Mr. Clemens

'This is not Speedway has we know it Jim'. Reflections: Looking for that moment forgotten Looking for that moment remembered Speedway at the Crossroads Another old speedway track closes down with the demise of Exeter speedway at the County Ground. Along with all the other tracks no more than memories now. Too many to list all of them remembered by supporters who attended meetings there. The attempts to revive speedway at Perry Barr seem destined to come to nothing. Not only does England's first city London have no speedway venue to boast of in the Elite League nor does the second city Birmingham. Where does speedway go from here? Where has speedway come from? Where is it now? It would appear that speedway is at the crossroads. Will there be speedway has we know it Jim in ten years time? What is speedway has we know it? Will there be any speedway at all in ten years time?? Like everything in life speedway has gone through changes and will continue to do so. But what is the nature of the sport? How does it work? Why does it work? Who makes it work? We live in an age of rapid change, times when nothing is certain and solid plans for the future are difficult to make. The key to the future of anything lies in its past. We drive along in a car, look through the rear view mirror and see where we have been. We look through the side mirror and know where we are. We look through the windscreen and see where we are going. Thus we see the past and where we are and from this we come to understand the likely future of anything. The old tracks operating in traditional venues (usually dog track stadiums) are closing down. New tracks built from scratch are being established in various places around the country. Thus it is seen that speedway in effect is starting again from scratch. But at the same time some of these new tracks are closing down strangled at birth before they have time to breathe their breath of speedway life. Back to basics with a vengeance indicating that it is time to 'forget the past' and to remake speedway as a new sport that has evolved out of speedway that was. But why should speedway want or need to go back to basics. Costs for one thing. The lack of speedway riding talent who cannot afford the sophisticated machinery and all it involves in maintenance for another. Speedway operated at a certain level with a certain attitude of mind attached to it. Ivan Mauger introduced 'professionalism' into the sport, something that no speedway rider, promoter or supporter can deny. But as with all things these things come with a price to pay. Not everyone can be Ivan Mauger in the same way not everyone can be David Beckham or Freddie Flintoff. Mauger being the single-minded person he is set out a plan of action that suited him. He lived by his own code of practice and achieved the ultimate objectives he had in mind in the sport. But where did that leave everyone else? Riding in his shadow. Trying to put themselves in the position he put himself in, in order to achieve the ultimate objectives in the same manner he did. But everyone knows it doesn't work like that in life. There can only be one winner. Ivan Mauger was that one winner. Everyone else followed in his wake. Doing what Ivan did in order to be what Ivan was and they never were. But it was that busting of the gut to get there that dragged speedway down into the mire. Because even though Mauger dragged speedway into the modern era back in the 70's he also opened up the path to extinction that has harvested all those old stadiums that have closed their doors to speedway in the last 20 years or so. Every cute innovation, every new move every new bit of sparkle that added colour to the sport also drained off the spirit of what speedway was. And speedway was literally a thrill in a minute, a moment of high excitement. But all of a sudden it became a 'race' to have that bike that had that extra bit of drive to it out of the gate. There are those who criticise those who put a caution sign up when these new innovations take place. Though one does not seek that progress is not allowed but rather that what does progress actually mean? It is expected that a rider be professional in their presentation of themselves and their equipment at a meeting. But at what point does being professional work in the opposite direction and becomes a detriment to the rider rather than an advantage? When does a rider tie themselves in knots and defeat their objective of being a speedway rider? At what point is that the role of a rider is more about presentation and innovation than it is about racing? What effect does all of this have on the supporter who stands and watches these events unfold. Whenever a rider introduces a new aspect to the sport that wasn't there beforehand, the supporter is told this has been introduced for the 'good of the sport'. But is this new innovation for the good of the rider and the supporter all the time?? Everyone always wants to go a little faster, do things a little faster, be more efficient in the way you go about doing things. But all things move into their opposites and there is the point when new innovations are more a detriment to the sport than they are an advantage. When that point is reached there is no other recourse than to declare 'independence' from that which was and begin again. In the process of starting again the first thing people do is go back to basics. For it is there in the basics that the spirit of the thing is evident and shines through. The more complicated speedway becomes the duller it becomes. For speedway is a basic sport that serves its spirit best when it operates in that basic manner. When all the frills are cut away and the bare raw bones of what speedway is shine through. This is not to say that a rider must not be colourful in their choice of what they wear on the track or what is imprinted on the bikes they ride. What does matter is the concept that speed is all that matters in speedway. It's not and it isn't. What matters in speedway is the racing, the close contact between riders racing round the track vying with each other for the lead in the race. Surely a rider gains more satisfaction from a race well won than they do from a trouble free ride round the track to an easy win. For if that is all speedway is to a rider then speedway is just another job of work to be done. A job of work to roll up and get on with, get finished with and get on your way to do the things that really do matter in life. For with this attitude of mind it is plain to see that speedway is not that something that matters in life. One can become too professional at what they do and become nothing at all. So that is our first building block for promoters and riders to get their heads round. Does speedway matter to anyone? And if it does, why does it matter to them and how do they make it matter to the supporters around them? Why did thousands of supporters turn up at Kirkmanshulme Lane for the Play Off Final second leg? Why did thousands of supporters turn up at the County Ground for the last meeting to be held there? They turned up at these two venues because they were looking for speedway. Not speedway of old but looking for speedway itself. For it is speedway that has lost itself somewhere down the road in the last 25 years. For speedway is no longer speedway but 'Fast Track Riding'. Riding fast round a track. Riding faster round a track than three other people riding round the track not fast enough to catch the rider at the front. Not racing each other at close quarters at speeds that allows the old style of close contact racing to take place. It's every man for themselves now and if you can't keep up then tough luck on you. Speedway is a sport divided against itself and a house divided against itself is destined to fall. This is the time when all concerned in the promotion of speedway as a sport have to pull together. There has to be a common aim as to what speedway is going to be and what it's going to do to establish new premises for new teams and how to get supporters coming through the gate on a regular basis. How do you then make people fall in love with the sport? The answer seems to be to go back to basics, the future of speedway therefore being in speedway's origins. We cannot relive the days of old yet if we don't then this sport dies. It can be for-seen that in ten years time there will be no speedway in this country. Therefore who is it who will promote the sport has a whole and take it to the powers that be and say 'this is a viable sport with a great future'. Who will take speedway then and say to those who matter 'make way for this sport that matters to operate in the manner it should, instead of being instrumental in bringing about the demise of speedway'. There will be those who say you have to have the benchmarks as set by others to guide your aspirations in life. This is true but also one has to set realistic benchmarks for themselves to achieve. The problem is that one set of benchmarks sits at the opposite end of another set of benchmarks. In between is the void that into fall all things that do not hit the mark. And we speak of here of speedway falling into the void as it failed to hit the targets of professionalism set out by Ivan Mauger. In the days of the 70's and 80's those with the perceptive eye could see what the results of the professionalism of Ivan Mauger would do for speedway in the end. Force speedway into a position where those who participated in the sport were obliged to aim for targets they could not reach. It could be said, right or wrongly, that was the reason Ivan Mauger never involved himself in speedway in the UK in the manner it was perhaps expected he would. People often emphasise that Ivan was his own man in a manner that it is presented as an obvious fact no one would argue with. Why was it then that a man with the interests of speedway so deeply at heart didn't place himself in a position where he could have been decisive in determining the direction of speedway and its future? Why was it the man who made possible the gold plated Jawa didn't want to make possible the golden speedway future? Why was it the 'man with the plan' for himself wasn't the 'man with the plan' for the future of speedway? Why was it the man with the plan could make the plan happen for himself but he couldn't or didn't want to make the plan work for everyone riding speedway? An achievement that would in effect have made him truly 'immortal' and in effect the greatest man of speedway there ever was. The answer to this question is very simple, it was seen clearly then as it is seen clearly now. Ivan Mauger brought his brand of professionalism to the wrong sport. Speedway wasn't like other motor sports. Other motor sports rely on ' innovative technological improvements, glamorous heroic racers and high speed racing round long distance tracks'. If Ivan Mauger had have practised one of these types of motor sports there would be no one deny that what he represented was right for that sport. But speedway in the depths of its soul wasn't and isn't about glamour and high speed long distance racing. As it was often said to those who asked what speedway was? Speedway is a 'spiritual sport', a sport of the spirit. It is of the spirit it is of the soul it is of the emotions and it is of the heartbeat of life. A sport where you see all things concerning life take place in a minute, take place in a moment. And when you tamper with that spirit and try to make that sport something it isn't then you strike the death knell of all that speedway is. Thus it was seen even in his heyday that has Ivan Mauger was elevating himself to the status of 'greatest practitioner of the sport there ever was' at the same time he was undermining what speedway was and now could no longer be. And it is said here too that Ivan Mauger knew himself exactly what was happening to speedway and where in effect it was going. And thus it is said too this is the reason that Ivan Mauger never involved himself in speedway, in Great Britain, as he could have when his racing days ended. Because he for-saw what is being said here himself, in other words he knew what he was doing as a racer and he knew the effect it would have on speedway and being the forward planner and thinker he is, he also had worked out the logical conclusions of all he was doing too. And thus he did not involve himself in the sport in the manner he could have and thus walked away from the sport in that sense. And he organised his World Series of Speedway independent of what speedway was then. As he himself states, the Grand Prix series is in effect the 'grandson' of his World Series. And as each of us knows the Grand Prix's are in effect independent of what speedway is today. In effect we have two speedways. The one speedway being that of league racing that takes place in a certain number of countries on a regular financially viable, well supported consistent basis. The second speedway being that of the Grand Prix series that owes no allegiance and no affiliation to league racing. But both these two speedways use the same top riders to function, another spectrum of opposites with a void in the middle to be filled with????? And thus we come closer to the heartbeat of the two great contradictions of speedway. Up to the late 1960's speedway was a certain sport operating in a manner satisfactory to riders, promoters and public alike. Along came Mauger to drag speedway kicking and screaming into the modern post war era. But when Ivan looked over his shoulder he saw the sport has a body wasn't with him. The sport wasn't attuned to that way of thinking not because it was backward looking but because it was made of a different temperament than other motor sports. But the move was already made and those who looked up and saw Mauger disappearing over the horizon to glory got on their bikes and raced on after him. And they follow him still wither they will over Christmas hill. And it is these contradictions that are tearing the sport apart. The cream of the crop ride of into Grand Prix heaven where the rest have to make do and mend as they did pre Mauger, thus they have no choice but to go 'back to basics' and start the sport of speedway all over again. The writer understands these things because the writer applies the same standards of professionalism laid down by Ivan Mauger to the written works of their own. The writer also understands that by definition, to plough your own field of thought can lead to a certain isolation as a person and a misunderstanding of intention by those who observe the writer at work. You find yourself in a certain field of your own with no one else there with no one understanding what you are doing, why you're doing it, what you are saying and why you are saying it. But you go there all the same to achieve that which you set out to achieve and there is no fault in doing that expressed here. And just has 9 individual world titles are all Ivan Mauger's the written works of the writer are all theirs and stand has their achievements in life just has his do. The writer might not achieve the public recognition of a world champion but everything else is there intact. There are those who ask the writer as to why the work is consistent throughout and the answer to that is simple too. The writer keeps in touch with the spirit of what is written and keeps in touch with the soul of the word and that soul lives and breathes. Thus the speedway rider must keep in touch with the spirit of what speedway is, and that is the very heartbeat of life itself. This being the reason most of them never wish to let go of speedway and this being the reason they have to look to themselves to and how they go about riding speedway in the future. 'Free my spirit, free my soul till you do I am nothing at all'

My very point being that he wanted to do it on merit and not be a 'chosen one'. Tomasz Gollob is and always has been the 'chosen one'. He doesn't want or need a FIM or BSI selection committee, or anyone to else, for that matter, to choose him. This being the stance of one who would regard himself as a true Pole. One who I don't doubt will have his finger on the heartbeat of the Polish nation and its people. One who I don't doubt knows how he is expected to conduct himself by his nation and its people.

