PHILIPRISING

THERE isn't any ...

HE (Craig Ackroyd) didn't have that option

THE BSPA were informed last October that the wild card for Cardiff would no longer be given to the highest placed rider in the BF who wasn't already in the SGP series. Believe me or believe me not, there is no bias towards Chris Harris. He was awarded the place because BSI and the FIM believe he is the right and most suitable choice. I have yet to hear a convincing argument for anyone else...

THE studio guy is there for continuity as Eurosport dip out of the coverage for their ad breaks and then back in again... Sky did it when reverting to their studio. I am sure they will tighten that up.

WINNING the British title should be their prime consideration (as it was with riders of generations gone by) but sadly that doesn't seem to be the case.

EXACTLY that and still a bit shaken after his crash

DON'T rule out Holder ... thought he was superb tonight. Got out ridden twice by a rider (Emil) who was simply faster but he made some terrific starts and was close to his best.

IT was the FIM. But the BSPA did have the chance to be involved with the British GP when John Postlethwaite first wanted to go to Cardiff but, against the wishes of Terry Russell, they declined. Just as well really. The BSPA are not the body affiliated to the FIM, that is the ACU, and BSI can stage the British GP in the UK without any co-operation from the BSPA.

EMIL'S father died this evening ... apparently just about the same time as he was winning in Gothenburg. Very emotional for such a young lad, who incidentally is a smashing kid. Our thoughts go out to him and his family.

THE start is at the top on the hour as the TV companies come on stream... parade starts four minutes later, riders for Heat 1 ready at start grid in pits at 12 minutes past, first race starts three minutes later. Works like clockwork and isn't difficult.

FRIDAY'S practice went well under a clear blue sky although out of the sun it was quite chilly. The track, laid over three weeks ago, had some early issues with it starting to break up a little due to frost still in the ground. The back straight at Ullevi actually gets no sun throughout the day at this time of the year. But as practice wore on, and the surface was churned over, it got better and better. "It's good," said Chris Holder. "Should be fine tomorrow." And what a start... Heat 1 includes the two winners this year, Jarek Hampel and Emil Sayfutdinov, last year's victor at Ullevi, Freddie Lindgren, and the championship leader, Tomasz Gollob. Emil was very subdued yesterday. His father is terminally ill with cancer, aged just 52. Poor lad.

AND the guests would have been?

I WAS simply asking for people's opinions on a hypothetical situation similar to that which occurred with BV on Monday but made it clear (or so I thought) that it was not specifically about what happened there and was in no way condoning it. Both with riders missing through not fault of their own and teams unable to strengthen by fractions within the points limit I was (and still am) trying to ascertain views of the paying public. Some people very quickly get their knickers in a twist.

PLENTY of candidates who I am sure would happily do the job when required. Doesn't have to cost much. Understand what you say about Lakeside ... but was that in the best interests of speedway?

GOING off on a bit of a tangent here but would be interested in people's constructive views... In light of the comments made by Wolves manager Peter Adams on Sky on Monday (with which I wholeheartedly concur), that any weak Elite League teams are to the detriment of the league as a whole, would it be better for speedway in the UK if for example... Coventry decide to dispense with Kaspzrak and Greg Hancock says he is prepared to help the Bees out for the rest of the season but his average prevents him from doing so. Would fans in general prefer that special dispensation be granted (by an independent adjudicator) to allow Hancock to compete. Such a move might not only boost attendances at Brandon (essential if we are not to lose them) but also potentially swell the gates at the tracks Coventry visit. Or do you prefer the current situation where clubs wishing to strengthen are effectively in a mathematical straightjacket? This is obviously a hypothetical example... cannot see any reason why Greg and many of his SGP colleagues would wish to return to the UK. But would more flexibility in the regulations be generally beneficial.

THE choice of wild cards is a consultation process but with whom they consult can vary from country to country and who is actually organising the event. In NZ, for example, it was Bill Buckley who had the major input, in Bydgoszcz it would have been the local club plus the PZM, in Sweden it would have been in consultation with SVEMO, in Denmark it will be through the DMU. In all cases the choices have to be verified by the FIM. SORRY but I don't understand that comment... UNTRUE ... the decision to stop British riders participating in the European Championship was taken by the BSPA.

IT will be forthcoming, certainly in SS next week after we have caught up with BSI boss Paul Bellamy in Gothenburg. My information is that the BSPA were informed that the British Final would no longer be a stepping stone to Cardiff some time ago. It was originally brought in as a concession to Sky and their coverage of the British Final but no other wild cards are determined this way and I imagine BSI and the FIM felt the time was right to end it.

WE would all love to see a British youngster going out and beating the best ... but who might that be? Apart from ability and experience, current SGP riders have equipment that is far superior to youngsters like Craig Cook. We need to be looking at the bigger picture and planing long term rather than contemplating throwing a kid in at the deep end in the hope that he can swim.

I am certainly no expert on Notts cricket but I would hazard a guess that any players replacing Broad, Swann and Lumb would closer in standard than NL riders replacing Zagar and Zetterstrom at BV. Mind you, how many county games do Broad and Swann compete in? There is no facility for calling off meetings in these circumstances. My question was: should there be? From the outset of this discussion I did point out this was not solely about BV on Monday.

I'M not defending BV here ... just asking what the paying customers would prefer under similar circumstances. As for Coventry v Wolves ... I felt like I was being ripped off just watching on TV. But then perhaps the majority of the crowd came from the West and enjoyed the massacre,

SORRY but you are missing the point. Speedway, like it or not, is unique. Replacing one of your top two let alone both with virtual novices simply doesn't work. You can cover for absent players in cricket to a certain extent but not speedway. And, I repeat, it is the fans who we are considering here. Of course it would have to be properly policed (again, an independent adjudicator) and postponements not permitted for just any spurious reasons. But in exceptional circumstances surely the option should be available. EL tracks have relatively few fixtures these days (BV one home meeting in May I believe), Scott Nicholls says he has just 38 UK meetings this year, that there must be some slack in the fixture schedules. The bottom line, as with any business and it is just that, is the customer. They are being ripped off, whether it was at Belle Vue on Monday or Coventry on the same night.

I understand what you are saying but I did mention exceptional circumstances. Riders caught in an airline strike or other circumstances outside their control are hardly guilty of not trying or worthy of a fine. Many riders are commuting in and out of the country all the time and these things can and do happen. An independent judicator (yes, that again) could be charged with making any decision after being afforded all the facts. But I go back to the paying public... what would they rather happen? These are the people who actually matter and who are currently voting with their feet by staying away in their droves.

THEY have made a statement to the effect that they made the wrong decision for the right (as they see it) reason ...