Hazzman

Not really any thriving market or money to be made out there. It wouldn't attract sponsors, there is no history of motorsport in the Centre and South of Africa. I also watched the programme TNT spoke about, unbelieveable some of the venues. One stadium looked to be firmly in the Jungle.

It's the most competitive line-up for years, take away Harris and add P.Karlsson, quite possibly the top 15 riders of thw world. I think you now have 5 riders who can challenge for the title: Crump, N.Pedersen, Andersen, Jonsson, Hancock. Nicholls's season will a disaster, probably end up about 13th. The likes of Holta and Jagus will have his number on the 'real' tracks. The likes of B.Pedersen and Lindback will end up like Sullivan and Richardson of previous years. Beat themselves up about poor starts of the GP season.

'And with the power of Greyskull' I present to you: The Danish Team Line-Ups so far: http://www.sportowefakty.pl/index.php?dysc...&news_id=177069

Someone who we go with doesnt like heights, we have to long way through Wales. I exggerated but I don't think it's feasible. We do what Gem's placed on the thread.

It would work against it. For starters, I would have to get ready with 17 other people at 6 am. And then would get back home between 10pm-midnight.

It has here but for the 15 that go in our minibus, only 6 persist with league speedway.

It's going to be a bend as the pictures show. They have standing in Nord Curve on the planning map. Just looked at it Block N is standing. So that means 1st/2nd bend.

http://www.worldstadiums.com/stadium_pictu...en_schalke2.jpg To the left of the screen http://www.stadiumguide.com/arenaaufschalke2.jpg7 Right of picture http://www.stadiumguide.com/arenaaufschalkeplan2.gif Stadium Plan and the 'Kurve' equals terracing, the Tribune is seating From Wikipedia ''These allow for a league capacity of 61,524 spectators (standing and seated) and an international capacity of 53,994. For league matches, the North stand is left as standing rows (capacity: 16,307) to accommodate the Schalke 04 fans, while for international matches, these are converted to seats (capacity: 8,600).''

http://www.kleincamp.de/Gifs/nrw.gif This is a map of the 'district' as you can see Dusseldorf and Koln are further away from Gelsenkirchen but I understand a lot more better to stay in. There's a few other towns also most people will recognise.

There's 5 cities/towns nearby Gelsenkirchen. Koln is the most appealing for a tourist and has the most to do. (I think it's where I'll stay if I go) and then Dortmund/Gelsenkirchen are both industrial cities which although having what you'd expect from cities. They don't have the same attractions as Koln. With the 5 cities/towns nearby I am hoping to catch a Bundesliga football game on the Sunday.

In German stadiums they have built safe terracing which can easily be switched between standing and seating. The terracing is normally behind each end or low in the corners, so it will be overlooking the bends I should think.

Danny Kings joins Ostrow.

After looking at the idea seriously, why should semi-finalists who qualify for the final get additional points? The only change should of been if you qualify for the semi-finals, if you come 3rd or 4th you get 2 and 1 point additionally. Simple, not rocket science.

Stupidity lies with more organisations than I ever thought.

I think that's the case, from my rough translations this week was decision time on a lot of licenses.

In Sweden, TV4+ provide coverage for Elitserien. I don't whether the same applies for the GPs however.

Absolutely but in the expection of Poland, I was making out that it's not necessarly the biggest sport in the country. I think Basketball and Volleyball are generally bigger sports in the country,

Speedway in Poland is only popular in certain areas, if you look at a map involving all the Polish teams. You notice the sets of teams within 150 miles of each other. Appartently, if you ask someone about Speedway in Warsaw or Krakow, they dont have a clue what you are on about.

Although not this season. Bjarne Pedersen for example is at Gdansk and the Bomber Harris at Rynbik. Liga 1 looks this year set to be more competitive and balanced than the E-Liga.

Roughly yes. The pattern basically shows if a team is at a top level, its bound to get bigger attendances. Rynbik and Czestochowa are expectations to this. Rynbik happily plied their trade in Liga I (the second tier), mid-table often but an enforced promotion because of Gdansk's money probelms and other rules stopping other teams moving/staying in the division, they were promoted this season but because of constantly losing with their weakened team, it seems to have affected them. Another probelm maybe that when in Liga 1, they had more local teams to race against, Rynbik is far south of Poland. Czestochowa just moved into a new stadium this season and had one of their best seasons finishing second. So I can not explain that pattern.

Good Luck to him, I hope it goes well. I noticed that the juniors spots being taken by foreigners has caused a storm on the Polish boards. I think the idea of having misperforming foreigns in reserve spots who take at least 2 months to get used to the atmosphere of Polish Speedway instead of young, local riders who have been born upon these tracks is getting on their nerves.

I think I might be going Gelsenkirchen by train, Eurotunnel to Koln and then train from there. Thats Bydgoszcz by Coach, Gelsenkirchen by Train, next year it's Lonigo by boat.

He's the only rider I idolise. Incredible, I know there is a few plastic Danes around and I criticise them but I have to be a plastic swede when it comes Jonsson. Watching him around the Mecca Of Speedway is simply awesome, whilst the Brits have this 'dip', although they comes in my thoughts, Jonsson is the Rider!! My brother who often dips in and out of watching Speedway loves the guy. Asked me to put on the Bydgoszcz round of the GP Series 2006 yesterday. So he could see some proper moves. I reckon the hierachy of Champions will be Crump, N.Pedder, Jonsson. I fully hope Andersen finishes painfully 2nd in the series for the rest of his career. Harris I like a lot because he's eager to learn, he could be very erratic this year, could gain a rep like Jagus to be a very entertaining rider in some GPs and some foreign fans will love him. If he performs decent and has a good tilt at the qualifying system, he could be back. But if he learns and it takes a couple of years for all that learning to become assured confidence, it will prove its worth. Nicholls could go two ways Explode or Implode. Gollob I want to see a nice swansong with a win in Bydgoszcz. Zagar and Hampel to go quietly about their business into the Top 8. Bjarne looks like he's reached top of his potential/game, might even go the way of the Sullivan. As consistent as he is here, he's as erratic abroad.

Quite Possibly

Whats this a British rider in a E-Liga side possibly taking a Junior spot. I wonder whether they will be a scrap for Bridger's signature in a couple of years?!? Seems like a very exciting rider, his style is similar to The Gaffer's who rides the track as if it's a rectangle shape. Robin Tornqvist, a 19-year old Swede signs for Torun. Tobias Busch, the German 18 y-o signs for Liga 2 Lodz. He was once described as a 'wonderkid' and recently won, the Master of Speedway, the indoor winter contest in Germany.