T.N.T.

Thats Chris Holder

I think Emil will actually win a GP this year and if he stays clear of injury, he could challenge for a top 5 position. Not too sure what he will make of Cardiff, but at Bydgoszcz he could break the Gollob domain and become the youngest ever GP winner. He is still only 19 and wont be 20 till the 26th October this year, so he can win two more World U-21 titles. Tai Woffinden is a great prospect, but this kid puts Tai's achievements into the shadows. Nicki, Crumpy, AJ and Andersen will be the top four, but I put Emil ahead of Adams, Gollob, Lindgren, Holta, Nicholls and Hancock who may find this year a lot tougher with these young riders now having a season under their belts.

Maybe if ALL riders had to ride in them, the later stages possibly would be filmed. Its good to see the likes of Lindgren and Harris in there, but surely if Nicki, Crump even Gollob had to go through these rounds it would make these meetings much better for the public and Sky TV. Offer each GP rider 3 points for the last three stages and maybe then you may end up with the top 15 riders in the world in the GP rather than the top 10-12 with a few (no disrespect meant) no hopers making up the numbers

Hopefully this will prove to the BSPA that no longer are the days around when riders can hold them to ransom on such high contract demands and they can now call the shots. Offer them a reasonable deal, possibly 75% of what they were on last time they rode, take it or leave it. The league can move forward with the riders that do want to race here like Lindgren, Holder, Batchelor, Woffinden, Pavlic, Kennett etc as future top stars. This country hasn't been able to afford the cream of the crop for a number of years now, so skim it off and let them find a regular pay cheque elsewhere if they can find it. Sweden made calls to reduce costs at the start of this season and Poland are doing the same. Russia have stopped all big money foreign riders from riding and pretty soon the likes of Nicki, Crump, Nicholls etc will be banging on the door wanting to return on their terms. Well sorry boys, as much as we appreciate the standard of riding yopu are all capable of, this country needs to be cost effective and that means any return would be on the terms offered - not asked for.

Wouldn't it be great if they could get Sam Ermolenko, Craig Boyce, David Walsh and a few others to do a live rock set during the break. Be better than some of the acts they have had.

Think the top 4 or 6 should get automatic qualification for the next years series, but why should fans have to see qualifiers without them in, which in turn rewards a rider with an extra place. If the British Final, Overseas Final, Inter-Continental Final etc were much more like the old days, then these would be great meetings for the paying public, for the FIM and for Sky to cover as they could follow someone like Tai Woffinden trying to qualify or riders like Bjarne Pedersen trying to get back in. If GP points were available in these rounds, a top class field would be in every qualifier and at the end of te season, the top 15 riders would be there in the series. The GP Challenge is good, but if it had the likes of Fredrik Lindgren, Emil Sajfutdinov, Bjarne Pedersen, Scott Nicholls, Chris Harris etc in, then surely that would be a better meeting and if it also included the top boys, possibly a live Sky meeting. Although the Americans are a bit behind the pace at the moment, the old Overseas Final was a great day out and would now have to be put before the Commonwealth Final which now holds a stronger line up.

He may have been a Cradley Heath rider for most of his career, but Billy was always a joy to watch and only wished he had the wisdom to have joined Wolves when he was much much younger. Sadly I can't make this meeting but hope he has a great day and everyone enjoys the racing, especially another chance to see Sam and Ronnie flying around once more. Hopefully I will get to see S+R doing the same when Skornicki has his testimonial at Monmore, possibly next year or if PK has a farewell when he retires from England.

The Grand Prix's were just four programmed heats some years back and all the rest was blank for you to fill in. The 1-16 rankings will still be the same, so I presume programmes will be printed with the score chart in that order and not the draw order. In the age of the internet, mobile phones etc then people will still be able to print off the scorecards the old way beforehand anyway. Wonder if Cardiff 2009 will have Unofficial programmes for sale alongside the Unofficial Shirts, Hats etc etc.

Wouldn't it be great if every rider took part in trying to qualify for the next years series. But how do you get the current stars to ride in these qualifiers ? Maybe they could be given 10 GP points if they reach the GP Challenge or 2 GP points for each qualifier they get through. Would Nicki Pedersen really want to let Jason Crump get an extra 10 GP points without trying to get the same reward. Maybe this way you will ensure the top 15 riders are in the series each year regardless of the country they come from.

