ImpartialOne

Well, for one, I recall a news report at the time where Chris Morton was interviewed and he openly admitted it went on, adding that "To my mind, there is nothing wrong with it (bribery)". Secondly, not that this is proof to you but I have seen it take place with my own eyes so I can definitely say it goes on, or should I say, has gone on in the past.

Do you not consider front page headlines on The Sunday People, leading to an enquiry which in turn led to a one year ban for Simon Wigg as well documented?

For the same reason you try anything once. You could also ask why did anyone in Australia agree to stage it if, as you say, the fees were so high and the financial support wasn't there.

If the support was there it would be worth IMG giving financial support but it's not. They aren't a charity organisation. Nobody with any business sense is going to host an event that will lose money if they have a choice.

Do you not recall the 1982 Inter-Continental Final in which Penhall admitted throwing his last race to help his fellow Americans? Or the bribery scandal in 1984 which led to a World Championship ban in 1985 for Simon Wigg?

I didn't say it was regular. However, the reason there has only been one GP in Australia is not down to IMG but the fact that nobody in Oz is prepared to host the meeting.

It wouldn't be half the competition it is without IMG. For a start we wouldn't be seeing GPs in places like Cardiff and Copenhagen, Sydney, NZ, etc., I doubt the presentation and atmosphere would be to the standard it is, big names from other sports would probably not take as much interest and possibly Sky would not be as involved. They may be out for what they can get (they ate running a business after all) but they have certainly given speedway an image to match some of the bigger sports.

I still chuckle at the title of this thread

So much wrong with this post. Nothing meaningless about an early British GP but next year it is towards the end of the calendar anyway so that's irrelevant. Pretty safe bet to put your house on an event that will never take place You still keep saying over and over again that there are so many riders out there who would have a chance to be world champion if only they could break into it, yet you've so far never given even one example despite me constantly asking you to, so without any examples to back up your theory it can only be assumed there are none. I suppose the only response I can expect is another claim that I've missed the point and some random comment about pro-GP posters hurling abuse

Not quite. Bradford staged at least one Grand Prix round.

Read it again.

Why are you talking to me about hurling abuse? Is this to detract from the fact you once again avoided my question?

And why wasn't he in it from the start? Because he failed to qualify. What you're saying is the same as Alan Grahame in the 1984 World Final. He scored 5 from 2. Had he been in the starting 16 he could have been World Champion but he wasn't because he didn't qualify. Is Hans Andersen your best example? If so it shows how weak your point is.

I'm wracking my brain trying to think of all these riders who, over the past 16 years, have not become world champion due to the metaphorical iron curtain surrounding the series. Can anyone help? Parsloes?

I've changed my mind. I'm going for Hancock.

According to Wiki, Cox (which is as I recall it) rode in the 1994 World Final as a German. I believe he wore the German flag on his race jacket too. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/1994_Individual_Speedway_World_Championship

Nope.

Yes I completely forgot about Football Racing

Aye. Bu' ee's brurk 'is shurlda.

It is a strange one I must admit. I do think he's right to turn it down as I could only see him struggling again at the bottom end but what surprises me is why he was ever offered it in the first place. Personally I think he was worth a place around 2004-2007 but his time in the GP is over.

Yes, what speedway needs is a GP on a beach in St. Lucia, riders coming in after two laps to change tyres and Katie Price juggling her wangers at the camera. One thing is for sure, it proves beyond doubt that Formula 1 is the dullest racing sport in the world.

That was different though, because had another rider won all 6 GPs Loram wouldn't have been champion. He was champion on consistency. Now, you could have a (highly unlikely) situation where a rider wins all GPs and doesn't end up with the most points.

The home team pays both home and away riders; away riders being paid at flat rate and any extras being made up by the away team. It still roughly equates the same though as the bill goes on the home meetings.

Yes, basically up to the semis all points count but if you reach the final you are awarded points from the final instead. So: Rider A scores 23132 = 11 + 1 in semi = 12 Rider B scores 33333 = 15 + 1 in semi = 16 Rider C scores 10322 = 8 + 3 in semi. Second in final = 22 Rider D scores 31122 = 9 + 2 in semi. Wins final = 25