SPEEDY69

Hi Does anyone know if there is any way to buy tickets for Latvia from the UK other than via a bank transfer (£20 charge!)? If not, are tickest easily available at the track on the day or is this one usually sold out? I have flights and accommodation booked already but any help with this GP would be much appreciated. Thanks Karl

I am a big fan of Scott and of course would love to see him in the GPs again next year - he is certainly one of the more entertaining riders in the series. He has no right to be there next year though as he finished outside the top 8 and didn't do the qualifiers so if they picked others he would gave to accept it, as his fans would. However, the series has nevre been about who are the best current riders in the world - it's a series to attract sponsors, fans & viewers & ultimately make money. The qualifiers for this years series didn't really pull up any trees did they and all three are now out again. Holder failed to get through the qualifiers so if he gets a wildcard, why would anyone else bother doing them? It's not black and white this issue but yes I still think Scott adds to the series and I can't think of many others better who should replace him.

This will now make it the third Polish GP this year and with so much hanging on this meeting I'd have preferred a different venue but I suppose they were short of time. Who will it favour (apart from Gollob), Holta, Nicholls or B Pedersen?

Trouble is, Holder was not good enough to get through the GP qualifying and was knocked out earlier this year. By all means nominate him but as for every nominated rider, there are others who have just missed qualification that could rightly feel aggrieved. Having said that, the qualifiers through the rounds for this years GP haven't really set it alight either - Dryml, Kasprzak, Pedersen?

As far as I'm concerned there is nothing wrong with the tuning side of Scott's equipment, he alwasy has more than enough power, it's the setting up of the bike on GP race nights that seems to be the problem - normally takes at least 2 races to get it anywhere near right. Power does not equal speed and in slick conditions it is the steps the mechanics take to reduce the power of the engine & adjust other parts of the bike that can be the differnece between winning and losing. This is probably why he has taken the step (if true) of refreshing his support team - to be honest I think he was always more competitive when his father looked after his bikes on race day.

How we can improve is if the riders/mechanics etc. can get their machinery suited to the conditions - it was quite obvious on Monday that they were lacking in speed and simply spinning their back wheels in the slick conditions - Bjarne Pedersen simply had so much drive along the straights and many of the other riders and their teams managed to get this right. This area has dogged our lads so often now that it must be very frustrating for them as well - on the TV they did show Scott talikng to Armando Castagna, perhaps he was pointing this out to him Apart from that I'd like to hear the team manager show some belief and inspire the team to do well & not say that his focus is on next year.

Just finished watching and I'm glad I was able to fast forward! Only one or two "races", the rest from the start & was predictable - glad the russians were there to liven it up a bit.

I have been to every Cardiff GP but had to miss this years so watched on telly but I thoughtit was really entertaining stuff. It wasn't all about the starts or who had the fastest machine and those riders who have the skill to cope with a rutted track shone through. Certainly much better than the slick bore fests we usually see on GP nights. Only thing that spoiled it was the ref.

Haven'y the time to read throught the whole thread so not sure if anyone has already said this. I agree that it's the referee who decides upon exclusions but I do believe that NP knew full well that he was beaten to the first turn both by Adams and Bjarne and simply carried on coming across expecting contact, which there was, and falling fairly comfortably expecting a re-run. Although he probably expected an all four back decision I think he still deliberately initiated the contact to get a re-run and that is cheating in my book. However, he made the final and didn't lose as many points on JC as he might have so did the ends justify the means - quite possibly in NPs head but he is playing with fire here and could get seriously injured - even in a simple enough looking bail out.

Rob Everyone is extremely tired of your argument. I notice you never answered one of my points earlier, so I assume you've never raced a speedway bike, so to say that Jonsson could have done anything about the crash is understandable, given your naivety. You are entitled to your opinion, even if it is completely wrong, but I'll let you have the last word as I see you are one of those people. ALL THE BEST!

Let me guess, I don't think you've ever raced a speedway machine? Otherwise you would see this ridiculous statement for what it is.

It was clear to me that the rider at fault for the crash was Gollob. His intention or propensity for taking different lines is irrelevant. Jonsson could not have avoided the crash and therefore did not deserve to be excluded - whether in front or not swerving across another riders path is plain dangerous, especially at the entrance to a corner.

Think it will be between Crump and Adams next year, otherwise I think it will run pretty much as other years, Jonsson, Gollob & Nicholls will have thier moments and Hancock will remain top 8.

He failed at the semi-final stage I believe and didn't make the final, hence there were a lot of riders above him and I don't think that helped his chances.

I don't think they wil select Hampel as he got beaten in the qualifiers (didn't even reach the final). Kazprzak is ahead of him I think for the Polish vote. Peter Oakes is probably right.

Touche! However I don't think it's fair as it depends which track is the last one on the calendar and also the way the gates were picked seemed made up on the night to me - mind you, I haven't read the rule book!! However, I think all three will be in the GPs next year and deserve to be and so the run-off was a little pointless in that sense. I know many didn't think Holta would get a nomination but I think, as Polish Champion, he should have, were it needed.

No agenda here I'm afraid. I'm not concerned how, as long as it was fair and known to all. Whoever was then included out of the three of them then I couldn't argue with it and neither could they.

Perhaps I saw a different race to others then. It appeared to me to be a mild nudge on the left side in the middle of the bend - many riders do not fall when receiving this type of contact which is very common on the first turn and was completely different to taking out a front/back wheel or t-boning. The real issue for me is why was a run-off held, especially considering the absolutely awful track where 'racing' was non-existent, with gate picks being blind. The WC is decided over many rounds, as well as qualification for next year, so some form of count back would have been the fairest way to do it (or a run-off on all the tracks!!!)

I'm still a bit confused why there needed to be a race off. EVery time in the past, as Chris Louis confirmed, when riders are tied on points the verdict goes to the one with the lowest starting number. Also, if they were having a race off, why did the same rule not apply for gate positionpick? Irrelevant in any case I suppose as Harris is guaranteed a nomination so no point worrying unduly.

Don't see how he can get another nomination as he was beaten in the qualifiers this year.

I think Holta will get a nomination if he doesn't make the top 8 - he is after all the Polish Champion and there was a precedent set a couple of years back with one of the Danes getting picked ahead of Andersen because he finished above him in the Danish Championship. The former Polish Champion has done well to get in to the upper reaches with good results in the last few GPs and I think this helps for Holta's nomination. I don't think Hampel deserves another lifeline - give it to a newbie. However, it was rgeat performance from Scott, especially from the dreaded gate 3 and I hope his usual adaptability remains when they hit the next one-off track to secure his position. If harris does well also it could see Hancock drop down and I think he'd call it a day then for the GPs.

Everyone seems to be forgetting that Hampel got knocked out of the qualifiers so if he gets a nomination then that system loses credibility as riders who beat him could quite rightly claim to be higher in the pecking order than him. I think Holta would get the 'Polish' nomination ahead of Hampel as he is the National Champion. Don't think Iversen, Dryml or Bjerre rode like they were even in the top 50 in the world at Swindon on Monday! Think only top 3 should be in for the next year, with riders 4 to 10 being seeded to the qualifying final, from where 9 places are up for grabs, leaving 3 nominations (if they must have them).

Went to watch the GP highlights on Sky Anytime but they only have 2 races!! A bit of a waste downloading the software!

Thanks, didn't know that. I'll have a look later.

Does anyone know if Sky repeat the GP later than the following morning, or if it's available to watch on demand over the internet? The reason is I am away this weekend at a wedding and all friends etc. will be there as well and no-one wants to leave their recorders on!