PHILIPRISING

WHAT subservience to the FIM? I was very critical of the FIM over the silencers, in and out of print, and was strongly criticised in Geneva because of it. Relationships became very strained and even during conversations with FIM officials over the weekend I maintained my view that the new silencers have been introduced on a misplaced premise and the whole business has been badly handled. However, to repeat (yet again) we are where we are. The initial models (Akropovics) were a disaster but King, DEP and Prodrive (although not a widespread choice) have been greatly modified. Of course, apparently unlike you I cannot speak nor read Polish. I can only go by what people (like Hancock and Gollob) say in English, either directly, face-to-face or in response to Press conference questions. Would I be surprised if they said one thing to one audience and something else to another? No, probably not. The bottom line is that the FIM will not go back. The UK, Denmark and Sweden have embraced them. The riders will adjust, as they have in Britain (do you honestly think the racing has suffered here?) and so will the fans. I don't like the muted sound but like it or not we adjust. There were various crashes in Leszno but none could be blamed on the silencers and greater minds than mine, including several top class riders, did confirm in Leszno that the silencers are not dangerous. Would they prefer to use the old ones? Of course. In much the same way that ruders years ago bitched about changes in carburettor sizes. But that option doesn't exist outside of Poland and, if the FIM are true to their word, it won't exist inside of Poland either before too long. The silly thing is that our own opinions are probably not far apart but we are not the ones that matter. We don't make the rules.

WHAT has Gelsenkirchen got to do with it? You do neither yourself nor your usually balanced and informed arguments any good by these petty comments. I am not saying the Poles will or will not ban the old silencers later this month. But plenty of people are. The FIM and its revamped CCP will not stand by and do nothing. There were a number of high ranking officials in Leszno and plans to bring the various leagues in Poland, Denmark, Sweden ad the UK closer together in many respects are well advanced. And believe me or believe me not, the riders themselves want uniformity. They do not want to use one style of silencer in one country and another in all the other leagues and the GPs. I have not ignored the questions about improvements to the silencers. I answered that earlier today but will reiterate: the King and DEP silencers (the only two makes used in Leszno) have been significantly improved but just as important is the fact that the leading tuners (and that includes Jan Andersson, who does Gollob's motors) have used the winter months to make their own adjustments. Some riders even had a King on one engine set-up abd a DEP on another.

CERTAINLY none of those I spoke to in Leszno (couldn't quite get through to Laguta!) thought they were dangerous or likely to cause riders to fall. KK has quite a reputation for blaming anyone other than himself when he falls. Usually it is an opponent so I suppose at least the silencers make a change. People I personally credit with most credence are the likes of Greg Hancock ... vastly experienced, huge talent, great motorcyclist, no axe to grind. You have to adapt a little he says but if that gives the more skilful riders an edge I doubt whether you will hear him complain. I wouldn't pretend this is gospel but strong rumour that Poles will switch to new silencers on May 15 ...

ONE more thing re Cardiff ... the attendance figure provided by the stadium and given out at the press conference is not rounded up but an exact one. If, for example, it is 42,391 that is what they are told. I can say that with some authority have done that job every year since the GP went to the Millennium. Inevitably some people, including the media, will subsequently choose to use an exact number in just thousands. They used to talk about 100,000 fans at Wembley but in reality it was never that exact.

The unpredictable aspect was certainly the fear but the King and DEP silencers have been improved and the tuners have made modifications to try and eliminate that problem and, other than possibly on very deep tracks, they appear to have succeeded. Hey, I was strongly opposed to the introduction of the new silencer regulations and especially the way the FIM went about it but we are where we are and they are here to stay. Everyone has to live with that and move on, just as the riders and tuners are doing. I honestly believe that much of the concerns of some of those riders not competing in the UK was down to the fact that they hadn't ridden them in real competition. Look at Holder and Ward at King's Lynn for the Pairs. Or LIndgren on Saturday. British tuner Peter Johns has been up to speed for months. Incidentally, Gollob had no complaints about Pedersen, either in the heats or the final. It was a tough first corner in the decider but that is exactly what they expect.

KASPZRAK did say that but ask ANY rider and they will tell you that was bull**** There have been huge improvements to the new silencers and, more important, the various tuners now understand what is required to make them work. It was and still is a challenge for these guys to come up with various solutions and they have. I am the least technically minded person in the world but having spent a considerable amount of time over the weekend listening to the chatter amongst the tuners it is quite obvious that the bikes will not go any slower or be more difficult to ride under normal circumstances.

