PHILIPRISING

I DIDN'T say it was great, simply that when there isn't plenty of passing some people rush to blame the track. Ward and Sayfutdinov, Pedersen and Iversen showed what could be done. Sometimes it is just because the riders are either too good or not good enough. With regard to earlier comment about 'summer weather' ... initial comment was that hopefully the fine weather in NZ would continue for track preparation (ie laying of the actual surface).

NO idea what the terms of his contract with BSI/IMG are

RIDERS get five air tickets and three double/twin rooms for the duration of their stay

NEWSTALK ZB with Murray Deaker CERTAINLY didn't say that riders can only pass when one makes a mistake but it does make it more likely. SKIDDER ... fully agree with you. Speedway riders are racers, they like to go fast, the faster the better. I am no fan of F1, find it very boring even on TV, but on the odd occasion I have been cannot help but be impressed by the pure speed of the cars. Got that same impression at Western Springs standing by the pit gate as the boys roared past. Great skill, great speed but not that exciting overall. I always found longtrack a little boring for the same reasons. Boy, they go fast but like any big track the riders tend to get spread out. Generally I think speedway is better on smaller tracks although of course there have been exceptions ... the old Hyde Road was a perfect example. But it was almost a freak, that's just the way it was. I know there are some who don't accept this but there is no pre-determined policy to make tracks for the GPs that will not generate good racing, especially in the Tony Olsson era. Great effort was made at Western Springs over the three days but, in fact, the track was at its best on Friday when practice didn't start until 5pm and there was quite a lot of cloud cover. It generated a lot more grip than it did on Saturday. The sun is so strong in NZ that water put on the track evaporates even before it has time to sink in. But the people there did their best and will no doubt feel that it didn't work out as well as they would have liked but it wasn't for the lack of trying.

WHY always blame the track if there is a lack of passing? The better the track the less mistakes riders, especially of this ability, are likely to make. And live speedway is always better than on the box. I recall from my own speedway viewing days at Wimbledon that it was so much better watching from outside the grandstand rather than behind glass there. Western Springs is a big, fast track, not easy to make up ground once a rider has got away. Greg Hancock was live on radio on Sunday. Asked what he thought of Western Springs? "My favourite track in the world," he replied. That's a rider's perspective, of course, and not necessarily what the spectators will agree with.

THE BBC tried that at Wimbledon for the Internationale many, many moons ago. You are right ... didn't work.

EUROSPORT will provide the production facilities at Cardiff

THE thinking behind the 'draw' change was that it would cut down the time between Heat 20 and the first semi but upon further consideration it was agreed that we could speed up the existing process, which we did at Western Springs.

APART from the start positions all the boys thought the track was great. Darcy and Emil proved that. In this sort of field anyone who gets in front - witness Zagar in his last race - can stay there. Referee had no option with Iversen, unlucky though he was. He laid his bike down, with all good intentions, but the fact is that no one fell off in front of him and the race was stopped because Niels was on the track ... hence the cause of the stoppage.

THE word from the Plish riders here in NZ before leaving today was that all the first round meetings have been postponed. True?

MY first impression was that as the 2012 title chase went to the pen-ultimate race why change it but I can see that, in theory, it should keep the competition even tighter. Time will tell, don't think it is a big deal really.

NO double points this year.

YES, no double points in the final this year.

IF only it was that easy. It just isn't. It takes time for the moisture to do its job but with the heat of the sun here water evaporates very quickly. People do try their best but it isn't an exact science. Of course the racing line at other tracks is similar. I am just saying that here, and at many other tracks, it compounds what is already an unlevel playing field.

INCIDENTALLY, the theory about why the inside gates were so better, despite some extensive work before the start, is that the track is angled quite sharply from the outside to the inside. Water on the track, and there was quite heavy overnight rain, naturally seeps down to the lowest point (gate 1) and away from the highest (gate 4). And, of course, the racing line down the home straight took the riders over the outside gates, packing down the surface still further. Maybe one day someone will come up with an artificial, retractable, starting grid that would be the same from 1 to 4.

THAT'S a very good point, as proved by Zagar late on. All these 15 regular guys can not only win a race but are more than capable of holding their position. From my viewing point I didn't think it quite had the atmosphere of last year and there is no doubt that speedway is better under lights or a roof. Just a shame they couldn't start later, around 7pm, but noise restrictions prevent that. Buckley thinks he lost about 2,000 spectators to another motorcycle event fairly close by and there is no doubt that viewing problems with the grandstand last year, although eradicated this, hit ticket sales in that area. Even alongside the cricket the SGP received excellent local media coverage and even this afternoon Hancock, Holder and I are on a radio chat show with Kiwi legend Murray Deaker. SKY had their own commentary team (Pearson and Tatum) at Cardiff last year while Fletcher and Staechmann provided the world feed, as they did for the SWC. Sky took the world feed (Pearson and Tatum or Staechmann) at all other events after the NZ opener.

BUMPED into Peter Baker in Auckland today. He used to supply Aussie news to the Mail I believe.

HAD breakfast with Tai yesterday. Seems very focused and very honest about how he didn't come to grips with what is required when last in the series. Everything he has done since arriving here has been very professional.

NOTHING to do with rights, they don't exist as far as race grid is concerned. It was, I believe, an editorial decision and probably influenced by limited space even in a 128-page edition. Will discuss with Richard Clark when I get back. I have often wondered whether it was something people wanted or not, especially since the actual draw isn't made until after we go to press and so cannot include riders' names in their racing order. Looks like you do.

THANKS for all the nice comments. Haven't seen it yet, hoping one will arrive here in Auckland before I leave on Tuesday. Timing? Had the NZ GP been next week we would have published then but 128 pages is our max and wouldn't have had room for proper Auckland coverage. But it doesn't really date like a normal issue and hopefully will keep selling over Easter.

DON'T make too many early judgements. The pictures and commentary will be as you would have seen and heard on Sky. But, whereas Sky would go back to the studio during grading breaks, for example, ES don't have that option as yet. The World feed commentators actually continue talking almost throughout the event and it is up to the various TV stations to cut in and out when they choose, depending what they have back home ... adverts, studio, etc.

THINK Tai will have a good SGP season. Been wrong before, will be again but perhaps not this time.

SADLY he won't be there...

EVERYONE here now. Just seen Chris Holder in the hotel lobby ... this time last year he was neither a dad or World Champion. What a difference a year makes. He's 'stocked' as always and ready to start the defence of his crown. However, first task is to take part in the traditional Maori welcome at Western Springs on Thursday morning.

NO but several people including Tony Briggs were telling us about it. Arrived in New Zealand (Auckland) for a holiday and to visit the Ross family in Christchurch (Larry's wife is my wife's sister) in 2011 on the day the big one hit there. Might be getting the blame soon! Everyone seems very happy with set-up at Western Springs. Holder in from Oz today, big arrivals from Europe at Auckland international around 13.00 local time.