Col

You should make the short-ish trip up the M5 to Perry Barr, Grachan, Roynon is a prospect and a half, especially considering the injuries he's sustained in his short career. Along with Ben Barker, thos two riders are more entertaining than anything since Jan O Pedersen, except for Chris Harris when in awesome mode. I know it's detrimental to his money & career, but I love it when Adam misses the gate at PB.

Cheers Niclas.

Any results through yet?

Harsh! The P'boro v Eastbourne match on Sky was good. Nicholls has topped the qualifying scorers and picked the wrong gate position in the past. He's also made the rostrum a few times.

Good GP, overjoyed Adams won. Pedersen should have been excluded, he realised Crump was coming past (you see him look over) and turned left on the Aussie.

Nicholls & Harris are as good as any other GP riders after the first 20 metres, I believe this is almost every Brits problem and it stems from all our talent coming from a grasstrack background.

Of the lot Jonsson was the most impressive if you ask me, until the Monsoon struck, stupid choice of gate in the semi. It was a good meeting until the rain came down. Glad N Pedersen didn't win especially the way he walked the first few GP's last year, it made the rest pointless. Crump & Adams were poor. Andersen seems to save his best race until he's against fellow Danes. Good to see Bjarne in great form, is their another rider that is as exciting? He gets passed more often than water.

Congrats to Roynon & Barler, my favorite two riders to watch currently.

Leigh Adams (capt), Jason Crump, Andreas Jonsson, Hans Andersen & Lukas Dryml.

From live updates

Updates here Thanks to superguest for the riding order! Anyone got a spreadsheet I can bung these names in, so I don't get in a total mess?

Wasn't Andersen awful at Kings Lynn recently?

You really should learn to spell. If both are fully fit I would go for Jonsson & Shields. Pedersen & Watt in with a shout if Byawne finds any form. Andersen & Bjerre wont be far off neither will Nicholls & Richardson. Lindgren & Iversen a decent outside bet.

Agree with whats been said, Howe was a class apart this evening, especially in heat 10, when he didn't make teh gate considering the injuries he's had preseason I thought he may stick rather than twist, but full credit to him he outfoxed Ostergaard & Legault. Legault got better as the meeting wore on, his race with Lyons & his last to first in heat 1 being the picks of his rides. Roynon looked as quick as anyone once he got going, should come good. Morris was solid & Lee Smart actually used the outside to overtake someone tonight, very rare he tried that last year. Birkinshaw struggled early on but was chasing down Neiminen in his final ride and looked much quicker. Hargreaves was poor, retired almost every race well adrift at the back. As for the others Danny King was quick all night and his overtake on Johnston in the run off was sensationally brave. Johnston did well after a poor first ride. Ostergaard, Werner, Nieminen as you'd expect; spoilers. Tomicek looked OK, but Ashworth was poor. McConnell was in the mix but didn't quite have the pace.

Think you maybe expecting a little too much from Legault on his first actual competitve outing at Perry Barr. It's between Howe & Lyons for the title, Compton to come in third for me. Shedded chains for the 'Mad Dog' then. Yes, but was poor when he visited with Wolves at the end of last year. Don't think he'll quite have the pace of Lyons or Howe, but a spoiler for sure.

Lyons, Howe & Compton to make the roster. Ostergaard & Nieminen the only pair likely to trouble those three. Hansen was poor when visiting Perry Barr with both Wolves & Workington last year. Be interesting to see how Legault & Roynon go. I thought James Wright was riding, what happened?

Depends on the date & ticket availability.

To be honest thats probably closer to the EL points limit than it is to the PL. Ok that might have been a slight it's exaggeration 1.87 (by my reckoning) over a 40.0 PL limit before i even attempt to figure out what average Simota would be on in the PL.

Of the two cities I've been to (for non Speedway related trips) I'd say I prefer Copenhagen rather than Pargue, trouble is in Copenhagen everything is ridiculously expensive! I did go to the 1991 World Speedway Final in Gothenburg, however I was a little too young to appreciate the city or it's delights. I'm fairly certain I wont be in the country for Cardiff next year So I intend on heading into Europe for a GP, Bydgoszcz assuming tickets are readily available will be my destnation for two reasons. 1. It's generally the best race track, entertainment wise. 2. I've never been to Poland before.

Not on topic, of course, but I would imagine that if the 'one 8 point rider per team' rule was introduced as mooted that would do it, with 10 teams rather than 11 (at the start of the season) there are more EL standard riders for those 10 teams. There will be the obvious rider movement that comes with all close seasons. Under the 8 pointer ruling Poole will be forced to lose either Crump or Pedersen, Lakeside will have to lose either Jonsson or Kasprzak. I don't expect Iversen, Schlien or Hamill to wear the same race jacket as they wore this year either due to the points limit whatever that will be. Of course should Jonsson or more likely Kasprzak decide to not ride in England next year or Loram not be fit enough to start the year, that throws spanners in the works. Plus you never know we may see the return of Hampel, Protasiewicz or Hancock. Has the bottom fallen out of the Russian speedway funding yet?

If someone gets Barker on some EL standard equipment I reckon Reading could do a far worse job than get him in at reserve next year, ideally doubling up with a 'smaller' PL track than he's been used to. Easily the most entertaining visitor to Perry Barr this season.

Bagpuss meet Porky. He used to annoy me, his dancing and his last lap 'Horse racing style' commentary still do. But I kinda miss him when he's not there now. He's also a damn sight better than the centre green guy at Perry Barr. I thought the guy in the Pint Glass suit was fairly amusing myself.

Bit of a disappointment to be honest, there wasn't enough dirt on the outside of turns 3 & 4 for a meeting where passing is paramount. The typical Olympique scorers where Lyons & Louis! Gaurentee every year someone will score 0, 3, 0, 3, 0 or 3, 0, 3, 0, 3 because of the handicapd nature of the meeting. Surprise packets were probably Hansen & Nermark who both rode well. Lawson had a fair night as did Woffinden & Kerr. Klindt looks an exciting rider, certainly a little harem scarem in his first ride went looking for dirt. Ludvig Lindgren didn't look bad but Casper Wortman was well off the pace.

Weather is fine now. If your gonna push me for a winner, Bomber was the quickest last week but if he's fully fit I'd fancy Lindgren to take this.

Brightening up a little now. Any predictions? Louis, Lyons & Hamill* to be the spoilers, neither quite have the speed of F Lindgren/Harris/Nicholls/P Karlsson but know where to put their bike on the track to make it awkward to pass. * - on his current bike. Could a good showing from Nermark see him earn a spot in the Wolves line-up next year?