TheReturn

I appreciate some people on here are stupid, but writing off King is pretty disrespectful. How many thought Lambert would beat the World Champion? Not me! Unless there is someone considered a track specialist, and guaranteed to score lots more (which to my knowledge there isn't), lets give the same four the chance to prove people right/wrong. Chances are Poland are going to be streets ahead of everyone else, but this is speedway, anything could happen.

Great racing, great effort from Team GB all racing hard, so no complaints at all. In theory that four could be our team for several seasons, which bodes well. I don't buy into Rosco choosing wrong, just bad first turns cost us in those last few heats. Only spoiled by that demented fool commentating and calling the scores after each first turn.

I don't see the problem declaring a fifth reserve rider? They can be used any time, any reason by a manager but just once per block of four rides. Down to the manager then to use tacticall then.

The BSPA normally ask themselves 'what is a stupid and farcical idea for British Speedway?' then they implement it!

Was the reserve rider removed because of a team 'using' the rules for a joker ride a few years ago? I seem to think both Aussies and Poles did it (I may be wrong). Can anyone clarify? They just need to ditch the joker and allow a reserve rider take up to four rides.

Some good close racing. SGP take note, good tracks can provide good racing. Temp poxy tracks rarely do.

I was thinking the same, why deliberately drop six to possibly gain six.

Finally, someone saying what many have been thinking for a long time.

If that was deliberate that is more reason to kill the joker for good.

If over pronunciation of his P's is top form then yeah, Pearson is. (I wonder if he learned that from the episode of Friends where Joey was taught to spit with his P pronunciation).

Entire World Cup is a farce. Should be bi-annual to keep it special Hosts should not be ceded through to the final. Teams should have a reserve able to take up to four rides.

Nah, free advertising for him to put himself in the shop window.

Very good points, I think Middlo said the right things when asked about Ward in the interview last night, I assumed Middlo being his team manager would be advising Ward, then again if Middlo is advising Ward it explains everything lol How ironic.

Loud enough to come across through the TV though and it was not just once, it always seemed to happen a lot when Sky are at Poole.

Makes a change from them cheering when an opposition rider falls off, something they did a lot when on Sky last season. I think that says more about you than Kelvin. I don't think Kelvin was trying to stifle a laugh. I respect anyone (male or female) for giving anything a go, fair play to them whatever their ability. After all, it's easy to sit behind a keyboard and be critical, takes guts to get up and give it a go.

As I posted the other day I was looking forward to seeing him race again, but the interview last night was quite a eye opener (it should not have been). I don't expect Ward to be the sharpest tool in the box but surely his advisors have told him to express some kind of apologetic approach whenever interviewed.

Depends how you look at it, Harris worked damn hard, so deserved the points/money after Bjarre screwed the team up earlier in the night.

There is someone shouting like a demented fool, and for once it is not Pearson, some loud mouth Poole fan seeking attention no doubt... Shovlar, Starman? Depends what happened in that hotel room.

Not rubbish at all. It's just that you don't agree with my thoughts, so have dismissed them to be rubbish which of course is your right.

Technically, they refused to ride before it was abandoned so they should be fined, if the opposition were happy to ride. Although on the assumption they were instructed not to ride by Havelock I would have fined the manager, not the riders.

But had Coventry been leading at heat 9, I do not for one minute think he would have been so vociferous. I get the impression on TV that he was pushing for a postponement for points over safety.

I thought Havelock came out badly last night, far more than any officials.

To be fair it is not just speedway, in other sports they often call results without full play. Personally I think heat 12 is a more realistic 'end point' for a result, I thought it always used to be heat 12 in the past or maybe I am making that up (I am getting old). I guess the only other and fair way to decide when to call a meeting is if rain is threatening to end a meeting early, it can only be called a result at the point where the other team can no longer mathematically (using 5-1's) not take (win) points, be that somehow heat 10 or up to heat 14 etc. Otherwise it is everyone back for a re-run meeting.

This is a fascinating thread (for a non technical person). Going back through history, does anybody know who the first rider to ride a lay down engine in a competitive meeting?

Thank you Philip. It will be interesting to see how he is riding after a long period off when his peers have a few months competitive racing under their belts.