SPEEDY69

I take it you're not an Ipswich fan then, his scores were far from those of a top heat leader

Yeah, I read that, but neither of them are medical professionals and surely Peterborough would have explained that in their announcement if that was the case. It's a bit like when they say a rider has the flu when in fact all they have is a cold.

Apart from people saying 'concussion' I'm not sure we've had any medical confirmation that that is what he is suffering from. As is said before, it's not just being knocked out or having a bang on the head. As for Cook, if he misses the start he often just gave up when I saw him this year, so Panthers cannot count on anything there - it is all adding to the interest for this tie though and I can't wait to see it unfold.

Same with Cook to be honest, very inconsistent for the Witches, zero or hero.

I had a bang on the head and missed two rides under orders from the track doctor but then I did some cognitive tests and he let me do my last one. Concussion is very different from just a band on the head. I hope he gets the chance to ride if he wants to.

I thought the rules were that if anyone dropped out, for whatever reason, the next in line from the challenge takes their place? That was the case and therefore, by definition he qualified to be in the series the following year. I've said what I think about the field and my view that there will continue to be little media attention and therefore growth. I cannot change that so will continue to watch from afar and follow team speedway in the UK. The GPs have never really grabbed my attention like the World Finals previously and whilst I have been to Cardiff a few times I was never really that interested in who won.

No she didn't but the point was she is not in the top 15 in the world and maybe not even the top 50-75. Other posters want the speedway world title decided by limiting it to the top 15 in the world the previous year. So, with other sports someone can breakthrough and capture the imagination of both the public and media but this is not possible with speedway because it's based on last year and little change in competitors.

That may be so and therefore the obvious next step would be to widen the qualifying. Those sports with a closed-shop for competitors such as F1 for example, the competitors get in by virtue of the amount of sponsorship they bring with them, nothing to do with being the best and to me it makes it all the duller as I am enthused by things being unpredictable, at least to a degree. In speedway it's the federations who nominate the 'wild'cards so there's unlikely to be any of that.

He's not in the 'top 15' in the eyes of many on here it seems so shouldn't be in there. He's clearly showed he's not good enough

Agreed. Wildcards to me should be exactly that, not the same old faces. No other sport fills their events only with the 'considered by some' the best in the world from last year. As I said before Radecanu winning the US Open got huge media coverage, as did Joe Johnson in snooker back in the 80s or Boris Becker at Wimbledon, Jerzy S in 73, - anyone remember Eddie the Eagle . Sport should be unpredictable and trying to generate media interest from a story that the favourite won again is unlikely to be welcomed with enthusiasm.

I think you're right there, given the GP schedule.

Just like Vaculik then eh? You all would've said Smoli wasn't up to scratch then but he qualified - depends if they want to be fair or not

I'd agree wirth Smolinski, he qualified for the series but couldn't take his place due to injury. Others have had multiple seasons in the 'also ran' category.

People often assume more rain offs occur in October but I'm not so sure about that and every year is different. Unfortunately venues have competing events, particularly in the summer and they will run what is most profitable to them, which may not be speedway.

Kerching! That's the winter holiday sorted then

If, as a few seem to be saying on here, there is little difference in strength between Premiership and Championship, are those doubling up riders sporting the same averages in each league? Genuine question.

I enjoyed that track, needed skill to ride - as Harris said, using the little brain he's got!

Panic buying is totally symptomatic of a right wing state - everyone for themselves and sod the bigger picture, as long as my massive 4x4 is full to take little Sophie to school, who cares if the carers or meals on wheels can't get around.

Not really farcical though, that was known at the start of the season. The regular season is simply qualifying for the playoffs.

Ffs there's so much noise from everyone's diesel tractors they have as cars theses days, it's not the noise at all, they just don't like speedway.

Right leg danglers can't cope with the unexpected grip.

Perfect. Have you offered your services to the organisers because no-one else will be able to agree on that list. Subjectively, I'd say both are top 15. This is where I think some in speedway are deluded that any championship is about who is the best going into it. If that were the case then why not give the title to the person who you think is the best, no point racing for it surely because all the hard work has been done in proving to you that they are the best? To me, Thomsen and Kubera have both shown they are capable and have reached the final of a GP this year and both should be in it next year. As an example, without unpredictability or the ability to qualify the same year Britain would not have won the US Open women's tennis this year and Radecanu doesn't deserve it under your criteria as she isn't the best, nor in the top rankings within tennis. Numerous world champions across many sports over the years have not been 'ranked' as the best or in the top 15 in the world. I don't think the Speedway GP organisers have ever said they want the top 15 riders in the world in the series, their interest is commercial success. We will never agree clearly but as a spectacle the GPs this year to me are boring and every year there are too many of the same also rans and I'd prefer a bit more unpredictability, which I'm guessing I won't get from any response

Based on? If you think Polish league then that'd be a return for Kolodiez, Bjerre, P Pawlicki and N Pedersen. Nations/federations would never agree and I don't think the GPs ever intended to be the 'top' riders in the world. Maybe they should do that with other sporting events such as the Olympics, F1, Moto GP, Tennis and Golf majors..... oh no, they don't

Not necessarily. Those who've had several years in it but still got nowhere should not be getting wildcards

My point about past performance is simply that whether someone is top in any averages or 12th in this league or that it matters not, it's future performances in the GPs that count. As you mention Lambert, he has in fact finished ahead of Vaculik in more GPs this year! How many times has the rider who is top Brit in the league averages in the UK won the British title? Vaculik to me is an 'also ran', yes occasionally he may get a race win or two but mostly around 9th/10th and he's had several goes - this year he's been 9th, 7th, 7th, 11th, 12th & 9th. I'd just like to see different people in the series to mix it up.