f-s-p

Extraliga today from Pori. Only saw the first eight heat myself before heading to the Pori Jazz festival. Teemu Lahti totally humiliated Kaj Laukkanen in heat one. Paholaiset 27+3 Cesary Owizyc 30101 5 Petri Koskela 2001 3 Marko Suojanen 236^322 18 Tomi Kauppi 1T01 Haukat-Royals 18 Tomi Reima 22^2220 10 Juha Mäkelä d101 2 Joni Kitala 01212 6 Aarni Heikkilä 000 0 Keittiöpiste 27+2 Teemu Lahti 124^131 12 Toni Stenberg 1 1 Aleksey Poptsov 1203 6 Timo Lahti 23d120R 8 Kotkat 42 Kaj Laukkanen 03233 11 Joni Keskinen 32113 10 Juha Hautamäki 3333 12 Niko Siltaniemi 3132 9 Erä erältä: 1. Owizyc, Reima, Lahti, Laukkanen 69,39 2. Keskinen, Koskela, Stenberg, Mäkelä d 69,63 3. Hautamäki, Suojanen, Poptsov, Kitala 67, 56 4. Siltaniemi, T.Lahti, Kauppi, Heikkilä 68,48 5. Hautamäki, Lahti, Mäkelä, Kauppi 67,95 6. Laukkanen, Poptsov, Reima^, Koskela 66,66 7. Poptsov, Keskinen, Kitala, Owizyc 67,09 8. Suojanen, Reima, Siltaniemi, T.Lahti 68,41 9. Hautamäki, Lahti^,Owizyc, Heikkilä 67,68 10. Suojanen^, Reima, Keskinen, Poptsov 67,30 11. Siltaniemi, Kitala, Lahti, Koskela 67,84 12. Suojanen, Laukkanen, T.Lahti, Mäkelä 66,06 13. Lahti, Suojanen, Keskinen, Heikkilä 64,77 14. Laukkanen, T.Lahti, Kitala, Kauppi 63,23 15. Poptsov, Siltaniemi, Mäkelä, Owizyc 66,27 16. Hautamäki, Reima, Koskela, T.Lahti 64,27 17. Keskinen, Kitala, Owizyc, T.Lahti R 67,86 18. Laukkanen, Suojanen, Lahti, Reima 65,36 Uusinta: Suojanen, T.Lahti Katsojia 145 Kauhajoki on sunday.

I've just received info, that the Extraliiga 1/10 scheduled to Seinäjoki for sunday will be ridden at Kauhajoki. That means only one thing, the track repairs arent finished.

Isn't that plain stupid? I know this is a chicken and the egg debate, but if you lead for 3,5 laps and no-one passess you before the heat is finished, shouldn't you win?

ACU rules: 15.3.4 The following are Starting Offences; (a) failing to proceed directly to the Starting Area or otherwise delaying the start of a Heat, ( not being ready to race or deemed to be under the jurisdiction of the Start Marshal at the expiry of the 2-minute allowance, © taking up the wrong position, (d) not complying with the Start Marshal instructions, (e) by any means wrongly preventing the raising of the gate or (f) for a Competitor or Competitor’s machinery or any part of it to touch or break the tapes after the Green Starting Light has been displayed. FIM rules: 070.10.6 False start A rider/sidecar team who allows their motorcycle to move forward and touch or break one or more tapes of the starting gate after the Referee has switched on the green light must be disqualified. The heat must then be started properly.

Am I getting predictable? Bitter perhaps? Tired, yes... Another week of vacation coming up...

Ilkka who? Only time I've seen Ilkka Teromaa at a Finnish speedway track in the past four years is wearing a federation collar shirt and acting as the Jury president in an international meeting. Thats twice and I've been to about 60-75 % of the meetings. I'd say he doesn't have a clue about whats going on. It's true that the clubs are struggling, but we currently have a handfull of juniors that have come trough 80 cc and are progressing really well. Also micro speedway is making it's way to Finland. There will be more news about that during the winter. We dont have regular F1 racing in Finland either, but we do have two of the worlds top riders, dont we! One person that I did see last weekend and had a chat with was non-other than the legendary Kai Niemi himself! To put a short story even shorter he basically told me to send his best to all. Another source has led me to believe that he still is interested in the sport and has indicated that he might be interested to becoming involved again.

Timo Lahti, who has been the absolute sensation in Finnish speedway this season turns 16 today! Dont we have it good here at the moment. And before anyone asks, I hope he stays out of UK racing for atleast the next five years. In -06 we had Mäkinen, last year we had Katajisto and this year Lahti and Siltaniemi have really upped their game with Lahti starting to really challenge others at any track. Only negative thing is that I cant point a finger to the next one inline who's gonna come through. Hopefully I'll find one by going and watching a few 80 cc meetings later on this season...

