f-s-p

I spoke with Aarni Heikkilä's parents yesterday and they said Aarni has started healing and will be back next year. Damage to his back wasn't as bad as thought after the crash. It wasn't all good news form this couple, since they said that a week after the Heikkilä incident Janne Nyman crashed at the same track a badly damaged his wrist and hand. Several broke bones and the surgery to make things better wasn't a 100% success. EDIT: Both Nyman and Heikkilä were in the pits yesterday at Lahti. I guess the hits they took werent that hard since they remembered well how they happened. But both are out for the season and will comeback next year. Heikkiläs incident happened in the same meeting where Kylmäkorpi hurt his elbow and Nyman crashed in a practise session. Juha Moksunen was there helping the youngsters and Nyman's father said that the riders were told very clearly what to do and how to ride the track resulting in much faster racing speed as the day went on.

Rene Lehtinen won the Finnish long track championship of 2007 before Mikko Rahko and Markus Helin. Final was from the tapes but distances were in metres, not hundreds of metres. Kröger won all his heats but had to leave to catch the plane to UK for the EC final somewhere so missed the A-final. Mikko Rahko challenged him well in one heat! Lead for 2,5 laps... The meeting dragged a bit, mainly thanks to Anssi Lehtinen who never made it further than the first bend. On his third outing the crash was bad enough for him to be carried out in an ambulance. Matthias Kröger 5555 20 Mikko Rahko 5545 19 Janne Koivula 5345 17 Raimo Juntunen 4553 17 Rene Lehtinen 4454 17 Ilmo Suutari N444 12 Markus Helin 4332 12 Tommi Ahlgren 3432 12 Tapio Leppämäki d324 9 Jan-Eric Korkeamäki 3123 9 Tomi Kauppi 3212 8 Joel Nyström 2131 7 Markku Weckman 2221 7 Simo Pulli 2d13 6 Jonne Perälä 1211 5 Anssi Lehtinen dddN 0 C-finaali: Pulli, Kauppi, Weckman, Nyström, Perälä, Lehtinen N B-finaali: Helin, Suutari, Ahlgren, Korkeamäki, Leppämäki, Pulli A-finaali: Lehtinen, Rahko, Helin, Juntunen, Koivula, Kröger N Did anyone watch it online? Feedback would be appreciated!!!

Interesting... Last year they had problems with the rain and packed it to concrete. Matti Pöysä from Finland is the second in command at Daugavpils for the GP.

After an interesting week of weather forecasting, everything looked good yesterday.

I'd say plenty but it's wiser to shut up. Thanks for the info. Depending what goggles I'll wear I'll understand each party. EDIT: Just read the topic at inspeed. Talk about stealing news!!! The thing is there is no "promoter". The club at Pori has paid our federation to get the chance to organize the Finnish final. In these kind of meetings starting money is unheard of to the best of my knowledge. Just ask KPG if he got paid by the organizer last year? Or is this just the case of " if he gets, I must get too". BUT, we've had all the best here this season so I think it's nice that Pori tries to add to the pile and trying to get Kröger over here. But like I said above, depending on the goggles... I know the people at Pori personally and have nothing bad to say about them.

OK, havent seen it yet but had to comment . In my book to do good in a GP two points just isn't enough though...

20X00 = good?

I've only been to two Elitserien matches so my opinion might not be 100% based on reality. But there's much more team riding in Sweden than in the UK (I've seen maybe 10 UK matches live, 50 on video). So to dive like that under your teamm8 in heat one when the score is 3-3... It made my rider friend question the motive for sure.

Sullivan blames Bjerre and cant understand why it happened. There were some heated discussions afterwards in the pits between the riders. He thinks Bjerre should grow up and apologize for what happened. Also that Bjerre's comments in the press have only made things worse. The interview ends in Sullivan saying that alltough they are weaker without Bjerre (and Kostek), the atmosphere in the pits is now better and that will help them.

Ryan Sullivan seem's to have a clear opinion about Bjerre according to todays Motala Tidning...

Here are the riders for the Finnish Long track final next saturday. This meeting will be sent live on the internet at ww.popula.tv. In no particular order: 3... Mikko Rahko VaMK 13.. Tomi Kauppi PMK 6... Tapio Leppämäki HjMK 44.. Tomi Reima HMK 4... Rene Lehtinen SeMK 10.. Markku weckman SsMK 8... Jan-Eric Korkeamäki KauhjMK 5... Markus Helin FMS 19.. Tommi Ahlgrén FMS 27.. Anssi Lehtinen VRT 11.. Ilmo Suutari HeMK 12.. Raimo Juntunen HeMK 1... Klaus-Peter Gerdeman Saksa 33.. Matthias Kröger Saksa (Finnish Champion 2007?) 2... Janne Koivula PirMM 14.. Jonne Perälä VaMK 28.. Simo Pulli KarMK 55.. Joel Nyström Sweden

No, it's not that time yet! You two dont even have winter and we still have temp's over +20 C over here and speedway season in full swing! Finland has a provisional date for a qualifier, but I dont know what happens with it. Oulu has the Finnish final to stage from last season and Kuusankoski had it last time (but I think they are the only one's who could do it). Seinäjoki has some plans to have a meeting on a speed skating track but thats only hearsay. I guess I'll know more in a month...

