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You may wish to listen to this. Kings Lynn are to go Elite next year it says: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1755326442117&comments

I haven't found a thread for this but, doubtless, I shall be informed if one exists already. I have no connection to the Islanders nor have I ever visited the Isle but I know I must as I have been told what a lovely place it is. Now to the point. Following the demise of Bournemouth and Weymouth then Plymouth opting for PL, IOW must find themselves out on a limb now with no local rivals.

Most speedway was far better supported during that period so there is no guarantee that it would be now. Alas, the return of speedway returning to Brooklands, I suspect, is slightly less than zero after the protests made which closed it down in the first place following the 1971 season.

The NL fours and championship do go ahead at Rye on 31st October in place of the Ace of Hearts.

I have no answers but have to say that the whole situation has been dealt with unprofessionally and without any respect to so many fans whoever they support. As far as Rye House is concerned they should not be permitted to stage any official individual or team event again.

I am not doubting that. I am just using it as an example of what could happen by changing the fixtures so late on.

I suspect that the majority of people are on the internet these days so most of the fans look at the forums. I have just received this week's Speedway Star. In the fixtures column it still has this meeting listed for Saturday and the YS match on 24th October. With all this messing about with fixture dates at the eleventh hour I wonder how many who just use the Star and/or their programmes as the principle guide are going to turn up on Saturday. BBC text does, at least, have the NL event cancelled but is then showing the YS match taking place both the 16th and 17th!

Strange that it would have been able to cope with consecutive meetings on 2nd and 3rd October then!

This comment often comes up. You can't expect people to pay out two days in a row. This is fine on the face of it. However, now let's go back to the 2nd/3rd October. Fans were expected to pay out for two days in a row then. Suppose those meetings were not rained off. Its a bit like saying; "We're not going to the Rye v Newport match because we already paid out to go to the NL fours and championship a fortnight ago.

All this is beginning to look like fixture changes by 'kneejerk.' If I remember correctly, when the NL events were scheduled originally over two days at the beginning of the month, Rye House offered an inclusive weekend ticket priced at £20. Even if Len has to charge a couple of pounds more now, surely this is doable.

Where is the official information on this? BSPA website has YS match at home to Newport on both dates now, ie 16th and 24th. Rye House website shows it as being 24th and the NL event still to go ahead. I cannot find anything out from the Newport website as it doesn't exist anymore. Maybe we shall have to see what the speedway star says tomorrow. Surely, though, a national championship cannot just be cancelled. What a farce!

Britain is getting left behind because speedway is a non-existent sport for the majority of people I suspect. I just wonder what percentage of youngsters in this country know of its existence in the first place. I would imagine it is only those whose parents have taken them to matches, ridden schoolboy grasstrack/motocross or their dads used to ride.

It has been a good week for Coventry. Assets, AJ and Chris finishing 1st and 2nd along with Greg taking 5th place in the series. Also, although somewhat lower key, Ben Barker won the 16 lapper at Ipswich last Thursday.

I don't know at all, but this is an extract from the interview: “I’ve been to four GP’s at Bydgoszcz, but I’ve always stayed at the family home, which was amazingly a modest two-bed roomed semi. Perhaps Mrs. Gollob expected something better being married to who, we are told, is Poland's top sportsman!

Justice finally done as one of the most exiting riders of modern times wins the title. Also, well done Bomber who now moves up 15 points ahead of the rider in ninth place. It is now a big ask for any of the persuing group, Andersen, Jonsson, Pedersen and Lindgren to overhaul him or even Holder for that matter. This could result in tricky situation with regard to wildcards. Kolodziej was assured of a pick if Lindgren finished in the top eight but, as this is unlikely to happen, he may now miss out unless the organisers are happy to have four Poles in the series. Then, what of Denmark - will they get two wildcards. If they do then they will be obliged to offer one to Jonsson as well. Sayfutdinov will be in, I am sure. Now, though they have the opportunity to seed a second Brit. It won't be Tai, who has been largely out of his depth and the pick came at the wrong time. Lee Richardson is the obviuos choice but he has just transferred to Lakeside, a Friday night track and a promotion who wish do not wish to stage meetings other than on Fridays.

They were both down for a long time. At one point there were three ambulances in attendance. Eventally James made his way to one of them, arm strapped whilst Marc was taken by stretcher to another. Word is broken leg but we await confirmation. One, or both were in extreme pain and could be heard as far as the main grandstand. Also, and this is puzzling, two police officers entered the stadium then climbed into each ambulance in turn and seemed to be conducting some sort of search. Anyone know why they were there? Anyway, best wishes to both James and Marc for a speedy recovery.