And you know this from? I take it that by helping with equipment you actually mean financial backing? Because the info I got from inside the Swedish U21 team at Pori was different.

I wont comment on yesterday since I didnt see the meeting. But with Scott apparently on "top tuner"-engines on the same positions in world ranking as he was when his dad (RTN) was doing his engines a few years ago might suggest that he or his team lack the knowledge to get the very best out of the machinery on hand? They (brits) are good, no doubt. I saw Richardson at Terenzano two weeks ago and he was 2nd best on the night at a SGP-semifinal. Funny enough, the best was a Dane (Gjedde)...

Indeed. Like I wrote in another thread 15 minutes ago, you cant buy success. But so that you wouldn't feel too good about yourself the fact is that there's no point buying an engine of a world class rider unless you see him coming from a heat and go yourself and take it away from the bike. If you'd go the next day to his workshop to get the engine, they would have without a doubt have changed the cylinder head? of the engine (whatever the english word is) that is the most important part of the engine when it comes to the characteristics of it. Specially made by a top tuner it's also almost 50 % of the total cost of the engine.

Scared of getting caught themselves?

Well if they thought or knew they were illegal, they should make a protest and put an end to it. It can be done. 070.14 PROTESTS AND PENALTIES Protests and appeals are subject to the rules and proceedings provided for in the FIM Disciplinary and Arbitration Code. Any protest must be lodged immediately after the reason for the protest is known. They must be in writing and accompanied by the fee stipulated in the SR and submitted to the Clerk of the Course who in turn will submit them to the Referee. If the protest requires a measurement of the capacity of an engine which proves to be in order, then the protesting party must pay the actual labour costs for dismantling and reassembling the engine, up to a maximum of US$ 400.–.

Didn't quite understand the original question, but I didn't see the meeting either. Your point is still very valid. FIM runs world's motorcycling. ACU should NOT tamper with their rules.

You cant buy success. Even the best racing parts cant help to the title IF YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Track temperature my ar$e...

His rear chain came off on the third lap. He was way behind Lahti when it happened. Timo Lahti was on FIRE = )! Regarding Reima: It is a bit different to drive 70 km to Lahti than to fly to UK and then drive 700 km to ride for Workington when you take into account his situation with the daughter.

Extraliiga averages after three rounds. Rider.............Team...M...H...P...JP...1st...2nd...3rd...4th...Other...Avg Juha Hautamäki......Kotkat...1...4...12...0...4...0...0...0...0...12,00 Rene Lehtinen.........Kotkat...2...9...26...0...8...1...0...0...0...11,56 Kaj Laukkanen........Kotkat...1...5...13...0...3...2...0...0...0...10,40 Tomi Reima...............Haukat...1...5...12...0...3...1...1...0...0...9,60 Viktor Bergström........Haukat...1...5...12...0...3...1...1...0...0...9,60 Juha Mäkelä...............Haukat...2...9...20...0...5...2...1...1...0...8,89 Benny Johansson.......Kotkat...1...5...11...0...2...2...1...0...0...8,80 Timo Lahti................Keittiöpiste...3...21...44...0...8...9...2...2...0...8,38 Appe Mustonen..........Paholaiset...2...12...24...0...3...6...3...0...0...8,00 Marko Suojanen........Paholaiset...2...10...18...1...4...1...4...0...1...7,20 Alexander Edberg.......Paholaiset...1...4...6...0...0...2...2...0...0...6,00 Teemu Lahti.............Keittiöpiste...3...16...24...0...3...5...5...2...1...6,00 Kalle Katajisto.............Jokerit...3...18...26...3...3...7...2...3...4...5,78 Markku Autio...............Jokerit...3...14...18...0...1...5...5...3...0...5,14 Aleksey Poptsov..........Keittiöpiste...2...7...9...0...1...2...2...2...0...5,14 Aarni Heikkilä.............Haukat...2...10...12...0...1...1...7...1...0...4,80 Niko Siltaniemi............Kotkat...2...11...11...0...1...2...4...3...1...4,00 Petri Koskela...............Paholaiset...2...6...6...0...1...0...3...1...1...4,00 Jani Eerikäinen............Jokerit...3...12...10...0...0...4...2...5...1...3,33 Niklas Larsson.............Keittiöpiste...1...4...3...0...0...1...1...2...0...3,00 Joni Kitala...................Haukat...2...8...5...0...0...1...3...1...3...2,50 Sami Lahti................Keittiöpiste...1...3...1...0...0...0...1...1...1...1,33 Jan-Erik Korkeamäki....Jokerit...3...10...2...0...0...0...2...7...1...0,80 Petteri Koivunen............Kotkat...1...2...0...0...0...0...0...2...0...0,00 Toni Stenberg..............Keittiöpiste...2...5...0...0...0...0...0...4...1...0,00

