PHILIPRISING

IF all goes well and according to plan the 2013 Speedway World Cup Final will be at the new Belle Vue stadium ...

THE FIM, not BSI, are trying to determine whether it infringes upon European law, restraint of trade and all that. In Speedway Star this week we have details of a new FIM body which will be actively involved in such matters.

SPOKE to Larry Ross today ... but then again he is my brother-in-law!

FULL calendar announced tomorrow at 8am ...

NO ... I was there in March but they will put in additional grandstands and it will be more than adequate. Track is a great shape with some banking and if the surface is good the racing will be terrific.

OFFICIAL announcement 8am tomorrow along with the 2012 SGP calendar.

OFFICIAL announcement 8am tomorrow along with the 2012 SGP calendar.

I DON"T think it is an indictment of the SGP rather the lack of properly organised and co-ordinated youth policies arose the speedway nations and especially in the UK. But there is light at the end of the tunnel (though sadly not for Britain unless Woffinden, who has the talent, comes of age) with Janowski, the Pawlicki brothers, Vaculik, Jonasson and a batch of kids in Denmark and Australia. Possibly Russia as well. Racing speedway is still an attractive proposition for many as long as the Polish clubs keep trumping up the cash. However, looks very much as though Hancock will be the last of the US dynasty.

100 per cent wrong ...

THERE is unquestionably a paucity of candidates for GP wild cards other than those who participated this year... Pedersen, Harris and Pedersen. If (as expected) Ward declines on the basis that his off-track organisation is not ready and because of the money being waved in front of him by Torun (as a non GP rider if that proposed rule remains) the 2012 line-up will be sadly lacking in new faces. There does appear to be a promising crop of new talent coming through: Janowski, the Pawlicki brothers, Vaculik, young Swedes and Danes and a few Aussies as well. But none are ripe for picking at this stage and that is creating a dilemma. The three who qualified through the Challenge are not going to put hundreds of bums on seats either, which makes Ward's likely decision so disappointing. Not only he is an exceptional young rider, he is pure box office. The situation could have been far worse had the likes of Crump, Gollob and Hancock decided to hang up their leathers. Thankfully that isn't the case and all three will start next year with realistic hopes of attaining the top spot. There have been signs that Nicki Pedersen is on the verge of moving back into contention and both Jonsson, Hampel and a fit Sayfutdinov will be genuine contenders. But the likes of Bjerre and Holder need to step in the gas.

NEED to correct one point from above: FIL receive more income from speedway than any other discipline BAR ONE ... Apologies

YOU raise some valid points but I am afraid you do come across as a Little Englander on some issues. Several tracks, including the Marketa in Prague and Malilla, have seen significant improvements on the back of the SGP series. Money gleaned by SVEMO is invested back in Sweden. And GP dates have very little affect on riders in Poland or Sweden. Unfortunately, for us, it is the UK that has issues, not least because its national body (ACU) affiliated to the FIM is so divorced from the body (BSPA) that runs domestic speedway. If the British clubs are not benefitting from the Cardiff event then that is largely their own fault. British tracks have fixture clashes because (a) the days of the week on which some operate and ( the fact that by and large they run every week, which doesn't happen in either Sweden or Poland. The FIM receive more income from speedway than any other discipline and how that money is used is a whole different ball game. I do agree that riders make their living in national competitions but several have lucrative sponsorship deals on the back of the extensive TV coverage they enjoy in 11 (and now 12) GP events each year. And, yet again, those sort of deals are ugh more difficult to acquire in the UK where speedway has such a low commercial profile.

PRESUME you are not talking about GP riders or fans at GP events? Both very well catered for.

THERE was a meeting between BSI/IMG ad the FIM this morning. Calendar should be out later this week, wild cards probably next. Picks have to be officially ratified and riders consulted. Situation in Poland with (at present) the one GP rider per club rule could still muddy the waters, especially at champions Zielona Gora who are not happy with the change.

BILL Buckley is the only man in New Zealand capable of promoting a GP ... Western Springs is the only viable and suitable venue ... not available until the conclusion of their car season in March. Also ... not practical or reasonable to awake riders from their winter slumbers and expect them to fly halfway round the world, compete in a GP, and their continue their break... would also be too big a gap between the opening round and the second. Swedish, Polish and British leagues were consulted... riders will leave Europe on Sunday, March 25th and be back on the morning of Tuesday, April 3rd, bikes and all equipment 48 hours later. How many British teams will that seriously disrupted for one week?

POLISH league has agreed not to start until Easter Monday (April 9th) ... riders will be back preceding Tuesday, bikes on the Thursday.

YES and also because the organisers didn't really want a gap longer than a month (at the most) between the first and second rounds.

SWEDISH league won't have started, riders will be back for opening round in Poland. Holder (as an example) would only miss one Wednesday at Poole. Western Springs isn't available until end of March.

IT will start at 4pm local time ... dictated by restrictions at Western Springs

SOME dates still being shuffled but anticipate some more confirmations shortly.

IT is but that doesn't affect the existing track which will resume its normal activities during the summer

THERE is a track at Western Springs but Buckley runs his cars there until early March and the surface, mostly clay, isn't suitable for speedway. A new track surface will be laid for the GP but at the moment there are one or two noise issues to be resolved before it gets the green light. On amber right now...

Earthquake in Christchurch last February and countless aftershocks since... reason why England rugby team isn't based there. Birthplace of Briggs, Mardon, Mauger, Ross and adopted home of Moore is still devastated by the destruction caused.