waiheke1

Pretty sure they at least cover the travel expenses to swc meetings

Smolinski isn't swedish though...

Eveyone knows there are likely to be a couple of riders drop out of the challenge so you cant begrudge harris his chance. He deserved it and took the opportunity.

Dull but deserving? Tbf I think he's a little unfairly derided as a gating tart, have seen him involved in some exceptional races. He was arguably the best rider in the world last year, surely along with nki one of two riders guaranteed a wildcard. Definitely strong similarities, though think smudger had less wildcards.Both really excting racers. Both too poor at the start to be contenders at gp level, or even to really dominate at league level. But capable of beating anyone, and certainly good enough in any company outside the truly elite riders. So hampel and nki surely in now. Other slots surely dependent on top 8. Tai greg nicki kk zagar in, and probably holder too. Think the other spots are two from freddie aj bjerre and batch. If two swedes qualify, then id expect ward and either mjj/killer. If swede plus bjerre id expect ward plus thj If swede plus batch id expect thj plus mjj/killer If batch plus bjerre id expect two swedes. If ward is banned opens up a range of possibilities for one slot. Doyle has been one of top 15 riders in the world this year (imho). Harris maybe not top 50. Agree that one of harris' s main issues is his bikes.But harris has earned his spot fair and square, don't see how anyone can argue to the contrary.

Surely hampel still to get a wildcard, only makes three poles?

Zagar irrelevant though, as locked in top 8

Easyish ride for bomber next out to. Looking like doyle killer and magic/pawlicki to me thougg. Thj will likely get a wild card anyway? Far from locked in that both batch and holder are top 8.

I agree scb. Especially when u consider that his sponsors, and potential new sponsors, myst surely want him in the gps.

I presumed by "new" he meant weren't in the 2014 series, but you are right they both have.

Isnt there only harris who could possibly stop it being 3 new riders next year? So highly likely there will be 3

Has said he cant afford to compete, due to failure of his club to pay him last year.

I assume he adjudged that woffy hit the tapes first. In real time thats what I thought, and seems to be backed by people who have watched frame by frame

Its not up to fim to decide, their rules say it goes to the next rider from this meeting, not ninth from the gps.

Ideal scenario now killer, thj and pawlicki to qualify? With wc then to hampel iversen ward leaving one more for mjj, a young pole or vaculik ?

Hampel has finished on podium three of last five seasons. Been arguably best domestic performer in the world over that period. Dont see how you can argue that batch is more deserving of a wildcard.

Will never get a wikdcard. Iversen will get one making it unlikely another dane would. Mjj and kikdermand surely both ahead of bjerre if a second one was given to a dane.

Hampel surely a certainty unless two poles go through from the challenge? Iversen ditto, unless I would say three other danes in addition to pedersen qualify. Emil and darcy the other two if available. Next up would be a second swede (if not already in).

"#no # alcohol# no # drugs# speedway" I cant for the life of me figure out what that quote has to do with drugs either...

Surely the only British world final that meets this criteria was odsal in 85 (just tatum)? All the others from memory had at least 3 brits.Not sure the crowd was "massive", seem to recall john berry lost a load of money buying tickets to resell, but then carter's injury dropped thousands off the gate.

Any "veterans" on here see James Bond ride? Did he have a smooth style and enjoy a post meeting martini?

fair enough twk, its just that the post you replied too was talking about the 80s... tbf, the 70s was the one period (after establishment of the various world championship events) where England truly dominated, though still only managed one individual crown in that era. likely very similar, my time as an Aces regular ended in early 87, when my folks moved us back to NZ, where sadly speedway coverage was non existent. I think you may be doing Eric a dis-service on the personality front, he was pretty much universally admired, though not as high profile as the ones you mentioned. certainly a better ambassador for the sport than Lee and Carter.

Darcy admitted he had drunk the night before. The only reason he thought he had drunk too much is because he failed a test. If the test was flawed, then his "confession" of drinking too much is surely invalid?

Where do you get that training sessions on event days isnt included in the seven hours for that week? It says there may be training on event days "within these parameters", which most would interpret to include the seven hours restriction as well as the time slot restriction?

Kk Hampel Bech Bjerre 200 points: tai nicki and greg to miss semis

The 80s is my favourite era in Speedway. Childhood memories of going to Hyde Rd every Saturday, watching superb racing. The great Belle Vue sides of that era, in particular the 82 title winning team, and the arguably stronger 84 side which regularly racked up 50+, and even 60+, point scores. The much weaker side of 85 which saw last heat deciders a regular occurrence. The incomparable Mort and PC blazing around the boards or nusring more junior riders home, the even more exciting teenage Andy Smith, and of course my favourite rider of all time, fellow kiwi Larry Ross. The visiting track specialists, Kenny Carter, Erigk Gundersen, Shaun Moran, and those who were good enough to ride any track well, Mike Lee, Bruce Penhall, Hans Nielsen , others such as latter career Mauger and Olsen, the entertaining Americans such as King, Ermolenko, Sigalos and Jellyman etc. Trips to see the Aces race away at The Shay Odsal or Brandon. The test matches against the yanks and the danes, the cut throat world final qualifying rounds. The sound, smell, looking down at the riders in the pits, truly my favouite time in the sport. But, its fair to say that there are rose tinted glasses on. The world final lineups consisted of at least 25% “no hopers” who qualified by virtue of nationality, and the racing with a couple of exceptions in those finals (81 wembley, 85 bradford) was generally poor. In qualifying there was the infamous Penhall throwing of a race in 81, but truth is that was a fairly common occurrence, that was just the most blatant example. You had issues with Drugs/alcohol- the battles of Lee and Kelly Moran are well documented. But then you also had Shaun Moran’s ban in 89 for failing a drug test, Bobby Schwartz being fined for possession at Heathrow, Gary Gugliemi’s conviction for smuggling cannabis (cannibals as I heard it at the time!), allegations that the American side were riding on drugs etc. You had the tragic deaths on track of numerous riders, and off track the tragic suicide of Billy Sanders and the horrific murder/suicide involving Kenny Carter. Then there were the suspensions for race fixing handed to Simon Wigg and Malcolm Simmons. A number of legendary speedway venues were lost forever to speedway – Wembley, The Shay, White City, Hyde Road etc. England, from having performed the grand lam winning all thrr=ee world titles in 1980 were to win over three more titles over the rest of the decade, including one i8n 9 which was overshadowed by the career ending injuries suffered by Erik Gundersen. The BL had two consecutive seasons without the world champ racing here, and over the decade the sport prematurely lost a number of top class riders =- Penhall, Sigalos, Carter, Lee, Sanders, Gundersen etc. Meetings were sometimes run in terrible and/or dangerous conditions – British Final 84, inter-continental final 81, the meeting at Cradley in 80 that effectively ended PC’s career as a truly world class racer, a debacle of a test match between England and the USA at Hyde Rd in 85, are ones which stand out in my memory. The British League contracted from 16vteams at the start of the decade to around 10 at the end. Crowds were down, and speedway star/programmes bemoaned factors that may still resonate today – recession, poorly prepared tracks, the weather, spiraling costs, too many mediocre foreigners who regularly go AWOL. Don’t get me wrong, British speedway was far healthier than it is today, but to say that it was a great era and make the claim that that is not “rose tinted” is debatable.