PHILIPRISING

NOT the best start, I must admit, but hopefully;y there will be far better racing at the NSS on Tuesday and then again in Wroclaw. The worst possible scenario, of course, is that after nearly 100 races we get to the final, Joe Bloggs is excluded for a tapes offence, and the two opposition guys ride round waving to the crowd knowing they cannot be beaten.What an anti-climax that would be. No doubt there will be a comprehensive post-mortem after Wroclaw but whether the FIM revert to the SWC or continue with the SON the lack of viability for tracks staging these events, especially the qualifiers, ,remains a big issue. As far as I know the only alternative to Wroclaw this year was Belle Vue but while Polish fans, given the popularity of speedway there and their fervent national enthusiasm, might support a two-day event cannot see it working anywhere else including the UK.

IT'S a fact

IT'S drilled into them that not everyone watches from the start and many could be tuning in at any time and are not necessarily regular speedway viewers.

JUST doing their job

CURRENTLY Russia are not going to win a SWC but wouldn't be surprised if they won this one.

ASSETS are a nonsense. Unless a rider is under contract he should be free to go wherever he pleases. Works everywhere else.

NO worse than F! or rallycross. Not sure how you calculated 75 per cent however.

THEN some FIM officials like me don't know their arse from their elbow. A nonsense in my view. The onus should always be on winning a race. As Billy Bremner entitled his autobiography: You get nought for being second.

BECAUSE the winner of a race should at least have an equal division of the spoils.

I KNOW that but each race is 3/2/1/0. Bonus points only come in if there is a tie for semis. No different to a count back in the SGP. I have been told repeatedly (kept asking question) that the team taking first place in the final will be the winner. If it does prove to be the shambles some on here predict then its future will be seriously in doubt. We will know in eight days.

WHILE racing at the Marketa may not always come over as the best on TV, especially the early stages, as a package for those actually attending a SGP then personally Prague is top of my list. Great city, decent prices for alcohol and food, easy access to the stadium, etc.

YOU don't win with the minor places.

FIGURES of 500,000 a year including substantial signing-on fees, are not uncommon in Poland but of course, like golf or tennis, not everyone earns the big bucks.

NO and it's not what I am saying but riders chatter and mutter and word gets around. You have your ears to the ground. Glyn can only do so much with what he is presented with. The track needs a major overhaul, right down to the base. A top class racing circuit brings its own rewards but takes money and whether that sort of investment is seen as vital in the short term is obviously debatable at Poole. But one of those rewards is that riders are more attracted to a track that they enjoy riding. And that filters down in to all sorts of other areas.

GETTING the track right would help. Still the subject of much criticism from those who ride there.

DON'T think that is right

KNOW what you are saying but footballers can earn a top wage at one club. What about cricketers who play for all sorts of teams around the world.

COURTNEY not seen in either Warsaw or Prague. Craig lost the chance of some serious help at SGPs because Courtney's presence was supposed to be part of his deal with Rybnik.

BSI I would imagine

LAMBERT wasn't dropped. It made sense given that he is under 21 to have him at 'reserve' where he could be used as and when for either of his team-mates. AS I understand it Cook couldn't ride for seven days after withdrawing from the BV match on Monday.

LIKE that too... you are on a roll.

I HAVE an open mind and we only have to wait just over a week to know whether or not it works. What I do know is that many riders who are taking part are very excited by it, not least Messrs Laguta and Sayfutdinov. If that generates excitement on the track and entertains the fans then it could have a future.

LIKE it ...

THERE is no joker

IT is also a kick in the teeth for those fans (already many making their voices heard on social media) who bought tickets for BV on the basis of seeing Cook there.