You have to wonder if SKY are losing interest in this competion. SKY sports 1 are showing rugby league play-offs followed by Big Fight special featuring a Nigerian boxer v a Russian. 2 have US open tennis - fair enough. 3, half hours worth of 40 over cricket then a selection of magazine programmes whilst 4 the third day's play of a golf tournamount in Illinois followed by Spanish league football.

I have to say this was one of the worst meetings I have ever been to. I arrived at 12.15 and, although I spent time before tapes up visiting different vendors whilst looking out for a couple of friends who wouldn't be able to arrive a bit later, I don't recall the track being watered. Of course, once the first race was under way clouds of dust emerged. And why the ridiculous delays between races, especially, early on. As I recall, after one hour, four heats had been completed. A very tedious afternoon which made yesterday's EL pairs meeting look slick and exciting! Congratulations to Denmark, who, have confirmed that their production line continues, Commiserations to Sweden, who, fell away after having got close mid-meeting, and well done Poland in adapting to such an alien circuit. As for GB, Lewis rode well but in only every other race and bit of a laughing stock that whenever he wins we all have to endure his overstated lap(s) of honour, Josh Autey, who doesn't gate but is a fighter which didn't work on the track he was presented with. Then there is Joe Haines, a rider who is usually quick if he makes the start but trails at the back if he doesn't. Of the Kyles, Newman worked hard despite being out of his depth whilst, the Hughes version, might have not bothered to turn up. Not for the first time does he arrive with bikes that don't work. I daresay Phil Morris will take some stick as team manager. Phil is an intelligent and articulate man who, as yet, has not acquired the skill of turning a sow's ear into a silk purse. Overall, if Tai had been fit we might have challenged for the Bronz medal but no more.

Kauko Nieminen is Finnish Champion. Are you arguing a case that he should be in the series next year as well?

I am not sure what you are saying Bryn. Do you mean that all next year's line-up should pre-qualify? Anyway, well done for standing in for Craig on Saturday. I think Peter Juul is Peter Juul Larsen though.

I have no qualms about Emil being in the series next year in fact I hope he is. The point of my post was to consider what sort of strings could be pulled to get Harris in. They cannot use the GP challenge route this time so the finishing order in the series might be manipulated. Mind you, as a last resort, they may try use the fact that Harris finished 6th on Saturday then argue that they couldn't put Zorro or Jonasson's names forward because there are already 3 Swedes in it!!

I wonder what criteria will be used to get Harris into the GPs next year. Last year the authorities selected the GP challenge route selecting both riders who finished in 4th (Lindgren) and 5th (Harris). However, unless he gets in to the top 8, they will have to opt for a different strategy this time. If we assume the current top eight are still there at the end of the series then add the GP qualifiers who will be the final four. To begin with I cannot see either Pedersen or Hancock being left out just as I do not envisage any of the current top eight being left out either should they fall out of the pack although it could be a tight decision between Jonsson and Zetterstrom. To achieve this it is my guess that they will select the next riders down from the final eight. Therefore, if Harris finishes no lower than 12th he should be in. Of course it will allow them to balance things up by giving the final spot to Kolodziej which is no more than he deserves. I have left Sayfutdinov out of the reckoning. If he had made a sucessful return and put decent performances for the rest of the season I imagine he would have been selected next year but Gollob has seen to that now. 1 gollob 2 hampel 3 crump 4 holta 5 bjerre 6 holder 7 andersen 8 jonsson 9 laguta 10 lindback 11 lindgren 12 pedersen 13 hancock 14 harris 15 kolodziej

The sooner we accept that Britain is no longer an elite speedway nation the better. The reason is quite valid. There are too many other high profile sports in this country to compete against. Poland claims Speedway to be their no.1 sport. I suspect, in reality, it is on par, or just second to football. In all probability, it is the same situation in Denmark. Whatever, they are high profile sports in their respective countries. They don't have to compete against other major events. In other words, I don't see them involved in world class cricket, rugby, tennis, golf, or staging top league PL football or being the mainstay of formula one etc. Without doing any detailed research, I doubt that it ranks within the top 30 sports in the UK and is, to all intents and purposes and, despite the efforts of SKY SPORTS, a forgotten sport. I cannot help but notice that most young British riders entering the sport are only there through junior grasstrack, because their dads used to ride, or both. Because Speedway is marketed poorly, why would anyone think of becoming a rider if they do not know of its existence! (This does not excuse, of course, the continuous influx of Australians who succeed for no other reason than being Australian and who take to sport like ducks to water!).

Its not politics, its SKY

Well Fabio Capello is lol!