MARK246

Nice to see toonarmy84 is still working Manu looks to be on new kit, there was some talk of a new sponsor during the winter, any news?

Just back from Finland, the answer to the question is no. The same old problem for the British, his partner had another baby (when we were in Russia) and the cost of the ferries and travelling. It's a real shame as it was a well organised meeting and it would have been good experience for him. The problem will always remain, while British Ice Racing is rider (self) financed.

Ian, the meeting on the 8th is being run by Jo Seatre (the Norwegian rider) and it will feature four British riders if everything goes to plan,as Kevin Rowand and Rob Irving are also included in the line up. This meeting in the last two years has been cancelled due to lack of ice, but this winter has been far colder. I'm the UK rider in the Oslo meeting. Just leaving for Finland now, the temperature looks good and I'm looking forward to a good weekend

Due to visa problems I have had to withdraw from Togliatti but everything is in place for Lukhovitsy. Hopefully Kevin Rowand will be joining me.

According to the late Bob Jones the Autodrome was the piece of land where Tiverton road is now. His friends' father owned the Duke of Edingburgh pub and had the keys to the stadium. The story told to me was. Bob used the track to practice on.

Funäsdalen in practice but I don't think it was bad, just a routine trip to hospital to check for any damage.

I don't have a wild card that I know of but things change. Hope to see you at Bollnäs, the temperature here today is -3 with sunshine perfect weather for ice racing. Have a good trip.

My information is that it's one qualifier in Lukhovitsy on the 31st of January, and the final is at the same venue on the 1st of February. This information is direct from the UEM.

An interesting piece of news for British fans, GB now has two riders in the European Championship in Lukhovitsy So if all of the paper work can be sorted in time it will be me and Kevin Rowand representing GB.

I have been selected to do both the European and the World championship qualifiers, both of which are in Russia.

No not yet, waiting on the track commitee, but I will let you know as soon as I do.

I realised during training, if you want a job done properly you have to do it yourself

Having spoken to the ACU about the result of the training camp and the allocation of the British places, we don't have a team in Inzell. The reason that the ACU don't get a team place is because they don't ask for one, due mainly to the lack of riders. All went well at training and the others are back in the UK. Must get back to making tyres now.

It looks like a super motard engine with an intergeral gear box. The frame does not have engine plates so there is no stress on the crank cases. The engine is mounted more like a 250cc grasstrack bike. The Klatovsky family may be the people to ask as they are involved with super motard racing and Jawa motorcycles.

Latest news on Rune Holtas possible signing for Kumla. http://www.na.se/artikel.asp?intId=1409900&insn=1

The Daily Express Spring Classic ,you could vote for your rider of choice in a national newspapper. and it always rained at Wimbledon, there's your sawdust "Iris 123 "

Team Exide keeps coming to mind whenever things like this get mentioned. The GP's got so bad they had to introduce regulations to stop the pairs racing. Did I imagine that, or did team Nilsen/Ulamek V's team Exide/America really happen

Speedway recordings originator " Wally Loak "

You don't need to hope for Ulamek and Walasek they're in the GP's for definite. It's only the two non qualifiers you have to hope for.

Ah. Mud at Wimbledon, back page of the Speedway Star. IMO speedway went wrong in the mid 80's, trying to move from working class sport to a YUPPIE one. You do have a strange mind if Sam Fox springs in it.

To add a bit more to this topic, Östermalms (Stockholm) will be used again this coming winter for the WC qualification round, but the one in Sanock, Poland is to be moved. Both are artificial circuits and it seems with the milder weather the only way to ensure these meetings can be run. Swedish ice racing tracks in general are naturally frozen,some using flooded speedway tracks, others flooded fields. The main exception are the Bandy ( a form of hockey on ice with a ball and larger pitch size than ice hockey) tracks, these are traditionally used at the end of the Bandy season (march) and are artificially frozen. The reason they get used at the end of the season is the ice thickness,Bandy isn't played on thick ice?

Strange that, only one GP win separates Holta and Nicholls, the World championship winner only won one GP as well. Gollob won three. The difference between Holta and Nicholls as riders is huge which shows what a sham the GP's really are. Holta has twice the amount of race wins. Nicholls only chance of staying invited is due to nationality,which luckily (for him) is the same as the promotion team. On any other criteria he wouldn't be there.The top 16 riders in the world? in whose eyes. Using the three top leagues averages, Poland, Sweden, Nicholls isn't in the top 16 in those two and the third the BEL is so diluted I can't be bothered to even look.

If you wish to compare the GP's to a World Final the 9th place rider on 77 points over 11 meetings would equate to an average of less than 7 per meeting (due to semi final rides) the same points that the 9th placed rider achieved in 1991,92,93,94. still in your opinion dead wood. The old system only had the advantage you didn't have to waste 11 nights to see the same result.

Thats a bit like the GP then the 9th placed rider won 5 races in 11 GP's

No one from Kumla.