2ndbendbeerhut

just been watching the 1999 GP from Linkopping, what a superb meeting. Hows about another GP from there. (And another Brit winner). how the racing has changed in 5 years! Karl

taken from speedwayworld.tv........ The FIM Speedway Grand Prix Commission has today nominated the following riders for the 2005 FIM Speedway Grand Prix Series (SGP). Ryan Sullivan Australia Hans Andersen Denmark Bjarne Pedersen Denmark Lee Richardson Great Britain Scott Nicholls Great Britain Commenting on the announcement, John Postlethwaite, Chief Executive, BSI, said: “The five permanent riders picked themselves. Both Hans Andersen and Bjarne Pedersen won GP’s this year and Lee Richardson has also been on the podium. Scott Nicholls had a torrid year of injuries yet still managed to finish twelfth. Ryan Sullivan did not find his form that saw him finish inside the top ten last year and third in 2002. This is why we have the permanent wild cards so that riders like Sullivan have a second chance to make their mark on the championship. “All of these riders have also shown their commitment, drive and determination to be part of the world championship.” FIM Race Director Ole Olsen added: “Congratulations to the riders who have made the 2005 Series. All 15 riders for the 2005 season are capable of winning a Grand Prix or the world championship. With this line-up we will see hugely exciting racing next year.” The provisional calendar has also been announced today and confirmation of the provisional dates and venues is expected before the end of November. The 2005 Draw will be as follows: 2005 INDIVIDUAL SPEEDWAY WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GRAND PRIX RIDER LINE-UP QUALIFIED RIDERS Riding N° Name Country 1 JASON CRUMP AUSTRALIA 2 TONY RICKARDSSON SWEDEN 3 GREG HANCOCK USA 4 LEIGH ADAMS AUSTRALIA 5 NICKI PEDERSEN DENMARK 6 TOMASZ GOLLOB POLAND 7 ANDREAS JONSSON SWEDEN 8 JAROSLAW HAMPEL POLAND 9 HANS ANDERSEN DENMARK 10 BJARNE PEDERSEN DENMARK 11 LEE RICHARDSON GREAT BRITAIN 12 SCOTT NICHOLLS GREAT BRITAIN 13 RYAN SULLIVAN AUSTRALIA 14 ANTONIO LINDBÄCK SWEDEN 15 TOMASZ CHRZANOWSKI POLAND 16 WILD CARD TRACK RESERVES 17 TRACK RESERVE 18 TRACK RESERVE QUALIFIED RESERVES 19 KENNETH BJERRE DENMARK 20 PETER KARLSSON SWEDEN 21 STEFAN ANDERSSON SWEDEN 22 DAMIAN BALINSKI POLAND 23 ROMAN POVAZHNY RUSSIA 24 BOHUMIL BRHEL CZECH REPUBLIC If a permanent rider of the Grand Prix Series is injured and cannot compete in a round of the Series their place will be taken by one of the Track Reserves. Consideration for this place will be give to former Grand Prix riders who have missed out on a place in 2005 or to a local rider. Countries represented: Australia 3 competitors; Denmark 3 ;Poland 3; Sweden 3; Great Britain 2; USA 1

Qualified as top 8 1: Crump 2: Rickardsson 3: Hancock 4 :Adams 5: Nicki Pedersen 6: Gollob 7: Jonsson 8: Hampel Qualified through WC meetings 9: Lindback 10 :Chrzanowski i think that the "picks" will be 2 out of these 4. Hans Andersen - only 1 point off 8th and unlucky in WC at Vojens Bjarne Pedersen - won a GP this year so should be enough Lee Richardson - best Brit this year Scott Nicholls - unlucky to miss 1st 2 GP's, so should count for something. the other 2 battling for 3 places with the list below: Ryan Sullivan - former GP winner, not at best this year. Rune Holta - Will Norway insist on 1 rider in the series....... Lukas Dryml - Will Czech Rep insist on a rider....... Matej Zager - One for the future. 3rd in u21 wc. Kenneth Bjerre - finished 3rd in wc and 2nd in u21 wc. Mark Loram - Ex-World champ might be looked favourably upon As for the others from this years series i think we have seen the last of them for at least a year. Karl

