Parsloes 1928 nearly

Hmm, here goes.. I, Parsloes (sic) being of sound mind (well that's wrong for starters!! ) do hereby concede that in the Peak District hides away an area known to postcard manufacurers as the 'Derbyshire Dales'. Most softie southerners like me have only heard of three types of Dales before: the more famous Yorkshire variety; Mrs Dale of Diary fame; and Jim, star of Carry On Up The Khyber.. Many thanks are due to ageing geography teacher M. Moseley esq. for imparting this life-changing new piece of information. The number of puns relating to Dales which will as a result be appearing in NL progs from now 'til eternity can, of course, be blamed on said Mr. Mimmo!!!

Impressive from memory, Mimmo! Don't about you, but the likes of Paul Lydes-Uings I think I'd rather forget!!!!!

True - but I found him a very nervy car passenger..!!

Okay I appreciate what you're saying and there's good sense behind it. We'll never know I guess if the 'sink or swim' tactic would work because I don't doubt for a second that Tai (and certainly not Lewis..) will be given that chance this coming series.. From a personal point of view (and utterly irrelevant, I know... ) I would certainly go to Cardiff to see the GP if Tai was riding but if it's Richardson, Harris, Nicholls I wouldn't cross the road to see it!! Personally I'd say if we do accept the line (well made...) that it's too soon for the likes of Tai, then I'd agree with your other point and say let's have NO Brits in it at all... Can't for the life of me see what Lee Richardson would offer the series in ANY way whatsoever... And Bomber...: well like everyone I guess, I will him to do well but it ain't working is it..

Thanx Bazza!!! Any time for that beer!!! I wouldn't take too much notice of Rob, though - he slagged off the track EVERY WHERE that Oxford lost.. I remember well him constantly harping on about the "bumpy track" at that place in Kent where uniquely his lot were the ONLY Conference side never to record a win... What I miss most about Plough Lane '02 - '05 were all the good friends we had there, the friendly banter among the large crowd and the general sense of good feeling around the place. These are clearly things Rob wouldn't be missing from his also sadly sadly defunct track!!

Come on...: you just tempting me aren't you... Paul Gilbert rode over 50 matches for - you know what's coming next...! - Crayford in 1978-'80...!!!

Hmm, as usual you come up with literally NOTHING constructive... Not everyone agrees with your assessment. Before I posted there was this fairly accurate contribution: So, you see there are others who have Bridger down as a candidate. World Under 21 Finalist and World Cup team member...: why the ridicule..? Or more to the point who would you suggest..? Go on, tell us Nicholls and Richardson...: now that REALLY would be laughable!!!

And not just THIS year.... We MUST dump Nicholls, without any question. Personally I'd go with Tai and either Bridger or Eddie.. I've been a big fan of Ed's for a long time so I am biased in his favour...; but perhaps if we are looking for a young pairing who can take us forward, the attitude-ridden duo of Tai & Lewis may well be what we need.. Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate..!!

Martin wanted to just do grass track I think - he remains a top rider on the grass. He did have a lot of potential as a Speedway rider, I agree. Roger on the other hand was someone coming back after a long time away...: am guessing at his age the costs just got too much.

Hmm, why...: does it answer the question, why did they make such a big deal about having this meeting and then, er, without further word simply not bother to stage it..? Why on earth should we now believe that they'll be staging it next year.. I know what you'll say, they can do what they like...: but it wasn't either speedyguy or me who suggested that Lakeside stage a LRC meeting..; it was them. I'd have thought they might have explained why they, in the end, decided they actually couldn't be bothered.. I also note that they now say this Friday is their last home meeting.. That's weird, when I was there the other Monday I could've sworn they announced numerous times that they'd be a challenge match vs. a Rye House 'Select' on Friday 16th..?? That bitten the dust without a by your leave as well..?!

Yes, it was Ron Jones and there are a few others missing from the '03 listing. Following the 'model' of '02 (and including all those who made even what was sort of a 'guest' appearance borrowed from an away track..) you need to add not just Jones and the other one I mentioned, Barry Burchatt but also: John Branney David Haigh (actually used twice..) Martin McDermott I'm wondering if mimmo is just using CL records rather than CT too, because also omitted are the two riders used only in Trophy matches. Shrammy (who I mentioned before) and most signiicantly, Joel Parsons who made six appearances. for the Dons in that competition..