Extraliiga today at Kuusankoski Keittiöpiste 46 Tero Aarnio 33333 15 Teemu Lahti 3d2d 5 Juha Mäkelä 3323 11 Juha Hautamäki 33333 15 Kotkat 30 Benny Johansson 23322 12 Mikko Koskinen 00 0 Petteri Koivunen 0212 5 Joni Keskinen 12134^20 13 Paholaiset 25 Petri Koskela R01 1 Alexander Edberg 21200 5 Marko Suojanen 2221 7 Jari Mäkinen 2212^32 12 Haukat 9 Markku Weckman 1001 2 Kalle Kivistö 11001 3 Joni Kitala 1100^11 4 Niko Siltaniemi 0F 0 Erä erältä: 1. Aarnio, Johansson, Weckman, Koskela R 62,6 2. Lahti, Edberg, Kivistö, Koskinen 62,2 3. Mäkelä, Suojanen, Kitala, Koivunen 64,3 4. Hautamäki, Mäkinen, Keskinen, Siltaniemi 61,2* 5. Hautamäki, Koivunen, Kivistö, Koskela 62,1 6. Johansson, Suojanen, Siltaniemi F, Lahti d 63,4 7. Aarnio, Mäkinen, Kitala, Koskinen 62,9 8. Mäkelä, Keskinen, Edberg, Weckman 64,7 9. Aarnio, Edberg, Koivunen 62,4 10. Hautamäki, Suojanen, Keskinen, Weckman 63,2 11. Keskinen, Lahti, Koskela, Kitala 64,5 12. Johansson, Mäkelä, Mäkinen, Kivistö 64,6 13. Mäkelä, Keskinen^, Mäkinen^, Kitala^ 65,0 14. Hautamäki, Johansson, Kitala, Edberg 63,3 15. Aarnio, Keskinen, Suojanen, Kivistö 63,0 16. Mäkinen, Koivunen, Weckman, Lahti d 65,9 17. Aarnio, Johansson, Kivistö, Edberg 63,0 18. Hautamäki, Mäkinen, Kitala, Keskinen 64,4 * = New track record Keittiöpiste is the Finnish Extraliiga Champion of 2007 Keittiöpiste...8 - 349 - 39 Kotkat.........7 - 247 - 29 Kopparberg..7 - 251 - 27 Paholaiset....8 - 222 - 26 Jokerit.........7 - 82 - 15 Haukat.........7 - 78 - 17

Two rounds to go. Kuusankoski tomorrow and Lahti a week from now. Keittiöpiste.............7 - 303 - 34 Kopparberg............7 - 247 - 27 Kotkat....................6 - 221 - 25 Paholaiset..............7 - 197 - 23 Jokerit...................7 - 82 - 15 Haukat...................6 - 69 - 15 I havent been praising Mäkinen without proof either. There are only two finnish riders he hasnt won (=beat, trash, make look silly/slow/whatever ) and that Kauko Nieminen and Kaj Laukkanen. He hasn't even raced against Nemo this season. The toughness that I was waiting from him has come, just ask Benny Johansson who had to hit the deck yesterday when Jari pushed him wide in turn 3-4. It wasn't even ugly, there was plenty of space between them but Johansson just didn't want to shut the throttle. Jari's gating can still improve but he outgated the Finnish champ yesterday twice and was even able to hold him back once. He looks good too and never gives up. Jari at Pori: LOOK HERE leading, naturally!