I understand what you are saying Sub. It’s the sense the passing came about in the way it did, more by chance of an accident, on an unpredictable greasy track, than it did because of prepared pre-meeting intent by riders to make certain passing moves, during each of their races against a particular opposing rider. In your opinion I believe, therefore, a debacle despite the arguments that it was the ‘same for all the riders’. Greasy wet tracks!!! I think that most tracks could do with a couple of hundred tons of shale on them, but that’s just me with my slick jive talk What I look for in a meeting is the deeper essence of what motivates the riders to perform in the way they do. To reach out and touch the heart and soul of the matters in hand, be they displayed either in a positive or negative manner. (‘Seeing as there is bugg*r all else to watch’ chuckled wicked old senile Uncle Mr. Clemens)!!! If you have ever felt the heartbeat of a piece of stone you will know what I mean. There is life in everything and everything has its heartbeat. Speedway has its heartbeat and I felt it beating on Saturday night when speedway riders bared their souls to the Speedway supporting world in the GP at Lonigo. T/R displayed his deep joy at fulfilling himself as a speedway rider and achieving the penultimate goal open to all speedway riders. The coat of ‘World Championships of Many Different Colours’ fits him perfectly. T/R long ago understood that you become the world champion and not that the world championship becomes you. Jason Crump displayed a sense of deep contentment having realised he has achieved the rank of world champion and come to terms with what it means to him personally. He tried to be what a world champion should be and thus allowed the world championship to rule his life and make him the depressed unhappy champion he was. Crump has now understood all this during his first term as world champion. It has been a hard road for him to walk. But Crump is now better fitted to take on the role of a world champion, and remake the world championship in his image, has T/R has done before him, Ivan Mauger before him and Ove Fundin before him. Crump’s unhappiness was made self evident, to me, in the moment at Coventry when my nephew was waiting to get Crump’s autograph. Self evident when Crump was being pressed by someone in a manner suggesting he was expected to perform certain roles in a certain manner without question. Self evident in the look of ‘pain’ on his face has he turned away from the person who was talking to him. Self evident in the ‘pain’ appearing on his face has he turns sharply away from television interviewers at the end of the interview. Self evident in the two-fingered salute he gave to the cameras as he walked to the podium after his second GP win in Sweden. Self evident in the ‘pain’ on his face expressed in the midst of his joyful celebrations, in this same GP, when Mike Patrick ‘accosted’ him presumably to pose for pictures. People often ask me how I know these things about them. I always tell them, ‘It’s written all over your face’. And the face is the window of the soul. Leigh Adams displayed a quiet self-understanding with achieving third place on the World Championship rostrum. Realising finally that he has the character and mental capacity to achieve the ultimate goal of being world champion. Taking that step onto the podium has revealed to him that there are two more steps to be taken to that goal. If he makes those two steps is down to him and remains to be seen. But he has grasped the nettle of what it takes to achieve that end. Implicit in grasping that nettle is the inference that he will take those two steps. Scott Nicholls displayed ‘self disgust’ at his failure to take the step from also ran to true contender. Implicit in this ‘self disgust’ is the inference that he has realised what he has to do to make the ‘great leap forward’ and will return to do so and perhaps surprise himself and everyone else with what he can achieve. Lee Richardson displayed his sense of realisation that he wants to take that ‘great leap forward’ too. That he wants to be up there with the ‘big boys’ and not be remembered has just someone else who once rode speedway. He knows he has the ability to achieve success on the world stage and he has to find that professional set up that translates his ‘dreams’ into reality. Tomasz Gollob displayed his desire to remain on the world stage when he discovered that he was only a couple of points away from eliminating himself from the next GP series. Realising that he would no longer be in the position to display to the world his racing abilities, and his ‘Godlike’ magical speedway riding powers, he proved to himself he still had the desire to be one of the ‘big boys’, by gaining the points he needed. Reflective Nicki Pedersen displayed the realisation that he was going backwards not forwards in his quest to win another world championship. The exhausted look on his face and his refusal to blame anyone or anything but himself for his predicament suggested that finally he has come to the conclusion that ‘I am doing something wrong here, I don’t know what it is yet but I am going to find out and put it right’. Implying that we are, perhaps, going to see a new improved Nick Pedersen not as tricky as we have known him up to now. This is what I saw in the Lonigo GP written on the faces of these Speedway riders. And it was a grand thing to see. The reason it was a grand thing to see is because it revealed the true heart and soul of what speedway is, is still intact, that the heartbeat of Speedway is strong and healthy. All these things were displayed for everyone who was watching to see on Saturday night. But what was on display most of all was the realisation that all these speedway riders had achieved their liberation of the self and understood the can translate it into the freedom to be what they want to be. All this occurred in spite of not because of those who believe they are in control of the destiny of speedway. The people who assume they know how the heart of speedway beats because they provide the stage upon which Speedway riders perform. All this occurred because these riders wanted it to happen and made it happen. This was the beauty of the Grand Prix. This is why it was a Grand Experience. And thus we write the ‘word’. In the process of writing the ‘word’ we discover how to ‘rhyme the tick of time’ and thus learn to sing the ‘Song of Solomon’. And thus we sing the ‘Song of Solomon’ and understand the key to life. ‘All is vanity and you may as well try and catch the wind’. (‘Or t’six times world champion Tony Rickardsson’ whoever’s bleedin fastest’ chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr. Clemens to his silly sen)!!!!

