WembleyLion

You are correct in assuming Speedway riders are self employed. Also despite what some clubs would have you believe they do not actually own riders as assets!

So we'll end up like Poland, Sweden and Denmark employing mostly home grown riders!

Like many top line riders, many fans can't be bothered either. No excuses from me though, I am available, my van isn't playing up, nobody has insisted I spend the weekend in Poland, I haven't got 24 man flu and wasn't beaten up in the pub last night - I just can't be bothered!

Not yet so far as I know. Might have to wait until the day itself. When was the last van breakdown excuse offered up?

Eight PL riders at the moment - will the number increase by Saturday?

Well done to the Witches who pretty much had the tie sewn up at Foxhall. Edinburgh rode well last night but I felt there were three races that really tipped it the way of the Witches. Firstly the Risager, Covatti 5 - 1 in heat 7 closely followed by the ride of the night from James Sarjeant in heat 8 when he chased down and passed Ryan Fisher and then in heat 11 with another 5 - 1 this time from Danny King and James Sarjeant.

I remember being at Vojens in 1981 gone midnight! I also understand some of the meetings in Argentina are known to go onto around 2am!

I have been to most tracks that have staged a Grand Prix and Teterow was probably the worst. Just a few things I observed:- A totally disorganised car park. One tiny gate to let those standing on the third and fourth turns in. It took a twenty minute crush to move about 20 feet! No signs though indicating this was the right queue and countless fans where turned back and had to fight there way back through those still queuing. I saw people in wheelchairs only able to get up a steep grass bank into the stadium with the help of other fans. No programmes on sale inside. Nowhere I could find sold a bottle of still water! Fireworks being hurled onto the track with no action taken to prevent it! Fans walking on and off the track/ centre green as they pleased during the rider ceremonies. From what I saw there was a lot that needs improvement. Not sure I'll bother again though.

Any offers on the first withdrawals to be announced?

That's pretty much what I heard as well. I hope Steady is ok - the match was shaping up nicely until his withdrawal.

... and Workington will end up on no more than +2 as they are not riding their home match v Redcar until October 1st, unless they now of course bring it forward!

The referee was Chris 'Rerun' Gay!

It seems that accounts are also overdue at Companies House!

There are currently five reserved dates on the FIM calendar:- Mon 19 Sept Weds 21 Sept Mon 26 Sept Mon 3 Oct Weds 5 Oct SVEMO have already bagged Weds 28 Sept for the Swedish Elitserien Play Off Final second leg so we can probably rule out that date.

M56 - Jason came very close to doing just that a few times at Sheffield but each time he just missed them! As you say it was a stunning return though as he rode to a super five ride maximum!

The Panthers have a bit of form in this respect with Konopka, Dilger and Barrett immediately springing to mind!

I applaud giving opportunities to youngsters but this seems inconsistent with Janniro still riding. I would have thought the youngsters might have learned a bit more riding with Greg?

Yes James is riding.

The track was no worse at 7.30pm than just after 6.00pm when I arrived. From then onwards very little was done to the track until the riders had walked around and this was a good 45 minutes after I had entered the Stadium. By today's standards (and bearing in mind there were some notorious wet track dislikers in the King's Lynn team) I could see the meeting was going to be off well before the start so why they keep allowing fans in or let any in to begin with is beyond me.

I believe he was a young Danish lad from Brovst.

Yes Aaron is riding.

I thought the rule was that once riders have signed on for the GP (presumably on the Friday) they are not permitted to ride elsewhere so Danny will have no choice and not be allowed to ride at Somerset if he signs on on the Friday. i guess he would have to do a Chris Harris and forego the practice.

Many thanks Arnie - I have been tracking this calendar, which is usually quite reliable but it is at odds with the FIM one (which is not so reliable) and there is no reference to these meetings on the Esbjerg website. I have also e mailed the club and hopefully will get confirmation of the meetings.

Thanks Tim - I plan on going to Outrup on Friday and to Holstebro on Sunday but am also interested in the Esbjerg meetings, particularly those which I believe are on Saturday before I head off to Horsens. Just looking for confirmation of exactly what is being staged at Esbjerg and when.

Does anyone have details of the possible meetings being run at Esbjerg on the evening before the SGP and on the Saturday morning/lunchtime immediately before Horsens? Many thanks