SCB

Louis and Smith never once needed a wildcard. In fact they brought in wildcards to force Smith out!!

A really powerful article. Makes you realise what riders families go though quite often. And Garry, if you're reading this, you're not forgotten by the fans.

Greg Hancock. Too sickly and I'm constantly told I should move him! Everyone does apparently. Adam Shields - forget him making an effort if he wasn't in the mood. Another everyone apparently loved. Peter Carr - no reason. I guess as a kid I must have warched him beat Craig Watson. Nicki Pedersen is probably the only rider to have successfully left my disliked list. I still boo him though, great panto villain!

Ben had a big smash at Arena Essex riding for Newport in 2000 and broke his arm in something like 16 places. To me thats not a break but shattered. Amazingly he made a comeback in 2002 for Newport and score 14 from 5 on his return and made the gate 5 times (was passed by Phil Morris on the last bend of his first ride back), amazing as I don't think he made 5 gates in the rest of his career combined! The week after he smashed into the fence against Swindon and did his leg. He did make another come back the following year at Mildenhall in the NL before drifting away. No doubt in my mind he was the fastest rider I have ever seen over 3.5 laps at PL level but sadly he was outgated by NL riders and would stuggle to pass 3 other riders most of the time. He could catch anyone though. Totally disagree. Rickardsson gated 95% of the time so didnt get to show he could pass but he could. One of the earlier one off GPs, TRick gated in 1st, lifted on the dodgy track on bend 2 and ended up last. He managed to battle his way back into 1st on a track that had no passing over than that heat. Sadly I cant find it on youtube. He was helped a lot. While TRick was at his peak the GP format meant the top 8 in the last GP only needed 4 ride to win a GP but the rest needed 6. Also, the top 4 form the last GP got the inside gates so were likely to have better start positions and the winners of heats got the inside gates meaning it was harder to break into the top of the GP standings.

So you cannot apply for a Visa for 12 months after it runs out. So how the hell can Jason get a Tier 5? His Tier 2 run out, he has to wait 12 months even if he fit the criteria.

Interestingly you refer to him as Greg Hancock. Weird that as I thought he was now "#45".

I've not said have no numbers. But don't tell us it's for marketing when it's not. It's a complete irrelevance. They make no difference.

Or he might just be a stop gap while they wait for Stefan Nielsen. Having the name surname it'll make them easy to swap

Basically, it's a professional sports thats so professional that while on average each team signs one work permit rider each they don't all know what is needed to sign a work permit rider. Amazing.

I work in IT. Mainly with databases. Everyone to me is a number (or an ID). Be that an NI number or a LearnerRef. I don't do names. But I like "Chris Harris", "Chris Harris" is my rider, "Chris Harris" is the brand. I saw "Chris Harris" riding at a Newport training school back in about 98 and a few weeks later saw him ride for St Austell, he was called, "Chris Harris". I then saw "Chris Harris" win his first professional race at Newport in March 1999. I liked "Chris Harris". I then moved to Coventry in 2003 and someone with the name "Chris Harris" signed for the Bees in 2004. Amazing, this rider I liked by the name of "Chris Harris" was riding for my now local club. Then in 2007 "Chris Harris" was in the GPs, amazing stuff, I went to a few GPs and supported "Chris Harris" and I watched every GP on tele and supported "Chris Harris". You see, "Chris Harris" is who I like, the brand is "Chris Harris". Because "Chris Harris" rode the training school, for St Austell, for Exeter, for Coventry and in the GPs. Yet you're now telling me that when he makes it to the GPs and becomes "#37" he is a marketable brand? Fine. I look forward to supporting "#37" when he comes to tapes for Coventry. What? He'll have "#3" on his back and his bikes? WOAH! I'm confused now. And he'll have "#6" on his bike in the Swedish league? and "#2" in Poland? Oh FFS. I give up. I liked "#2 last week" but now he's someone else. You market the rider, not the number.

Which bit? 20 Aussies wanting to ride? 5 failing? Seems about right to me so far.

Apparently he's waiting for his bird to get home from the pub to tell him his opinion

Well its not using cookies as it tells me, "Thank you, we have already counted your vote." when I try voting. Making the whole thing pointless.

And if all else fails anyone can signed Czechs these days

Love you too xx

Are there really any haters left? I thought he converted all the sceptics last year.

So let me get this right. The numbers are so riders can sell merchandise without it becoming outdated? So why not just make merchandise without a number on? My 2007 Chris Harris shirt doesn't have a number on it. Or my Scott Nicholls shirt. How the hell will non-GP riders sell merchandise without a number? All all a load of bollocks that will not make one iota of difference, those definding it are a fecking mad as those slagging it off.

Are you kidding? They are making your buy a magazine to read an article? Well I dont know what to say. FFS. I thought I liked to moan!

Sam does have a brother called Corey!!

A couple of sub 5 pointers? Ah well, shame. Maybe a couple of Brits may get a job now.

No to all the above

no

After his kevlars a couple of season ago I'll be upset if AJ is not #95

#9 no no no no No #4 no

no no #9 no no