PHILIPRISING

WHATEVER the date, and we will know later, remember that BSI don't have a completely free choice. Stadium availability is key, as it is in Copenhagen, along with other events taking place in Cardiff which affects hotel availability.

VERY true but my actual point was why Sky didn't bother with the presentation. Like not reading the last page of a book... seems odd to me.

BIT of both really. British speedway really doesn't warrant any national newspaper coverage these days in my opinion. The lack of a British World Champion or British success in the SWC doesn't help either but national newspapers are now notoriously dis-interesrted in most motorsport, especially the two-wheeled variety. Ironically, there are now far more pages devoted to sport than there were 20 plus years ago when the likes of Dave Lanning, Peter Oakes and I afforded some space oif most days of the week. And, as mentioned earlier, the News of the World were brilliant when Havvy won despite have a full programme iof soccer that same day. Much of it now is down to the mentality of those in charge. Sports Editors used to have a wide-ranging interest in all sports and that influenced their decision making. I took over as speedway correspondent for the Daily Express when they were involved in the Spring Classic. The then SE, Ken Lawrence, liked and enjoyed speedway but more importantly he saw it as a genuine sport which was worthy of equal billing when the occasion demanded. But in those days the likes of Bruce Penhall were household names despite not being British. When John Davis won the Spring Classic Wimbledon I had to do a running report of 29 paragraphs followed at the end by a complete re-write. The report was on the back page of all editions of the Daily Express the following morning. Interest in speedway began to wane when Denmark kept winning everything. One night I called the Express Sports Desk before filling a report and was asked "who won?" I replied "Denmark" and was greeted with "not those bloody Danes again. When are England going to win something." Would it ever change? Don't honestly know but a British winner in front of 40,000 people at Cardiff would push a few buttons. But that ain't going to happen any time soon! SORRY but it seems like it!

LITTLE or no chance these days but once the football season starts, with cricket and the paralympics, forget it. Thirty years ago when Gary Havelock won his World title I was working for the News of the World and they afforded his win an inside page lead despite the football. Times have changed sadly.

Great post! Couldn't have put it better myself.

I UNDERSTAND that they sold out of Rico tee-shirts quite early in the day. All the GP riders signed numerous copies of the book dedicated to Lee and other items to help raise money for the fund set up in his name. There was also a box for Emma at the Millennium.

POSTED this elsewhere but might be more appropriate here ... sorry for the duplication: PASSING, in my opinion, isn't the b-all and end-all of great speedway. What is your barometer of good racing? A heat where one rider passes another and then pulls away to win by 50 yards? Or close, wheel-to-wheel action where riders constantly jostle for position? The latter in my view. Jason Crump told the VIP Methanol club audience before the meeting that tracks at Cardiff and Copenhagen are now the best they race in ALL year. And, he added, you can include Gothenburg this year. Why? Because the riders trust them, know that they can race flat out without fear of hitting a big rut and being thrown off course and into another rider. Incidentally, Jason's crash on Saturday had nothing to do with the track. Chris Holder, who rode brilliantly and was exciting to watch even while ahead, said afterwards that the track was "awesome." Fifteen of the best riders in the world strutting their stuff on a decent track inside a fantastic stadium still works for me. There were certainly far less Poles there this year, hardly surprising given that they were due to have only Gollob there and even his star is beginning to wane. At least Poland have Janowski, the two Pawlicki brothers, Dudek and Zmarzlik on the fringes.n From where I was standing the noise was still deafening but better performances from British riders would undoubtedly raise the decibel levels. With regards to pre-meeting entertainment: when John Postlethwaite first took the GP to the Millennium Stadium he felt it necessary to have something going on while people were arriving at their seats and waiting for the speedway to start. A little aperitif but not a full blown hors d'oeuvre. And at no extra charge. Over the years the philosophy has remained the same, although for a while some quite high profile performers were booked until the fees demanded grew out of proportion. But they are really just time fillers and perform a function while the fans are coming in. WE started about four minutes later but finished right on schedule. Grading doesn't take too long at the Millennium especially since the tractors started coming on and off from the fourth turn. Lot of people prefer to see the riders do a lap on their bikes rather than just walk off after being introduced. Sad that Sky didn't show the presentation. It seems to be the norm for them. Cannot imagine that happening at soccer or cricket.