I AM sorry but the stadium wasn't half empty. I have been to every GP at Leszno, Saturday's crowd was as good as any. I wouldn't argue that in Poland the admission prices are probably too high, as they are in Prague, but to suggest it was poor is way off mark. Also, let's not forget the economic climate and live TV coverage. And, incidentally, crowd figures at Cardiff each year are supplied by the stadium and fully authenticated. Your eyes would appear to be misleading you in you think there are more empty seats each year.

YOU obviously have a very good and impressive grasp of Polish speedway and insight into what goes on there. But, at the end of the day, the PZM are answerable to the FIM who are not happy that they have continued to buck the trend. Many people still don't like the new silencers but even some who were most vehemently opposed had to admit in Leszno that they are not dangerous and do not necessarily result in poor racing. That hasn't been the case in the UK so far this year and nor was it on Saturday. Did Gollob really look any different? He didn't lose to Pedersen because of the silencer he had on his bike. I don't like the muted sound but, like it or not, they are here to stay and the FIM will (and might have already) flex their muscles and ensure that the PZM come into line. Some in Poland like to think that they are a law unto themselves but they are not. The smart tuners are already finding different engine set-ups and no doubt GM will start to make some manufacturing adjustments themselves. It was never the intention of the FIM to slow down speedway bikes and there were some racing in Leszno who admitted after the meeting that they were actually getting a better ride. I don't think it is any coincidence that Pedersen, who had the very smart John Jorgensen back in his camp and has been riding in the UK, came out on top. But those who hadn't ridden the new silencers competitively before Saturday will have learned some valuable lessons. And most I talked to said the worst scenario was having to switch from one to another and if that meant using the new ones in Poland then so be it. As long as the actual racing and entertainment doesn't suffer then the fans, whether in Poland or elsewhere, will quickly accept the inevitable.

WHAT evidence do you have to support your theory that thousands of TV newcomers fled from the sport? The Leszno stadium is a big one with a much larger capacity than either Torun or Gorzow and most of the empty seats were in areas that are not the most popular. The host organisers, who set the prices, seemed very happy with the attendance. There were problems with the track, sun and wind, all weekend and Tony Olsson made his feelings very well known after practice. But it is not unusual for tracks to start on the slick side and then improve as dirt is generated by actual racing. Must say that all the riders I spoke to (the majority) were happy with it and felt that it was about right given that it was the first time the new silencers had really been put through their paces. No dirt was taken off and from what I was told both Hampel and Kolodziej have been unhappy with the surface this season. The rumoured threat to withdraw by Polish riders proved to be just that. Don't forget that ANY rider who competes in more than one country requires an FIM international licence to do so and could have that withdrawn at any time, resulting in a blanket ban and preventing him from racing anywhere. All the major tuners were in attendance and stated quite clearly that they have now solved the problems that were evident last season. Rune Holta, for example, said he bolted on a new silencer and actually went faster. Don't be surprised in the old silencers are scrapped in the Polish leagues before the month is out. Any argument that they are dangerous went up in smoke on Saturday.

IT has been revamped but should be available now ...

YES but obviously choice will be much more limited then than now

THAT'S what BSI do at Gothenburg, Copenhagen, Cardiff, Terenzano and Malilla... the programmes are produced near Vojens, in Denmark, and for that GP last year they printed the race grid section immediately after the draw and included it in the programme. To be honest I am not 100 per cent sure what other venues do but believe most if not all do print separate race cards that are giuven out with programmes. If they don't they could and should, as you say Humphrey.

IF there was something in SS it was nothing official and just wishful thinking by those who don't like the Friday draw... but, as I say, it has proved popular by the overseas media including some TV stations who use footage of the draw. At some events (usually the ones where BSI themselves are responsible the programme) separate race-cards are printed on Friday night and loosely inserted into the programmes. But all programmes include a race grid but minus the riders names in draw order. It actually isn't a big deal and seems much less of an issue outside the UK.

DON'T know who gave you the idea that the draw would be made a week in advance. It was never more than idle speculation in the UK. I am not a fan of the current procedure but it has proved very popular with online hits and foreign speedway media who, unlike their British counterparts, have a lot of newspaper space to fill on a Saturday morning prior to the event and the Friday draw will always provide an angle.

