robpeasley

Steve, I know... I was just having a bit of a wind-up. The posts of "Philcrumpisgod" on here actually don't make a great deal of sense, to be honest, but it was unusual to see you bite in such a way. But you'd better get used to the mickey-taking, because I can't see Mr. Rickardsson changing things about that quickly. One bad GP is a fluke result, but two on the trot, suggest it could be some time before he sorts it out... maybe not until the mid-season break, perhaps. As you can guess, I'm devastated to watch Mr. Rickardsson stuggling so badly following his total lack of commitment to Oxford earlier in the season... All the best Rob

Steve Shovlar said: "Two words. Second one is off." "Get a life." Shovvy, I see that, despite your recent holiday, you've lost none of your usual wit and charm :D All the best Rob

Subedei, The precedent has already been set over what happens when Rickardsson retires. Hans Nielsen retired at the end of 1999, having finished third in that year's series. His place went to the guy who finished next in the standings (I think it might have been Chris Louis). So the man in ninth will qualify automatically. That's if Rickardsson finishes in the top 8, of course!! All the best Rob

Haha... I think Shovvy has been found out All the best Rob

Subedei, That's a new one - you're critising Rickardsson for lack of effort in the GPs!! Personally, I think he looked rather bemused last night - as if he couldn't work out what was wrong. And machinery can't be blamed for the second successive GP. Rickardsson has been hoist on his petard. Obviously he approached this season with his only focus on the GP, and treated the other meetings as little more than a warm-up, despite the fact his league clubs are paying him good money. However, the consequence of treating these meetings at less than 100%, was that it's impossible to suddenly step up to the plate that much when the GP series comes around. Compare to Crump, who's been going hell for leather in the EL this year. Easy for him, all he has to do in the GP is continue the work he's been doing all year for Belle Vue. All the best Rob P.S. I've also developed a theory that all the bikes that were put into storage during his time at Oxford (i.e. the ones on which he set fast times on in Heat 4, and then "mysteriously" disapeared) were hidden too well!! He's still trying to find the bike on which he acheived 57.99 seconds against Swindon at the start of the season!! :D

Whoops... that'll teach me ot put 700 credits on Mr. Rickardsson... it would have been better putting credits on Subedei's ageing Pole!! :D Never mind, Crumpie still came through and I'm just about clinging onto a top 30 place. Need to get it right for Cardiff though... All the best Rob

Where was Khomitsevich this year? Also, were there only 4 GPs this years (i.e. 2 weekends of GP rounds). No German rounds this year? Planning to get back to watching some ice racing next year - I'm getting withdrawal symptons!! All the best Rob

Personally, I felt it was a terrific book. Obviously, Wiggy's comments are the backbone of the book, and it made me sad that he isn't still around today, as no doubt he would be promoting somewhere and making a damn fine job of it!! However, it's clear that the interviews with Gareth Rogers didn't cover everything, as they couldn't be expected to, due to Wiggy's passing, and this is where the comments of Julian Wigg, Charlie Wigg, and the riders / promoters / sponsors who knew him come in. It gives a chance for the whole story to be told - otherwise e.g. Wiggy's time at Exeter and King's Lynn would not be covered. And, personally, I found the comments of some, such as Ivan Mauger, who clearly was a friend as well as a mentor of Wiggy's, quite moving. And the fans section was a nice touch as well (although I would say that, having contributed to it!), showing the impact that Wiggy made to those stood on the terraces. All the best Rob

"Oh yes at 10.30 before a wheel was turned on track,Matt appears with a Bacon roll in each hand Remember Matt i was lithe and sleek when i was 20,to busy ducking and diving during the blitz. How i survived during rationing i will never know" Pat, I don't believe that... you must have been at least 40 during the blitz Getting back to topic, great to hear that Chris is coming on in bucket loads... will enjoy watching his progress in the second halves at Oxford. All the best Rob

Hi Kevin, Sorry, I've been a bit slow, but Hans's figures for 1989 to 1992 are as follows. I've also included 1989 & 1990, because although averages are listed in the British League 1965-1990 book, the Gold Cup competition is excluded from the figures. It gives some consistency to include the Gold Cup, as the League Cup - of which the Gold Cup was under a different name - is included. 1989 M 44 R 222 P 577 BP 13 TP 590 CMA 10.63 FM 9 PM 5 1990 M 42 R 223 P 531 BP 34 TP 565 CMA 10.13 FM 2 PM 6 1991 M 38 R 216 P 548 BP 21 TP 569 CMA 10.54 FM 5 PM 3 1992 M 32 R 176 P 448 BP 9 TP 457 CMA 10.39 FM 5 PM 2 All the best Rob

Kevin, I'm sure I have got those figures, I'll have a dig around tomorrow night. All the best Rob P.S. Rami, Hans Nielsen topped the British domestic averages seven years on the trot (1984-1990), a feat never matched, while Erik Gundersen - while a great rider - never managed it once. No contest, I think

Good news about Chris - look forward to seeing him on his 500cc machine next season. Pat, you don't need to cut down on the Ginsters (surely the whole British pasty industry would collapse without your backing) - with all that flying about on the sleigh on Christmas Eve, you should lose plenty of weight. All the best Rob

