SPEEDY69

Sorry, but how is aloowing all four playoff teams build a new side for the playoffs settling for the status quo?????

I suspect i'm not alone. Many people bemoan guests and double downers etc. and want to see settled sides. Why couldn't all four playoff teams reset as at the start of the year?

He needs to make a few quid as sweden and poland finish. Tail wagging the dog.

If it wss a straight league then i understand maybe but strengthening just for the finish makes a mockery of it. Why not let all the teams reset, contracts end and all those in the playoffs have new sides? Riders dropped would at least know it's on the cards, i don't like the chopping and changing, no matter what team or who the riders are.

Whatever the rules are, i simply don't like teams being able to change their sides like that just for the play offs. Doesn't matter who the rider is.

It's not actually that hard to do, turn bars to lock, wide throttle and lay down, pulling in clutch so back wheel stops driving once you're down. The thing you need to do is make that decision because sometimes missing the rider in front is possible as well and that's where indecision can cost you/the other rider.

Dispute with the AMA - that'll be not enough money then. "Your true colours shining through"

They all seemed to get on ok at the SEC round earlier this year in dreadful wet conditions, in fact the racing was made very interesting by it. A lot goes into perfomrance on the track, not just engines or their power but also riding styles, experience of the rider, the track, weather of course. If you've never ridden on a wet track you will struggle to start with. I also agree with Danny Smith earlier in that i don't think the positioning of the engine makes any difference to unpredictability - however a short stroke is definitely more unpredictable than a long stroke engine and unfortunately many riders now use these. I think there should be some way to reduce the speed of the bikes because for me that's not the sole attraction of speedway, it's the combat.

Why does it have to be the number one - I assume Woz you meant 'the best' rider in a team? If so then I don't see why - some of the best sporting captains in history were never the best individually. I agree with Dazzafl and also for me it's about being a real people person, being the conduit between the team manager and riders, helping them in motivating riders etc. and handling conflict. However, for the World Cup there is a limited opportunity to build those relationships and I'm not sure they even get to toss a coin. Does Woffinden captain his Swedish/Polish side?

Can anyone tell me what the role/point is of having a Captain for each World Cup side?

Reasonably content with team, think Steve Worrall unlucky to miss out. King would be a better captain but I'll be hpoing they do well on Sat and that the weather doesn't intervene.

they sell second hand parts

Try Alan Belham at http://www.speedwayserviceltd.co.uk/

Surely the whole point is not that he chose to swear, we can all judge why that might be, but that it was at the flagship event of the Speedway World Championship and witnessed by, albeit a small bunch, the sporting media from across the interested world. In that context, if one person is offended then I think that is damaging (people can argue what real impact it may have) and not how a World Champion should conduct himself in that situation.

No problem, glad to be of service. Just for clarity, have also added in the missing text from your note. I also don't want to start another long debate about the British Semi's but the reason he gave for pulling out wasn't simply to concentrate on the Individual World Championship.

Perhaps this is difficult for you to understand, but it's not in pursuit of individual glory, it's for Team GB. He could not do it if he wasn't selected by Team GB. It's not a hard concept. Wimbledon, the US Open etc. etc. are all in pursuit of individual glory, but not the Olympics. Oh and yes, you really did need that explained to you.

How is that a parallel - both events are for Team GB? Djokovic has also pulled out of the Davis cup tie and if GB really needed him he would have played. We should win without him.

I agree in that I don't think he is the right character to be captain. King has been a club captain and comes across as supportive and conciliatory. Would have King, Harris and Nicholls ahead of Woffinden for captain.

Absolutely agree. For the sport's current World Champion he is a role model and ambassador. He knows that swearing live on TV at the sports biggest media event is just very poor behaviour. Completely different to a heat of the moment incident during racing when a camera is thrust in someone's face. It doesn't matter how many people are offended, one is too many. Low class, portraying it as a low class sport.

Rider of the night award from me goes to Joe Jacobs, looked fast and in control. Well done boy. Wally of the night goes to GP star Zagar, hopeless.

I'd stick steve worrall in. Doing the business and fast out of the traps.

Did he ride his own equipment? Might have been sensible to have left a bike in the UK then in anticipation of the British Semis, as the dates were announced before he appeared at Lynn

Always interesting when you look at who's beaten who - he had a great GP in Prague say many, but only beat 6 of the 15 other riders and none of the top 5. Horses for courses for me, results can be unpredictable - look at the GP qualifier in Lonigo, how many people assess Covatti to be better than Zmarslik? Cook was poor in that one as well although some have said handily placed as the meeting progressed but not as handily placed as the 8 riders ahead of him

i see the british champ didnt do so well today in the pl, 5 points. the gp challenge qualifier covatti only got 4 as well. justproves what i've always said, anyone is beatable and every dog has his day.

Coventry often perform better when on the telly - King and Harris will want to influence Rosco as well.