Cheers Pete glad you liked it

Speedway Grand Prix Lonigo The Final Exam and The End of Term Party Everything is at Sixes and Sevens in the Temples of Heaven As Speedway riders joust for places On the Speedway Round Table at the Court of the New Speedway King Uncle Mr Clemens resplendent in 'Where's t'chuffing speedway gone'??? colourful Halifax woolly pully 'Whoops silly me', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemen's t'glowering nephew laurel leaves still sparkling green 'I must have t'wrong channel on'??? sat down with tasty sweet and sour chicken 'You stupid, senile, myopic, wicked, old git, this is tennis not speedway', quoth th'irate nephew on his return from t'Chinese take away??? to party along with th'new Six Times World Champion Tony Rickardsson 'Whoops sorry I thought Andre Agassi was one of th'Italian reserve riders getting his elbows in shape for t'meeting certain to put on a glorious televised speedway spectacular 'Football, Tennis, Golf', groaned t'nephew!!! befitting th'newly crowned King of Speedway 'Where's t'chuffing speedway gone', quoth frantic t'channel flicking nephew??? for t'watching speedway millions 'Eh what wait what's all this' chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens??? 'Tennus'!!! 'You have two Minnutts??? You have two Minnuts!!! 'It's same chuffing bloke that says 'Tennus' who says 'you have two 'Minnuts' you have two Minnuts!!! eh mystical or what', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens at t'deep joy of it all with tasty sweet and sour chicken not to mention 'Tennus' at his elbow??? Then it all became clear to Uncle Mr Clemens in an immaculate misconception. Speedway was Sky TV's Official Program Replacement - Third Reserve when there was b*ggar all else to show on satellite tv. Tactical subterfuge or what eh!!!! 'Brian Brian Not the monitor!!! Not only that th'Italians had already got on with t'motley so t'breathless race was already on for t'speedway watching millions to catch up with late night speedway Italian style!!! So we'd best get on wi' it eh straightaway!!! But no despite t'fact meeting had already started t'speedway millions were invited to a recap of t'last magnificent win of th'majestic Tomasz Gollob!!! And yet no again not before th'speedway millions were invited to recap on t'prospects of t'main speedway jousters in t'meeting already taking place??? 'Tony can relax tonight in Italy' quoth Keith 'Yep, Yep we know!!! Crump can consolidate second place Yep we know that too!!! Will Lee Adams pip Tricky Nicky Pedersen to third place or will it be Greg Hancock??? Will Scott Nicholls sit at the Speedway Round Table and secure 8th place by overtaking Andreas Jonsson???? Will Lee Richardson look sick enough to attract medical attention from the promoters??? Christmas is coming can Batman prevent it???? At last on with th'bleeding motley. Yay!!!! The televised presentation gets off in a brisk, efficient, business like manner has the pre-recorded first four races flash by in the blink of an eye Heat 1. S. Andersen 3 N Pedersen 2 Jonsson 1 Gollob 0 Tricky Nicki out in front passed by Jonsson who slips and slides from first to third as Andersen glides to surprise win. Track conditions wet and greasy cause upsets from the off. 'Tomasz Gollob's having an absolute nightmare', quoth TV Pundit Pearson Sliding off the pace, Gollob obviously ill at ease, representing a nation not used to home grown Speedway Monarchs ('Probably t'reason they've only had one World Champion', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens 'Who'??? 'Szczakiel'!!! 'Never heard of him', quoth t'nephew 'Who has', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens)!!! Heat 2. Chrzanowski 3 H. Andersen 2 B. Pedersen 1 Richardson 0 The Pole leads from the first bend sweeping round the outside for second surprise win of the meeting. Pressured by Andersen all the way 'Lee Richardson head obviously not in gear again disappointingly at the back', quoth Pearson Heat 3. Hancock 3 Zagar 2 Adams 1 Povazhny 0 Hancock convincing win from the gate technically able to improve on 5th place overall Adams struggles on greasy track to cope with Zagar who finishes in second place 'We will keep you up with the mathematics of it all', quoth th'informative Pearson Heat 4. T/R 3 Crump 2 Lindback 1 Nicholls 0 The once and future King versus the new reigning Monarch versus the Young Pretenders T/R round outside of Crump Nicholls connects with Lindback suffers mechanical problems losing a chain according to th'eagle eyed astute Kelvin Emphatic win for T/R putting his stamp on the meeting from the off Anybody who thought T/R was here for a party they'd better think again', quoth th'astute thrilled Pearson Yeah they were very much mistaken', quoth th'intellectual Kelvin 'T/R's domination has never been threatened this season', quoth Pearson Back to real live action in heat five Heat 5 Jonsson 3 B Pedersen 2 Richardson 1 Nicholls 0 Nicholls out in his 2nd race on the trot makes frantic adjustments to his bike 'It's a tricky track' quoth th'astute Kelv GB Team manager Middlo seen in Nicholl's corner, obviously hatching a wicked Usurpation Plot, to deprive A/J of his tenuous hold on 8th place on th'Speedway Round Table Eh what more subterfuge in a counterfeit GP??? 'The track's dead flat and the water doesn't run off it's evening now and the dews come down making the track greasy causing riders to lose momentum', quoth th'ever astute and informative Kelvin Nicholls on two 'Minnuts' cuts across the centre green 'Wayhay nice one', chuckles Kelvin 'Nice bit of skill on the grass' chuckles Pearson 'He's not a bad grass-track rider actually', quoth Kelv hinting at a possible career riding replacement for the luckless Nicholls 'Nichols needs to win this one' quoth Pearson has Nicholls drives into Jonsson hurling him into the fence under his own bike Nicholls apologetic to A/J. A/J accepts the apology perhaps unaware of a Usurpation Plot hatched against him Pearson hands t'speedway millions back to th'studio where th'almost forgotten trio of UK based TV Pundits sit waiting to voice their opinions. A new air of tranquil, gentlemanly, respectability surrounds th'intrepid trio of pundits not one iota of condescension to be sensed anywhere??? ('Keith's obviously learned to respect th'speedway's lesser lights since th'last Grand Prix', chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens)??? 'Andreas Jonsson's being a bit of a gentleman there', quoth th'ever so polite Keith displaying his new found sincerity for all t'speedway watching millions to see 'After being stuffed into the fence it's one of those situations where he could have shown a little less cool Andreas' showing his class there' 'Scotty's a racer Andreas' a racer they're both racers' quoth th'astute Uncle Sam putting two and two together in a mystical mathematical equation 'Scotty made a great move but there wasn't enough dirt to hold him up' 'Do you think a little bit of frustration got hold of him' quoth Keith ever so sweetly batting his eyelids disarmingly in Chris Louis' direction??? 'Yep I think it was a little bit of frustration', responded the equally sweet Chris Louis chuffed at Keith's new found respect befitting th'Official Polish Immigration Officer 'He knew Andreas was the man he's got to beat as well but there wasn't enough dirt to hold him up' Uncle Sam comments on an action replay of Nicholls' collision with Jonsson 'You can just see his dirt deflector climbing up errrrr' Uncle Sam almost chokes on his wise words as ever so polite Keith cuts in!!! 'Don't blame t'four times World Speedway Monarch Barry Briggs for it', quoth th'world champion adoring Keith 'I'm not having any of that my dear old mate Barry Briggs you can't blame his dirt deflector for that!!! You can blame bleedin Chris Louis if you want though', chuckled Keith wickedly to his silly sen, has he sweetly looks into t'camera to apologise t'speedway watching millions, for being a little late in getting th'meeting on their screens. (No not thee Joe TV screens thee keep thi mind on getting thi sen fit for t'ruckus on Monday neet)!!! 'Jonsson's had his wheelbase shortened by a foot', quoth Keith, keeping th'promise t'speedway millions to inform them of th'mathematical permutations concerning th'outcome of t'meeting!!! 'Andreas' not been given a hell of a lot of time to sort himself out considering he's just been through the fence' 'Mechanics are more stressed at GP's than the riders', quoth th'Immigration Officer Louis politely pushing his luck with sweet natured Keith!!! Heat 5. Rerun Adams from the gate AJ tussles with Richardson AJ shakes GB Minimum Man off chases brilliantly after Adams overtaking him on the line 'Fantastic race from a man who was put through the fence 3 minutes ago', quoth th'astute Pearson Heat 6. Rickardsson 3 B Pedersen 2 Hancock 1 Gollob 0 T/R sails majestically on B/P tussles with Hancock Gollob fails to finish the race 'The travelling fans said T/R won't be motivated' gasps TV pundit Nigel 'Surely he has to go for that seventh title'!!! 'He has to hasn't he', quoth th'astute Kelv (Do you cheps really think he will', chuckled th'polite Mr. C entering into t'spirit of peace, love and understanding emanating from t'UK studio)??? 'Looking forward to Monday Kelv', quoth Pearson??? 'Yep can't wait I'm off to Coventry it will be a terrific match', quoth th'astute Kelv ('So am I', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens to his wicked sen 'small world innit eh what)??? 'Don't write off Eastbourne at Belle Vue Eastbourne will be fired up', quoth Nigel obviously having made t'connection to th'mystical vibration eh what HOW!!! Heat 7. Crump 3 H Andersen 2 S Andersen 1 Zagar 0 Tight start Zagar falls after tangling with Hans Andersen and is excluded. Th'intrepid TV pundits watch an action replay of the incident 'Nasty looking incident that', comments the always concerned Kelvin when a rider is involved in a serious crash 'That feeling is awful' 'You know Kelv', quoth Nigel, 'knowing bugg*r all about riding a speedway bike what is going through your mind??? 'Not very much has it happens so quickly', quoth th'very experienced three time World Longtrack Champion Kelvin Tatum 'Oh dear me what's happened here', offers Nigel also imbued with the infectious air of politeness floating through t'SKY presentation team??? 'Oh darn it', quoth Kelvin succumbing to th'lucky SKY Sweetness Bug Keith talks to Uncle Sam about the atmosphere at Lonigo and track in general 'Sorry Chris you'll get a chance to talk in a minute it's nothing personal', quoth Keith sweetly as th'lucky Sky Sweetness Bug drifts slowly through th'Land of Milk and Honey Sky Studios eh what??? ('Heaven I'm in Heaven', chuckled wicked old Uncle Mr Clemens to his sen The Green Mile that's what death row eh Poole you mean)??? Rerun Great start from H Andersen but allows Crump to pass him Heat 8. N. Pedersen 3 Chrzanowski 2 Povazhny 1 Lindback 0 N/P tussles with a fiery Lindback who loses power gifting N/P 3 points 'It was just bad luck', quoth th'astute Kelv (During the break a debate concerning the future of the GP's takes place too detailed to go through here all the arguments are well debated elsewhere but one conclusion is that young riders will need the proper financial backing) Heat 9. B. Pedersen 3 Jonsson 2 Lindback 1 Zagar 0 Pedersen from gate great tussle between Jonsson/Lindback for 2nd place Heat 10. Crump 3 Richardson 2 Gollob 1 Povazhny 0 Povazhny gates but passed by Crump Gollob and Richardson Richardson passing Gollob in the same move 'Crump looks hungry and determined', quoth th'astute Kelv Heat 11. T/3 3 Adams 2 Chrzanowski 1 S Andersen Chrzanowski away first Adams follows T/R third 'T/R is relegated to third but he will calculate his move', quoth th'increasingly mathematically and mystically minded Pearson??? T/R passes Chrzanowski and Adams in one sweep from third to first 'I said he would calculate his move', yells a thrilled Pearson in tune with the mindset of a six times world champion 'He was absolutely spot on with his calculations just like me'!!! Calculatingly mathematically mystically minded or what eh HOW!!!! ('Tha'd best watch out for thi sen Uncle Mr Clemens', chuckled th'wicked nephew, 'Pearson will be doing thi out of a job soon' 'None of these mystically minded mathematics adds up' muttered Mr. Clemens to his sen) 'Rickardsson's just showing once again why he's world champion', quoth a suitably impressed with, Pearson that is, Kelvin!!! The King of Speedway chuckles in t'pits at his magical prowess Heat 12. Nicholls 3 H Andersen 2 Hancock 1 N Pedersen N/P, Andersen, Nicholls play dodgem cars with each other while Hancock jets away Nicholls getting a grip on the track at last comes from the back to gain his first points of the night Time out Has the studio pundits discuss, who might or might not make it to sit and dine at the Speedway Round Table, by the end of the night, the wicked truth as to why the GP came on late is suddenly revealed Cutting off in mid sentence a slightly but politely miffed Chris Louis, TV Pundit Keith reveals all 'You have a great situation here as well Sam', quoth Keith, 'cos you reckon as Agassi won his match tonight and went through to the final Greg Hancock will win tonight'!!! 'Yeah he'll win', grins a chuckling Uncle Sam 'it's short sweet and simple' ('Too bleedin right it is', quoth senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens seeing th'mystical truth in one blinding visionary moment!!! 'What is it that troubles you oh mystical Uncle', quoth th'startled nephew??? 'Th'bleeding reason Grand Prix was late starting was cos Uncle chuffing Sam was watching t'bleedin tennis', game set and match or bleedin what eh)!!!! Modest T/R plays down his chances of sweeping the entire field in this GP 'T/R's finding it hard to get motivated', quoth Uncle Sam trying to mystically, mathematically calculate why T/R has scored just nine points??? A thankfully happy, stress free and peaceful looking Jason Crump even less motivated on eight points??? 'It must be difficult to motivate yourself', quoth Keith when you've lost the overall championship??? 'You talking to me', quoth t'kid from th'mean streets Robert de Ermelenko 'You sure you're talking to me??? 'Yep' quoth sweet Keith 'Well ask Chris chuffin Louis cos I'm watching t'bleedin tennis!!! Heat 13. T/R 3 Jonsson 2 H Andersen 1 Povazhny 0 Masterful T/R runs wide to pass Andersen AJ under Andersen Heat 14. Nicholls 3 Zagar 2 Gollob 1 Chrzanowski 0 'The unpredictable Gollob is well unpredictable', quoth th'increasingly mystically minded TV Pundit Nigel!!! Gollob first away Nicholls misses start clouts Chrzanowski Gollob all at sea trying to find his way back to the magic of Bydgoszcz Heat 15. Lindback 3 Hancock 2 Richardson 1 S Andersen 0 Richardson tussles with Lindback leads race but passed by Lindback then Hancock Richardson struggling to make semis Heat 16. Adams 3 B Pedersen 2 Crump 1 N Pedersen 0 Bumpy first bend leaves Crump struggling to stay on his bike has he his pushed violently out of shape by the combined efforts of both Pedersens Adams takes advantage of the melee to gain three very necessary points 'Crump could have perhaps laid his bike down to get a rerun', quoth Kelv has Crump battles into third place The irate Crump berates the Polish referee enquiring not at all politely if he has to be put through the fence before a rerun is awarded All the TV pundits agree that the referee should have stopped the race. Convinced of John Poslethwaite's th'absolute power over th'mind, body and t'soul of speedway TV Pundit Keith hands t'speedway watching millions over to an interview of th'boss of BSI??? An inebriated looking John Postlethwaite is asked who is likely to be included in next years Speedway Grand Prix series 'I ought to tell you to mind your own bleedin' business', quoth bleary eyed Possy 'but seeing has it's party time I will sing you a little song instead Music maestro please ah one ah two ah three ah 'It's my Speedway and I will do what I want to pick who I want to choose who I want to you would do too if it happened to you All right everyone altogether now sing'!!! Th'combined choirs of th'Speedway supporting millions in complete harmony with th'FIM selection committee and BSI sing 'It's John's speedway and he'll do what he wants to pick who he wants to chose who he wants to as we would do too if we were in Johnny's shoes do be doo do be day oh yeah'!!!! 'Now bugg*r off', quoth Possy to th'interviewing minion Heat 17. Crump 3 Jonsson 2 Hancock 1 Chrzanowski 0 Crump gates Jonsson Hancock battles to remain in contention but will remain fifth in the world overall Heat 18. Adams 3 Gollob 2 H Andersen 1 Lindback 0 Lindback excluded for touching the tapes by unpredictable Polish referee 'Lindbach's a nervous starter', quoth Pearson 'He's the one who touched the tapes', quoth th'astute Kelv 'There was a time in the days of Ivan Mauger et al when you could touch the tapes', reminisces Nigel 'Ivan would roll back and forward touching the tapes', fraudulent or what eh??? Italian reserve comes in in place of Lindback but fails to score Gollob tries to sweep round fast gating Adams but ends up struggling to keep Andersen in third place Adams in first place putting himself on a par with Nicki Pedersen in the overall championship Gollob comes alive just in time to secure his place in next years GP Heat 19. Povazhny 3 B Pedersen 2 S Andersen 1 Nicholls 0 Nicholls/Povazhny collide shuttle Pedersen into fence in the first turn race stopped TV Pundits no ones fault all four back in Pedersen suffers heavy thump on the head by his own bike ricocheting off the fence race stopped all four back. Nicholls the meat in the sandwich Rerun Andersen in front Nicholls' bike loses power depriving him of the one point he needs to get into the semis Povazhny crosses line first waving his arms in triumph 'You'd think he'd won the world championship', chuckles Pearson 'He's going to write that one down in his diary', chuckles Kelvin 'I've won this'!!! Nicholls hobbles off towards the changing rooms in apparent self-disgust but a mystical mist of confusion descends on the permutations and calculations of riders and TV Pundits alike, has this exciting meeting comes to a climax Fate holds a strange twist of fate in reservefor the deserving ???? Heat 20 T/R 3 Richardson 2 Zagar 1 N Pedersen 0 N/P dices with Zagar for third place N/P steams under Zagar pushing him violently into the fence Lady luck puts Nicholls back in contention Lee Richardson has a second chance too, looking to pull of a lucky GB Maximum Man style late run to the GP final has he did at Bydgoszcz 'This has been a complete final tonight', Pearson's accurate assessment of this climactic meeting Rickardsson back to his best after struggling in Bydgoszcz to complete his world championship campaign Leigh Adams on the verge of joining T/R on the rostrum Rerun Richardson battles up the inside but T/R swiftly pulls away 'There no favours from Rickardsson for Richardson', says Kelvin Nicholls confirmed in the semi final >>> with the one of the lowest scores in a GP Uncle Sam calculates that Nicholls has gone through, everyone concurs!!! Though there is an assumption that certain riders will be chosen as 'wild cards' to represent their country Nicholls/Richardson show their calibre chosing to gain their place on merit despite the more than possible 'gifted' places that will be open to one or both of them as Great Britain's representatives Ole Olson tells Italian bingo caller to hurry up and get on with the draw for semi final places Semi final One First Rickardsson Second Hancock Third H Andersen Fourth B Pedersen Rickardsson majestic from the gate Quick thinking move up inside line from Hancock guarantees his place in the final 'Who's to say he can't do it again next year' says Pearson of six times world champion Rickardsson Semi final two First Crump Second Adams Third Nicholls Fourth Jonsson Nicholls dragged from out of the the changing rooms tangles with Jonsson AJ excluded. Jonsson takes up the issue with the Polish referee 'Look at my start', pleads Jonsonn 'Look at the wideo'!!! Eh what??? 'Sorry I don't have the time mate ' responds the Polish referee 'I am watching 'Tennus'!!! Nicholls up against it off of gate 4 with two Australians barring his way to the final and a guaranteed place among the Knights at the Speedway Round Table 'Dare I say it Kelvin, dare I say it. I'm not suggesting this. I am just asking and perhaps suggesting, that Jason Crump would rather like to see Leigh Adams third in the world has a fellow Australian', quoth speculative Pearson??? 'Hmm there is that to it of course', chuckles Kelv ruefully contemplating Nicholls' missed opportunities during the season Rerun Nicholls misses the start Crump in lead looking over his shoulder to ensure Adams remains in second place to clinch his rostrum position Final First Rickardsson Second Crump Third Hancock Fourth Adams 'Whose your money on Sam', quoth th'polite Keith sensing the last drama is imminent 'It's got to be T/R' quoth Uncle Sam 'Well that's boring' quoth Keith 'I'm equally as boring', chuckles Chris Louis 'Whose your money on then Keith', quoth t'playful Chris Louis. 'Don't be boring'??? Eh what, Keith boring, nivver!!! 'I'm going on the Sam Ermalenko theory that has Agassi won his final Greg will win, but I'd like to see Crumpie win too I'm just an old softy really' An exhausted reflective Nicky Pedersen unwilling to place fault on anything vows to return to the rostrum in the future The unbeaten King of all he surveys leads the procession of the Grand Knights of Speedway, in the newly established order of ranking, in four circuits of the Speedway Round Table, to the acclaim of the speedway supporting millions Tony Rickardsson wins his sixth world title, his sixth grand prix, in seven immaculate races Congratulations To Jason Crump To Leigh Adams To Greg Hancock To Nicki Pedersen Bjarne Pedersen Tomasz Gollob Andreas Jonsson And to all those other riders who gave to the speedway world this grand occasion And to Kelvin Tatum Nigel Pearson Keith Huet Sam Ermalenko Chris Louis Who played their not inconsiderable part in the dramas of the Speedway Grand Prix 2005 Everything is at Sixes and Sevens in the Temples of Heaven When watching the live edition of this event, I felt somewhat deprived of the anticipated experience of the drama of the final grand prix It was only with writing these words, that it became evident, that the true heart and soul of those who practice the art of riding speedway, was on display in the final Grand Prix of the season A Grand Experience all round

Proving it perhaps by winning a world championship?

