BigFatDave

Looking forward to catching up with Brando at Gorzow! PS Just a bit more news: Ole stopped off in Oz on the way back to the North Pole: the result? From Speedway Racing News: "The International Management Group is looking at the new Sydney Showground facility as a venue for a future round of the World Speedway bike Championship in Australia. The new Sydney Showground site in the Olympic Park precinct at Sydney’s Homebush Bay is very appealing to Grand Prix and IMG/BSI executives."

I thought it was both SWC and GPs, LL? Will we be seeing you and Humphrey Downunder if this one gets off the ground?

Apart from being a passionate Speedway Fan, Western Springs Promoter Bill Buckley has another interest, which may account for his almost-magnetic attraction to the Sport - http://www.buckleysystems.com/ - check it out. The thought of Western Springs brings back memories of Rock Concerts I attended there in the 70s, including Fleetwood Mac and the Beach Boys.

Having done a bit of due diligence on the subject I'd say money was the least of the Promoter's problems. PS Don't write Oz out of the equation just yet; things are going on behind the scenes even as I speak, although with the bulk of our season done & dusted there's a lot of cleaning up & maintenance of Fishing gear going on.

Reliable info says that Auckland City Council and the EnZed Government are fully behind this, only problem being that after CHCH there's not much spare cash floating around down there.

The main stumbling block is Govennment Backing. It will cost upwards of $1 Million(Aus) to put this on and a similar event in Oz needs to be arranged to justify shipping 18 of the world's best riders and the accompanying circus out here, not to mention all the FIM Freeloaders who'll put their hands up for a Jolly. No single promoter/promotion out here has that sort of money.

Sure it's not just Ole Olson having a Southern Hemisphere Holiday, same as last year?

Gillman Solo Championship Riders List - with the international riders now heading back to the UK, this will be the last major event in SA for the Solos. Courtesy of the Gillman Site: Details: Gillman Solo Championship (10 races) Nigel Sadler (SA), Robert Ksiezak (SA), Robert Medson (SA), Brenton Barnfield (Vic), Leigh Boujos (WA), Daniel Winchester (WA), Kale Ballantyne (WA), Luke Mitchell (SA) Format: 8 heats (4 rides each) plus a final for the three highest scorers plus the winner of a last chance semi-final. Gillman Division 2 Solo Championship (10 races) Adam Briggs (SA), Tim Boujos (WA), Carley Gittus (WA), Ethan Ballantyne (WA), Jake Lewis (WA), Eugene Ekkelboom (WA), Kane Turner (SA), Sean Peterson (Vic), Damon Whelan (SA) Format: 8 heats (4 rides each) plus a final for the three highest scorers plus the winner of a last chance semi-final. Sidecars (10 races) Glenn O'Brien/Aaron Maynard (WA), Mark Plaisted/Jamie Banks (SA), Mark Mitchell/Tom Golding (SA), Trent Headland/Jesse Headland (SA), Daniel Puddy/Matt Morgan (SA), Damien Niesche/tba (SA), Tim Bichard/tba (SA), Michael Hoogland/Michael Bell (SA) Format: 8 heats (4 rides each) plus a final for the three highest scorers plus the winner of a last chance semi-final.

Great news for Mildewhall somewhat dampened by the disappearance of your posts, Rob, but I couldn't agree more with the tenor of your post above. PS How do you pronounce 'cqapital'?

I haven't seen any confirmation yet but I've heard that Round 3 will be Denmark, Russia & Oz plus a qualifier in Vojens. That'd make the Kings Lynn round GB, Poland and Sweden plus a qualifier. I would have thought it'd be fairer travel-wise on the Oz boys (and ME of course!) to ride at Lynn with either the Swedes or Poles at Vojens - or is this just the organisers trying to keep Poland and Denmark apart 'til the Final? Hopefully I can find a convenient watering hole in Newcastle to watch the replay of Round 1 on Sunday Arvo.(Before heading out to Rough Park to give you-know-who a hard time!)!

