salty

Hardly any passing and when there is the cameras miss it!

Glad to see KK back up and seemingly fit, just to shut up the harbinger of doom that is Pearson.

If i remember that is why he ended up at Coventry.

Assuming Lindback and Lindgren are in and Ljung doesn't make it through from Gorican, the AJ would only be the 3rd Swede. Given his second place last year and the fact that the 9th placed rider always gets a pick I think it would be an injustice if AJ missed out. Especially if a Brit got a spot in his place.

Linback's continued good form coupled with AJ's crash have muddied the waters somewhat for next year. Given his current form it looks likely Antonio will finish in the top 8 and AJ might be relying on a pick. If Lindback also qualifies at Gorican, does his place to go to the 4th in the GP challenge or 9th overall - anyone know?

How can the word "tosser" be offensive? What do they expect when they shove a mike under the nose of a rider who has been badly wronged by the ref yet again? Has Nicki ever accepted that he has done anything wrong?

Don't think any rider should be given a "couple of years". If I remember there was talk last time Tai was in the series that he needed a second year and whilst I can see the rationale behind that I just think it gives a rider too much of a free ride. Tai was quite vocal earlier in the season saying he needed to know as soon as possible if he was going to get a pick so that he can get the sponsorships in place. Personally, I don't think he has really done enough to get a spot in the World's top 15, but his status as a Brit coupled with the poor year Bomber has had means he will probably get a slot.

Unfortunately, the "many, many" fans you talk about are relatively few compared to what they used to be and the numbers following the sport on a weekly basis in the UK is dwindling. A World Champion and a better showing on the international front certainly couldn't harm the sport could it?

No Brit deserves to be in. If the organisers insist on shoehorning one in, then at the moment I can see Tai getting the nod. Bomber needs to put in a very strong finish to the season if he's going to get another free ticket. Wouldn't it be great if we got a Brit in on merit rather than relying on charity.

Hard work for Jarek - you've got him twice. No Lindback ? Agree he (Hampel) should be a pick, but if there has to be a Brit (and I wish there didn't "have" to be) I reckon Tai will get the nod over Bomber unless the latter gets some very impressive scores in the last few GP's.

Well I'm glad for one. When I see threads like this started I always fear the worst I'm afraid, so delighted to hear that Bob is alive and well. He rode in my first ever meeting in 1968.

As I said before I can see your point, but surely the principle is largely the same as having 4 nominations i.e economics, though the nominations can help injured riders retain a place (as they did for Emil this year). How many tracks would run the GP challenge without the guarantee of a home rider?

Not sure on the total numbers but I think Bomber might even out-beggared Scotty. But the fact GB have to rely on charity is embarassing.

Which makes it all the more ridiculous that Tai wants to know early whether he is going to get a pick (as reported in the Star this week). You can' t really plan the picks until you know who the other 11 are going to be. Anyway after your comments regarding the seeding of Pavlic to the GP challenge, I thought you would be dead set against the use of nominated places.

Easier said than done. I think, if it has to stay, then making it an 8 point gap before the joker can be used is a way forward, as that does reduce the possible affect of a 6 point haul. In Event 1 the Russians were able to move from 6 points behind to joint leaders in just one race. When the joker can have such a pronounced affect it is more likely you will see manipulation to allow it's use.

The reason nobody has mentioned it is because there was nothing wrong. In fact it is to the sports credit that AJ and Emil raced the last heat the way they did. AJ in gate two gets the jump on Crump on the inside - what do you expect him to do? Crump went for an outside run and got swamped by the other two - nothing sinister.

I'm pretty sure the Swedes wouldn't have hosted the final if there was a risk they weren't in it as the crowd would have been very sparse. Which is why the finals have been divided between Denmark and Poland since the farcical use of Smallmead. Is the Final not earmarked for Belle Vue next year? I thought the Russians did really well tonight. Haven't got a scorechart, but they must have outscored the others over the last 8 heats. Pity they looked all at sea in the wet conditions early on.

Hopefully the joker will be done away with, though more likely I would expect it restricted so it can't be used in the last 4 heats. Regarding seeding the home team through, having been at White City to watch sparsely attended WTC Finals when the Brits didn't qualify, I'll be surprised if that is done away with.

Do you mean Heat 18 or Heat 19? Surely the team that scores the most points (not counting the joker) deserves to win? Great effort by the Russians to clinch 3rd>

It's happened before and will continue to happen whilst the joker (how apt) rule stays in place. Makes the sport a farce.

So what's the chance that we might some shenanigans regarding the joker in the next couple of races? I can see Denmark trying to keep the lead at 5 and the Aussies looking for 6.

When PK was interviewed at Eastbourne the other Monday he said he was in the squad and available if needed.

Denmark win 6 races out of 8, we win 1 and yet we're only 2 points behind. Don't know if its fair but the joker certainly keeps things close.

According to Crump in his interview he thought Ward was 2 or 3 weeks away from full fitness. Probably right that a change from Lynn might be due, but I guess we must be thankful we get a home tie each year. I thought the Czechs put up a good show tonight, especially compared to last year.

Right decision by the ref, whichever way he arrived at it. Got to love Nicki, saying THJ threw it down - I don't know how he keeps his face straight....