Is there any reason why the whole event cannot have been recorded including presentation cermonies? Sky could then present a repeat showing of the entire Grand Prix at some point when scheduling allows, therefore fulfilling their obligation to the fee paying public. Yesterdays unsatisfactory presentation left the viewer with the feeling that it was quite within the rights of Sky to rush through the presentation of this Grand Prix. This being, perhaps, because the main issues concerning the Grand Prix season were already settled so the rest of it will be of no concern to the viewer. It was said in the Speedway Star recently that speedway was the third most popular sport shown on Sky Sports. If this is indeed the case, is it not reasonable to expect to see the whole event in its entirety?Should the Grand Prix be shunted off the screen for sports that come lower down in the pecking order? The public use Sky and pay for the privilege of watching the programs they buy Sky packages for. Should the public be denied their right to see the programs they pay for, in favour of programs they have no interest in watching, then simply accept it without expressing their concern?

It was said in the sense that he was an actual world champion being one of the 5 riders who won the title between 1967 and 1979. Mauger > Olsen >> Szczakiel >>> Michanek >>> Collins >>> A position that elevated him to the status of number one rider in the world. And you have never heard Ivan Mauger say any other than that Szczakiel won his world title by right that day in 1973. No matter how you class Szczakiel has a rider in the pecking order of riders of his day, he achieved something they didn't. But the big 4 + 1 also ran >>> if you prefer >>> though Szczakiel was a better rider than he was given credit for as he was one of the World's Best Pairs in 1971, as you said. The main reason people always want to dismiss Szczakiel's achievement of winning a world title is because he simply wasn't Zenon Plech. In most peoples opinion Szczakiel wasn't expected to win Plech was. The fact Plech didn't win and Szczakiel did has got up peoples noses from that day to this. And perhaps Szczakiel wasn't allowed the oppertunities to further his career and confirm his abilities because his face 'didn't fit' and maybe even as a 'punishment' for having the temerity to deprive 'the more deserving' of what was rightfully theirs. And IMO the way Szczakiel has borne the 'ignominy' of his elevation to world champion status eversince, with good grace, has shown him to be a 'Big' man in every way.

No it's the same length I had it measured to by the 'government's weights and measures' department before reposting I just corrected a few spelling mistakes and corrected the quote by leonard cohen as I knew it wasn't correct the moment I first posted it >>> which makes it half an inch longer than previous >>> tops I don't mean to make them so long >>> they just >>> take on a life of their own >>>

Reflections on the opening of a grave The interview concerning Michael Lee makes very interesting reading bringing to the surface many thoughts concerning speedway of yesterday and today. Thoughts lying dormant till the moment of reading this article. Michael Lee was young lad of 17, with great natural talent, who stunned the Speedway world with his debut in 1975. For supporters this was the heralding of the dawn of the new breed of speedway world champions, being groomed for the 1980's, to follow on from the Mauger, Olsen, Collins, Michanek, Szczakiel era. In effect the 'Big Five' of the 1970's Ivan timed his sixth title to perfection by winning in 1979, saying 'that'll do for me', then handing the baton to the 'new breed' of world champions elect the first one who just happened to be Michael Lee. Michael Lee therefore became the embodiment of the passing of the world championship baton from one era to the next. But has Michael describes, the baton fell from his hand and he has struggled ever since to understand how and why. Each person has their reasons for stating why things turn out as they do and Michael Lee has his. Whatever is said about what people thought about Michael Lee there are those who saw him as the great rider he was and not the 'foolish' man that people like to depict him has. The indication in this article is that the speedway authorities were against Michael Lee. Indeed they were perceived by some supporters to be exactly that. But Michael Lee was a 'victim' perhaps of circumstances way beyond his control. Circumstances that it's not surprising that he did not understand, because they originated outside the sport of speedway. The political and social times were changing, heralded by the Oil Crisis in 1973. Times that had remained fixed in a certain mode since the end of World War Two when everything eventually came to develop a 'certainty' about it in an uncertain world. By the 1980's, however, the world was heading for a period of change culminating in the collapse of communism in the USSR and a release from the political and financial constraints that created that 'certain' sense of security behind the supposed threat of nuclear war. 'Protected' by this umbrella of thought people went about their daily lives 'certain' of the world they lived in. Therefore everything was in order and a 'certain' spirit of being was abroad in the western world. This spirit being of the nature that 'nothings going to change our world' sang the Beatles whose world had already changed and would do so again in 1980 with the death of John Lennon. The political scene changed in Great Britain in the 1980's. Mrs Thatcher decided it was time for everyone to have a good dose of 'the cold facts of reality' as an antidote to the unrealities of life brought about by the Cold War. Realising that the Soviet Union was a 'paper tiger' without a leader of the magnitude of Joseph Stalin to hold it together, Thatcher understood that it was now possible to make sweeping changes in the way people thought about society and how it worked. 'The dream is over', as John Lennon so succinctly put it!!! Thatcher proceeded to take us all back to the 19th century, back to those golden days when the capitalist entrepreneurial spirit reigned supreme. A time when everyone was rich and no one suffered from poverty and everything was wonderful. Read Charles Dickens to find out how wonderful it really was. Thus the political times change and so does the society that politicians 'represent'. Sport reflects society and how it works. As the times change so changes the 'spirit' within which sport is played and supported. Why did Michael Lee drop the baton passed to him by Ivan Mauger? Because he was caught up within the changing of the times and the passing of the 'spirit' of the sport from one way of 'experiencing' speedway to another type of 'spirit altogether? Businessmen were now free to make as much money as quickly as possible in any way they could. Making money was what life was all about now, nothing else. Those with the entrepreneurial spirit were the new rulers of the world and the way people thought. The customer was no longer there to be 'served and entertained' and given 'value for their money'. The customers were simple a necessary 'cog in the machinery of capitalism', their sole purpose to pay as much money for the least possible return on production cost. Ivan Mauger had shown the speedway rider the way forward in the 1970's. Ivan wasn't satisfied with the bleak, dark and dirty post war image of the speedway rider known then as 'the Black Sport' in Poland. Mauger came over to the UK in the early 1960's and went back to New Zealand with his 'tail between his legs' as a 'failure' unlikely to be seen on these shores again. But Ivan's time in the UK wasn't wasted he had understood what it took to be a successful speedway rider and applied the lessons learned in his riding back home in New Zealand. He also understood what speedway needed to do to cast off the image of a sport that belonged to the past. A new dedicated professionalism from those who rode and promoted speedway. And all of this must be presented in full living colour. On his return to the UK Ivan Mauger was 'a born again' speedway rider, in tune with the times and a step or two ahead of them. Gone were the black leathers of the old 'Black Sport'. Ivan was positively psychedelic, compared to those riders who still adhered to the tried and tested ideals of racing and presentation of themselves, which had served them well during their careers. Ivan Mauger might well be the first one to admit that Ove Fundin was possibly the greatest speedway rider that has ever been. Legend are the tales of the great man who never had sponsorship, rode the track spare at Norwich, won a world title with a broken leg and signed Mr. Clemen's world championship program at Ullevi in 1977. But Ivan Mauger realised that he could 'top' Fundin's record of five world titles by aspiring to a level of professionalism previously unheard of in speedway. Television previously presented programs to people in dull unmemorable 'two-dimensional' black and white but enthralled people with their '3 D' colourful programs. Sport being one of the main beneficiaries displaying their wares in 'full living colour'. The public responded to this new 'colourful spirit' injected into their lives. People remember things that have depth and colour and remind them of an eternal 'today' and 'forget' those two dimensional black and white images depicting events of ancient history. Ivan Mauger likewise wanted to make this sport a 'colourful' sport by injecting this new colourful 'spirit' into speedway, hand in glove with the 'spirit' of dedicated professionalism. An unbeatable combination that Mauger knew, if he could equal or surpass Fundin's record, would keep him 'as fresh as today in peoples minds' for who knows how many years to come? The perceptive Ivan Mauger knew all this and the equally perceptive Ove Fundin realised that Mauger knew all this too. Fundin it is said had (and still has) a dedicated 'will to win', to be first, to be number one. Fundin was the ultimate expression of the old 'Black Sport' the embodiment of the 'spirit' to win and to be the first among equals. The other 'equals' being Barry Briggs, Peter Craven, Ronnie Moore and Bjorn Knuttsson making up the 'Big Five' World Champions who dominated speedway from 1954-1967 inclusive. In that 'spirit' Fundin won four world titles and became the first man to win three titles, the first man to win four titles and eventually the first man to win five titles. Fundin was a speedway rider who was the 'leader of the gang of five', in every way. But Ivan Mauger didn't want to be 'the first among equals'. Ivan Mauger wanted to stand head and shoulders above the 'crowd' and be regarded as the 'Grand Master Supreme' unequalled by anyone anywhere and likely to remain so for all time. In order to do this Mauger had to prove the point that 'professionalism' in speedway was the future and he was prepared to accept the derision of riders, promoters and supporters alike to ram home his point of view. The writing was already on the wall, even as Fundin imagined he had put the record, of world titles gained, certainly beyond reach of his contemporaries. Fundin no doubt was hoping that he had set the 'benchmark' that would take years for anyone to equal or surpass. But even as Fundin set this record, Ivan Mauger was already looking over his shoulder finishing in third place in 1967. Mauger made inroads into Fundin's record with his magnificent triple world title wins 1968 - 1970. This being the reason why Fundin 'emphatically and decisively' beat Mauger in that historic race in the World Team Cup of 1970. 'You might be the new kid on the block Ivan, who may well equal my record, but this is to show you and all concerned who is the true 'Grandmaster of Speedway' and I will leave you all with this memory, as a constant reminder of that fact'. Fundin advised Ole Olsen in the 1971 world final to make sure Mauger didn't make it four on the trot and then 'God forbid' five times on the trot!!! Just in the same manner Mauger advised Hans Neilsen, Eric Gundersen and Mark Loram among others. It's all about protecting the record and maintaining the status of grand masters of the sport. By 1979 Ivan Mauger's professionalism and dedication to his craft brought about the fulfilment of all he had set out to do. For these were not dreams but a set of principles he formulated, lived by and brought to completion when obtaining his sixth world title. Achieved in a manner that could not be questioned by anyone. As a result, leaving those who concern themselves with matters of principle in speedway to debate who between Fundin and Mauger was actually the best rider. An ambiguous thing that no one can determine, as Fundin might have been better on Monday at Norwich but not as good as Mauger on Saturday at Belle Vue. But has Duane Eddy said 'the twangs the thang' and Ivan Mauger won 6 world titles and Ove Fundin won five. So why didn't Michael Lee emulate Fundin or Mauger? No one doubts for a moment that Michael Lee had the talent and the ability to become a multiple world champion. The first most definitely since Peter Craven, which isn't to denigrate the single world championship of Peter Collins, which stands between Craven's 2nd and Michael Lee's title win. The difference between Collins and Lee being the 'sense' that Peter could have won more world titles and the 'sense' that Michael would have won more world titles. And there were those who thought that after his 'unexpected' first world title win in 1955, that it was unlikely that Peter Craven would win a second. Michael Lee did in fact win another individual world title becoming World Longtrack Champion in 1981. Michael Lee was has professionally prepared, presented and has dedicated to speedway as Ivan Mauger. Otherwise how could he have won two world titles, one year after the other, against more favoured and even more 'colourful' speedway riders? No one would argue that Michael Lee wasn't has 'colourful' as Ivan Mauger but certainly in a different sense than he was. But why was he regarded as the 'enfant terrible' of the sport. This was because Michael Lee had lived and breathed motorcycle racing from birth. He travelled with his father on his trips to race in Motocross meetings and came into contact with the 'spirit' of that sport understood it, embraced it and recognised it was there in speedway too. Times were changing however and the general 'spirit' of the times and how