AndyM

My point entirely - too many clubs around them. Apart from Arena and Rye House, there's no-one in the vicinity, and a substantial portion of London as a potential market. It's a major shame that London proper can't support a speedway team.

Not surprised they didn't keep it going in the days when there were a lot of tracks in North London, but it would make a great venue now - though I don't suppose Ronnie Russell would be too thrilled about it! Trouble is, like many venues it's bang in the middle of housing, so speedway's not likely to return to Walthamstow, sad to say.

Are you telling me British riders care much about it, without the reward of potential GP qualification at stake? In any case, we can only field half a dozen riders who are worthy of the name of British Champion? Compare the field of the last British Final to, say, 1975 and you'll see what I mean.

"Allocation"? Not qualifications from the national championships then? The British Final has been all but meaningless since the GP started.

Sorry, but anything less than an opportunity for every rider to qualify every season is unsatisfactory. It must be totally free and open.

Qualifying system? Must have missed that. I thought they'd reverted to a secretive back-room selection process without any on-track qualification. Can anyone expand?

If it were me, I'd do away with the semis and final altogether and use finishing scores to carry forward to the Championship tally. Will never happen, but it's far and away the most open and transparent system, and more likely to reward effort for riders outside the top 8.

As a non-betting man, I'd say that's all very predictable. Makes me yearn for a complete outsider to win the Championship. GP has become very dull.

If he's received death threats in Poland, perhaps that might persuade him to take out UK citizenship and ride in the EL on an ACU licence? Sure Arena would find room for him.

Hope he doesn't overdo it, particularly coming so soon after his injury. Three leagues is plenty - he doesn't need four.

The cost of everything in Monaco tends to be extortionate!

Monaco? At the football stadium, presumably. Darn near impossible, I would have thought - the costs would be totally exorbitant.

It was alleged on the basis of strong circumstantial evidence, though never proven. I believe PC was put under pressure, possibly by the FIM, not to take any further action for the good of the sport. I never heard him talk about it later, and of course the Peter Collins Speedway Book (the one you are referring to, Falcace?) was published in 1977, before this event. However, I do have a copy of the video: Peter Collins - My Story. Will play it when I get time to see what he has to say about the event there. I suspect it will be little more than a footnote.

We've debated this at length in relation to the UK. They can't legally prevent it, but nobody can compel those promoters to employ foreign riders if they don't want to.

With the honourable exception of Oxford, have any other EL club got that many juniors?

Perish the thought. We're all doomed!

Freedom of choice must be accompanied by responsibility, something our promoters have rarely twigged. Will Polish clubs show discipline and restraint? If not, they may need to be regulated once again - as indeed do our promoters for the same reason.

Don't think you can blame the drugs issue on the American riders, but speedway has to be seen to be on the level. Time for random drug tests? Maybe they already take place at GP level, but should we have it during league matches?

Talking of Eddie Ingels (brought over from Newky by Ian Thomas as I recall), I remember one meeting he rode in, partnered by Chris Morton. Against Halifax, if memory serves me right. Mort was in second place and Ingels trailing in last until Mort slowed right down, waited for the Duke to try to pass him, then blatantly fenced him to allow Ingels to come home to steal a point. Later, Ingels was a guest at the supporter's club and was asked about this incident. He was utterly astonished at the hard riding that was allowed to stand. "Wouldn't happen in the States," he said! Larry Kosta didn't really make it, though he never forgave the promotion for dropping him and went home in a huff. Terry O'Connor is a mate of Larry. Gather he watches speedway over in California and is doing quite nicely with his family business.

Must have saved a fortune in petrol costs. Shame you wouldn't see that happening nowadays!

Hope you're right, Iris. I'd sooner he rode in no more than, say, two leagues - but that's not very likely in the current circumstances.

Sorry Rico - hadn't noticed this post was in the GP section. Doesn't actually say it refers to GPs in the original post, so I blandly assumed we were talking league speedway.

Thanks to the advent of TR and TS rules, it's more complicated than it used to be, Rob, particularly when you start getting into averages and teambuilding rules. Best of luck! Hope you get to see some live speedway next season to see what the attraction is!

Delighted that he is doing so well, but like you I think it will be counterproductive to ride in four leagues. I remember vividly the effect it had on Tomasz Jedrzejak and wouldn't want the same to happen to Kenneth, particularly after a serious injury. We want him to stay fit and improve!

Not particularly relevant. I saw my own team come back from a much bigger deficit using the old TR rule, but it happened over a longer period. For the match to be flipped virtually in one race is absurd. More to the point, which person voted in favour? Own up and let us know WHY you believe that!