robolots

I thought cost might come in to it!!! However some of the responsibility should rest with the riders home nation (i.e. Tai and the ACU) and also with BSI/IMG. If the basic costs were given to these riders then surely this is not too much to ask for, but then again this is speedway

Nicholls, Lindgren, Sajfutdinov + any one of Holder, B Pedersen, Iversen or Harris (if a Brit needed/wanted by BSI-IMG) Love him or hate him-Nicholls is the best Brit at the moment so it would be foolish to drop him this year. I agree with whoever said that if he doesn't reach top 8 this year though then he should step down next year. The wildcards are a complete waste of time and don't generally bring anything to the GP's. I would like to see them scrapped altogether-I can't believe that having a "local" rider generates that much more interest in getting the punters in-I certainly don't think Lukas Dribble made a huge difference to the Czech punters going to the GP. I would also like to see permanent track reserves given to young up and coming riders that are on the fringe of taking the step into the GP's. This would give them experience of the GP's and should help them prepare for when they become full time GP'ers. This year it could of been Holder, Tai or Sajfutdinov as track reserves. Obviously they would get rides and come in for injured riders and tapes offences and this will give them exposure without pressure. Obviously they would come in for Tapes offences although personally I would rather see the rider go back 15 metres than use reserves.

Sorry I don't buy all the conspiracies about this-why the hell would what is an already inept bunch want to make themselves look even more inept. I have gone to quite a few Gp's in the past, but to be honest I don't really go for the racing, more of a good weekend away with family and friends to places that I wouldn't normally go to. The tracks have always been slick, which in my opinion does not mean automatic bad racing. What the tracks need is some more moisture in them to generate dirt as the meeting goes on, (obviously not the amount of wet as in this weekends farce!!) every GP I have been to the tracks are always far too dry and dusty. The people I feel sorry for this weekend are all those that have paid for fuel/flights/hotels etc etc and have had their weekend ruined. And where is that track drying machine????

Where did this list come from? I need to book up my annual leave for next year asap and this will be very useful if it is correct

Thanks Sub

Is the GP challenge going to be shown anywhere either on TV or over the internet?

As someone that goes to few Gp's a year I have noticed the prices creeping up and up or is just our strong pound!!!!!

Lets be honest, the only way you are going to get a closer racing series is to sack Nicki P and Jason C for being to damn good, they are a cut above the rest of the riders, maybe they should start 15m back all the time to give the others a chance There seems to be about 4-5 standards of riders in the GP's with JC and NP far superior to the next group TG, LA, GH and then you have the next group of HA, NKI, AJ, BP followed by FL, RH, SN, CH with LD and KK at the bottom. I'm sure not everyone would agree with my groupings, but they must be there or there abouts. The biggest problem is who do you put in to replace the likes of KK, LD, CH etc are Jagus, Walasek and Sullivan any better??? I think the top 7 this year will stay as is in terms of personel with only injuries affecting if they will qualify automatically and then it will be any of the next 6 for the 8th place. And if they don't qualify through injury then they will probably get a wildcard anyway. Bjarne having missed a couple of GP's through injury looks the best bet to finish 8th which of course would leave the brits sweating for one of the wild card places. As tv money is a big part of it I reckon both would get the nod over anyone else and lets face it-who is really ready to come in and challenge Nicholls or Harris at this moment in time?? Tai, maybe in a few years but not now IMHO. In the last 3 GP's riders 8th-13th place Holta=22 points Lindgren=9 points Nicholls= 25 points Iversen= 19 points Harris= 20 points Pedersen=28 points Pedersen looks most consistent looking at his scores, but as Lindgren proved, you only need one big score and it puts you right in the mix. Who ever you put in the series, top 8 aside I don't think will make a major impact until the likes of the Adams, Crump, Gollob, Hancock and Pedersen retire. Personally, I hate the wild cards as they don't really bring anything to the party overall. I also hate it when riders are excluded for tapes offences and the reserves come in, surely it would be better for the rider to go back 15 metres than bring in a meaningless reserve ride. I personally go to at least 3 GP's a year, but it saddens me it is more for the experience of cities such as Prague rather than the quality of the racing which was as painfull as it could be on Saturday. The tracks definately need a tad more moisture in them which will in turn produce more overtaking lines.

i thought they were!!!!

Cool, that looks good,and within easy stumbling/walking distance of the hotel

Where are the best places to get a good quality meal/pint etc and is anyone meeting up anywhere? Last year my hotel was miles away, but this year it's in the town centre so looking forward to meeting up with with some speedway fans etc

What time does it start please?

