Grachan

Michanek only scored 6 in the 1973 World Final though, which must be some sort of indication. For anyone other than Gundersen to have won a Grand Prix World title when Hans Neilsen was at his prime would have been a miracle. I doubt even Per Jonsson would have won one - and Per Jonsson was truly brilliant.

If the GP had been around in the 80s and 90s it's quite possible that Hans Neilsen would have won every year from 1984 to 1995 - and perhaps 1983 as well. Maybe Gundersen might have nicked one or possibly two, but in terms of consistency nobody was close to Neilsen over that period, and some of the mistakes he made in Finals would have been barely noticed over an entire series. I guess Dave Jessup's engine failure in 1978 makes him a possible "World Champ that never was" - but I'm not convinced he would have won. And Les Collins might have won in 1982 had Bruce Penhall either not knocked off Kenny Carter or been excluded as he should have been. And, had the race been re-run without Penhall, then Carter might have been World Champ.

I do remember Michanek in his prime. My reasoning was more to do with not being convinced he would have had the dedication and commitment to win over a full season - based ore on his interviews than his undoubted ability. He has also admitted he didn't really like being World Champion and was pleased to drop points in his first ride in 1975, so he could relax and enjoy the meeting without worrying about having to be World Champ again. So it's more based on that.

Well, easier if you weren't the best rider in the world. Possibly harder if you were - as Hans Neilsen would probably testify. There are many riders who probably wouldn't have made World Champ under the GP system. I doubt even riders like Ermolenko, Michanek and Jan O. Pedersen would have, let alone Muller, Havelock and that Polish bloke.

Leigh may have won a title under the old system, and may even be a better rider than Gollob overall. But in World terms Gollob has, I feel, shone more. In league racing I'd say "yes" about Leigh Adams, but in World Championship terms I'd go for Gollob as more likely.

Tomasz Gollob has to be a contender among the current batch. Would probably have won more than one under the old system. Possibly 3 or 4, depending on where in Poland they decided to stage it! Regularly comes to the party when it matters in World Championship meetings.

Are you sure that's not just the line-up for the US Championships?

Or Sushi?

Nice one. Ta muchly kind sir.

Does anyone know the exact dates of these two meetings? I have the Speedway Stars from the time but they don't give dates. The European Final is given as "last Sunday" which, to me, could be one of two Sundays -August 20 or August 27 given that reports from the Continent in those days were often a week late. Continental Final gives no date at all.

From paragraph 3: “I haven't even had the decency of a call from Rob,” Nicholls said. From paragraph 4: I said I wanted to race for my country, but he phoned me and said I was having a tough time right now and perhaps it was best I didn't. How many times does he want to be called then?

Ari Kopenen clattering into the safety fence in a crumpled ball on bend two - right by me - with his bike on top of him. After being down for ages he was finally scraped up, removed from the track, and came back out to score 11 from 4.

Shawn McConnell doing a celebratory wheelie at the end of the race and getting overtaken in the process. Andrew Silver coming in as number eight and slicing through the middle of a team-riding Wolves pair in one fell swoop. Sign him up!! Phil Crump's maximum against the unbelievable Cradley team in 1983. Malcolm Holloway riding through the flower beds on the centre green.

I think he means Peterborough v Reading Rob.

That's a compuslory thing when they start school over there. All other countries other than Britain are just so cruel. Hopefully, all being well, we can convince Tai that the British really are a bunch of whinging Poms so he'll see the error of his ways, ride for Australia instead where he's actually appreciated and help them win the World Cup while we continue to fail and then whine about it like a bunch of little babies. Maybe we should send some BNP voters round to burn his house down.

Here's a novel idea. Video tape. Long play. Whole meeting recorded. Ah, the good old days eh?

This really annoys me. I have kids who I'm proud to say have two nationalities. The only negative side I can see is they might have to put up with this same kind of crap from a few small minded British people if they dare to have any pride in any other country than dear old bloody blighty. Tai has two countries. He chose to represent this one as a rider. Not good enough for some people though. They want him to totally disown everything else. He's showing no qualms about his heritage and good for him. I hope my kids would do the same. Never read such brainless rubbish in my life.

No it doesn't. If anything it indicates that he should have picked Scott Nicholls and Joe Screen, and if he had we would have have been in the World Cup Final this morning. Not saying he should have picked Screen and Nicholls - but going on averages alone he should have.

Ah, but the one he scored at 19 was at Wembley, so not in a foreign country. Unless you're Scottish of course.

20.

It was only a brief mention. Nothing much was made of it.

He did get a mention for not turning up to Swindon v Poole though. I guess the issue is that Scott was originally named as captain.

That's because they speak German and Danish.

I'm from Newbury and neither have I. That's what it says on my passport though.

Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain. It's part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.