Fourentee

Huh, a point out. Call yourself a pundit??!! Seriously, many thanks for the link. Worked a treat.

Congratulations to Chris Harris, a popular winner, and also to Edward Kennett on securing a second successive wildcard spot. Tai Woffinden again looked made for the big stage. Tough on Lee Richardson but everyone knows the meeting formula from the off.

Nikki is always booed (panto style) at Wolves. A few years back some Wolves fans tried for the reverse psychology approach, cheering him to the echo in the hope that it would sow some vague seeds of disquiet and put him off. Interesting theory. Didn't work.

Six and one reserve.

Good luck to Wolves duo Woffinden and Haines; teammate Nicolai Klindt safely through the Mseno round in third place today.

Qualifiers: Wolbert 14, Laguta 13, Klindt 13, Kus 11, Petersen 11, Mitko 11. Laguta won the run-off for second with Klindt. Well done Nic, fingers crossed now for Joe Haines and Tai Woffinden at Rye House tomorrow.

And Haines!

Spoke to Lewis Bridger at some length before the event and was very impressed by his calm, open manner and what he had to say about being a more mature person this season. Thought he conducted himself very well throughout the proceedings and was a worthy winner. Can hardly help the nature of some of his supporters (and I wasn't in that area so couldn't judge how many, what was said, etc). To be honest all the negative stuff that passes around him causes raised eyebrows for me in deepest Wolverhampton. All I've ever seen up here is a talented rider who loves the track and always conducts himself impeccably. I'm not saying he hasn't had his problems elsewhere, but you have to give as you find. I'd have had him at Monmore in a heartbeat and that was before his flying start to this season.

Nobody had any problems with bends 3/4 in practice as far as I remember. Tai fell off on bend two. IMHO the standard of racing was poor (and the event, by definition, will always feature a wide range of ability until we have a bigger rider base) and the track looked slick. I don't think the venue is the issue -- racing in last year's final was really good and I posted as much at the time. Angel Eyes, and I ask this with all due respect and some puzzlement, how hectic can what you do be and what kind of bearings take four heats to find?

Exiled Wolves fan Steve Evans, who now promotes at three tracks on the other side of the pond, on the past and future of American speedway. Edit: Story and video interview. http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/03/30/e...american-dream/

Hear, hear. Much remarked upon on our bit of terrace, too.

A grand day out and a fitting send-off for one of the greats. A big thumbs-up, too, to the Grudziadz fans for helping the atmosphere (enormous flag, lots of drumming and cheering). I hope the pictures I took of Hamill with fans and banner come out; one of the Polish contingent pressed two cameras into my hand and, bless him, he couldn't have selected a more inexpert snapper had he looked for one.

The Bullet talks about "the brutal" Cradley/Wolves rivalry, wife Christina's relief that he's retired, the big Cradley disco and getting in the first punch with Nicki Pedersen! This is 20 minutes' worth so get the kettle on first and listen to one of the sport's legends. http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/03/14/b...-lap-of-honour/

Sam had a skid at the behind closed doors Wolves practice yesterday. The anticipation mounts...

Ah, that would explain one thing that puzzled me -- that there were nine seeded riders rather than eight. Eight, of course, would leave four to qualify from each semi-final (nice and tidy). Nine would leave, er, a mess.

Sam has now been made aware of what's at stake... http://www.expressandstar.com/2009/03/06/s...ams-tough-test/

So he was a ginger nut fruit cake?

Doesn't Wayne do something of the sort at Scunthorpe?

He works for a firm called, I believe, Judge or Judge Brothers (some variant on Judge, anyway!). The company produces and retails all manner of auto oils and liquids. Edit: In fact it's Justice Brothers, Inc. Near enough the first time!

Is there some kind of British-only qualification for the EL Pairs that has passed me by?

Scott Nicholls also confirmed, so a good chance to see a rider who won't feature in the EL this year. Really looking forward to this meeting.

Cruel, very cruel. But not unamusing.

Not much to add to other postings. A very, very good meeting indeed with plenty of passing and lots of commitment from the riders. Skornicki the moral victor (I do hate these post-20 heat finals) but, as he remarked afterwards, the rules were there from the beginning. Barker rode very well and if he can retain the fire while smoothing out a few of the edges then Coventry have much to look forward to this season. By way of explanation on Klindt he had carburettor problems before the start (kudos to Mads Korneliussen for his help, advice, loan of a carb and for generally looking pretty cool in his Swindon Town scarf) and had to miss the practice. Then he ploughed into the tapes on his first ride, so was basically one heat and two laps adrift in his track knowledge and struggled early on. Picked up with a second and a win in his last two outings.

Bruised, I imagine. Incidentally, as someone remarked to me about the 'choose your gates' innovation for KO Cup matches this season, imagine Wolves and Cradley with two riders from the same team on the inside.....

Adam Skornicki has been awarded one but it's as yet unclear whether it will take place this year or next.