Cheers fella, If Ryanair don't change my flight time again!!!! I will be able to make that

Last year my Friend told me Dollar was king in Poland. He advised me to take dollars and get them changed for Zloty out there. Last year I went to both Polish Gp's and did not take his advice in Wroclaw but tried it in Bydgoszcz. If I had tried it in Wroclaw I would of been quids in, I tried it in bydgoszcz and it was the wrong move. As the pound is quite strong against the dollar then it might be worth me changing pounds to dollars in the UK and then dollars to Zloty in Poland? Can anyone tell me the exchange rate in POLAND at the moment for US dollars to Zloty. ta

Can anyone give a rough date for when the provisional calender is out. I know the British and danishhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh have been confirmed but my annual leave for next year is being asked for and I'm gonna miss dates if it aint soon

Well done to Jason Crump-easily the best rider on the day by a country mile. Not the best meeting in the world though, was more dirt in the carpark!! I hope the track was as slick and dirtless as it was due to the uncertain weather and it is not the norm, or I feel sorry for all you Poole supporters if that is how it is everyweek. Still, nice stadium with good viewing from all parts of the track

Does anyone know when the provisional calender will likely to be published??

Surely it was Tony Rickardsson's fault for retiring and thus allowing Hans to ride in the GP.

Personally, I thought they should of shaken it up a bit more. I would like to see max of top 6 qualify for next years event. No wildcards as they don't bring anything to the overall picture-if Hans Andersen can muster up enough points to be in the top 8 with riding only 3 GPs then he should be in or whats the point?? Under 21 champion to replace wildcard, or if already in it 2nd place. If tapes touched-no reserve but rider starts 15 metres back Rest of qualification made up of GP challenge and meeting(s) involving bottom 10 finishers. Obviously finals for GP qualification would be run after current GP round finishes This would work with say country qualifiers to GP challenge as they are this year but say have 2 finals with bottom 10 split into the finals vying for 8 places over all. The bottom 10 not in the GP challenge would join the challenge in the finals by way of being in this years GP. That leaves one place and this could be a nominated rider from each federation and a BSI/FIM jury deciding who would best be suited for the place. i.e. a rider who finished 7th in GP and missed GP challenge through injury but has demonstrated high averages in league racing etc. a thought for this year though, if tony rikardsson finishes in the top 8 this year then how bout only the top 7 other riders qualify and the BSI/FIM have the balls to give an extra place to either Mark Loram or Hans Andersson next year?? In a nutshell top 6 qualify outright 1 place for under 21 champ or second place if already qualified 8 places from GP challenge and bottom 10 GP placings culminating in 2 finals and top 4 from each final going through 1 rider nominated for special reasons =16 riders No wildcards and permanent young reserves that follow GP around and get GP meeting experience anyway over to you lot for thoughts and ideas. ta Robin p.s. BSI/FIM * PATENT PENDING * PATENT PENDING * PATENT PENDING * PATENT PENDING * PATENT PENDING * PATENT PENDING

I thought last nights GP was a case in point for getting rid of the wildcards. It's ok if you have a top drawer rider but either the nations concerned i.e. Italy last night havent got a rider capable of riding in the GP or if it is one of the others i.e. Denmark/Sweden etc their top riders are in it anyway. Hans Andersen should probably of been in it anyway so it don't really count. And talking of Hans-if Tony Rickardsson is going to pull out altogether then Hans points (if he gains enough and finishes in the top 8) should count for next year. Personally the bloke is a bit of a plonker, however he is a fantastic speedway rider and the competition is all the richer for him being in it, even if its for the needle value of Crump, Nicholls and the rest trying to knock him off

My bro and I are going as well, add another 2 to the list. Ta

Has anyone got any decent Bydgoszcz hotels they could recommend?

I have just managed to get a booking at the Hotel Brda I owe you lot a beer, name the place Friday 22 or sat 23 in Bydgoszcz this could get expensive!

Cheers for the info Rob and Rico I have tried a couple more bookings and will wait and see, if that don't work i will Torun

Is Bydgoszcz the size of a very small village then?? I made a fairly late booking to Wroclaw and found a hotel no problem. I made a reservation yesterday with supposedly "live" vacancies and today it has come back with none available. It did however come back with an alternative in Krakow!!!!!! As it is i'm flying to Poznan and hiring a car so don't mind driving a wee bit, so if anyone else has any suggestions please post them or i will be packing my tent me thinks