Should be a good meeting planned

Bomber can count himself lucky to get in the 2009 Series as he has been poor this year with only 2 semi-final places and only 11 race wins all season. Nicholls deserved his, he has been around the top 8 and proved a hanful in many of the rounds and is by far the best British rider around today. Maybe in a few years time, but both not good enough to ride in the series at present. If it wasn't for the qualification of Walasek and Ulamek to join Gollob and Holta, I think the best rider not in the GP's is Jarek Hampel but they obviously didn't want 5 Poles. Bjarne Pedersen has been poor all season, but he is just as worthy as Bomber. Chris Holder could do well, but he even said 2009 is too early for him. Bomber would do well to finish in the top 12 next season and should be battling with Walasek and Ulamek at the bottom. Emil, Freddie and Nicholls can all put up a challenge for a top 8 finish and it will be interesting if this is the final year for Adams and Hancock Think they should keep the top 10 each year, have 2 qualify and 3 wild cards.

FINAL 2008 GRAND PRIX STANDINGS 2008 GP LEADERBOARD 174 1 Nicki PEDERSEN DK 152 3 Jason CRUMP AUS 148 4 Tomasz GOLLOB POL 144 6 Greg HANCOCK USA 140 5 Hans ANDERSEN DK 125 2 Leigh ADAMS AUS 100 10 Andreas JONSSON SWE 80 7 Rune HOLTA POL -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 77 8 Scott NICHOLLS GB 73 15 Fredrik LINDGREN SWE 69 11 Bjarne PEDERSEN DK 59 12 Niels Kristian IVERSEN DK 58 9 Chris HARRIS GB 57 14 Krzysztof KASPRZAK POL 47 13 Lukas DRYML CZR 11 20 Kenneth BJERRE DK 8 19 Lubos TOMICEK CZR Scott Nicholls and Fredrik Lindgren are likely to get Wild Card nominations while the other two nominations are likely to go to double World U21 Champion, Emil Sajfutdinov from Russia and Australia's hot prospect, Chris Holder who finished runner up to Emil in 2008. Kenneth Bjerre (Denmark), Sebastian Ulamek (Poland) and Grzegorz Walasek (Poland) were the three riders who qualified for the 2009 series 2009 DATES 25th April CZECH REPUBLIC PRAGUE 9th May POLAND LESZNO 30th May SWEDEN GOTHENBURG 13th June DENMARK COPENHAGEN 27th June GREAT BRITAIN CARDIFF 1st August LATVIA DAUGAVPILS 15th August SWEDEN MALILLA 29th August DENMARK VOJENS 12th September SLOVENIA KRSKO 26th September ITALY TERENZANO 17th October POLAND BYDGOSZCZ

Nicholls, Lindgren, Holder and Sajfutdinov will be in as the four nominated riders 1. Nicki Pedersen 2. Jason Crump 3. Tomasz Gollob 4. Greg Hancock 5. Hans Andersen 6. Leigh Adams 7. Andreas Jonsson 8. Rune Holta 9. Kenneth Bjerre 10. Sebastian Ulamek 11. Greg Walasek 12. Scott Nicholls 13. Fredrik Lindgren 14. Chris Holder 15. Emil Sajfutdinov

Lets hope the FIM learn from this and stage them more at proper tracks. Cardiff is an exemption to the rule as the racing has been good, but there are enough top class race tracks around Europe to hold these meetings even if it means two in Poland, two in Sweden, two in Britain and the rest in Czech Republic, Denmark, Italy etc Bet Gollob is counting that big race pay out now its at Biddy

Plenty of offers have been made to Emil already but he has either put them on hold or turned them down. He has at least three offers on the table for next year (by all accounts) but I would be suprised to see him over here just yet.

That is the World U-21 Final on Sunday

Golden Ribbon 1 Tai Woffinden, GB 2 Hynek Štichauer, CZ 3 Václav Milík, CZ 4 Kenneth Hansen, DK 5 Michael Hádek, CZ 6 Simon Nielsen, DK 7 Ben Barker, GB 8 Filip Šitera, CZ 9 Matěj Kůs, CZ 10 Jan Holub, CZ 11 Martin Vaculík, SK 12 Matija Duh, SLO 13 Tobias Busch, D 14 Manuel Novotny, A 15 Kevin Wölbert, D 16 Ludvig Lindgren, S 17 Martin Gavenda, CZ 18 Gzregorz Zengota, PL 19 Adrian Szewczykowski, PL 20 Nicolai Klindt, DK N1 René Vidner, CZ N2 Pavel Fuksa, CZ Vaculik won the final after a re-run. In the first attempt, Nicolai Klindt was leading. FINAL RESULT; Vaculik, Zengota, Klindt, Woffinden.

Greg Walasek - May not have done much in England but in Poland he is just as good as Hampel, Jagus or Kasprzak, so he should have his day now and again. Sebastian Ulamek - Wont do too much, but a good spoiler now and again. Kenneth Bjerre - Will spell the end for Bjarne in next years GP's and should do better than BP anyway. Not a bad trio from the list to go through really

Well Daniel Nermark wont be riding again this season so his place will be taken by the reserve and thats Pavlic. Hope he gets in to add some spice to the series along with Emil and Holder.

