SPEEDY69

Cook Harris S Worrall Garrity

So, he gets a bit het up and goes to see the referee - a £7.5K fine plus £1.4K costs and licence suspension seems a bit steep to me. There must be more to it than that? When we've seen behave in such a way towards other riders or officials I don't remember them facing such harsh penalties? Ultimately, could it see Leicester closed down? Taken over by Horton or is that just me touting a conspiracy theory?

Yes, seems daft doesn't it but there'll be winners and losers and the winners may well not agree to change! Whoever gets it right in having a trump card at reserve will win the play offs.

I did chuckle when I saw the article about Tai and Greg citing concern over riding on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday - this is the life of a professional rider and has been for years and years. Greg talks about mechanics schedules, years ago the rider also drove around in cars/vans! Racing three days in four, as Mr Jones said, is not unusual.

Repeated tomorrow at 6am UK time I think if anyone missed it this morning or didn't get to watch it last night.

The qualifiers in 2014 were for the 2015 GP - you might remember he got knocked out in the quarter final stage. Then had a reprieve due to injuries, got knocked out again. Then had another reprieve when someone smiled on him offering a place in the challenge without asking those in line before him. I am not saying any of this was his fault though but he was favoured by the BSPA at the time. I also remember the Cardiff wildcard selection process in 2013 was changed for one year only (without telling the public or the majority of the riders) and handed to Harris. Again not his fault but I can't stand bias/favouritism, whatever the level, and we all know that goes on with the GP wildcards.

I'm not concerned about him not riding in Britain, that's his choice and reflects his priorities. However, the British Final is one meeting and I think he is being disrespectful to the other British riders by the 'give someone else a chance' line and it devalues the event. Again though it reflects his priorities. We cannot in any way recall Tai as others have said and whilst I have sympathy with the circumstances of Wozniak being told to give up UK, it's happened before and will again. I'm all for getting more Brits into teams but as HA said before, untried foreigners are cheaper than Brits as a loan or transfer fee has to be paid. Perhaps the BSPA should impose a club levy for new riders to the EL from abroad to try and even things up? Just a thought.

Only in the 2014 qualifiers.

Lakeside should win this at a canter, 15pts +, say 54-36

Although I agree with you, if you buy a ticket online and can select a seat then this won't work, unless they have to go around sticking 'Reserved' on the seats already taken - I don't know if you can select a seat online?

Can't stand that sort of behaviour, jeez, not even a fellow countryman.

Or who may help sell the event

Absolutely. It carries no meaning to many fans I'd suspect.

Day licences are available which you get on the day - Ian can fill you in. Be sure you sign on for insurance purposes. STR are SCB licensed and operate as members and I know they have events/practices at King's Lynn, Scunthorpe, Mildenhall, Rye House and they did IOW as well but not sure this year.

It's clear you're trying the distraction technique but it completely misses the point of the thread. Woffinden has no issue with BSPA, wants to help train others but won't support the British Final, live on TV at the new stadium because he really can't be bothered - there is no other legitimate excuse. If it's because of poland or gps then wholly selfish. It devalues the tournament.

Helmets only come off if not fastened properly or they'retoo big to start with - often see this with those new to motorcycles as they don't like the feeling of a tight fit. Sounds a nasty accident.

I agree with your second sentence, anthem and BF nkot the issue for me. Your comparison is wrong though in my view unfortunately, Nicholls' dispute with BSPA was well documented. Tai is world champion and british champion and he has elected not to support our national championshop for purely personal and in my view selfish reasons.

Tai should be in WC team but I do agree with Robert72 in that i see no valid reason why he couldn't or more importantly wouldn't want to ride in the national championship. Bikes/engines can be moved around Europe quite easily and nowhere is more than a few hours away by air. Given it's at the new National stadium i think it is a poor unpatriotic and selfish decision to not support the British Final.

Harris did well in EL last year on the GTR. It gets you off start quicker, must be a flatter delivery. See the upturn in Lindgren for further proof. Harris chose not to pay for the GTR this year and he' s back on GMs and it shows. I think he will turn it around again though.

Get in contact with Ian at Southern Track Riders, 07875140019. They are all amateurs from wobblers to NL standard and they will put you in the right class. Most go just for a bit of fun and 33 is young! They are also a very well run organisation who will look after you. Have fun! www.southerntrackriders.co.uk to see their events.

Maybe, but it has to be the right investment and that's not just money - time needs investing and building relationships, as well as directing your resources to priorities. I seem to remember some riders, like Andy Smith used to buy new equipment every season whereas others, such as Jeremy Doncaster reused all their old stuff until it wore out/broke. I still believe that if there's a strong enough desire, you can achieve. I also remember riders used to get 'proper' jobs to help pay bills if they weren't earning enough from racing - this must apply to the Aces' Joe Jacobs who only rides in the EL and has scored little so far, so his earnings must be tiny.

yeah right.......

he was riding one last night

This is why I like riders to qualify - you get unpredictability which refreshes things rather than the same old thing we get with GP. Hancock pedersen holder jonsson etc. seen it before. Cook simply not yet consistent enough to earn a place in Poland so is now looking for easy money in the PL - why not invest by going to Poland as often as possible to practice and show he's good enough, open meetings as well? Harris lost out in QF again, as in 2014 but he still made it into the challenge final so all is not lost for him

I agree with your point about money, race night and track standards are red herrings in my view. However, when you say the 'big boys' does this include the current second placed man who could only muster a paltry 3 points at Wolves in what many describe as a weak EL - maybe they're not so big after all.