Steve Shovlar

Pretty sure Adams would have made the podium tonight but for the EF at a crucial time. Pleased as punch for Lindback, who showed the doubters what a talent he really is. He has shown that at Poole this season and now needs to do it on a more regular basis away from home, starting on Monday a his worst track, Foxhall. His pass of Nicholls was truly sublime.

The fact that Crump fluked a final spot. The fact that he rolled big time at the start, twice, and the ref let it go. At least his luck and cheating didn't result in a final win. That would have devalued the meeting completely. Hey, there are many folks on here that don't like TRick. So what? So if I say I don't like Crump why do you have the harrass me over it. We all have our favourites and the one we dislike. I am pleased that NP won tonight. He deserved to be in the final, didn't roll at the start, didn't need lady luck to lend him a hand and rode without incident tonight. So a big well done to Nicki Pedersen, deserved winner of the first GP of the year. As for being gutted that TRick didn't ein, well you have me wrong completely. TRick doesn't have to win all 10 GPs to retain his crown. He really only has to make the final 8 or 9 times and no one will get near him. Lets be honest. Crump has shown good form this year, but when it came to the moment to stand up and be counted, well, he wasn't in the room. Only the fact that Adams packed up allowed him a ticket to the final. He isn't going to be the one that TRick has to look out for. No, that las=dies and gentleman is N Pedersen, showing the type of form that won him one world crown already in his career. Pedersen is made of harder stuff than Crump, and when in the correct mind frame can do what he did tonight. he lacks consistancy, but he will prove to be TRicks biggest challenger.

Was gifted a final spot. Was out on his ass before Adams packed up.

Did you watch it from your sick bed Eastie? So you are saying Crump stayed still?

I thought it was a very entertaining meeting, and luckily no crashes or injuries. Hampel was useless, confirming my thoughts that he is not good enough. Should be riding in the UK. Serve him right for doing so poorly. Hancock was woeful after a decent first ride. His days are over as a GP star, and he won't qualify for next year. Gollob rode very well and deserved third place. Glad to see him have a proper go. Iversen was out of his depth. Should not be in the gP's. Bring back Andersen for the next one. Adams should have been in the final. Rotten luck. Crump was just plain lucky. Should never have been in the final. His luck will change and he woill fall away in a few GPs. Protasiewicz was useless and looked uninterested. Shouldn't be there. Ferjan did beter than expected but really did nothing. Lindback was probably the most exciting rider on show. Brilliant and thrilling passes. Richardson did better than expected and perhaps should have made the semis. Silly dropped points. Rickardsson was the best rider on show, along with NP. Missed the gate in the final. Jonsson faded in the meeting after a decent start. Bit non discript. B Pedersen was awful. Should have done far better. Looks like my bet has been blown already! Zagar used his home track knowledge to do good. Can't see him keeping it up for the rest of the series. N Pedersen rode hard but fair and deserved his win tonight. If that Pedersen turned up every week he would be a popular guy. Nicholls rode well but was passed quite a lot. Made the final though. Overall a very entertaining meeting, with the gauntlet being thrown down by N Pedersen. Crump flattered to decieve, Gollob rode well and TRick was there in the final as per usual, as he will be throughout this season. Bring on the next one!

He has big luck every year SCB. More than his fair share. He won a GP last year when TRick was well clear, and NP piled into BP. The ref should have called it back. Huge rolling start from Crump.

Not likely. At least he stayed still at the gate, unlike the ginger whinger. Crump won't have that luck again and will miss a few finals. TRick is unlikely to. Well done to NP on this win. He rode well to get it, from the back as well.

Got to say Crump is all I dispise in speedway. Gob sh*te who said he should have won it, when he shouldn't have even been in the final!

I thought that todays GP was very good overall. A shame for Leigh Adams and Crump couldn't have any more luck. At least justice was done and he didn't win it!! Lets hope the remaining GPs are that good.

They are just excuses. What about when TRick really should have won it in 200 when Loram knocked him off and TRick got excluded? And the poor decision at Coventry when he was knocked off? he should already have had the record under his belt. You just can't say it was harder in the past. Riders such as Gollob, Holta, Crump, Pedersen etc woould have probably have whopped the oldies butts. More professional setups, no carting a bike around on the back of a car like in the old days. TRick might not be a favourite of yours, but if he wins it again this year the record books say different. TRick, best rider. Ever. Got a nice ring to it, hasn't it.

Well today is the day TRick starts his bid to become the greatest speedway rider of all time. A special day for a special rider and his fans. At 6 pm this evening we can witness history in the making. So don those TRick caps, decant the wine, and enjoy the main man in action! COME ON TRICK!

Bjarne at 40/1 is well worth a tenner!

Well I posted it off on Sunday evening and didn't expect them to print it word for word. Matt Ford has said the meeting should have gone ahead, so I have some backing even if the riders are sticking together as a single voice. The editor must also agree otherwise he would have hit the delete key!