Will have to see regarding the guests(if needed) but with Sky involved, theres always special dispensation !! Karl

well done to Jason, but hard on Sullivan, thought Nicki had left him with no where to go. Great piece when he fell off his bike, but should the ref exclude him for not "racing"........ Karl

send me a email at karl.thorpe1@btinternet.com and i'll try and send ya a copy, its an mpeg. like i said 1st lap is ok but then its a blur!!! btw i was opposite the start/finish on the back straight. behind all the "mad" poles, right at the top. 1 Polish guy was behind me up a flagpole! Karl

my outward flight was simliar, or could have been the same flight, went out on friday from stansted at 14.40. I thought it was strange when everyone clapped when we got to Warsaw. i was on your flight on the way back though, i was behind Scott and Mark in the queue aswell..... but then sat with them in the bar thats to the left of the terminal. Food was a bit like the flight though, what a great landing again, was it just me or did you think we would never land, and as for the abrupt left turn at the end of the runway!! oh well heres to next year! Karl

i recorded the final with my digital camera from the back straight....can't see much after Gollob goes past though, apart from waving arms and heads bobbing up and down! does that help? Cya Karl

has anyone got their tickets yet? first my bank deceided to send £262 instead of Polish money. now they have had my payment returned! sent the wrong iban number! so finally they are trying again, and will not charge me for the pleasure. waiting to hear now...... so if i do go get to Poland i'll be in warsaw for the friday, via air polonia and travelling up to Bydgosczcz somehow on the saturday, coming back on sunday. so if there are any listee's who are in the same boat i'll see ya there. i am thinking about hiring a car and driving up, could be a minibus if there's enough........ Karl

interesting reading on Hans's website..... Some people will do anything for more hits! Karl

does anyone know the odds for the last race on Skybet? i bet theres a few people unhappy after the "match fixing" I wonder if there will be any new skybet ads with Hans in them? Karl

phew thats a lot of reading! Over the course of the meeting i personally think that the incidents evened themselves out. Also PK looked to have the beating over Scottie but hey we will never know will we....... However what we possibly witnessed is Hans wanting to let his team-mate past to win the world cup, But whats wrong with that? Everything unfortunately if you are BRITISH, as he let his SWEDISH team mate through by shutting off the throttle 3 times after he had confirmed who was outside him by LOOKING over his right shoulder! It could be said that the Swedes tapped him up before the race for their gain, so were the Brits too slow? i blame Sky myself....... i bet THEY paid Hans off so that their viewing figures hit an all time high! Cya Karl

Are meetings always like that at Poole? Karl

hmmm what a great meeting saturday should be now. i think the Poles can only improve, certainly Koldziej and Hampel. Gollob is well, Gollob. Jonsson was superb for the Swedes and Lindback, Max and Rickardsson should go better. The Danes should enjoy the blue groove, nice to see the blue groove vs dirt lines tonight. As for the Brits..... come on the boys, we can do it. Karl ps the last heat certainly gave the World Cup some credibility. With the failure of the joker

quite funny though that after a night of sky bets my mate is only 3 quid up after backing Crump in the last one!! Sky bet, a great way to make a great evening even more fun! Karl

thank god for Gollob. if not what an absolute farce that the Aussies can use the Joker and beat the Poles in a last heat. Surely the joker should be used in the race off for the 2nd place team because 1st means little Karl

did anyone else think that Kelvin was struggling with his words???? Karl

Cheers Bryn, got a tad worried there for a moment....... Karl

message has just been posted on the yahoo group saying tonights meeting is cancelled!!! anyone know if this is correct?? KArl

i've got one of those Pete, let me know if you still want it... Karl

i think that i have ordered mine today using the Polish site....with the help of http://www.poltran.com/pl.php4 seems you have to register, then you can order tickets, the bit i don't get is where to send the money to etc but i'm working on that bit unless someone can help? when do you go? i'm on the afternoon flight to Warsaw from Stansted on the friday and come back sunday. Karl

Anyone know if theres any chance of the fanzone replaying in the re-run of the meeting? or if you watch with Fanzone does Skyplus still record the normal coverage? Karl

Personally it has got to be Dave Norris and Danny Bird, being the 2nd and 6th highest British riders in the averages: 10.14 Mark Loram 9.78 David Norris 9.02 Scott Nicholls 8.73 James Grieves 8.13 Gary Havelock 8.00 Danny Bird then again hasn't Danny been overlooked for the world championship events this year?? cya Karl