Hmm, as you say this 'event' has been blanked out of the pages of this year...: hmm, just like Lakeside had NEVER made a massive thing about saying they were putting it on...!! For the life of me I can't understand why they said they were staging this, made a big deal about it and then, er, DIDN'T...

Alan Diprose.. We used to call him 'Alan Drip-nose' on the terraces at Crayford (though this may be in my imagination coz Bryn says I never went there!!! ) - didn't he ride a few matches for Canterbury..?

Ah, happy days! Am I not right (pardon the pun!) in thinking that Matt Wright made an appearance for the Dons (joining a cast of thousands!) in that traumatic 2002 season too..? And I'm certain Barry Burchatt did in '03. Also there was that veteran rider who stepped into the breach at an away match - was it Peterboro' in '03..? I think his name was Ron Jones..?? Roger Dickerson... What a top bloke Roger was.. Oh, and BTW Tom Brown never rode in a proper competitive match for the Dons (just a challenge match) but I think Chris Schramm did and I can't see his name mentioned..

Perhaps as many as Nicholls..!!

No, Ole didn't break the tapes he fell.. But if you see the following you'll note he only fell coz having got from 4th. to 2nd. , he was determined to win. Such an attitude would NEVER happen in an early ride in a GP meeting coz it simply wouldn't be important to do so.. Therein explains all one needs to know why the old World Final was so much better than the nonsense competition we know have...

But the GP Challenge currently only throws up such qualifiers BECAUSE the top guys don't bother with it - safe in the knowledge that they'll be 'picked' anyhow or if they finish 9th. or 10th. in the Series it doesn't really matter coz they'll be given another chance..! Make it cut-throat like sport is MEANT to be and they'll be no dodgy qualifiers from the Challenge and no easy rides in the GP either. You have sensible views but you insult others by accusing us of being totally naive...: we DO know what we are talking about.. The GP is a hopelessly flawed concept and the most flawed thing about it is that people are 'picked' for it and there's an enormous 'comfort zone' once one is in it.. This makes for meaningless racing in the series and a below standard qualification process to get into it..! And "when Greg retires"...!! Are you 'aving a laugh!!!

Hmm, so you also think that Joe Haines who won five out of five rides in the GB Under 18s last week was "out performed" by the three riders who finished on the rostrum ahead of him and who the record books will show as the first three..?!

Right, well of course I accept that there is an argument there... Might be best perhaps for the authorities to ask the family what they think's best but on any other criteria he really SHOULD be in there in 2010. On the subject of the GP Challenge. great store is being made by posters about those who did or didn't qualify to or from this meeting. I tend to agree, in truth; so why not make all EIGHT places up for grabs the top eight from that meeting!! This is the logical progression of what people are saying and it WOULD make for one hell of a lot more competitive edge to both the qualifiers and the GPs. No safety blanket for those finishing 9th. and 10th. in the GPs; and restoring to us a proper competitive and meritocratic route to contest for the world title...

What utter nonsense!! Harris has had his chance - for a number of years. Sure, he's 100% more deserving than Nicholls but if we have just one place (though I'd guess we will have two...) it HAS to be Woffinden. And I'm sorry, but look at the facts of yesterday's meeting and you CANNOT simply glibly state that Hougaard and Pavlic "performed better in the U21"..!!

I agree - after all, few people champion the idea of returning to the old WF than I do... BUT the previous poster had poured scorn on the suggestion that Tai might've scored significant points in the race in which he was disqualified (sic) for a tapes offence.. I'd respectfully suggest that the "ifs and buts" in this case strongly suggest he WOULD have done.. But all this speculation and discussion is and was what makes the sudden death format so exciting... So bad luck Tai, well done Darcy and yes, BRING BACK THE WORLD FINAL!!

That's utter nonsense!!! This thread is about which BRIT is going to be "nominated".. we all know that at least one has to be... And Tai is clearly the rider who most deserves this... You can't honestly believe that Pavlic and/or Hougaard would bring more or perform better at GP level than Tai..

Hmm, well no - but perhaps the clue is in the fact that he DID win all of his four other races... On the balance of probabilities I'd say if he hadn't had that tapes offence, it would've been Tai who was celebrating today...

Absolutely.. The organisers would be crazy not to include these two in the 2010 GP... IF we have to be stuck with this pale substitute of a proper world championship, we may as well move it on by bringing in top YOUNG talent...; otherwise a start-line of four late thirty-somethings (as we've seen a number of times this year..) will soon before one of several 40-somethings and that would make the sport look a laughing stock..

Hmm, so you KNEW Tai was gonna break the tapes...?!