PASSING, in my opinion, isn't the b-all and end-all of great speedway. What is your barometer of good racing? A heat where one rider passes another and then pulls away to win by 50 yards? Or close, wheel-to-wheel action where riders constantly jostle for position? The latter in my view. Jason Crump told the VIP Methanol club audience before the meeting that tracks at Cardiff and Copenhagen are now the best they race in ALL year. And, he added, you can include Gothenburg this year. Why? Because the riders trust them, know that they can race flat out without fear of hitting a big rut and being thrown off course and into another rider. Incidentally, Jason's crash on Saturday had nothing to do with the track. Chris Holder, who rode brilliantly and was exciting to watch even while ahead, said afterwards that the track was "awesome." Fifteen of the best riders in the world strutting their stuff on a decent track inside a fantastic stadium still works for me. There were certainly far less Poles there this year, hardly surprising given that they were due to have only Gollob there and even his star is beginning to wane. At least Poland have Janowski, the two Pawlicki brothers, Dudek and Zmarzlik on the fringes.n From where I was standing the noise was still deafening but better performances from British riders would undoubtedly raise the decibel levels. With regards to pre-meeting entertainment: when John Postlethwaite first took the GP to the Millennium Stadium he felt it necessary to have something going on while people were arriving at their seats and waiting for the speedway to start. A little aperitif but not a full blown hors d'oeuvre. And at no extra charge. Over the years the philosophy has remained the same, although for a while some quite high profile performers were booked until the fees demanded grew out of proportion. But they are really just time fillers and perform a function while the fans are coming in.

MARTIN Rogers (ex King's Lynn and Leicester promoter and long-time speedway journalist) emailed me this morning before fling back to Oz ... Unbelievable meeting, cannot remember a better one. Lots of people echoing that at breakfast tables at Mercure this morning. So, as usual, it's all in the eye of the beholder.

ACTUAL attendance, which was rounded by by a couple of hundred, is provided by the stadium. Believe it or believe it not, that's what it was.

Darren Fletcher was with Jan Staechmann MISSED the gate there ....

YOU are getting very tiresome. I know what countless riders (not all GP ones either as Mark Lemon had a rant this afternoon) are saying so excuse me if I don't put much store by your comments.

CROWD was just under 38,000 which was about 12 per cent down on last year. But BSI were happy in view of all the circumstances ... late August staging, Bank Holiday weekend, cricket in town, no hotels at a reasonable cost, people taking late holidays after Olympics. Date for 2013 will be announced on Sky on Monday.

IT may still not be the glittering gala event that Humphrey would like to see but members of the Australian paralympics rugby team will be making the draw in Cardiff tomorrow and coming to the GP on Saturday. Chris Holder will be there, too. Just wonder whether they will pass the balls to each other rather than draw them out of a bag!

HE'S not a wild card but the same rule applies. Does need looking at. As I read it a rider could theoretically come into the series, top the scorers, be crowned World Champion but not qualify for the following year. Planning to have a chat with the FIM bods over the weekend. Incidentally, our latest info is that Hampel plans to return in Malilla.

WHEN are the draws ever glittering gala events?

DRAW will take place 13.00/13.15 on FRIDAY in the Queens shopping arcade...

GRAHAM replied: OK. I answered your mail off the top of my head and it looks like I was wrong. Vaculik is a Qualified Substitute so will not automatically qualify.

HAVE emailed Graham quoting the regulation you posted ... will let you know when he responds

I ASKED Graham Brodie, FIM Speedway Grand Prix secretary, and he says it is his understanding that should Vaculik accumulate enough points to finish in the top eight he would qualify automatically for 2013.

TRUE but it also represents a logistical nightmare.

NOT that has reached my ears ...

NOT sure that opinion would have gathered much support amongst the pits viewing fraternity including most of the riders. But your view endorsed that of the only man that really mattered. At least Craig Ackroyd was prepared to tell Vaculik why and how he came to his decision but still think the majority felt that it was an innocent coming together (certainly no blame attached to Sayfutdinov) and that a rerun with all four would not have been contested.

ANOTHER very hot day here in Terenzano and will probably still be around the start at 20.00 local time. Sadly the track here is no different from previous years and is unlikely to produce racing of the quality we have become accustomed to this GP season. It only really worked two years ago when it rained all day and gave the track a proper and natural soaking. Watering from a truck has almost little or no effect. The fact is that the riders don't really like it and nor does the Race Director but last night the club president and the local mayor announced that the SGP would be returning in 2013. If they were anticipating a rousing round of applause from the gathered audience they would have been sadly disappointed! Somewhat surprisingly most riders, bar the absent Bjarne Pdersen, completed most of their practice runs. The exceptions were Antonio LIndback and Martin Vaculik who called a halt after three runs each. Even Emil Sayfutdinov did all six which is most unusual for him. Given how hot it was and how little the riders actually learn it was hard to comprehend why most did as much as they did. The very long straights at Terenzano mean riders build up a lot of speed but with no banking and little grip it is very easy to over-shoot the corners, even in practice and on their own.