BUT for Darcy Ward's recent injury he certainly would have been a candidate for the wild card in Leszno. As long as he remains fit and in form would be very surprised if the double World Under 21 champion doesn't get the nod in Torun.

AT the very first meeting John Postlethwaite had with the then GP riders after BSI secured the commercial rights, he told them he didn't see it as his role to provide massive prize money but rather a stage and an audience (TV) that would enable them to secure lucrative sponsorship. As you say that is easier for some riders than others and nationality comes into it. But there have been some massive deals for riders (Rickardsson particularly) that hinged entirely around the SGP series and wouldn't have materialised otherwise.

THAT'S the trouble with being an oap... too much time on our hands. But you are right, 'nuff said. Don't worry about the Star... I'm no longer involved with the day-to-day production.

I WAS opposed to the Grand Prix concept in the early 90s but much has changed since then ... not least realisation and acceptance that the one-off World Final was as dead as a dodo. In recent years I believe that the GP has become a shining beacon for how good speedway can be and the entertainment and spectacle it can provide. I am proud of speedway, not ashamed, when I arrive at a SGP venue and witness the organisation, the professionalism and indeed the enthusiasm of everyone involved, not least the riders. Few people actually know of or appreciate the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes but what is most enjoyable is that BSI/IMG set the bar very high and want what is best rather than what is the cheapest. I can attest to that with regard to the programmes that PInegen LImited (publishers of Speedway Star) produce on their behalf. Our remit isn't to cut corners and costs but to create a top class product and I like to think we achieve that. As for your pertinent questions: whether or not the authorities at the Veltins-Arena offered to re-stage the German GP a week later is academic and ultimately irrelevant. After lengthy consultations with a variety of people considered to have good knowledge of the materials laid at the track and conditions inside the stadium it was agreed that the the moisture inherent in the surface would barely dissipate within a period of days let alone hours. One analogy made at the time was if you put some washing on a line outside your house in a cold, damp atmosphere it wouldn't dry, certainly in comparison with a summer's day. The temperature inside the stadium, especially with the football pitch withdrawn and a concrete floor, was very low and the materials simply wouldn't dry. If there was one thing worse that having to abort the event it would be trying to re-stage it seven days later and going through the whole debacle again. BSI/IMG simply couldn't take that risk. It is true that advanced ticket sales weren't as good as the previous year but with no prospect of a sell-out the likelihood of people just turning up on the day is increased. However, as previously stated, turnstile revenue is only a small part of the equation. There was a extensive investigation into what went wrong and I can only repeat that the lessons have been learned, particularly with regard to the manner in which the track materials are stored and transported. As far as I know there wasn't an investigation into the Polish rumours because they weren't true so one wasn't necessary. Of course BSI were bemused aboujt the rumours. Why wouldn't they be as they were false. I was present when the Bydgoszcz promoter Leszek Tillinger, who was there as he had been at many GPs other than his own, was summoned to an emergency meeting to enquire whether the event could go there. He had all the facilities in place, it was a proven GP venue, and most important there was a Polish TV outside broadcast unit available. I hope this answers some of your pertinent questions.

LET'S face it, you don't like me, Speedway Star, BSI or the SGP so any conversation between us is pretty pointless.

I DON'T know who could provide you with that information other than Sky themselves. I can only tell you what I do know. I sat in on all the rider briefings and many of the attempts to resolve the situation. At one stage Scott Nicholls's sponsors (who have considerable expertise in road building) came up with a possible solution that involved a machine that lays and dries tarmac at the same time. But, while efforts were being made to locate such a machine, the stadium authorities had kittens fearing that such a heavy piece of equipment would severely damage the runners on which their pristine football pitch was brought in and out of the arena. We have been over all this before. Just as some people deny the Holocaust or that Neil Armstrong ever walked on the moon or that the Twin Towers were destroyed by terrorists piloting hijacked aircraft, there are those who remain convinced that the intent had always been to abandon the meeting. That simply isn't true. But, frankly, it is pointless trying to convince those who even at this stage refuse to accept what actually went on that weekend.

OFF the top of my head I don't have one but now it is being inferred that Sky were party to the conspiracy. Please!