Grand Central

We really have gone down a long way in just one short month, haven't we? I have no idea of the details of contracts but ... We must have seen the last ever Finnish Grand Prix last night. No one could seriously consider taking us back to Tampere and there really does not look like any viable alternative. And equally, with what happened in Warsaw. An SGP return to the Polish capital would be difficult to imagine, For all sorts of reasons. After screwing up Germany with Gelsenkirchen, ending the use of fine old Ullevi, the Riga debacle of last year and milking dry New Zealand for the future. BSI are leaving behind quite a few no-go areas, aren't they? Cardiff, Horsens and Melbourne really have to be perfect.

I am 6 ft 2, with an IQ of 210, drive an Aston Martin and have a net worth of £5.8 Million. This may or may not be true. But would it be more believable if I announced it to group of journalists. And kept a straight face.

Yes, about 2000 under.

Two 'dead' GPs down. Seven days to the Marketa. And cadaver number 3. Then just a month to prepare for Cardiff. The long term future of the SGP is in Ole's hands. I hope the 'pyramids of shale' work their magic. .

Are these new rules for the SGP? Or is it the method agreed to placate the riders? If Greg falls we relay the track. And remember NP is in the next race. So Red Alert ! Action needed ! Extraordinary way of running a World Championship.

So annoying to see the riders jumping in front of the cameras to push their brand. Whilst grinning and laughing about the state of the track. Just four weeks ago they clubbed together to get the meeting called off on a better track. And took a vow of silence. The integrity of polecats. Some people.

Thanks for that. You are quite right. None of them have the apparently essential banks of unused red plastic seats. A few of the tracks looked quite good, though. But it would be silly to consider that in discussing 'suitability'.

For what purpose? It seems a little indulgent for this few people. Or are empty seats an FIM requirement? A small temporary one would surely be more than sufficient.

What capability would they lack, that this place has?

You have to laugh. His defenders are deluded enough to claim he only lied about JUST ONE thing. But even then ... They agree that the lie was about how much he drank ! So, something faiirly central to the whole matter ! Eh? Un-bloody-believable. .

. Indeed he must. And how many of those who went on to defend him over the months since. Saw it, heard it. and condoned it. On the night and over that weekend. And still silently, or vocally, on social media or in print Have canvassed for his acquittal or leniency. Whilst having that knowledge all along. Quite shameful. .

Wasn't it this little 'tweeter of joy' that said something similar ahead of Warsaw. And then apparently/allegedly quite vocal behind the scenes on April 18? Nice guy. Mind you my expectations are now quite low of this chap. Tweeting the world supporting DW on the eve of the tribunal. And now we know the REAL truth. Really nice guy.

Mind You. I bet quite a few people, such as Muddlo, never expected the FIM to have produced such a detailed 17 page document. With the lies laid bare for all to see.

Full judgement here http://www.fim-live.com/en/library/download/53973/download/Library/no_cache/1/ A very interesting read. It confirms much of what we had thought all along. That Darcy had no complaints at all about the process in Latvia at the time. He knew full well that he had too much to drink the night before, and despite being surprised that he failed the tests the following day, he never really thought that anything was amiss with the procedure. That is why he openly admitted to his drinking. All the nonsense about testing procedures came up later when his lawyers tried to use every loophole possible to 'get him off', despite the guy being fully aware of his own guilt in the fact of the matter. And it was the Ward side (once the lawyers came in) questioning of everything - no matter how irrelevant - along the way that caused all the delays. The judgements and procedures of the FIM seem to be of a quite exemplary standard and have afforded Ward true Justice. In addition the sentence passed was equally fastidiously considered and even the matter of expunging results is clearly right and proper. I do hope that those so willing to take the FIM to task will offer their apologies. Thankfully something in World Speedway seems to deserve our real respect. At last. Thank you for your excellent work Mr Nilsson. .

Surely, they don't come out of that money either. I imagine it is the local promoters who foot the bill for their stay.

Great news that it has been improved. It is just a little sad, about the (mis) information that emanates from SGP-land. You have been passing the information you were getting from the organisers. That this was, for various reasons, just not possible. It's seems one thing for the PR machine to screw up damage limitation. Quite another for them to screw up positive news equally badly.

Yes it always makes me smile when Philip does his rewrite of history. Again and again. Going back in his time capsule. I just wonder where BSI would have staged the 1997 British GP, for instance. Or how 'John P the Great' would have found better venues in the 1990s in other countries? Even today they cannot do better than the Marketa in Prague, simply because there isn't an alternative built yet. Well it was the same everywhere else back then.

Two effs ! That just shows that with the help of modern pharmaceuticals the porn stars of today can out 'perform' the boys of the past.

I think someone rather mockingly said that he looked as if he COULD have been a seventies porn star. Just the hair and moustache were the giveaway signs. Surely the Private Shops in Byker or Boldon used to stock that 'sort' of Mag. Back in the day.

What an awful thread. How strange for someone to start a thread that seems be just about making themselves look horrid, to the widest audience possible.

'Didn't bother to turn up' is nothing like the story. Berwick were well aware that the Aces were not coming that night. That was during the time when Berwick were becoming renowned for issuing rather rubberised cheques. If any at all. Home riders, including Kelvin Tatum, were none too happy and John Perrin was having none of it. This would be a very good one for Tony Mac to get his teeth into. This was the British Nordic Final in 1973. Another good one to go back to, but I think Eric covered it pretty well in the Retro Book 'Booey'

Speedway Star have clearly taken the most diplomatic of routes. A minimal, almost non-existent, preview of Tampere in this weeks Star. Always best to avoid talking about the foul smell when in company. You can never be sure who has the dog-mess on their shoe. EDIT. The Warsaw jinx strikes again. Just noticed that the cover claims that the mag contains a preview of the POLISH GP ROUND 2 ! I would have thought it was bad enough first time around ! Let's hope this is not an Omen for Tampere.

Now, now Tony. You really are being a little naughty, aren't you.? Asking for recollections of the five bullet points you mention spread over a TWENTY YEAR time frame. When ALL five occurred on April 18th simultaneously. Slap on the wrist!

The Pairs is a tournament that would be best revived in the old format of qualifying rounds and a single one off final. Perhaps just over a single week, alternating with the SWC every two years. One of my favourite meetings of all time was the 1977 World Pairs Final at Hyde Road. Wonderful night.

Sod the roof. How is the Starting Gate, The Two Minutes Clock, the referee's paranoia, Graham Brodie's Walkie Talkie, the track, Paul Bellamy's excuse-bank? And most importantly Nicki Pedersen's demeanor? P!ss wet shale is fine. It's the rest of the show, and it's potential for disaster, that will kill us. .