Terry

You're right about Schwartz, he detested the place! There wasn't much love lost between Bobby and Len Silver either, after Len booked him as a guest for the visit of Cradley in 81 and he only scored 3 points. Although it wasn't the smartest booking, given Schwartz's connection to the Heathens and his buddy Bruce Penhall. Also of course, he saw his team-mate and countryman Denny Pyeatt lose his life there. American riders seemed to have bad luck at Hackney. Kelly Moran suffered serious injury in 78, and brother Shawn broke his leg. Penhall liked riding there though, being the only visitor to score a maximum in 80, and I think the following year too.

All British line-up for Belle Vue tonight. When was the last time that happened in the EL?

The streamers given up and gone to bed. We're back!

Great ride Lambert.

The track is fine, the riders are just taking each other off.

A lot of these riders will be over 21 by the time this meeting ends!

The way they were whizzing through the early heats I was checking the transmission time thinking it was on for half an hour and not an hour! They got through 10 races (well, 6) in twenty minutes, and had forty minutes left to show 5 races with umpteen replays. Terrible editing.

I find it disgusting...They should take them off..

To be fair, with the exception of Tai, all our riders will be out of their depth. The Poles and the Russians in particular (if they send their best team) are going to love that track. And their equipment is super-fast.

I've been a Bomber fan since he started, but even I can see his international time is up. To me the choice is obvious. Woffy Cook Lambert King

I don't know what some people on here want from Chris Harris, he gets criticised every gp for basically doing what is expected of him. So far this year he has beaten Doyle (twice), Zagar, Holder, Janowski, Kildemand and Iversen. All top riders in anyone's book. I notice nobody criticizes these riders when they're beaten by him!

I've never thought there's a world championship in Iversen, he's too inconsistent, like Zagar and Jonsson. I reckon Kildemand will be top Dane this year. I was impressed with Thomsen, I wonder if he's any relation to good old Finn!

You can't do that, it's cheating! To be honest, if I changed my list now I wouldn't even have Nicki in the top eight. He seems so slow this year, and even though he made the final last night he didn't win a race and got lucky in the semi. Zmarzlik and Pawlicki will get more confident as the series moves on and Holder, Janowski and Lindback are doing a lot better than I thought they would.

Laguta's fighting a lone battle.

Going by the title of this thread, I thought it was about Greg's 'spare underpants moment' in his semi.

There were some great derbys between the Kestrels and the Dons over the 88-89 seasons, including the all London ko cup final of 88. Todd, along with StingRay Morton (as Dave Lanning called him) and Neville Tatum always provided strong opposition. Qualifying for the 2000 world championship after such a bad injury was a great achievement, and I think he made the final in the first two rounds, and comfortably finished in the top eight. I remember the year Todd and Leigh Adams nearly beat the all conquering Danes in the world pairs. He always came across as a thorough professional and of course his gating technique was legendary!

Can't argue with that. I must say that I find it a little nauseating how some people think he can do no wrong.

Kangaroo sandwich.

I remember skybet were offering 5/1 on Woffy going through the card last year. Having scored a 21 point max in the world cup a few days earlier, it seemed too good to be true.-Which of course it was, when he comes third in his first ride! I'll be having my usual flutter on my favourite Brit Chris Harris, and once again hoping that Scotty doesn't get the Cardiff place after not bothering with the world cup year after year. 1. Chris Harris 2. Craig Cook 3. Robert Lambert 4. Steve Worrall #anyonebutscott

Woffy out for the race-off? No chance!

Pepe wins the battle of the oldies!

Great ride from Lindback.

How great would it have been if the interviewers clothes had fallen off, when Greg made his birthday wish!

Speedway always takes precedence over the footie in my household!

Keith White was one of those riders who peaked at an early age. He was only 21 when he had his best year in 77, running an 8+ average. As you say he made it through the British final, quite comfortably with 10 points, and when everyone thought he would push-on in 78 he just dropped down to a 4-5 point second string/reserve for the next five or six years before dropping to the NL. I used to love those times too. The racing was full-blooded with Commonwealth Final places up for grabs! Every rider in the line-up seemed to be an established number one or two for their team. With a few exceptions, recent British Final line-ups remind me of those 'Stars of Tomorrow' meetings we used to have. I guess it's just a sign of the times.