people thought and lived took on a different meaning. The spirit of 'avarice and greed' took over from the spirit of 'make do and mend'. Thus the players of Liverpool football club, in the process of becoming four times winners of the European Cup in effect 'made do' on a pittance, in the 'spirit' of playing for the love of the sport itself. Whereas from 1979 on, the footballer was fast developing into a 'highly paid, highly professional commodity' heralded by the one million pound transfer of Trevor Francis from Birmingham to Nottingham Forest. Doing everything for financial gain was seen as the 'new spirit' and prime motivation of people and was fast becoming accepted normal practice in life. The principle being we live in a world now where if you work long and hard you will reap the rewards of your endeavours become a mini entrepreneurial capitalist and become relatively richer, in proportion, than you were under the previous order of things. Ove Fundin's legend implies that he embraced 'make do and mend' made money but didn't become rich from the speedway, despite all his five individual world titles and all his other gold medals besides. Ivan Mauger's legend implied he would have benefited from the 'avarice and greed' befitting 'a highly paid, highly professional commodity' but found himself stood on the bridge separating these two worlds from each other. Ivan Mauger was 'born too late' to be just another competent rider competing in the 'Black Sport' and 'born too early' to capitalise on the 'vast riches' to be had with embracing the new 'capitalist spirit' breathing life into the 'brave new entrepreneurial world', of the 1980's. But Ivan sensed all this was coming and laid down the paving stones of the road speedway riders following in his wake would have no choice but to take. What financial rewards would Ivan have gained if he had won the third of his triple- crown achievement in 1980 rather than in 1970 and completed his career with his sixth title in 1989? It must have been galling for him to be finishing his career at the very moment that this potential 'promised speedway land of financial milk and honey' opened up to those beginning their racing careers. But this promised speedway paradise was an illusion. Just has the concept that everyone was going to be rich was, when recession knocked the bottom out of all these hopeless thoughtless dreams. Those who despised Ivan Mauger, for taking away from them their 'Black Sport' of blessed memory, paid him back in kind, by refusing to get to grips with the new professionalism he had brought to the sport during his career. Speedway had got by on 'make do and mend' for fifty years and would continue to do so. There was no reason to change. The paying public came through the turnstiles in satisfactory numbers keeping speedway ticking over nicely as a viable business. There was no need to promote speedway and capitalise on it with a well thought out, planned campaign, to attract a wider public via expensive sponsorships, television and media coverage. Speedway didn't need to become 'a highly paid, highly professional commodity'. Speedway didn't need dragging into the world of 'avarice and greed' thank you very much. Speedway was doing all right as far as the promoters were concerned, because the paying public said it was, by showing up at the stadiums every week in satisfactory numbers. Speedway was doing all right and would continue to do all right despite not because of Ivan Mauger and his new colourful professionalism making demands all over the place. Telling folk what he was going to do and not going to do. Demanding a plane to fly him from his home to ride in Exeter in home meeting only. ('Tha must be bleedin' joking mate'). But they did it because they had to do it because Ivan Mauger was the number one representative of the sport. He had put himself in the position 'to make demands' by applying professionalism and dedication to all he did. Ivan Mauger made those demands firstly to reap the rewards he felt his due, but also to further the interests of the sport itself. Ivan knew he had to have a 'career' after his riding days were over. Speedway was what Ivan was all about and what better way would there be to cement his status as the 'Grand Master Supreme' But those who promoted the sport didn't like Ivan and his 'demands' on them when he was a rider. Ivan was a rider who had to be listened to when he spoke to promoters because of his legendary status in the sport. But stepping over to the other side of the fence was a different speedway race altogether. Ivan was stepping onto their speedway circuit and he was most certainly not going to be allowed to become 'Grand Master Supreme' in the ruling bodies of the sport. (So he b*ggered off t'Gold Coast of th'Australia instead >>> where he lived happily ever after >>> till Tony Rickardsson came along and upset th'bleedin applecart' chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens), And it was all these ingredients of a speedway cake that Michael Lee was expected to digest. He was expected to be a world champion in the mould of Ivan Mauger. 'But seeing has you're a kid 'wet behind the ears', a talented kid we will give you that, but a kid nonetheless. You will do as you're told and receive what we regard as your due. Who do you think you are anyway Ivan Mauger'??? Michael was expected to perform in the professional manner laid down in the Ivan Mauger code of practice. Michael did so and asked for his reward and it wasn't forthcoming. Mauger had told speedway what it was going to do. Michael Lee was going to do what the speedway told him to do. Michael Lee says himself that he has a rebellious streak. A clash with authority was inevitable. On one side stood an awkwardly built youth who, in a lot of peoples' minds, should have made a useless speedway rider. A rebellious talented unruly youth brought up in the spirit of a sport he understood and experienced has a 'brotherhood'. A sport made up of riders who fought against each other on the track but whose lives depended on each other to survive intact. On the opposite side the speedway authorities running the sport in their entrepreneurial image. Free to make money in the new entrepreneurial spirit of minimum expenditure and maximised profits. Determined to carry on running the sport their way. And all of the ingredients of this speedway cake, Michael Lee was going to have to digest, fell into place in 1979. Ivan Mauger to all intents and purposes was gone along with Olsen, Collins, Michanek and all those other riders who dominated speedway between 1965 and 1979. The new breed was knocking on the doors and making demands, but they weren't going to get what they regarded as their just deserts. They weren't going to reap the 'field of golden speedway corn' that Ivan Mauger had sown for them. This professional ideal is not about money as such, though due reward is expected for services rendered. The professional ideal meant that everyone and everything should operate to the standard made explicit because of Ivan Mauger's professionalism, as a racer, across the speedway board. It wasn't and there was a recession and spectators didn't come to watch the sport in the numbers they once did. Money was tight has an era ended with the passing of Ivan Mauger and the other members of the 1970's 'Big Five' into speedway history. Rebellious ill-mannered disrespectful young men were coming into the sport with these new expectations. Some one had to be made an example of. Someone was at fault. Someone was to blame. Someone was going to get punished for it. (Hey up Michael, job for you mate >>> 'fall guy')!!! And thus we come round to Michael Lee's fall from grace. Was he pushed or did he jump? Judge for yourself by reading his interview. And thus we come to 1985 the recession, the closure of the 'Hallowed Halls of Halifax' Transformed into an attraction from 'a grey team from a grey place' with the advent of Kenny Carter, according to the words of John Berry. Not so. Halifax speedway was an attraction to spectators long before Kenny Carter came upon the scene. No one there, thought of let alone talked of a 'second coming of anyone' as I recall. Has for being 'a grey team from a grey place' that wasn't true either. It's not for nothing people are 'transfixed' by a certain colourful woollen pullover. But as in all things we 'believe what we are told to see' by those who are not has myopic and senile, as we are, in thought word and deed. 'Whatever is said about what people thought about Michael Lee there are those who saw him as a great rider and not the 'foolish' man that people like to depict him as'. There were those of us who realised Michael Lee represented, embodied and made tangible to the supporter the turmoil affecting speedway from 1980 to 1985. An unfortunate period when speedway was deprived of world champions, in the moulds of the 'Big Five' of both previous eras of the sport. (1954 - 1967 and 1968 - 1979) around which the rest of the sport revolved. It was Michael Lee's 'misfortune' to be a world champion at that moment. Unable to represent the sport in the manner of old, as the 'old' was in a state of flux transforming itself into the 'new', in line with all the other changes taking place in society. Michael Lee was confused has to how he was to fulfil everyone's expectations of him as world champion because everything that 'should be' to make smooth his reign has world champion was no longer there. Not before long 'in spirit' and sometimes in fact Michael Lee wasn't there either. So the speedway ship was rudderless. But there was renewed hope in Bruce Penhall another of the new breed confident in his abilities to become world champion. But after his world title win of 1982 Penhall wasn't there either. So the rudderless speedway ship was drifting towards the rocks. And then there was Egon Muller. 'Time to respect Muller'. But Muller wasn't there to be respected either. And by the time Erik Gundersen restored some equilibrium to speedway the ship was already on the rocks in the eyes of the speedway paying public. Circumstances kept people away from speedway because of the financial restraints imposed on them by the new entrepreneurial spirit that was in full swing during the late 1980's. Short sighted policies by those outside speedway, but in control of speedway's 'destiny', decided that this sport was an outdated nuisance factor standing in the way of progress in other areas. Thus speedway was removed from the Shay stadium in order that it could be redeveloped to fit in with the new spirit of enterprise. Thus Cradley Heath speedway followed suit and all the other speedway tracks that have been shut down in the name of progress ever since. For in effect nothing has changed. So we the speedway supporting public were invited to walk away from the sport. Forcibly removed from the premises, so to speak. You did not walk away from the sport of speedway alone Michael Lee. Many of us walked away with you, just has disillusioned and confused as to why a sport that was at the top of the world was laid down so low, as you were. Michael Lee who had seen nothing of life other than a world revolving around motorcycles involved himself in the lifestyle that he wanted to involve himself in. For no one tells a rebel where to go and what to do when they go looking for themselves. But Michael Lee appears to have found himself in his garden. This rebel went looking for himself in a garden too, 'Eden, garden of trees' searching for 'Sweet Liberation' and 'Nirvana'. ('But I found Woody Guthrie instead' chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens to his silly sen'). Doing all this instead of 'b*ggering about collecting peoples signature on paper', implicit in the bemused look Anders Michanek gave a young autograph hunter one night at Halifax. Michael Lee no doubt recognises the 'clarion call' of such 'mystical' concepts? I knew when it was said Michael Lee was in line for the next big interview that this would be the 'catalyst' for expressing certain thoughts about days gone by and has to why things developed as they did in those days. And we come to present times and we see similar patterns taking place in speedway today. Tony Rickardsson has combined both aspects of the spirit of 'make do and mend' and 'avarice and greed' in a manner palatable to those following in his stride. Tony Rickardsson has done it with a 'smile on his face'. He has done what Ivan Mauger couldn't do nor perhaps had any concept of the possibility of doing so, at the time. Ivan Mauger built the bridge from taking speedway from the era of the original 'Big Five' to the era of the second 'Big Five'. Tony Rickardsson understands what the first 'Big Five' represented and he understands what the second 'Big Five' represented too. Thus he understood the possibilities implicit within these two principles. Meaning that if he could be seen to be the ultimate professional performing in the proper 'spirit' understood by riders, promoters and speedway supporting public alike he could equal and perhaps surpass Ivan Mauger's record of six world titles making him 'Grand Master Supreme'. And thus ancient ghosts of speedway are laid to rest. But there is a note of caution written on this benchmark set. There are those riders who burn themselves out or give up on attempting to emulate these new standards set by Rickardsson. Burning their selves out or give up because they fail to understand the motivation for and grasp the practicalities of achieving these ends. Or lack the financial clout to put these ingredients into practice. Perform in effect in a manner similar to Michael Lee and thus fall from grace in the speedway paying publics eyes. Michael Lee 'fell from Grace with the Speedway Gods' because Ivan Mauger was a hard act to follow. The speedway cake was too big to digest. Has Tony Rickardsson baked a speedway cake that's indigestible for the next breed of up and coming world champions? 'Only time will tell who has fell and whose been left behind, when you go your way and I go mine' Bob Dylan >>> 'Most Likely You Go Your Way and I Go Mine' >>> Blonde on Blonde 'I try my best to be just like I am but everyone wants you to be just like them'. Bob Dylan >>> 'Maggie's Farm >>> Bringing it all back home 'There are still one or two of us walking the street >>> with no arrows of direction painted under our feet >>> with no angels to warn us away from the heat >>> but if I have to remember >>> that's a fine memory'. Leonard Cohen >>> 'Tonight will be fine >>> Live Songs