SCB, Are you local to Newport? If so, I would guess the BSI would have targetted your area specifically, as an area close to Cardiff where there is an interest in Speedway. All the best Rob

Tony, Really looking forward to reading the Nielsen interview. Though, of course, the referee of the '94 final was Dutchman Henry Van Der Boomen not Frank Edbon. Some of the worst refereeing ever in the second Vojens World Final, in particular to regards to some of the first bend incidents. All the best Rob

FlyinRyan, So what I said was correct... that Andersen was seeded into the 2004 series (one year), again in 2005 (two years), and had he again been seeded into the 2006 series, that would have made it three years on the trot. In contrast, Nicholls qualified for the 2004 series. I may have a bias to Iversen, but I believe on the back of two very good wildcard appearances (a fifth and a ninth) plus second place in the Danish Championships, he deserves to be given a chance, while Andersen has been enough chances already. All the best Rob

Subedei, I agree with you with Richardson, but Nicholls is a better rider than Andersen, having finished ahead of Andersen in the GP series in 2003 and 2005, and remember the injuries Scott suffered in 2004, otherwise no doubt he would have finished ahead of Andersen yet again that year. Scott is in amongst the top 16 riders in the world... Andersen, maybe on his day is amongst them, but he's too inconsistent. Remember it's only the second successive season Nicholls has been seeded in... in Andersen's case, it would be his third, which is too much. All the best Rob

Subedei, But Scott Nicholls has finished in the top eight in the world (2003), whereas Hans Andersen never has. Scott is a current national champion. And, most importantly, Scott finished a clear three places above Andersen in the 2005 GP series. Lee Richardson is a different matter entirely, although I'm not surprised by his inclusion and indeed predicted it (only Protasiewicz getting in insead of Kasprzak stopped me from getting it spot on). Hans Andersen finished 12th out of 15 in 2005. How on earth can anyone justify that he should go back in?? There should be at least 3 to 4 fresh faces in the GP series each year, otherwise it becomes a closed shop. All the best Rob

Blimey, Is all the boohooing for poor Hans Andersen stilll going on?? Just face it... he wasn't good enough. He had to be seeded into both the 2004 & 2005 GP series, surely no-one can condone the same rider being seeded in three years running. Iversen will do a better job... mark my words. All the best Rob

So, in short, what Hans is saying is: In 2003, I failed to qualify for the 2004 series, but got seeded back in. In 2004, I failed to qualify for the 2005 series, but again got seeded back in. In 2005, I failed to qualify for the 2006 series, but this time they didn't let me back in. I wonder why. Er... surely he's had enough chances now. All the best Rob

Well, BSI have got it just about right - in fact, had they picked Kasprzak instead of Protasiewicz, it would have matched my prediction for the seven wildcards exactly. Puk will do a great job in the GP. Hans Andersen just didn't live up to expectations this season and didn't deserve to be seeded in for a second successive season, not when there's a young, talented chap like NKI waiting for his chance. Would expect Puk to finish somewhere around or just under that eighth spot. Got slight doubts about Zagar, simply because he was awful when I saw him at the PLRC at Sheffield. He has done very well in the Slovenian GP in wildcards appearances, but he needs to prove he's not a one-track pony. But I think he'll do OK, a finish of 11th-12th would represent a first good year for him. Protasiewicz is the big surprise for me. Was expceting for BSI to plump for young gun Kasprzak, although many they just want to give him one more year to consolidate his 2005 form, before giving him the challenge of the GP series. Must be Protasiewicz's last chance, the new wave of Poles are coming, if he doesn't perform in 2006, that'll be it. Might be "the Chrzanowski" of 2006. All the best Rob

Still no more posts on this thread, despite Tony Mac's plea. Come on forum members... let's be having you!!! All the best Rob

Oxford fans have many happy memories of Wiggy's time with the Cheetahs, it was a great time for both club and rider. One such memory comes from a bank holiday meeting at Reading in 1990. The Cheetahs are getting hammered in a Gold Cup clash by their local rivals, when suddenly the lights go out! There has been an explosion at the local electricity substation, plunging that whole area of Reading into darkness, and the meeting has to be abandoned. But as the fans are waiting for that decision to be made, a light suddenly appears. It's Wiggy going around the Smallmead track, holding a green glow stick in his hand! Wiggy was always great fun, and it was hard not to enjoy Speedway when he was around. Rob Peasley - Woodstock, Oxfordshire

Subedei, YAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWNNNNN! I think we know your views on this one by now. There's no need to repeat them 10 times!!!! All the best Rob

Robyn, I don't think anyone's had a go at Kasprzak... I actually feel some sympathy for the guy, as he fully capable of winning the full meeting, but now this will always feel like a hollow victory to him. All the best Rob

Steve, I see it hasn't taken you long to revert to your bad old ways. Have you not realised that there are a lot of neutrals on this thread, who don't really care who won or which club they ride for (although naturally I'd how loved to seen a British winner). In fact, I would have been perfecly happy with either Kasprzak or Lindback as an eventual champion over a full meeting, as they both would have been worthy winners. But come on, a World Final really SHOULD NOT be decided like this. On the toss of a coin? How can you take that seriously. A re-run was the only sensible solution. I agree with Subedei... and that doesn't happen too often!!! : D The 2005 World Under-21 Championship is null and void. All the best Rob