Extraliiga today at Pori. Keittiöpiste is the likely champion. Only way for them to mess things up is to finish last next sunday. Even that might not be good enough. Keittiöpiste 43 Tero Aarnio 2132 8 Juha Mäkelä 3213 9 Andreas Messing 32322 12 Juha Hautamäki 33332 14 Paholaiset 25 Petri Koskela 01111 4 Marko Suojanen 2 2 Alexander Edberg 2101 4 Jari Mäkinen 036^21d3 15 Kotkat 21+3 Joni Keskinen 11220 6 Mikko Koskinen 10 1 Petteri Koivunen 1000 1 Benny Johansson 230^233d 13+3 Kopparberg 21+2 Jyri Palomäki 32T0^1F 6 Timo Villanen d012 3 Tero Villanen 001 1 Tomi Reima 1223R3 11+2 Erä erältä: 1. Palomäki, Aarnio, Keskinen, Koskela 68,54 2. Mäkelä, Suojanen, Koskinen, Villanen d 69,43 3. Messing, Edberg, Koivunen, Te.Villanen 66,58 4. Hautamäki, Johansson, Reima, Mäkinen 66,84 5. Mäkinen, Messing, Keskinen, Villanen 68,61 6. Mäkinen^, Reima, Aarnio, Koivunen 67,89 7. Johansson, Mäkelä, Edberg, Te.Villanen 66,56 8. Hautamäki, Palomäki, Edberg, Koskinen 67,28 9. Messing, Reima, Koskela, Johansson^ 67,42 10. Reima, Mäkinen, Mäkelä, Koivunen 66,30 11. Hautamäki, Keskinen, Te.Villanen 66,62 12. Aarnio, Johansson, Villanen, Edberg 67,25 13. Mäkelä, Keskinen, Eddberg, Reima 66,32 14. Johansson, Aarnio, Mäkinen, Palomäki^ 65,53 15. Hautamäki, Villanen, Koskela, Koivunen 65,33 16. Johansson, Messing, Palomäki, Mäkinen 66,68 17. Reima, Messing, Koskela, Keskinen 65,37 18. Mäkinen, Hautamäki, Palomäki F, Johansson d 65,58 Uusinta: Johansson, Reima 67,31 I'll get back to you later GW. I'll do a final report of the season in a few weeks. We have Jari Mäkinen. WOW! You should have seen him today!

Thanks for starting this topic... One more "danedanger" to the list?

Remaining Finnish fixtures: August 17th Extraliiga at Pori 18th Seinäjoki Speedway postponed 19th Extraliiga at Kuusankoski 25th Longtrack Finnish final LIVE ON THE INTERNET starting 18.00 our time. www.popula.tv 27th Extraliiga at Lahti October 1st Kaupunki Cup at Pori 2nd Kaupunki Cup final at Haapajärvi ??th Seinäjoki Speedway + 80 cc team final Joonas Kylmäkorpi broke his shoulder at Lahti also. He's probably out for the season. Nothing much else to report. The KC meeting that was supposed to be ridden after EL at Lahti has now been scrapped alltogether.

The thing is that Indianerna and Kaparna have a meeting in a week or two. I bet they have the best team they can get together for that. There's was a story in the Swedish press this week saying that there's no money for TKP to advance unless new sponsors are found. And what would be the point in Indianerna and TKP to be in the same league? I guess the only certain thing at this moment is the relegation of Team Bikab?

For all I've heard, I cant see mr Rander throwing in the towel... Even now. But if he has to, it's been an eventfull last five years for sure As I followed yesterdays scores it did made me smile that they had only 5 out of the 8 riders. This will make things interesting, since Indianerna will now survive in Elitserien? Meaning TKP will step up if they find the money? Filbyterna will stay in the 1st division alltough they REALLY want to step up?

From what I've seen he pretty quick (if he stays on) and havent seen too many R-marks on his scoresheets. So I'd say it is doing him good.

The fence at Lahti is a nightmare. Wooden sheets and the pilars are 4 by 4 inch wood. They would probably stop a tractor if necessary. It was raining and the track was very slick. I was told his backwheel hit the fence, bike lifted and then Aarni was flying. Other source questioned the fact if he hit the fence or not.

Aarni Heikkilä has some broken bones in his hand and has fractured some bones in his back. He will be out for 8 weeks. This all unofficial alltough from a reliable source.

Extraliiga meeting at Lahti was stopped today after heat 8. In that heat Aarni Heikkilä hit the fence pretty hard back wheel first. When landing after some somersaults he hurt his neck quite badly and broke his wrist also. More information later. Haukat was in the lead at this point. Main reason for stopping the meeting was the rain. For the same reason the Kaupunki Cup meeting was cancelled all together. Pretty bad luck for the travelling british fans (that I've heard of), flying over to watch meetings rain off

Longtrack yesterday at Forssa: 1. Gerd Riss 2. Joonas Kylmäkorpi 3. Bernd Diener (won the B-final) 4. Matthias Kröger 5. Rene Lehtinen 6. Mikko Rahko I was only there for the first heats. Been told it was a success in every way. Good racing on a good track with 1500 people watching.

from FIM ----- Speedway World Cup Defamatory allegations after the Final in Leszno On the occasion of the Speedway World Cup final held in Leszno, Poland on July 21 last, the team manager of the Danish team Jan Staechmann was quoted in an interview, reported by the Danish press, to have made defamatory allegations against the FIM, the Polish Team and some officials responsible for the event and suggesting that cheating had taken place during the running of the event. It is worth recalling that less than a year ago, following the 2006 Speedway World Cup, a Danish rider was sanctioned by the FIM and his team manager Jan Staechmann was given a warning for not acting in order to stop the incident. On August 7, the Danish Motorcycle Federation (DMU) decided to seriously warn Mr. Staechmann even though he had partly retracted and distanced himself from his earlier statements. The FIM, for its part, reserves the right to take legal action against Mr. Staechmann and requests from all parties involved in the sport that they behave in conformity with the rules of the FIM and of Fair Play. -----