PHILIPRISING

Italy ... haven't heard anything but ... Riga is possible. IMG had rallycross at the stadium there this year. Copenhagen no, Vojens probably no as well Gorican ... unlikely Auckland ... possible Eskilstuna ... see Ghostwalker

DOUBT it ...

CANNOT envisage them having more than three in Poland although I agree about the venues you mentioned

THAT was very much in the cards but not so sure now. Think Horsens might continue.

UNLIKELY, a possible new one and a return to an old one on the cards. My money would still be on a new look SWC at the NSS (BV) ...

THINK BT will continue next year. Viewing figures have been good for speedway and it fits into their motorcycle racing portfolio. Have said here before that probably the best the BSPA can hope for is for BT to fully cover production costs, which they haven't done this year, and to provide a platform that should attract some sponsorship if put in the hands of the right people.

WRONG I'm afraid ... someone much higher up the ladder. I KEEP telling you until I am blue in the face that it is some promoters who are championing the fixed race nights.

BERT Harkins' wife Edith riding a speedway bike. Surely not...

DON'T think Cradley's previous use of Birmingham worked out very well.

DON'T think tracks in danger of closing is because of race nights. No offers for Birmingham so far and Workington's problems have been well documented.

HEARING that Mondays and Thursday for the Premiership is pretty much a done deal. No idea who will be in it and how many tracks are in danger of closing but there are at least two all but on the chopping block. Fingers crossed that they survive.

SO you attended every Dutch speedway meeting? He was at many, came to England with a Dutch team, and was heavily involved while also working as a senior minister (transport) in the Dutch government. Of course, he was later CCP President and then President of the whole FIM shooting match. I certainly didn't agree with everything he did (two day WF for one) but he was and still is a man with speedway in his heart and we had a much more influential voice within the FIM when he was in charge. A very impressive, charming and imposing man who stood about 6ft 6ins and talked to all and sundry from a great height. It added to his persona and he was for a long time a great asset for speedway in the corridors of power. As an aside, for many years while in government he was afforded a chauffeur and for much of that time it was former Holland and Wimbledon rider Rudy Muts.

THEY have published all the scheduled cancellations.

WHAT'S that got to do with anything?

BUT not on the telly

THINK that is correct

MANY moons ago, and before he was even FIM President, Joe Vaessen gave me a sage piece of advice and something that I have never forgotten.... You can keep on cutting costs to save money but sooner or later there will be nothing left to cut and you have to increase revenue. The real answer to British speedway's problems is to increase revenue .., attendances, sponsorship, money raising schemes which often keep small football clubs afloat. But first and foremost the product must be right. Give the fans what they want to see, primarily regular fixtures and teams they can recognise as their own. Then work on bringing in more money by other means. It can be achieved if only those with their hands on the tiller can recognise that.

IT is indeed but surely this isn't down to just one meeting, albeit without Cook and Jorgensen. I remember going to Workington in the days of Carl Stonehewer (what a character) and Ian Thomas (another one) and the place was heaving. We sold more Speedway Stars there at the time than in any other town. We are all going down the tubes...

ECHO that Steve.

PERSONALLY would be in favour of the old tac sub rule or a slight variation of it. Gives the team managers some real choice over tactics.

144 on the Sky platform I believe. Quest showed the SGP when Eurosport (also part of the Discovery group) was unavailable. Ultimately owned by Liberty Media, huge rivals of the Murdoch empire.

BUT he isn't, which makes his comment all the more remarkable (that's putting it politely)...

BECAUSE it would reveal the name of the guy who spoke to him and I don't want to do that.

MIGHT not need the Poles to relax the rules if rumours about Swedish tracks cutting their budgets are correct and, of course, NKI still resides in England and not that far from KL.

SPOKE to someone today who had a conversation with a prominent promoter. He said that he was disappointed at what I wrote in SS and wondered why I was always putting British speedway down. It is in fine shape he said. What planet are some of these guys on?