morning that they will be without three of their seven riders for a meeting later that day through no fault of their own. One rider is injured while employees of the airline they are using to return from Poland delay their top two en route due to a strike. The rules do not allow any facilities for the missing riders. They would have to go into action with a seriously weakened team for what is probably their plum fixture of the year and the one their own fans are most looking forward to. League speedway, while a team sport, is essentially an individual contest (like cricket) but there are no reserve riders of similar standards waiting in the wings to come in. What is the lesser of two evils? Call the opposing team and agree that in the best interests of the sport and the fans the meeting is postponed. There are plenty of free dates available. Or go ahead with the meeting, which will be a non-contest and one that will undoubtedly not provide any value for money for those who do turn up and pay at the turnstiles. The former option is not one that is currently available to the BSPA to sanction but should it be? Is it better under exceptional circumstances that are outside the control of the home promotion – or indeed the away team – to call off a meeting rather than deprive the fans of a true contest? Of course, such a decision would require the agreement of both teams and be made in plenty of time to inform the fans that the scheduled meeting had been postponed.

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."