PHILIPRISING

WHY not a fan of Woffinden?

BOTH Swedish GPs run by BSI ... still unconvinced that either Gollob or Harris will get the nod but nothing more than one person's opinion. Of course, if Gollob were to win in Torun (certainly not out of the question) that might change but quite a few people within the paddock feel that his GP race is over. And what a race it was.

STILL waiting for some answers from a couple of FIM officials ... However, I do know that some riders were loathed to attend the Challenge simply as meeting reserves while Harris was happy to do so. It wasn't until Zagar withdraw that he was actually included in the 16 starters. IMG/BSI have been content to have just one Brit in the SGP for a while so personally see no real reason why they would want to add another to Woffinden. Bumping up the Swedish and Polish representation might be higher on their agenda.The crowd at Cardiff is not so nationalistic as those in Denmark, Sweden or especially Poland. British fans have always been prepared to support a wider selection of riders no matter what nationality and especially those who race for their club. Gollob's age cannot be discounted, he isn't quite the Peter Pan that Hancock is and if Poland can leave him out of the World Cup I'm sure BSI and the FIM will think along similar lines.

Craven, Fundin, Mauger and Collins for BV ...

HOW many times a day does the asylum let you loose on a keyboard?

WHO says they have to get a ferry? Mechanics are being paid anyway? Haven't heard a word of complaint from any of the riders about getting their equipment to Amsterdam. It is very convenient for them. Even you must have had a couple tonight to compare F1 to speedway... but then you never miss an opportunity to have a pop at the SGP. Greg Hancock obviously travels from Los Angeles and Chris Holder came from Sydney but their travel expenses are also met and in both cases their equipment comes from Poland via Amsterdam. Your point is?

NOT a big deal ... each rider (or rather his mechanics) has his own time frame within a two-day period for delivering his equipment to the freight depot where they each have their own container.

IF you were the boss of Sky and there was just the slightest chance that you might renew the speedway contract, wouldn't you want to know what was on offer NOW...

DON'T think he has much if any chance of a wild card pick and, paradoxically, if he ends up as first reserve that won't help either

ALL riders competing in NZ GP are provided with four air tickets, three hotel rooms for the duration of their stay and freight (two bikes, engines, etc) from Amsterdam...

THINK you are criticising the wrong person ... out of Nigel's hands.

MORE fat on a chip than on Michael Lee

PLENTY of knowledgable riders will tell you that technique is important. Where and how you sit on the bike, etc. Where I would agree, Chris is lacking in his seeming inability to take on board what advice he could seek. Mauger and Gollob had a particular technique which worked for them; Hancock, too. Others like Wiltshire and Tatum were almost instinctive.

I THINK what people are telling us is that they prefer a routine ... whether it is once a week or every fortnight. But the haphazard nature of the fixture list appears to be turning some fans away.

WITH regard to your last paragraph ... at Speedway Star we have had a huge response to our 'Great Debate' feature, asking fans to let us know what they like and dislike about British speedway. The lack of a regular race night is by far the biggest single gripe, with many saying (as they have on this forum) that once they get out of the habit of going they stop going altogether. Their words not mine.

AS I said before, medical certificates are easy to come by.

WILL ask...

FULLY expect Chris Holder to be fit for NZ... BUT that simply isn't true. Harris was only allocated as one of the meeting reserves when other riders were either unwilling or unable to do so. When no other riders are available it is incumbent upon the host nation (this year GB) to provide reserves for the meeting. Normally they would simply be on stand by to take a ride in place of riders excluded for tape-breaking or who might withdraw during the event. In this case when Zagar withdraw he was replaced by one of the meeting reserves (Harris) from the outset. You can hardly blame Harris for saying yes when others said no. ONLY my opinion but very much doubt Gollob will get a wild card pick. If he is only half-heatedly taking part this year why should 2014 be any different? Think being left out of a SWC winning Polish side has also left him deflated. Why should he get his Polish place back next year? Hard to think that Ward won't overtake Gollob and with two Poles (Hampel and Kaspzrak) qualified if a wild card goes in that direction more likely to be Dudek or probably Janowski ... as said previously, a much better rider on continental (SGP) style tracks. With two GPs in Sweden and live TV coverage there as well, at least one wild card will go to a Swede, perhaps two. THJ seems a million miles away from being a GP rider but currently not much to choose from. Doubt that there is any appetite to give a wild card to Harris. One Brit is enough especially when he might even be the defending World Champion.

AND while you keep hammering Harris, he did score 10 points, was (I believe) leading at least once when a race was stopped, and probably fared better than any other British rider would have done. One thing you get from CH is 100 per cent effort. That may not be good enough but on a personal level he certainly doesn't deserve the abuse he gets on here.

YOU keep repeating yourself. Cannot think of one reason why BSI and the FIM would want Harris included in preference to a number of other riders. Tai is carry the Union Jack quite adequately on his own.

CANNOT see Gollob getting a wild card. MJJ? Three Danes already and he hardly enhanced his reputation tonight. Does AJ want it enough? Not sure. Laguta did his cause considerable harm at the FIM by pulling out of SWC. Maybe Dudek or Janowski, who is a much better rider on tracks outside the UK as he proved in the SWC.

BSI will probably be reasonably happy with result. Means three Danes next year but that won't bother them considering extensive TV coverage there. At least two Poles even if Gollob doesn't make it. A German will go down well, especially with Berlin a possibility. As stated earlier, Sweden the problem now. Three wild cards to choose with Holder a shoe in and Ward likely to make top eight.

PRETTY sure the answer will be that when a late withdrawal means none of the riders next in qualification order can compete it is up to the host nation to provide an additional rider or riders. Although the actually decision would have come via the SCB or the ACU (as the body affiliated to the FIM) no doubt the BSPA were asked to make the nomination. But, as said earlier, will enquire from Tony Steele.

INCIDENTALLY, if riders are tied for fourth there will not be a run-off ... final placings determined on count back (wins, seconds, etc). Did King finish ahead of Kennett and Nicholls in the qualifiers? Cannot remember... WILL get Tony Steele to clarify on Monday exactly how Harris got in ...

4th in Challenge would replace Iversen if he finishes in top eight... wouldn't argue about Iversen getting his act together, something Vaculik says he is determined to so, but like it or not Harris has consistently been the best (of an admittedly bad bunch) of British riders for some time now and obviously the BSPA felt it right to put him ahead of any others tonight. NOTHING'S that simple.