Dave the Mic

Thanks Dutch, you're a legend. All booked now - same seats as Saturday.

Can't find a link to buy any & have no email from them either

Yes Rob, but over and over? Why?

Yes, because he qualified. And because he has the right to compete. It's not for any of us to say otherwise.

Not the same thing at all Iris and you know it. The point I make is vote with your feet. If you don't like Harris in the GP don't watch it. But don't slate someone when you don't have all the facts or you aren't preparwd to do something about it. If there was someone in the GP that I thought shouldn't be there I would say so and wouldn't watch. But the truth is I respect all riders, so wouldn't put myself there. There are riders I don't like, past and present but would never question their right to compete, particularly when they have earned the right to do so. If you aren't prepared to do something about something you don't agree with, you can't criticise. It's like moaning about the government but then not voting in the election.

On your way pal. I'm many things, pathetic isn't one. It's a valid point. Until someone can do better, don't judge.

Do you? And? The point is, you slate people who do their best and try their hardest. You know F*** all about what he does off track and what may have gone on in his personal life so until you know the facts keep your counsel. I can't stand Nicki Pedersen, but I won't criticise the way he conducts himself because I respect him as a sportsman and what he puts in. Perhaps you should try it. And, BTW, I hate the argument that he should stop competing at this level. On whose authority? Yours? Sh** the bed, what a laugh.

Yawn. Here we go again. If a single one of you Harris Haters can do any better, put your money where your mouth is and get on with it. Put up or shut up. Just get over yourselves. Other riders had the chance to out qualify him and either couldn't be bothered, like the Russians, or weren't good enough. If you don't like the fact that he in the GP series, don't watch-simple.

Very sad to hear this. I remember Lew from all my years watching at Exeter and also when I was presenter/announcer at the OTA. He was a genuinely lovely guy, always happy to pass on some snippets of wisdom from his years of experience around the sport and always keen to help anyone he could in any way possible. They broke the mould when Lew arrived, shame there aren't many more like him. He will be greatly missed by many. RIP Lew.

And that makes it ok, so that's alright then. Let's sweep it under the carpet because it's a top line rider and he adds something to the GP.

I can't believe this is still being debated. The facts are, Ward failed a breath test and it was his intention to race that day and had he not been caught, he would have done. Anybody who says differently, him included is deluded. He broke the rules and should be punished. If he is in the 2015 series it turns the speedway world championship into a joke.

Oh dear. And make it a closed shop? What a great idea, so nobody, apart from a select 15 would ever have a chance to win the world championship unless BSI decree that they are commercially viable. The speedway world championship has had a qualification system every year since its inception in 1936 and it should remain, indeed be expanded. And to speedy69 who said that "everyone who does the qualifiers gets a pick", I would say this:- That has always been the case. If you go back to the 70's, never mind the current arrangements, there were a series of qualifying rounds across the UK, Australasia, Scandinavia, the U.S and Europe and every rider that competed had to be selected by their respective national governing body. Nothing has changed, except that there are less qualifying rounds and less riders qualify for the world championship or GP than used to be the case. No rider has a divine right to be in the GP, regardless of their status and/or track record, recent or otherwise, or regardless of any opinion on this forum. They should all qualify on merit and if they cannot do so, they don't deserve their place any more than someone who has done so. What those riders do once there is not relevant. If someone qualifies, they deserve their place and you simply can't question that. Even going back to the old world finals, the qualification system changed in the mid 90's when riders ended up in two semi finals. Many on this forum have suggested that most continentals were no hopers when they qualified, but the truth is, several continental riders made the world final at the expense of others even allowing for the "pooling" the riders in semi finals. I can see why the top 8 get a place for the following year, but anyone else who wants a place in the series should attempt to qualify, rather than rely on a pick, or getting in the top 8. That way, they have more than one option to get a place on merit. Zagar is a great example and why should any rider who has not competed in the qualifiers get special treatment and be offered a wildcard when they can't commit to a qualification attempt? They just want a place handed to them on a plate, but why should they get one? If you stop riders having the chance to qualify, what message does that send out to every rider out there? There should always be a qualification system so riders with that kind of ambition have something to aim for. There will always be misfortune and someone may miss out, but that's part and parcel of the sport, Kenneth Bjerre could argue he has been unlucky - he competed in the GP and attempted to qualify, but injuries have cut him down, but the truth is that happens and always has, but the current wildcard system allows for that too. The balance we have should keep everyone happy. The top men from the previous year, those who have qualified by right and those that perhaps merit a place but haven't reached the series are all catered for. The only thing I would change personally, is four qualifiers, not 3 and the wild card picks must have competed in the qualifying rounds.