Sorry for causing offence with my post and my failure to understand the rules of your speedway forum. . I have deleted this post and will delete all those other long posts that cause offence in due course. My apologies to the Speedway Forum for not obeying the rules.

Speedway Grand Prix Bydgoszcz Well eh what??? This is it, th'Coronation of Tony Rickardsson New Record equalling Six Times World Champion!!! Uncle Mr. Clemens, resplendent in freshly laundered, ironed, pressed, colourful Halifax woolly jumper, with championship laurels of olive green specially imported from th'Mount Olympus Greece. Personally hand woven by t'Father of t'Gods, Zeus his very sen. Worn by wicked Mr Clemens as a Crown of Victory on his head. Tasty Chinese meal to hand, disgruntled nephew in attendance. Unable to accompany Uncle Mr Clemens on t'Great August Bank Holiday Speedway Adventure, turned t'tele on. 'Who in the hell's Bennett', moaned t'peed off nephew at t'silver screen?? (No silly not thee Joe TV screen eh what)!!! Whilst th'intellectual TV Pundits set glorious scene for t'Coronation of T/R, pondering on th'ability of a multiple World Champion, to score four points without having a physical and mental breakdown, Uncle Mr Clemens reflected on t'mystical vision handed down to him by Zeus from t'mountaintop just like Moses at t'start of t'speedway season!!! There was T/R sat on t'bench at top of t'street with arms outstretched in a warm embrace mile wide smile on his face appropriately thankful for all he was about to receive 'What's tha got to smile about', asked th'bemused Uncle Mr. C, but T/R just sat there with th'grin on his face and said nowt!!! Mr C's attention was diverted to a body laid on t'floor by the side of t'bench dressed in red and white speedway leathers arms folded across his chest laurel wreath pinned to his breast. Half a penny dropped in Uncle Mr Clemens' tiny little mind immediately realising that t'mystical vision indicated a sixth triumph for t'wonderful T/R. Whilst pondering long and hard on th'wicked implications of T/R's number six triumph t'other penny eventually dropped. Th'corpse laid on t'floor resplendent in laurel green was non-other than t'other six times World Champion Ivan Gerald Mauger his very sen!!! Then all t'wicked implications of T/R's up and coming win became th'abundantly clear. All these ancient speedway ghosts were going to be laid to rest Th'end of an era, eh what??? All ready th'rumblings could be heard from th'Australian Gold Coast ('Where else would Ivan live but t'Gold Coast', chuckled wicked old myopic senile Uncle Mr Clemens to t'glowering nephew)!!! Where t'afore said six times great sat on his gold plated Jawa speedway machine muttering to T/R on t'phone. 'Tha's still not won it three times on t'trot yet has tha??? Eh what Triple Crown Plus that's what mate EH!!! But good luck all the same Give me best to th'Ove what's his name win't tha eh??? I could have won twenty grand prix's on t'trot I only said th'Ove who is it could have won ten to be kind and so th'watching speedway millions didn't think I was a big head'. Who us Ivan nivver. Everyone knows tha't modest to a fault!!! With all these mystical vibes intact and Lee Richardson trying to get his head in gear on with the motley!!! Heat 1. Crump = 3 B. Pedersen = 2 Sullivan = 1 Lindback = 0 Crump technically still able to become World Champion steams away unlucky Ryan wearing unlucky 13 passes even unluckier Lindbach Heat 2. Adams = 3 Protasiewicz = 2 N.Pedersen = 1 Richardson = 0 Tough start Richardson adorned in laurel wreaths of speedway starting tape waving in the wind, mystical or what, shut out at the back!!! 'Is it a fair track', quoth TV Pundit Dullard prompted by t'performance of a sick looking Richardson??? Heat 3. Rickardsson = 3 Jonsson = 2 Hampel = 1 Andersen = 0 T/R crawls agonisingly slowly to the front of the field. Heat 4. Gollob = 3 Hancock = 2 Nicholls = 1 Chrzanowski = 0 Great tussle between Gollob and Hancock. A frustrated Nicholls struggles 'Gollob loves riding in Poland', reports th'obvious stating Dullard!!! Time out 'T/R's collecting milestones free at Tesco's he's relaxed about records focused on the job in hand', quoth th'astute TV Pundit Keith to Uncle Sam and Chris Louis. (T/R doesn't shop at Morrisons then with Simon Stead', eh what chuckled senile Uncle Mr. Clemens to t'peed off nephew)??? 'My money's on Pepe', says ever loyal team leader Chris Louis official Ipswich agent in charge of immigration of millions of Poles into GB. 'Night's closing in here floodlights piercing down', quoth th'obvious stating Dullard. ('Pearson where he's not here too is he', chuckled Uncle Mr. Clemens wickedly to his sen)??? Heat 5. Hancock = 3 Crump = 2 Hampel = 1 Richardson = 0 Hancock great gate nudges Crump out of the way Crump up inside of Hampel on fourth lap from last into second place. Heat 6. Gollob = 3 N.Pedersen = 2 Rickardsson = 1 Sullivan = 0 The Magic Moment!!! Th' scurrilous rumour circulating t'Polish stadium, afore th'ultimate race, has it that T/R was seen in deep discussion with Ryan Sullivan and Hans Anderson, th'inquiring of t'best way to go about scoring points in a Speedway Grand Prix wicked, eh what!!! 'I'm sure Ivan Mauger is watching this coverage back in the Gold Coast in Australia', quoth Dullard 'If T/R comes in last I'm a Dutchman', adds t'perceptive Dullard ('Which one, not th'original Halifax 21 point maximum man Henny Kroeze by any chance', chuckled Uncle Mr. Clemens)??? Gollob makes a brilliant start wide to fence passed by Nicki Pedersen resplendent with lucky Danish racing legs Gollob great move round N/P but T/R grabs the one point by pipping th'irate pointless Ryan Sullivan at t'post T/R six times world champ!!! Time out ('Notice that Jason Crump is immediately to hand first to congratulate T/R on th'glorious triumph' quoth Uncle Mr Clemens to th'nephew. He's on a speedway bike', quoth th'sarky nephew peed off at passing of th'speedway crown from Crumpy to T/R, 'not a bleedin' Triumph you wicked old senile myopic old git')!!! In congratulating T/R Crump displays all the attributes of a great world champion The weight of the responsibility, of wearing the world crown, visibly lifts from Crumps shoulders has he embraces Rickardsson. Elated T/R interviewed thanks all those involved in his victory. In th'midst of th'adoration of t'magi, th'TV pundit Dullard drops a speedway bombshell, that lands with a dull thud, in th'lap of wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens. 'Let's see, this is how he achieved his World Championship, a genuine world final in '94 before the Grand Prix started' T/R's FIRST WORLD TITLE A GENUINE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP EH WHAAAT!!! 'What were th'wicked implications of th'strange Dullard type remark, in t'midst of such joyous celebrations', pondered Uncle Mr Clemens, almost choking on t'tasty sweet and sour chicken!!! Then another penny dropped in Mr Clemens' tiny little mind. For if T/R's 1994 triumph was th'last GENUINE World Speedway Championship then th'wicked joyful six times record equalling T/R's t'other five triumphs were counterfeit, fraudulent, didn't count!!! Therefore not only was T/R just a solitary one time World Speedway Championship winner, but all of his other titles amounted to b*gger all!!! More pennies dropped inside Uncle Mr Clemens' tiny little mind For if all T/R's triumphs were counterfeit so were all t'other bogus champ's titles from that moment to this!!! Yes that's you Professor Hans Nielsen thi fourth title means nowt mate but nivver mind eh!!! Tha't still on a par with Ole and Eric, nowt's lost, is it, eh??? And you Billy Hamill No Bull. Not yours either Mr. Hancock ('Let's get that clear straight away', chuckled senile myopic Uncle Mr. Clemens mimicking GENUINE World Championship winning Uncle Sam's famous catchphrase)!!! Not yours sparky Marky Loram no point in looking sick about it mate!!! Nor yours tricky Nicky Pederson on yer lucky Danish Racing legs!!! Sorry J/C tha wasted thi time coming second all them years. Jack Young's still th'last GENUINE th'Australian World Champ bogus or what eh??? 'These Speedway World Championships don't amount to a hill of beans', echoed th'immortal words of th'great American actor Humphrey Gocart across th'speedway ages!!! Uncle Mr Clemens, still choking on t'tasty Chinese meal, could hear distant wicked Gold Coast chuckling, from t'one and only six GENUINE times World GENUINE Champion. Not a fraudulent title in sight, eh what, NITRO, rocking with joy on th'gold plated Jawa!!! But on wi' th'current counterfeit Speedway Grand Prix Heat 7. Andersen = 3 Protasiewicz = 2 Chrzanowski = 1 Lindback = 0 Great Andersen gate Pepe cuts through to 2nd place 'I thought you were going to say that Chris Louis was going to buy everyone a drink, if his man gets through to the final', chuckles th'astute TV Pundit Kelv to wicked Dullard, looking forward to imbibing free Ipswich drinks!!! Heat 8. Jonsson = 3 Nicholls = 2 B. Pedersen = 1 Adams = 0 A/J misses gate through to front up the inside. Adam's engine failure 'Bad luck for Adams good fortune for Nicholls', quoth Kelv injecting th'lucky omens into t'proceedings!!! Time out During the break TV Pundit Keith asks th'studio guests Louis and Uncle Sam their opinions on t'brilliant yet fraudulent six times world champion T/R's ongoing successes 'Shurrup thee Chris Louis', quoth TV Pundit Keith. 'I'm talking to bona fide GENUINE World Speedway Champions here', when enquiring of what's in store for t'bogus champ T/R in t'future 'The others have to raise their game. T/R will want to stay in front. T/R has more in him', quoth GENUINE Uncle Sam ('What more bogus World Titles to come th'blessed T/R's way', chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens bursting into song. With apologies to the Grand Master himself Woody Guthrie 'Uncle Sam took up the challenge in the year of 93')!!! Heat 9. Nicholls = 3 Crump = 2 Andersen = 1 N.Pedersen = 0 Andersen bunched up falls meanwhile TV Pundits Kelv and Dullard discuss T/R 'What's the difference between legendary Ivan Mauger and fraudulent Tony Rickardsson', asks th'Dullard of th'intellectually th'astute World Champion TV Pundit Kelv???? 'How long have we got', chuckles th'wicked Kelv ??? ('Mhm about twenty years of debate between th'triumphs of GENUINE Ivan Mauger's abilities and t'fraudulent T/R's abilities I shouldn't wonder', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens to his silly sen, already pondering on th'hysterical arguments, probably already taking place twixt th'intellectual inmates of th'speedway forum as we speak. Eh what niver)!!! 'Tony for me personally is a littler bit more the complete rider he seems to have everything in his locker. Rickardsson will possibly go down as the best rider in history', being Kelv's carefully considered response to the question of a Dullard!!! 'If you were racing in Grand Prix action against Ivan Mauger, who never rode in a counterfeit Grand Prix of course, or you had to race Tony Rickardsson which one would you prefer to race against', asked th'mind numbing Dullard of th'astute Kelv, 'or would it be tricky Nicky Pedersen and his lucky Danish racing legs??? 'It would certainly be tough to race against Nicki Pedersen's lucky Danish racing legs, for different sets of reasons' chuckled recently th'hip replaced Kelv, 'and hard against T/R and Mauger for another different sets of reasons'. ('Yep cos ones GENUINE and t'others a fraud', chuckled Uncle Mr Clemens) 'Well of course Ivan did say he had to start in qualifiers, on the other side of the world, taking half the year to get through', quoth Dullard eager to add fuel to the great 'who is the greatest debate', scheduled to run forever and ever amen!!! Rerun Andersen falls again stands on track waving his arms in furious exasperation all four back 'Hans must feel aggrieved, it must feel like déjà vu for him', chuckles TV Pundit Kelv, mystical or what eh, after concluding that it was no ones fault Andersen went down twice Dullard refers back t'studio for t'verdicts of Uncle Sam and Chris Louis 'The words, 'that he could have backed it off', were the words used by Chris Louis', quoth th'anchorman Keith, has the studio guests were unanimous in agreement of all four back in 'Seems like everybody concurs in here Kelvin with your thoughts', quoth overawed TV pundit Keith, by th'astute genius of Kelv ('Conkers', chuckled wicked old Uncle Mr. C to his silly sen eh what)??? 'Well that's nice we're all happy families together Keith terrific stuff', commented t'newly confirmed and crowned th'World Champion Speedway TV Pundit Kelvin, to mass chuckling from one and all concerned with Sky Sports presentation. Not Bennett gaah Brian, Brian not the monitor!!! Rerun 2 Andersen cuts back as ace commentator Kelvin predicts the lead changes Nicholls brilliant win 'Best race of the night', quoth a thrilled Kelvin, at t'fulfillment of his mystical prediction. Heat 10. Richardson = 3 Jonsson = 2 Sullivan = 1 Chrzanowski = 0 'Richardson had good fortune there as Jonsson made a hash of the gate', quoth Kelvin 'Better late than never', quoth Dullard Heat 11. Adams = 3 Gollob = 2 Hampel = 1 Lindback = 0 Amazing last to second from the masterful Gollob 'Gollob comes from another planet', quoth th'increasingly mystically minded Kelv. 'Not quite has far as another planet, just a couple of metres or so outside', quoth Dullard, questioning another World Champs grasp on speedway reality!!! Heat 12. Hancock = 3 Protasiewicz = 2 B. Pedersen = 1 Rickardsson = 0 Hancock all the way from the gate 'Rickardsson found it tough' quoth fresh from another planet Kelvin Time out 'T/R's looking all at sea at the moment', th'observes TV Pundit Keith 'Tracks been watered', chuckles Uncle Sam 'Kelvin says heat 9 is the best race of the night and I would never argue with Kelvin', quoth Keith Better not mate oh no!!! 'Oooh Kay', mutters th'unimpressed, with Keith's adoration of Kelvin, GENUINE World Speedway Champion Uncle Sam!!! Crump magnanimous in interview 'It's a privilege to be racing in the same era as Tony, maybe he will give it back to me next year'!!! Heat 13. Gollob = 3 Protasiewicz = 2 Jonsson = 1 Crump = 0 Great start from Pepe Gollob racing on another planet glides majestically round Protasiewicz J/C squeezed out Heat 14. Hancock = 3 Adams = 2 Andersen = 1 Sullivan = 0 Rerun after Hancock falls great start from Greg TV Pundits speculate on Sullivan's inclusion in next year's Grand Prix 'Greg Hancock's one of the nicest guys in the pits', quoth Kelvin Heat 15. Rickardsson = 3 Richardson = 2 Nicholls = 1 Lindback = 0 T/R wide to the front L/R squeezes T/R out T/R at his best passes Richardson with brilliant move on last turn of last lap 'T/R enjoyed that one, there will be a big smile on his face till Christmas I'm sure', quoth Kelv, as t'jovial T/R chuckles to his sen in t'pits!! Heat 16. N.Pedersen = 3 B.Pedersen = 2 Hampel = 1 Chrzanowski = 0 N/P hits front. B/P passes N/P. N/P repasses to win. Time out 'How's your money', TV Pundit Keith speculates on th'eventual winner of th'current GP, hoping to get a free drink out of someone??? 'My money's still on the fence', chuckles Uncle Sam reluctant to mention which American rider he wants to come in first!!! 'Looks like T/R's fighting back unfortunately it was Lee Richardson T/R mugged on the last bend', quoth Keith, digging himself a deep hole 'Yeah you wrote him off didn't ya, nah nah ne nah na', grimaced disgruntled Chris Louis, firmly grasping his opportunity to get one over on smart arse TV th'anchorman Keith, bootlicker extraordinaire, to all World Speedway Champions past and present 'T/R pushed Richardson gentlemanly like', quoth Uncle Sam Heat 17. Adams = 3 Crump = 2 Rickardsson = 1 Chrzanowski = 0 'There's obviously a combination here', quoth th'astute Kelv 'If T/R comes first Crumpy second Adams third they'd all go through. But I am sure they haven't discussed that'. Fraudulent thinking or what eh Kelv??? Adams from gate to finish. T/R struggles against Chrzanowski Heat 18. Protasiewicz = 3 Hampel = 2 Nicholls = 1 Sullivan = 0 Pepe another great start. Nicholls chases Hampel to no avail Heat 19. N.Pedersen = 3 Jonsson = 2 Hancock = 1 Lindback = 0 N/P pressured by A/J. Off the pace Hancock struggles in third place 'Pedersen shows character', quoth Kelvin has N/P claws his way back into contention Heat 20. Richardson = 3 Gollob = 2 B. Pedersen = 1 Andersen = 0 'Rickardsson could rely on Gollob to get into the semis' quoth Dullard 'Swings and roundabouts. (eh what?), chuckles Kelv. 'Who would have thought that Tomasz Gollob could do Rickardsson a favour by winning a race??? A shocking Lee Richardson, foils riding round the boards Gollob, to work his way into the semis after his bad start to the night Time out as semi finalists choose racing positions 'Where will Gollob go, only he knows. Nothing works more mysteriously than interplanetary Tony (eh what!!!) Gollob's mind', quoth th'anchorman Keith, as the riders stand around waiting for Godot, sorry Gollob. Eh!!! Who??? Samuel Beckett!!! 'Maybe they've got a juggler we can't see', quoth Keith has Gollob stands impatiently waiting hands on hips to take his pick 'Adams' down on his knees looking for divine inspiration' observes Keith!!!! (Eh what, hold on a minute, visionary or what, we can't have that mate. Yer'll have folk thinking mystical visions are ten a penny)!!! 'And tedious Chris has got the mindset of Tomasz Gollob', observes condescending Keith, has Gollob picks the gate position, indicated by th'official government appointed Ipswich Immigration Controller 'Thanks Keith', mutters th'disgruntled p*ssed off Chris Louis!!! All the riders pick their positions 'Any surprises there gentleman', asks thinking man's TV th'anchorman Keith??? 'No' says tight-lipped Louis. 'Well that's how I would have expected the gate picking to go, but who gives a sh*t what I think anyway'??? Interview with T/R 'How did you feel after the title was won', asked TV pundit Steve Brandon??? T'jovial Tone reveals th'wicked reasons for his failure to make the semis 'You just lose all that momentum, you just laugh about everything. All the focus just went. You just sit there with a smile on your face, waiting for the green light to come on, saying come on focus, focus. It's difficult. But really the truth is, I couldn't concentrate, for thinking of wicked old senile myopic chuckling Uncle Mr. Clemens and his mystical visions!!! Who me??? Eh. What??? Semi final one Gollob = 3 Crump = 2 N.Pedersen = 1 Protasiewicz = 0 Gollob imperious from the gate. Crump last battles to second place in great move up the inside of Pedersen Semi final two Richardson = 3 Hancock = 2 Adams = 1 Jonsson = 0 Great win by Lee Richardson, blows kisses to the camera, sharing out th'GB Maximum Man's lucky sickness bug, amongst all those lucky, lucky speedway watching millions!!! Sudden appearance of Middlo on t'screen (no not you Joe!!!) No doubt taking part in another wickedly lucky GB sickness plot lurking in the background, germ free, with a knowing look on his face??? Time out Gollob picks the inside line. Hancock hesitates before picking blue 'I think he was thinking about picking four there', quoth th'astute Polish Immigration Officer Louis 'You really think he was thinking that Chris', quoth a mildly interested TV pundit Keith 'I do', quoth Louis has if the groom at a mystical wedding ceremony 'I don't believe it, Crumpy next', quoth t'swiftly moving on Keith 'I don't give a sh*t what tha believes', mutters th'wicked Immigration Officer to his sen!!! 'I will buy the drinks if Richardson wins t'final', quoth t'generous Keith 'I bet tha bleedin will' >>> thinks Polish immigration orientated Louis The Final Gollob = 1ST Richardson = 2ND Crump = 3RD Hancock = 4TH Gollob from the gate. Richardson works his way into second place At this point came the special moment of the night. You can keep your six times world championship winners There was the imperious, supremely magnificent Tomasz Gollob, the greatest speedway rider I have ever personally seen, perfectly balanced, who needs lucky racing legs, floating round the track, has for once precisely put by Tony, who Rickardsson??? No Dullard!!! 'He's standing there like God on his bike riding round this circuit' 'I didn't know God rode a motorbike', quoth disgruntled nephew Didn't tha??? 'Didn't tha know that God always rode around in TRIUMPH in mystical biblical days of old', chuckled wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr Clemens Eh >>> what!!! Congrats Tone on the sixth. Heres t'seventh. Heaven??? Eh what!!! 'I love everybody', quoth Godlike Tomasz Gollob

