CB252

Almost went comically skating past his machine as he went to retrieve it as well. Like an episode of Fawlty Towers. Entertaining, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

Which is exactly why letting Coughing Bob Fleming, the local farmer, prepare the track has always been a crap idea. Have a standard on track prep and make clubs adhere to it or be fined. Another thing the Ekstraliga does right. Great home advantage. Embarrassing to watch.

Looool. Scared him off maybe

He was due to ride for them in 2020 before COVID struck Either that or he has a set of everyone's kevlars, since he rides for everyone? After all, he was Birmingham's rider of the month for September.

Probably not eligible. He must have guested for Russia in the past

Not really. In this instance you're talking about a conflict in a country that shares a direct border with Poland, which is the country that the SGP relies on, almost exclusively, to keep it afloat. I would like to have seen the Iraq GP go ahead back in the day though.

Tennis is a bad example where Poland is concerned though. A Russian player was immediately deported from the country when trying to enter a couple of months ago https://www.skysports.com/tennis/news/12110/12925684/vera-zvonareva-russian-player-is-barred-from-entering-poland-for-warsaw-open-tournament The only reason that they can't do the same to the speedway riders is because they have been living and working and benefitting from a way of life in Poland for many years. All whilst representing Russia on the world scene which is what makes them unpalatable to most Polish people. The ban on Russians isn't just a speedway thing. The FIM don't let them compete in other disciplines either. You know, the popular disciplines that people go and watch in large numbers. They can't just take a different line with speedway because 2 of the better riders happen to be Russian.

But how will they enter the qualifiers? Who will put them forward? Their federation is the PZM, but the Poles nominate their SGP and SEC qualifying berths based on the result of the Golden Helmet I believe, and there's no way in the world the PZM will let proud Russians enter a prestigious Polish qualifying event? So how do they get into the qualifiers? They can't just send a postcard in and ask the FIM to let them ride in a qualifier?

Didn't Woffinden receive a wild card in 2013? After a disastrous attempt at World Championship speedway in 2010. When he was also a wild card. Imagine winning the GP challenge in 2015 and then qualifying every year thereafter on merit, winning 7 world championship medals on the way

You have to be careful when you use the word 'enhance' in the same sentence as Russian sports people

So Huckenbeck and Lebedevs I guess are everyone's main issue. Can't do much about Kvech as he qualified. They want to try and cement the series in Germany and Latvia so they've given them a spot. Hard to argue that Kubera isn't worthy of a shot instead of Magic or Dudek.

You don't think Zmarzlik would have outpointed Laguta at Cardiff, where he has made the final every time in 6 visits? Or Teterow which is always as rough as a badgers backside and again he's always made the final? Fair enough. The last 5/6 years he's won at Cardiff, Daugavpils, Riga, Prague, Teterow, Malilla, Krsko, Vojens. Where exactly are these mythical countries and tracks that will stop him being up at the top? I suppose behind the scenes maybe you could have a point at a slight advantage. Unfortunately Poland is the only country which prevents speedway from slipping into the realms of semi professionalism, but whatever advantage there is also translates to enormous pressure at times as there is an expectation to win from the Polish media/ fans.

The argument about Polish tracks is a nonsense. For a start, a round, or two, in Wroclaw favours Laguta more than it does Zmarzlik. One rides the track virtually every day during the season, the other visits twice a year at best. The lack of track variety in 2021 arguably cost Zmarzlik the title. If Cardiff and Teterow hadn't been cancelled it's unlikely Art wins the series given his struggles on anything moderately technical. You could have 10 rounds at Scunthorpe and Zmarzlik would still win it. He's simply better at adapting to any type of track on the planet than any of the others at present. And his will and commitment to winning are second to none. It's actually borderline offensive that people think he just has to turn up to win it without putting any work in.

Fear of people called Russell? Lefty 'woke' people would surely disagree with excluding people based on Nationality? Excluding people based on race, gender, nationality is as right wing as you can get.

Yet most people consider Emil the far superior rider, which he is. One fishy season from Laguta when he suddenly became super quick when in all other years he failed to qualify for the following years series. Very dubious, as are all Russian sports triumphs. Laguta, of course, extremely lucky to be in the 2021 series after spectacularly failing to qualify in the 2020 series and relying on his umpteenth wild card.

It's not irrelevant as it's the only yardstick by which we can currently measure them. That and all barring one GP season. Erik didn't have Hans number at all. In all the finals Erik won, Hans picked up silver. Erik was clowning around halfway down the field in 86. And also failed to medal in 89.

Excluding people from something due to their race or nationality is surely the antithesis of woke? Some thick people on here.

You can find a reason to invalidate most speedway world titles of you look hard enough. Emil removed himself from the series for some of his prime years, invalidating what? A Woffinden title? One of Hancock's? Woffinden was also the primary beneficiary of Ward's indiscretions and ultimate injury arguably. And Doyle. See what I did there? Laguta and Sayfutdinov had their chance to beat Bartosz over a full Ekstraliga season and failed spectacularly once again this year, just as they did last year. Imagine thinking that Rosberg is better than Hamilton because he just about beat him once in one out of 5 seasons. It's the epitomy of stupidity. 7 medals in 8 years for Zmarzlik with or without the Russians. Seriously, I get you all hate him, but you refute facts when making a weak argument and make yourselves look daft.

Yep, or force crap tracks to be better

Yes the meeting at Belle Vue picked up towards the end. The action at Monmore looked pretty good though

They are disappointed that they have to go to Ipswich again, where racing like heat 15 is impossible.

Laguta has broken his scaphoid you plank. Not that he'd turn up anyway.

For all the nonsense written on here, I must say, from the discovery footage, the meeting at Monmore looks far more entertaining than what we're watching from the NSS.

The announcer could be heard announcing that Bailey wasn't under power and updates have it as 10-7. Maybe someone who is there can confirm.

Well this one is going to run and run. The revelation that disqualification wasn't mandatory, the fact that the referee deemed him good to go as he only inspected the back of the suit. The failure to punish any others in the past who had breached the rules (think Anders Thomsen in his underpants) No wonder one of the big wigs at Discovery and Phil Morris were seen scuffling in the car park. Common theme I'm seeing from Polish journalists is that they should be held accountable in some way. The series relies on Poland for any meaningful income and the vast majority of the series sponsors are Polish. Could be an interesting winter, with this and the return of the Russians up for discussion. Can't see many major Polish companies wanting to be associated with a series in which Russians are competing. Wouldn't be a great look.