Thats probably why they've invented Super Prix. I recently heard that when Trick won his first world title (one-off) he was given around 2500 as prize money. IN EUROS!! ( around 25000 in SEK at the time...) Also apparently the deal with the current amount of prize money was made for 25 years at the time. Not 100 % sure about this but the person I heard this from rode in the GP at the time. Quote from the FIM rule book. 077.10.5 Prize money The prize money is paid to the riders by the FIM, by bank transfer or cheque, after each Grand Prix meeting according to the following scale of prize money. Should a meeting be re-staged the following day or the day after that, the prize money will remain the same. (All amounts are shown in US Dollars and are net amounts)

Kaupunki Cup from Lahti yesterday. I havent got a table yet. Maybe this evening... Lahti 14 Jukka Nieminen 02121d 6 Markku Weckman R10 1 Joni Kitala 232 7 Haapajärvi 24 Niko Siltaniemi 331333 16 Petteri Koivunen 120122 8 Forssa II 11 Tommi Ahlgren 01221R 6 Ari Tuomisto 100301 5 Pori 27 Jouni Viljanen 2111 5 Appe Mustonen 33333 15 Kalle Katajisto 223 7 Forssa I 20 Aarni Heikkilä 01233 9 Timo Lahti 312R 6 Toni Stenberg 122 5 Kauhajoki 10 Jan-Eric Korkeamäki 21312 9 Olli Heikkilä 0000 0 Jere Mattila 010 1 Neva 18 Fedor Poptsov d30T3F 6 Alexey Poptsov 32322F 12 Erä erältä: 1. Siltaniemi, Kitala, Koivunen, Nieminen 66,93 2. Mustonen, Viljanen, Tuomisto, Ahlgren 66,87 3. Lahti, Korkeamäki, Stenberg, O.Heikkilä 67,94 4. Poptsov, Nieminen, Weckman R, F.Poptsov d 72,94 5. Siltaniemi, Koivunen, Ahlgren, Tuomisto 68,53 6. Mustonen, Katajisto, Lahti, Heikkilä 68,50 7. F.Poptsov, Poptsov, Korkeamäki, Mattila 69,22 8. Kitala, Ahlgren, Nieminen, Tuomisto 71,09 9. Mustonen, Katajisto, Siltaniemi, Koivunen 68,00 10. Poptsov, Lahti, Heikkilä, F.Poptsov 68,12 11. Korkeamäki, Nieminen, Weckman, O.Heikkilä 71,40 12. Siltaniemi, Heikkilä, Koivunen, Lahti R 67,91 13. Tuomisto, Ahlgren, Mattila, O.Heikkilä 77,47 14. Katajisto, Poptsov, Viljanen, F.Poptsov T 72,09 15. Heikkilä, Stenberg, Nieminen, Weckman 71,78 16. Siltaniemi, Koivunen, Korkeamäki, O.Heikkilä 67,63 17. F.Poptsov, Poptsov, Ahlgren, Tuomisto 67,09 18. Mustonen, Kitala, Viljanen, Nieminen d 70,00 19. Siltaniemi, Koivunen, F.Poptsov F, Poptsov F 69,84 20. Heikkilä, Stenberg, Tuomisto, Ahlgren R 70,59 21. Mustonen, Korkeamäki, Viljanen, Mattila 70,44

Extraliiga today from Lahti. Haukat-Royals 30 Tomi Reima 33132 12 Juha Mäkelä 3123 9 Joni Kitala 21d1 4 Aarni Heikkilä 2111 5 Keittiöpiste 33 Teemu Lahti 12321 9 Toni Stenberg 00T 0 Alexey Poptsov 3212 8 Timo Lahti 3322321 16 Kotkat 32 Kaj Laukkanen 23323 13 Rene Lehtinen 23333 14 Petteri Koivunen 00 0 Niko Siltaniemi F12110 Jokerit 13 Kalle Katajisto 02F3F2 7 Jani Eerikäinen 100 1 Markku Autio 12010 4 Jan-Eric Korkeamäki 1000 1 Heat by heat: 1. Reima, Laukkanen, Lahti, Katajisto 62,62 2. Mäkelä, Lehtinen, Eerikäinen, Stenberg 66,32 3. Poptsov, Kitala, Autio, Koivunen 67,90 4. T.Lahti, Heikkilä, Korkeamäki, Siltaniemi F 66,12 5. Laukkanen, Autio, Heikkilä, Stenberg 65,31 6. T.Lahti, Katajisto, Mäkelä, Koivunen 65,75 7. Reima, Poptsov, Siltaniemi, Eerikäinen 66,03 8. Lehtinen, Lahti, Kitala, Korkeamäki 66,90 9. Lehtinen, T.Lahti, Reima, Autio 66,40 10. Lahti, Siltaniemi, Heikkilä, Katajisto^ F 67,44 11. Laukkanen, Mäkelä, Poptsov, Korkeamäki 67,94 12. Katajisto, T.Lahti, Siltaniemi, Kitala d 66,91 13. T.Lahti, Laukkanen, Kitala, Eerikäinen 65,10 14. Lehtinen, Poptsov, Heikkilä, Katajisto 66,41 15. Reima, Lahti, Siltaniemi, Korkeamäki 65,71 16. Mäkelä, Lahti, Autio, Siltaniemi 67,46 17. Lehtinen, Katajisto, T.Lahti, Heikkilä 66,50 18. Laukkanen, Reima, Lahti, Autio 65,90 Standings after 3/12 Team - Meetings - Points - Ridden points Keittiöpiste - 3 - 12 - 81 Kotkat - 2 - 9 - 73 Haukat- Royals - 2 - 7 - 61 Paholaiset - 2 - 7 - 57 Jokerit - 3 - 7 - 56 Two rounds scheduled for next weekend.