KKs average is nearly 9, from the difficult number 5 berth at Poole. He often meets the oppositions best rider in his first ride as well. He is number 11 in the overall elite league averages. Kolodziej is also having a great season in the UK, and his average is not far behind KKs at 8.71. But the difference is that he is riding at the reserve berth, where points are easier to come by. Kolodziej HAS had a great start to the season as well, don't get me wrong. And if he can maintain that form once he has moved into the team, then he is also worthy of a GP wild card, and will probably get his chance in the Bydgozsz round later this year.

The right man has been given the berth. KK is a better rider than Kolodziej at the moment and his form has been good this year. Kolodziej is riding from the reserve berth and gets easy rides. A year behind KK IMO. I am sure Kolodziej will get the second Polish GP wild card though.

Pretty obvious you were not there then Alan.

Todays echo. POOLE chief Matt Ford has stressed he feels the Elite League Riders' Championship should have been completed at Wimborne Road on Sunday night. And he put most of the blame for the fact that it wasn't on the shoulders of a minority of riders, although he refused to name names. Ford, whose club staged the meeting on behalf of the British Speedway Promoters' Association, said: "I don't think it was the right decision to call it off." Referee Daniel Holt abandoned the championship after only six of the scheduled 22 races had gone ahead. He made the controversial decision after centre green discussions with the riders following some heavy spells of rain and a 20-minute delay during which track staff had made strenuous efforts to get the circuit into better shape. Ford said: "I think an important meeting taking place in Slovenia later this week (the Slovenia Grand Prix at Krsko) is probably one of the reasons this has been called off." Speaking at 6.45pm, 105 minutes after the meeting had originally started, Ford added: "The Met Office were clear the rain was going to stop just as it has done now. "We had time to hold fire. Fair enough, it was a two-and-a-half hour show for Sky Sports, but my main priority was to get the meeting on for the public here in the stadium."

Rusky do I have to spell it out to you? T-H-E-R-E W-A-S N-O-T-H-I-N-G W-R-O-N-G W-I-T-H T-H-E T-R-A-C-K.

The Poole promotion have a full set of track equipment, from heavy duty track graders through to two tractors with various attachments. The track was in excellent condition when the meeting was called off. As Paul Aplin said, there was nothing more he could do, because the track was there ready to race! The fact that not one rider even came out to "test" whether it was suitable or not shows that they had made their mind up that they were not going to race regardless of whether the track was OK or not. Catching the flights to Poland were far more important than the fans in the stadium or watching on Sky.

Sorry to tell you Bjarne's bike was packing up on him a lap earlier and he slowed enough for Loram to pass. Sullivan would have more than likely have been passed by Bjarne onif his bike was working properly. It was the slowest ride of the night, 3 seconds off other races.

Taken from the Poole website: http://www.poolespeedway.net Poole promoter Matt Ford was disappointed that the ELRC was abandoned on Easter Sunday after just 6 heats. Rain had begun to fall intermittently about 3.30pm and track conditions were less than favourable but after a pit-side visit from the referee after the Poole's Bjarne Pedersen had won heat 6 a further spell of track preparation was called with bag loads of dry sawdust being spread over the circuit. With seemingly the agreement of the riders to continue, just moments before racing was due to resume the referee announced the abandonment of the meeting, a decision that incensed staging promoter Matt Ford. "I had spoken to a number of riders and the general opinion was that the meeting could continue but unfortunately it seems that once again the voice of a few spoke louder than most. I would like to stress that Sky Television had absolutely no say in the decision. I have heard a number of stories that suggest otherwise but that is categorically not the case. The decision was made by the referee after he had listened to the riders. I am very disappointed that the meeting was called off today and feel sorry for all the fans that turned out today. We will be re-staging the event at some point in the future and all patrons are urged to retain their re-admission tickets as we will be allowing Free admission on presentation of the appropriate tickets when the meeting is re-arranged. Of course that is going to be a headache to find a suitable date but we will announce it as soon as possible.

I can't believe any Poole official said the track was not fit to ride.

The riders should have been taken aside one by one and asked if they were prepared to ride for the crowd and sky. If they said no, then they should be told to collect their gear and leave the stadium immediately. The appearance money from these riders is then devided up evenly amoungst those prepared to ride. If it meant that some heats only had two riders and Bridger (and any other rider in the stadium prepared to give it a go) I am sure the crowds would have given tham all a rousing reception. This stinks of the same reak as to what happened in Australia in the winter when one of the rounds of the Aussie Championships was cancelled with the track in a reasonable state. A few riders not willing to ride caused the meeting to be abandoned without a wheel turning. Looks like a few riders full of self importance decided the meeting was not going to go ahead, regardless of what the track was like.

No sorry what I meant was he said todays track was completely raceable, and they raced on Friday in far worse track conditions.

I have no idea how much water was put on the track. Looking at it the same as usual. At Poole we do have a very well prepared track, with dust never showing up unless its an afternoon meeting in the height of summer when Eastbourne visit! In fact on Friday conditions were fantastic all morning with no dust at all. Today at 3.30 the track looked like it would give a fantastic meeting with a bit of dirt on the track for the racers and slicker on the inside line for the curb crawlers. The shower we had was not the cause of the stoppage. It was certain riders influencing others.