You make it sound so 'all unexpected' Steve >>> chuckled senile old Uncle Mr. Clemens. I knew he would win it at the start of the season and told my nephew so too >>> don't ask me how i knew

Thanks for the link Subedei >>> the wife is working in southern poland at the moment >>> 2 miles from the slovak border >>> doesn't seem that floods are affecting that area though Thanks again

My feeling is that Leigh Adams will come out on top >>> he's in the testimonial mood!!! Where abouts exactly in the south are these floods???

Sam Hurst >>> I was looking at the website pictures >>> It struck me this lad will go far in the sport >>> keep an eye on him!!!

'It's cos you've got your eyes too closely fixed on Sophie's knockers, the reason you can't see them on the terraces, Joe. 'It's called 'myopia', chuckled wicked >>> senile >>> old Uncle Mr. Clemens!!!

Cheers home straight I appreciate it

You don't have to keep repeating it >>> it's like having LSD flashbacks

'Me neither', chuckled wicked old >>> senile >>> myopic >>>Uncle Mr. Clemens

They think it's all over >>> It is now

Mr. Clemens popped on his lucky colourful Halifax woolly jumper >>> and with the ‘mystically inspired number ‘48’ implanted firmly in his tiny little mind’ >>> he lived in hope that Great Britain would pull off a fabulous win and confound all their critics. Wicked >>> senile >>> myopic >>> or what >>>> eh??? Th’disgruntled nephew simply stated his recently ‘baptised and confirmed Belle Vue supporting hope’ that Jason Crump would be fully recovered from his th’unlucky contact with th’GB Maximum-Man’s lucky race winning bug, by Wednesday night. With tasty take away Chinese meals of sweet and sour chicken and chop suey roll, to hand, this th’intrepid pair of speedway misfits sat down to watch th’unfolding of the final moments of the 2005 Speedway World Cup. Or as the senile, myopic, wicked old Uncle Mr. Clemens would come to call it:- ‘The Rune Holta Gold Medal Testimonial Meeting’. Mr. Clemens had been previously informed, by th’intellectual TV pundits, that in the lucky event of Poland winning said Speedway World Cup, that not only would the th’equally lucky Norwegian Pole Rune Holta, win a precious lucky gold medal and get to place his hands on’t beautiful Speedway World Cup Trophy, inscribed with the name of the greatest speedway rider of all time, bar none, the supremely immortal Ove Fundin, he would also win a handsome purse of testimonial zlotys, for simply agreeing to ride for th’lucky Polish World Cup Speedway Team. And th’while talking of th’intellectual TV pundits, Kelvin that doyen of speedway th’intellectuals was seen running towards th’TV pundits favourite commentators hidey-hole, on a pair of lucky legs kindly loaned to him, for this very purpose, by the Danish World Cup Speedway Team. This being because Kelvin liked to appear to be everywhere at once >>>> mystical or what >>>> eh??? Before he left, th’TV pundits favourite linkman >>> who often seems to serve no apparent purpose at all >>> other than to hand us all over to th’intellectual Kelvin >>> discussed the prospects of GB Maximum-Man Lee Richardson’s prospects in th’upcoming meeting. ‘Let’s hope we’re lucky and he’s sick tonight’ >>> if the GB Maximum-Man’s lucky sickness bug kicks in early doors you never know what might happen!!!! Kelv’s th’intellectually amusing comments echoed across the world >>> has he ran to join Nigel Pearson >>> in order to make even more astute observations >>> for t’lucky speedway watching millions >>> to digest along with their tasty evening meals. ‘Who’s riding tonight’, asked a still disgruntled nephew??? Why, all them th’lucky World Cup finalists of course’, chuckled wicked old senile Uncle Mr. Clemens. >>>>> On with the Motley!!!! Heat 1. T/R >>>> Andersen >>> Screen >>> Walasek Unlucky Pole stranded at the back GB1 Poland 0 Denmark 2 Sweden 3 Heat 2. Holta >>> P/K >>> Stead >>> B. Pedersen Stead moves at gate but lucky Norwegian Pole steams away to win GB2 Poland 3 Denmark 2 Sweden 5 Heat 3. Bjerre >>> Protasiewicz >>> Jonsson >>> Richardson Bjerre all the way from the gate (Looks like t’ GB Maximum-Man’s lucky sickness bug isn’t going to kick in tonight’, says Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> has he wondered if GB was going to score 8 points >>> nivver mind 48!!!! GB 2 Poland 5 Denmark 5 Sweden 6 Heat. 4 Hampel >>>> Lindback >>>> Nicholls >>> N. Pedersen Hampel from the gate >>> tricky Nicki takes Scotty wide >>> Scotty passes Nicki ‘What’s wrong with Pedersen’, wonders th’TV pundit’s? (‘Where’s his th’lucky legs, mused Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> weird >> eh>>> what)?? GB 3 Poland 8 Denmark 5 Sweden 8 Heat 5. Gollob (Tomasz) >>> Iversen >>> Lindgren >>> Harris Gollob from the gate >>> Harris at the back. (At this point >>> because of the dire performances of all but th’lucky Poles >>> Uncle Mr. Clemens was torn between turning off th’ Speedway World Cup >>> and putting on that magical mystical movie >>> Mary Poppins >>> in order to reconnect to the spiritual vibe >>> in the hope of finding out what the hell was going on!!!) GB3 Poland 11 Denmark 7 Sweden 9 Heat 6. Richardson >>> Lingren >>> Walosek >>> N. Pedersen Richardson flies from the gate tricky Nicki struggles >>> again >>> Nicki’s at the back >>> pulls up ‘Is Nicki on a sick bike’ >>> quoth speculating TV pundits??? ‘Richardson’s got the legs’, yells th’TV pundit Nigel’ >>> what >>> eh >>> how??? (It was all becoming clear >>> at last >>> to myopic >>> senile >>> old Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> there was subterfuge going on. It was plain to see >>> to anyone senile and myopic >>> that somehow >>> th’Team GB >>> had wickedly >>> exchanged GB Maximum-Man’s lucky race winning bug >>> for th’Danish World Cup Speedway teams’ Lucky Danish Racing Legs!!!! Th’Danes >>> like the equally gullible th’Australians >>> had fallen for th’wicked GB Team Manager’s crafty plot >>> to th’undermine th’opposition >>> because Middlo had known all along that >>> GB Maximum-Man’s lucky race winning bug >>> only worked when it was tucked up in Lee Richardson’s stomach Inside anyone else >>> being contaminated by anything remotely related to things GB >>> it simply made em sick!!! >>> but all would well for GB now cos >>> ‘Richardson’s got the legs’ >>> problem is Middlo forgot to tell t’rest of Team GB about this wicked plot to win th’Speedway World Cup??? GB 6 Poland 12 Denmark 7 Sweden 11 Heat 7. Nicholls >>> T/R >>> Holta >>> Iversen Nicholls great start T/R can’t catch him ‘He’s got the legs’, confirms TV Pundit Nigel >>> who knew all along >>> exactly where th’Lucky Danish Legs were >>> and who was wearing them!!! (Mr. Clemens began to think Kelv and Nigel must be in on th’wicked plot too >>> especially as Kelv was seen >>> running to the commentary box >>> on a pair of Lucky Danish Racing Legs)!!!! GB 9 Poland 13 Denmark 7 Sweden 13 Heat 8. Andersen >>> Protasiewicz >>> Harris >>> P/K Andersen from gate >>> Pepe round P/K >>> Harris battles past P/K P/K packs up >>> but that doesn’t take anything away from battling Harris GB 10 Poland 15 Denmark 10 Sweden 13 Heat 9. Jonsson >>> Hampel >>> B. Pedersen >>> Screen Jonsson flies past Hampel >>> Screen left at the gate >>> bike packs up Th’unlucky Screen totally out of luck >>> not seen again >>> until Team GB’s astute manager Middlo was sure >>> th’meeting was over for th’always unlucky Team GB (Joe obviously wasn’t privy to either th’Danish lucky legs’ or GB Maximum-Man’s lucky sickness bug’, said Mr. Clemens >>> to a faithful Belle Vue supporter ‘I hope Screenie’s not clueless on Wednesday night’, said a bored nephew). GB 10 Poland 17 Denmark 11 Sweden 16 Heat 10. Gollob >>> Bjerre >>> Stead >>> Lindback The nervous Lindback almost touches tapes >>> Ref doesn’t order a restart Stead in front >>> without any help from GB Maximum-Man’s lucky race winning bug >>> or Lucky Danish Racing Legs >>> he owes it all to TV pundit Kelvin’s favourite lucky Hungarian referee!!! Gollob runs up the back of Stead >>> Masterful control of a speedway bike >>> by the only speedway rider who knows what riding speedway means >>> Majestic!!! Stead manages to hold off Bjerre up the last minute >>> but is passed in the end ‘I am not in love with that referee’, qhoth Kelvin >>> eh >>> what >>> why??? ‘But he was right to let the race continue >>> has Lindback didn’t touch the tapes!!! ‘Gollob should be excluded for ‘foul riding’, yells irate TV pundit Nigel Pearson >>> already beginning to clutch at straws >>> Maximum – Man’s sickness bugs >>> Lucky Danish Legs ‘Even the authoritative >>> supremely knowledgeable correspondent >>> from the Speedway Star says so >>> quoth Pearson >>> so it must be true!!!! (It’s our privilege to see Gollob ride’, says a truly appreciative Mr. Clemens >>> Pearson thinks Gollob run into Stead on purpose >>> Get a life Nigel)!!! GB 11. Poland 20 Denmark 13 Sweden 16 Heat 11. Walasek >>> Bjerre >>> P/K >>> Nicholls Nicholls taken out wide by P/K >>> Walasek untroubled win (‘Th’unlucky Nicholls looks legless this time’, groans Uncle Mr. Clemens) GB 11 Poland 23 Denmark 15 Sweden 17 Heat 12. Holta >>> Jonsson >>> N. Pedersen >>> Harris Holta brilliant pass up inside line >>> AJ takes Harris wide >>> Harris last >>> Nicki still looking sick finishes third >>> Lucky Norwegian Pole wins again ‘Holta doesn’t sit well with me’, mumbles disgruntled Kelvin (It’s obvious’, chuckled wicked old Uncle Mr. Clemens’ >>> Kelv’s jealous of Rune’s up and coming gain of his testimonial purse full of zlotys >>> he obviously believes in that old adage >>> ‘you shouldn’t reap >>> for what you rode’ >>> eh >>> what??? ‘Nicki Pedersen’s not right tonight’, quoth th’astute TV pundit Pearson. (‘He seldom is in most peoples eyes’, mutters a rueful Uncle Mr. Clemens. ‘I like Nicki’, says t’nephew.) GB 11 Poland 26 Denmark 16 Sweden 19 Heat 13. Protasiewicz >>> Lindback >>> Iversen >>> Nicholls Nicholls in for Screen as double points tactical move ‘Does