I heard about this yesterday, I'm hoping to get there.

Really??? So even 18 year olds can ride in the Danish 80 cc league? I find this surprising but at the same time a good idea.

Teemu Lahti is the new U21 Finnish Champion! He beat his brother and Kalle Katajisto in the final after qualifying to it from his semifinal. 1st Teemu Lahti 2nd Kalle Katajisto after passing Timo Lahti on the exit of bend four on the last lap 3rd Timo Lahti 4th Evgeni Poptsov fell in the final and was excluded 5th Appe Mustonen 6th Niko Siltaniemi Timo Lahti KMMK 33333 15 Kalle Katajisto VRT 3333R 12 Teemu Lahti KMMK 23223 12 Appe Mustonen VRT 22233 12 Fedor Poptsov Venäjä 02333 11 Niko Siltaniemi HjMK 13322 11 Joni Kitala SsMK 32112 9 Markku Autio KUMaMo 31122 9 Aleksander Edberg Ruotsi 21221 8 Aarni Heikkilä FMS 12012 6 Jere Mattila KauhjMK 01211 5 Jukka Nieminen SsMK 11101 4 Ari Tuomisto FMS 00111 3 Olli Heikkilä KauhjMK 20000 2 Jonas Messing Ruotsi DNS Jens Oskarsson Ruotsi DNS Erä erältä: 1. Kitala, Edberg, Heikkilä, Mattila 66,75 2. Katajisto, Lahti, Nieminen, Tuomisto 64,69 3. T.Lahti, Mustonen, Siltaniemi, Poptsov 64,95 4. Autio, O.Heikkilä 67,91 5. Siltaniemi, Kitala, Autio, Tuomisto 65,90 6. Katajisto, Poptsov, Mattila 64,12 7. Lahti, Mustonen, Edberg, O.Heikkilä 66,19 8. T.Lahti, Heikkilä, Nieminen 66,03 9. Katajisto, Mustonen, Kitala 64,41 10. T.Lahti, Mattila, Tuomisto, O.Heikkilä 67,15 11. Siltaniemi, Edberg, Nieminen 66,22 12. Poptsov, Lahti, Autio, Heikkilä 65,03 13. T.Lahti, Lahti, Kitala 65,60 14. Mustonen, Autio, Mattila, Nieminen 66,18 15. Poptsov, Edberg, Tuomisto 64,66 16. Katajisto, Siltaniemi, Heikkilä, O.Heikkilä 64,97 17. Poptsov, Kitala, Nieminen, O.Heikkilä 65,50 18. Lahti, Siltaniemi, Mattila 66,09 19. T.Lahti, Autio, Edberg, Katajisto R 64,40 20. Mustonen, Heikkilä, Tuomisto 65,25 Semifinaali: Poptsov, Lahti, Mustonen, Siltaniemi 64,39 Finaali: Lahti, Katajisto, T.Lahti, Poptsov d 65,97

Spot on bolded and not agreeing in cursive. This ranking is based on scored points, so isn't actually reflecting their skills and ability on a bike...

So was mine, until I was told yesterday that his presence isn't 100 % sure. In fact only a mechanical failure or a lightning striking him in the final would have stopped him. Mustonen and Siltaniemi are my other too top favourites for the title. Not really sure about how Katajisto will do. I dont know if he's ever ridden at the track? Vicar, you must have looked somehow awkwardly at the lineup... Jukka Nieminen will only score the points others leave him to score. No he doesn't to my knowledge, it's an open meeting to get a full lineup. Jonas Davidsson won this a few years back... Mäkinen is still out with a broken fibula, 4 weeks to go... Dont know for sure if he was ready to lineup or not.