Grand Central

You're quite right. That is EXACTLY the sort of random misfortune that is meant to provide the hugely exciting climax to a week long international festival of Speedway. Worth the admission fee alone. And again great TV. Speedway out of the top drawer, some might say.

Oh, that would be very sensible. BUT it is not what the FIM have given us. Any offence from two minutes, tape touching or a second warning being given immediately creates a pointless race or final as substitutes are not allowed or 15m handicap. Just a three rider race with the result a foregone conclusion. Edge of the seat stuff for TV. Even for Speedway authorities this is stupidity on a scale not see before.

I agree completely. But, as I have been saying for months, the FIM have created a monstrous mess. And here we are right at the start of the Mickey mouse event and people are seemingly only just realising extent of the stupidity that has come out of Geneva (or Italy, perhaps).

No no no ... We know NOW. The FIM regulations are published and online for everyone to see. They will be adhered to without question. What on earth is the point in keeping asking the same daft question of people who are clearly giving you the wrong answer when the truth is written in 12 point black and white for anyone and everyone to read?

Why do you keep saying this? The FIM regulations for the event say that you do. Please read them.

Perhaps. And living in that fantasy world ... Tai storms to a race win with the Poles trailing half a lap behind and setting for the minor places, and Cook nowhere. How we would all laugh when the Polish crowd go mental with their 'win'.

The guy's terminology may not be strictly correct in that points are not actually awarded 4320. But he is correct about the outcome for a shared heat. The FIM regulations part 9.3 subsection 2 makes it plain that in the event of a 3-3 in the final races of each meeting it is the second and third places men that WIN. That has exactly the same effect as scoring what would be a 4-5 under the 4320 format. So he IS right about the principal, which is what he said. Whatever. The losers win. A farce for an event with 'world championship' style protentions.

Yes. Yet another sh!tty aspect of this poorly thought-out event.

If only it were fake. Bull rubbish is the reality I'm afraid.

If Cook feels the answer to any question is 'Mark Courtney'. Then he has been asking himself the wrong questions. But hey isn't it good to have a really professional outfit running the British team? Cackhanded management and adolescent press releases are just the thing we were looking for. Well done boys.

To be fair. The 'dressing' of all these things will be dolled up with this 'Monstrous Speedway of Nations' baloney. Probably most cost effective to make just the one set that can then be chucked away after this year. Then they can get the SWC stuff back out of storage. And normal service can be resumed next year.

At least this format creates the opportunity for a Castagna to ride at the NSS. Which is nice.

Doyle £25 less Cook £25 more Lindgren £25 less NKI £25 more Milik £25 less

Too right it wont. And just two years ago that speedway backwater of Great Britain got a commendable second place in a REAL World Championship TEAM event on home soil at the new National Speedway Stadium. And we all know the incredible 'force for good' that had on the sport in this country or on the public's perception of it. Similarly for running GPs in Italy, Norway, Finland, New Zealand, Latvia, Australia and so on. It is idiotic to offer this argument of helping the lesser nations when we know it has zero validity. Why are sane people being so daft?

But it wont Might as well have a two day world final in Amsterdam and hope for a Dutch speedway revival. This argument of stimulating interest in small nations is as false as it has always been. And I can't believe it is still being used.

It's looking a bit like those pairs events from British Speedway of the seventies and early eighties. Where they made up some pointless 'pairs' with a heat leader partnered with a reserve and then other pairs with two second strings. As if that would make the pairs 'equal'. And give great team racing to boot. To think we used to have a World Cup to look forward to.

Apparently they are in talks. Meanwhile it's easy to watch Freesports online for free at tvplayer.com.

Ahh ... That makes a lot more sense. Not the 'wrong colour' really. Yes a silly mistake and almost a 'technicality' rather than being idiotic as it first seemed. But the FIM rules are crystal clear and I suppose to the continentals it probably looked downright weird as they use the plain yellow everywhere. Pity not a single person was able to give the lad the nod before it was too late. i thought green or white thing mentioned sounded stupid and couldn't be the reason.

How do you ever get to the place where you have the wrong helmet cover for your first ride in a individual meeting ?

Whichever way you look at it it is not that many at all. If the third tier hadn't existed but we had either second halves, junior league or something else i imagine those same guys would have made it just the same.

Too much time can be spent on fannying around with the young guys and 'not too quickly' thinking. Woffinden and Lambert are the obvious choice. And let Dan Bewley explode on the scene at the NSS, if he can. If he doesn't so be it; but the experience of being there will be well worth it. tbh no one will know which CC could turn up on the day, no matter what his 'form' the week before. Bewley is actually less of a risk and there is so much more to gain long term.

True. But what sort of a thicko director would have cut to an interview with NKI anyway? His relevance as an interviewee at this stage tonight was zero.

True. But no more than 1000, apparently. are.

It's unfortunate though when some of the things one is most 'sure' of. Turn out to be wrong.

I imagine Sheffield would like a few hundred (?) extra Aces supporters cheering CC on to pay at the gate on Thursday? It still is what pays the bills.