Nicki Pedersen, Jason Crump, Greg Hancock, Tomasz Gollob, Leigh Adams, Hans Andersen and Andreas Jonsson are safe for next year and with just one automatic space left, then that should go to one from Holta, Nicholls, Lindgren or Harris. On current form, you would have to go for Rune or Scott. With 8 seeded, then 3 qualifying means just 4 spaces left. If Richardson qualifies, the only way Bomber will get back in is to finish ahead of Scott while Walasek, Ulamek or Meidzinski qualifying would mean Holta would have to get 8th place to survive. Fredrik Lindgren should get a wild card to be the second Swede and if Pavlic manages to get through here, then I think they would give a place to Emil Sajfutdinov and Chris Holder. Pavlic, Iversen and Zagar to qualify with Sajfutdinov, Holder, Lindgren and Harris/Nicholls or Holta taking the last place. That should give the 2009 series a young exciting field to watch.

Really pleased Greg took another GP title and put himself very much in the running for a top three finish but the star of the show was of course Tomasz Gollob who seems to be able to do magic on that track. It was no means upto the usual standard of Bid-Gosh GP's gone by, but its good to see a meeting on a real track that lasts the full meeting. So now its a race for the positions behind Nicki with Crumpy, Greg and Tomasz while the battle for a top 8 finish could go down to Germany with Holta, Scotty, Freddie, Bomber and Neils all after that 8th spot. Looking at the GP Challenge line up later today, I hope Neils can get through that as he is better than most in that line up. Bjarne just isn't doing it in the GP's, KK has improved a bit in the last few and Lukas is getting the odd point so hopefully Neils and 2 others qualify from today.

C'mon SS, it isn't a bad line up and I think a few could have some good scores in the GP next season even if its the odd meeting and best qualified for that would be Sullivan, PK and Bjerre. However Pavlic will go well in the GP's just as much as Holder would if he gets a wild card.

Would love to see AJ or Hans win this one with Lindgren and Gollob in the final with Crumpy, Hancock and Adams scoring well but going out in the SF and Nicki to finish wel back on 3-4 points. This would then really be a battle to the end with the German GP a must see meeting.

01 Ryan Sullivan 02 Mads Korneliussen 03 Adrian Miedzinski 04 Matej Ferjan 05 Matej Zagar 06 Charlie Gjedde 07 Peter Ljung 08 Sebastian Ulamek 09 Jesper B Monberg 10 Niels-Kristian Iversen 11 Peter Karlsson 12 Kenneth Bjerre 13 Lee Richardson 14 Tomasz Jedrzejak 15 Jurica Pavlic 16 Grzegorz Walasek RES: Ales Dryml ? I was hoping the top three will be Peter Karlsson, Neils K Iversen and Daniel Nermark but Daniel is out for the season so I will hope Jurica Pavlic gets in as he will liven it up a bity next season and hope Emil Sajfutdinov gets a wild card as well. Heat 3 will be a tough ride for all four as a last place will dent their hopes while Heat 19 sees Meidinski, Gjedde, Bjerre and Richardson. My head however says PK will miss out and Walasek or Meidinski will get in.

All 14 riders showed guts, determination and excellent styles tonight. James Wright - Started a bit slowly, but the more the dirt went to the outside the faster he got and was involved in a mumber of close finishes. Tai Woffinden - Brilliant display in his first three, well kept out in his next although he was going for the same piece of track as Wright a few times. Was comfortable in his last until he fell coming off the last bend. Edward Kennett - Likes the Wolves track and raced hard. His battle with Batchelor was brilliant. Ben Barker - After a poor opening ride, he got to grips with the track and rode the wide line to get some big speed and some good passes. Lewis Bridger - Wild but good. A 3rd to 1st in one swoop was his best move but nearly lost it a few times in his pointless rides. Josh Auty - Some great rides and like Wright and Barker, he enjoyed the fast outside line. Great pass of the impressive Woodward in heat 7. Joe Haines - Nearly came from last to first in heat 2 but he and Auty got in each others way early on. A good Wolves 5-1 in heat 8 with Tai and then rode a great race to keep Batchelor out in heat 12 until his bike quit on him on the last lap. Troy Batchelor - Brilliant racer and some great riding with the Kennett race showing the lad has no fear. Corey Gathercote - Tried hard and did well in heat 11 to beat Auty. Ty Proctor - Showed a lot of potential, good race lines and involved in some good battles. Matt Wethers - In the thick of the action, but his moves to the outside sometimes wrecked his race as he headed towards the fence a few times. Aaron Summers - Decent performance, nearly held out Haines and Auty in heat 2. Richard Sweetman - Good heat 2 and rode well. On the pace and showed a lot of potential. Overall some great racing on a good track and congratulations to all 14 riders on a very good nights racing. Darcey Ward went out after and looked good.