our night depend on this’ >>> asks th’nervous TV Pundit Nigel of the more astute th’intellectual Kelvin??? ‘Yep’, quoth th’astute Kelv’ Lindback gets a flier in an unsatisfactory start >>> Referee fails to order re start >>> Scotty packs up at the gate??? >>> Lindbach chases Protasiewicz ‘Lindbach’s jumped again’, yells th’dumbfounded th’intellectual Kelvin ‘I’m gutted’, moans the depressed Kelv >>> at last the true effects >>> of Team GB’s lack of contamination >>> with GB Maximum-Man’s lucky sickness bug >>> finally kick in >>> and hits Kelvin right where it hurts >>> in the guts >>> eh >>> what!!! (Th’Hungarian referee has turned th’Speedway World Cup >>> into a crap >>> shambolic affair >>> mutters Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> at the idiocy of Speedway referees)!!! GB 11 Poland 29 Denmark 17 Sweden 21 Heat 14. Hampel >>> Andersen >>> Stead >>> Lindgren Andersen in as double points tactical Stead shut out by Hampel >>> Stead last >>> passes Lingren >> tussles with Andersen >>> Stead makes a mistake >>> Andersen passes him ‘It’s inexperience that made Stead let Andersen get by him’, quoth th’astute Kelvin (He’s there to learn’, remarks sarky, faithful Belle Vue supporting nephew)!!! GB 12 Poland 32 Denmark 21 Sweden 21 Heat 15. Richardson >>> Gollob >>> B Pedersen >>> Rickardsson Fortunately for Team GB >>> GB Maximum-Man’s lucky sickness bug >>> kicks in with a real vengeance >>> GB Maximum-Man out-gates >>> th’brilliant Gollob >>> And even th’world champ in waiting >>> who decides to wait at the back >>> for wicked reasons known only to himself >>> eh >>> what >>> why!!! Gollob all over GB Maximum-Man >>> but even he can’t catch Richardson >>> sick or what >>> eh!!! GB 15 Poland 34 Denmark 22 Sweden 21 Time Out Lucky th’ex world champ Mark Loram >>> looking as sick as he possibly can >>> thankful no doubt >>> he has played no part in th’humiliation of Team GB >>> listens as th’astute th’intellectual Kelvin >>> explains th’reasons for Team GB’s lack of ability to compete >>> other than th’lucky to be sick >>> GB Maximum-Man ‘A lot of money has been spent by all the foreign teams to compete professionally in tonight’s meeting’ >>> quoth Kelvin >>> ‘Great Britain simply doesn’t have the budget they have’. (‘Exactly the reason we have spend money to bring the Under 15 riders up to the standard where they can compete against the top foreign riders’, says Mr. Clemens to his nephew). Heat 16. Walasek >>> Jonsson>>> Iversen >>> Stead Jonsson in as double points tactical Walasek from gate >>> Stead >>> out of shape AJ >>> sick or what >>> eh??? >>> barges into Stead >>> Stead last >>> engine failure ‘Luck kept Stead on his bike’, Kelv reminded t’speedway watching millions >>> in case they’d forgot >>> that was what speedway was all about >>> LUCK!!! ‘That was dangerous riding’, quoth t’even more th’irate Kelvin >>> clutching at t’ same straws has Pearson had >>> in th’brilliant >>> majestic bike controlling Gollob’s >>> >>> th’infamous attempt to put >>> Stead through th’fence >>> in Heat 10 Kelvin astutely concluding that there must be collusion between th’brilliant Poles and th’dire Swedes >>> to ride dangerously against Team GB!!! ‘AJ didn’t do it on purpose’, contradicted >>> th’astute Nigel >>> eh >>> what????????? GB 15 Poland 37 Denmark 23 Sweden 25 Heat 17. Richardson >>> Holta >>> Lindback >>> Andersen Lucky Norwegian Pole Holta >>> right out of luck Inspired passing by >>> GB Maximum-Man >>> sickens th’fast gating th’unlucky Rune ‘Lee was hard but fair’, says th’equally hard but fair th’TV Pundit Pearson GB 18 Poland 39 Denmark 23 Sweden 26 Heat 18. Protasiewicz >>> B Pedersen >>> Nicholls >>> Rickardsson T/R tactical ride Pepe heads the field >>> Bjarne second >>> Nicholls chases on his lucky legs >>> T/R at the back >>> thinking of other things again >>> perhaps >>> eh >>> what??? ‘It’s been a world class event’, quoth th’intellectual Kelvin >>> possibly watching a completely different meeting >>> to all those t’speedway watching millions at home (It’s th’TV spectacular that counts >>> these days >>> not close competative meetings >>> wicked old senile Uncle Mr. Clemens reminded his nephew)!!! GB 19 Poland 42 Denmark 25 Sweden 26 Hampel, >>> Rickardsson >>> Harris >>> Bjerre Hampel from gate in processional race >>> T/R on new bike Th’concerned Swedish team manager >>> approaches a world champ in waiting >>> in’t pits ‘You’ve not been bitten by GB Maximum-Man’s lucky sickness bug >>> have you Tony?? ‘Who me >>> no >>> chuckles t’jovial T/R!!! GB 20 Poland 45 Denmark 25 Sweden 28 Heat 20. Gollob >>> N Pedersen >>> Karlsson >>> Screen Gollob all the way from the gate for a magnificent Polish Speedway World Cup winning race ‘Pedersen must be Superman’ >>> TV Pundit Pearson >>> th’delirious with joy quoth >>> he’s got both his cheeky little lucky Danish racing legs off the bike!!! (‘Pearson must have sneaked them back to Nicki, while Kelv’s back was turned’, chuckled wicked old Uncle Mr. Clemens)!!! (Suddenly >>> th’significance of th‘mystically inspired number ‘48’ >>> implanted firmly in his tiny little mind >>> appeared in all it’s crystal clarity >>> to wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> it was the magic moment when th’Poland won th’ Speedway World Cup >>> and that lucky, lucky Norwegian Pole >>>Rune Holta >>> gained his lucky precious Speedway World Cup winner’s gold medal)!!! GB 20 Poland 48 Denmark 27 Sweden 29 Heat 21. Walasek >>> Lindback >>> B Pedersen >>> Richardson An excited Walasek falls off bike at starting gate before the race starts (‘Who does that remind you of’, chuckles wicked old Uncle Mr. Clemens to his faithful Belle Vue supporting nephew >>> eh >>> what)??? Walasek >>> however >>> flies from the gate >>> brilliant run into first bend >>> Lindbach/ BP fight it out >>> for not so lucky >>> 2nd place silver medal rostrum position >>> GB Maximum-Man sick that he has nowt to fight for >>> at the back ‘Poland is in front of Sweden by 20 points >>> TV pundit’s Kelvin and Nigel >>> admit they’re jealous of th’magnificent Poles It was their professional approach as a team’, quoth th’astute Kelv (It were cos t’other three teams were crap an’ all’, quoth Mr. Clemens)!!! GB 20 Poland 51 Denmark 28 Sweden 31 Heat 22. Holta >>> Stead >>> Lindgren >>> Bjerre Holta celebrates his lucky precious Speedway World Cup gold medal win Stead seals fine fighting performance in his first Speedway World Cup ‘Stead has had a lot of injuries in the past few years’, quoth TV pundit Nigel ‘He rides in a vulnerable manner’, quoth th’astute Kelvin (‘He was always trying too hard to please >>> quoth Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> but I think he’s learned his lessons now’). GB 22 Poland 54 Denmark 28 Sweden 32 Stead in tactical ride in next race ‘Stead should be able to beat these three easily’, chuckles th’TV pundit Kelvin ‘He’ll be mobbed in Morrison’s tomorrow if he does’, chuckles th’TV pundit Pearson Heat 23. Protasiewicz >>> N Pedersen >>> Stead >>> Rickardsson Pepe showboats after leading race all the way ‘Did you do wheelies Kelv >>> chuckled th’TV pundit Pearson >>> when you raced >>> not long ago >>> eh >>> what’? GB 23 Poland 57 Denmark 30 Sweden 32 Heat 24. Richardson >>> Hampel >>> N Pedersen >>> Karlsson GB Maximum-Man >>> brilliant round inside of track and gone >>> tricky Nicki doesn’t have enough luck in his legs to get past Hampel GB 26 Poland 59 Denmark 31 Sweden 32 A wicked TV cameraman pans in on a smiling, nodding T/R >>> who looks knowingly into the camera >>> through th’TV screen into >>> senile myopic old Uncle Mr. Clemens’ living room ‘You know what I am waiting for >>> don’t you Uncle Mr. Clemens >>> chuckles wicked old th’world champion in waiting Tony Rickardsson >>> see you on Saturday!!! Heat 25. Gollob >>> Jonsson >>> Nicholls >>> Andersen Gollob from gate >>> Nicholls/Andersen tussle at the back It’s Nicholls’ sweet revenge for Team GB >>> for what Andersen did to us last year >>> quoth th’wicked sh*t stirring th’TV pundit Pearson >>> controversial or what >>> eh??? GB 27 Poland 62 Denmark 31 Sweden 34 They think it’s all over >>> It is now!!! ‘It’s the colour coordinated bikes and kit wat dun it’, quoth th’intellectual th’TV pundit Kelvin Tatum >>> astutely summing up th’glorious Polish Speedway World Cup win!!! ‘It’s their because they were well prepared >>> gave 100% commitment throughout the meeting >>> what won it Kelvin >>> quoth TV pundit Keith >>> they’ve laid the benchmark down for everyone else tonight’. Th’lights go out on unlucky Team GB >>> on unlucky legless Denmark >>> on unlucky dire Sweden >>> and >>> Speedway World Cup Final 2005 >>> as th’intrepid roving th’TV pundit Sexy Sophie >>> interviews dejected, depressed Team GB team manager Middlo >>> nuff said >>> eh >>> what?? ‘Pity Jason wasn’t riding tonight’, said disgruntled nephew. ‘Never mind’, said wicked old senile myopic Uncle Mr. Clemens. ‘You never know, this time next year, he could be riding for th’glorious Polish Speedway World Cup wining team, in th’lucky role of th’official th’Australian Polish rider replacement for th’Norwegian Pole Runi Holta!!! Congratulations to the Polish Speedway World Cup winning team. There wasn’t a hint of subterfuge, of any kind, having taken place to give the Polish team an advantage on the track. They won because they were sheer class. Special congratulations to the finest speedway rider, I have ever been privileged to see racing speedway, Tomasz Gollob. He has finally received the acclaim of the Polish Nation and a gold medal he most richly deserves for all he has done for speedway. He truly is the only man who knows what speedway racing is all about.

Yep but the thing is it also told me that Asperillo (or whatever his name was) who played for Newcastle United would score a hatrick against Barcelona when the played at Newcastle a few years ago. Even I didn't believe that one.

'Tough Rubbish'. I didn't 'see' that one coming lol. It should have read 'sh*t'.