Done

Change the record. It's not relevant. He qualified, by right fair and square.

FFS, can all you moaners knocking Harris just change the record and accept that he qualified. All you are doing is making yourselves look stupid. Harris has come through a set go qualifiers on a level playing field with every other rider that started the process and guess what? He finished equal on points with the highest qualifier. Tell me how he doesn't deserve his place or why he should give it up? Please, please don't make yourselves look even more foolish than you already do with your Harris bashing by telling us all how much other riders are so much more deserving of a place, because the facts clearly indicate that is not the case. All the riders in the GP series could have competed in the rounds but many chose not to, several other high profile riders chose not to accept either a wild card place, or a place in the qualifiers and so gave up a chance to qualify before the process started. Of the rest, Harris has beaten them all except two. And, in case you have missed the point, the top three from the challenge secure a place in the GP the following year. It's not difficult is it? Of the other riders I have heard mentioned, Dudek is banned, Ward should be banned, Sayfutdinov, Vaculik, and Grigori Laguta,didn't compete, Jensen, Jonasson, Kildemand, Kolodziej, Pawlicki, Artem Laguta and Miedzinski failed to qualify. So, on that basis, Ward and Dudek don't deserve a place on principle, nor do those who chose to decline a place or not to attempt to qualify (why should they be handed a place if they choose not to attempt to gain a place on merit) and those who didn't qualify were beaten fair and square by those that did, Harris included. Regardless of your opinion, the fact is, Harris qualified, whilst others, who had exactly the same opportunity, didn't, for a variety of reasons. The only riders who deserve sympathy are those injured and I feel for Bjerre in that regard. He has been in excellent form of late and may well have reached the top 8, has competed in the qualifiers and then got injured, so I feel for him. At the same time, as has been said previously, however, injuries are part and parcel of the sport and he wouldn't be the first rider to miss out through injury either in the GP series, or in the old one off world finals. There will always be hard luck stories where riders miss out, it has happened for years, but this kind of thing happens in many sports where there is a qualification process. The four picks are there for precisely that reason.

Can I have next Saturday's lottery numbers by PM please? Given that according to you "we all know" he will be 15th next year, you are obviously some divine authority, so do me a favour so I can pay my mortgage off, will you. Pillock.

And you know that do you? Get over yourself. As was posted ealier on this page, there was no one else better because he qualified and your "pets" didn't. Qualifying to compete on the highest stage your sport can offer it's not embarrassment it's an achievement and only idiots like you can't see that. Whether he finishes first or last next year matters not. There is a qualification system in place and other much fancied riders couldn't hack it and get through, whereas he did.

I'm not suggesting it does, but isn't one swallow, is it? He made it through three qualifying rounds, when other - according to you no doubt - more deserving riders did not. I wonder why that would be? And why "look forward" to someone failing. How thoroughly unpleasant. Perhaps he will give up his place, just to appease you.

I don't recall seeing any post saying how good or bad he is or was. However, the fact remains he finished in the top three of the challenge on merit, ahead of, presumably, other riders who you feel justify being included ahead of him. How so? He has qualified and they haven't, so how poor does that make all of those? Please do think about what you post before you post it.

I don't see how Hampel and Ward are certain for WC's at all. And to all those Harris knockers, you must be spitting your dummies, chucking toys out of prams and teddies out of cots and its hilarious. You would have moaned if he hadn't qualified as you would argue that all your whining was justified and now your'e moaning because he has. He can't win with you lot but the truth is he earned his place on merit and the reality is it is because there was no one else better. He chose to do the qualifiers when others didn't and took that opportunity with both hands and deserves his 2015 slot as he has got there on merit, when others couldn't. If you don't want to watch him next year, don't go to Cardiff and don't tune in to the TV. He won't give a toss whether you do or don't. I don't care who races in what series as long as there is speedway to watch but I'm chuffed to bits he has qualified if only for him to give you lot the finger

To OveFundinFan. Harris has qualified by right so deserves his place. Period. Other riders had to beat him to secure a place and couldn't do so. Ergo there is no one better to compete, because if there were they would have qualified in his stead, wouldn't they? It's not rocket science.

Don't watch. Simples.

Agreed. Think Jason will be a good addition to the series. Well done to all three qualifiers.

Awesome, he's through. Qualified by right. You moaners can bleat all you want, but he qualified on merit and good on him.

So every world champion up to 1995 was unworthy? Every world title until then was decided by a one off meeting. You don't have a clue.