Grachan

I think he was being sarcastic. Hope so anyway!!

Absolute nonsense. Even if he was eligible for Aussie citizenship, riding Speedway for GB would have no effect on it. So, anyway, what you are saying is that he doesn't have Aussie citizenship. So how can he have ridden for Australia then if he wasn't a citizen?

Is that the same Chris Holder that decided not to ride in the Australian Championships?

He's already announced that he's not getting involved with arguments but will pick the best riders available for Team Gb as we are there to win, not just make up the numbers.

20 or 30 years ago the British Final meant a chance to ride in the World Final. Yes, everyone turned up for it. I wonder if, for example, Peter Collins would have ridden in 1978 if he had already been seeded to the World Final. Maybe he would, but you can never know for sure. My guess is he would not have. And didn't we used to get riders "buying" points in it. So just maybe actually winning it wasn't what it was all about. British Final was always a qualifying round of the World Championship and, I'm pretty sure, that for most riders in it that was the main priority. Likewise, if Grand Prix qualification depended on it, Tai would be there this year.

I think it will, for the very same reason.

I don't think Woffinden has the same level as patriotism as, say, Harris. I think that's there for all to see. His Twitter profle has him as coming from Europe and Australia. It is a shame that he is not in this, I agree, although I do think him and Harris shouldn't have to qualify. they are different animals though, and I'm sure Haris has no problem with qualifying. That's how he has got into the World championships on several occasions too. Unfortunately British Speedway has made a rod for its own back though. It has decided it doesn't need the World stars in the way it is run. Every year it constantly goes down the route of dumbing down,without the foresight to understand that the closer the Elite League gets to Premier League standard, the closer the crowd levels also get to Premier League levels. As long they do this then the lower Britain will be down the list of priorities for top riders. Yes, it's disappointing he's not here. But I bet British Speedway did its usual 'cost cutting' methods in trying to get him here.

Hancock? Another who opted out of British Speedway and had the famous 'Swedish doctor'. The thing is, Woffinden is of a similar mindset to other top riders, and sees British speedway as lower down in his priorities because that is how British speedway sees itself! That's why he is a World Champion. I'm sure most people here would prefer him if he was still riding number one for Scunthorpe, but he would never have achieved what he has with that mindset.

Scott Nicholls opted out of riding for Team GB. Surely that's more of a snub to British Speedway then pulling out of an individual meeting that is of little significance to riders already in the Grand Prix. I guess Scott's parents never emigrated when he was a kid, so he gets less flak.

The thing is, it's to the benefit of everyone to have as strong a field as possible for the British Final. What is the main motivation for the riders these days? Is it to win or to qualify for Cardiff? Woffinden and Harris are already riding at Cardiff. Their own positions in this meeting are already different from all the other riders in it. For me it makes sense to seed Grand Prix riders to the final. You'd get a lot more people watching if Woffinden, in particular, was there. One would hope they at least did everything in their power to try and get him there.

I agree. Surely Grand Prix riders can be seeded to the final. They are effectively there as 'wild cards'anyway. If that is the reason, then it's pretty short sighted from the organisers.

Another possibility then. Maybe he wanted to be seeded direct to the final but they wouldn't let him.

Because he had Australian parents. Tai doesn't.

How does he qualify for the Australian side? He was born in Britain to British parents. He can't just choose to become an Australian because he lived there as a child. Personally, my guess would be that this isn't really about 'burn out' and he is saying that as an excuse. My guess is that he wanted decent money, what with being World Champion and everything, but they wouldn't agree to it. Just a guess though. Also, let's not forget the frustrations of Scott Nicholls and Lee Richardson with British authorities. I suspect there is more to this than meets the eye. I bet he was trying to work out a good deal to perform in a meeting that seems to mean very little these days, and none was forthcoming.

I wasn't being serious. :-)

I think the more successful you are, the bigger the crowds - regardless of the racing.

Poole have played the way the averages were distored due to the race format - and taken total advantage of it. On this showing, it looks like they've made mugs of everyone else, and fair play to them. Then again, maybe we're just rubbish!!

Another second place for Doyley. Get in!!! Could this be the turning point?

Says on updates that the track is slippery following watering. That'll explain the scoreline. Cheating Pirates.

Reckon you're being a bit optimistic there looking at how it has gone so far.

Reckon you're being a bit optomistic there looking at how it has gone so far.

Tommy Jansson's was.

This brings back memories of the opening meeting at Bristol back in the 1970s, which I went to. Massive crowd. There were even cars parked on the hard shoulder of the motorway to get a free look. The track was a complete disaster. It was like a rutted sand pit. Probably worse than the Belle Vue track yesterday. The meeting went ahead. Some riders pulled out after their first race, including Martin Ashby. Riders were all over the place, and in heat 13 three riders were injured. Martin Ashby would have been in that race had he not pulled out. I wasn't there yesterday, so I don't know how the track was, but from videos posted online it seems rideable, even if not raceable. Surely, bearing in mind the importance of thid meeting for Belle Vue, they could have put some exhibition rides for the benefit of the crowd and made an event of it. Then, after that, the track could be relaid properly.

While Swindon fans complain about only bring informed on the day, it could be worse. You could be a Somerset fan. The Somerset website still has Morris down as riding. At least the Swindon website indicated there were doubts with a 'tbc' previously.

So it seems that Nick would have probably lost his place at Wroclaw if he had rode for Swindon. I see the Somerset meeting is being billed as "Somerset Select v Swindon Select" so, technically, Swindon aren't riding at Somerset tonight. Even so, a little understanding from these Poles wouldn't go amiss. All this could end up biting them on the baackside when Polish speedway loses its clout.