Update on Daniel Begley, courtesy of NSW sidecar pilot Darren Cafe - Dan has a broken collarbone and had bleeding on the brain. He said he can't remember any of the day (lucky bugger, it was hot Dan). So all good for Dan, he's due home today. Gillman has a show on this weekend - the Gillman Solo Championship, along with Sidecars, Junior Speedway. Eight solo riders and Former Aussie Sidecar Champion Glenn O'Brien are over from WA to race against the locals; Nigel Sadler will return this week and after a few laps on Thursday night, Robert Ksiezak may also be on the program if his injuries allow. A full list will be up later this week - courtesy of Dave Parker.

.......and that's exactly what we want from our NL team; if there was any other reason we'd have signed a heap of superannuated riders - I look forward to watching the team mature through the season. Go the Mighty HORNETS!

Where's the 'Like' Button?

Johnnie Hoskins Founders Cup - Kurri Kurri Saturday Feb 12th - this one looks a ripper! Should be the last hit out for a few of the boys before they head back to the North Pole again. Looks like Brady Kurtz will be back after doing his shoulder at Leigh's Cheerio. Daniel Begley could be in doubt - he had a bad off at Tamworth in the Aussie Long Track champs last night - ambulance job apparently, fingers crossed he's ok, nice lad. I'm trying to find out if he's OK, as soon as I know anything I'll let you know. (Edit) Broken Collarbone apparently. SOLOS Mason Campton Kozza Smith Jay Herne Ben Russell Daniel Begley Todd Kurtz Rohan Tungate Bryce Johnston Dane Cartwright Nicholas Rowe Tom Armstrong Tim Heffernan Alex Davies Michael Penfold Daine Stevens Joey Ringwood Richard Sweetman SIDECARS Cafe/Morris Bond/Cox Hinton/Cox JimBob/ Hughes/Donovan Tighe/Coglan Griffiths/Cornwell Newman/ 350'S Hunter Anderson Jack Holder Sean McClelland Matthew Thorne Robert Gottardi Brady Kurtz Jake Allen Tyson Snow Jordan Dall Hayden Bond

I ended up going to Parramatta anyway, Dexter, what with planes & hotels already booked there wasn't much else to do, and had fun with some ol' mates from the Sprintcar (Onya Tiger!)& Midgets (Speedcars) fraternity!

Not too sure about the 4TT coming up - may be in doubt - but check Club Websites for confirmation. Hey dingoroo!! You left out the Australian Long Track Championships at Tamworth today, with over 170 bikes and 270 entries. 16 long track sidecars including Hinton, Howse, Munck, Cafe, Turner, Pym, Farrell, Farrell jnr, Blain, Schofield, Griffiths, Treloar, Hudson. 17 long track sliders including Kozza Smith, Heffernan, Slade, Begley, Bevan, Murphy, Dall and a heap more. Chris Holder and Jason Doyle are unlikely competitors but did enter. Info from AustralianSpeedway.com. .

You left out March 27 Sidewinders Under 16s Sidecars Championships. I thought you'd remember as you're supposed to be providing transportation to & from the track for a certain BigFatVisiting fan.

Straight from the Champion's Mouth - Chris Holder's Blog. LEGEND!!

Nine teams on the BSPA site, with Aussies Jay Herne and Todd Kurtz confirmed for the Mighty HORNETS!!

Talking to Tappy yesterday it should be out early March - www.speedway.com.au

This weekend attention shifts away from regular tracks and goes either long or short - The Aussie Solo & Sidecar Longtrack championships are on at Tamworth in NSW, which is a decent long distance circuit as I recall; a real fast track; rumour hath it that some of the NSW Ozchamps riders including Kozza will be bringing out their Longtrack bikes for this one while the sidecar boys will all be upping their cogs, while over in WA it's the Solo Sizzlers and Gordon Rowland Under-16 Memorial. Hafta check if Cam Heeps is back for that one - should be a ripper at the postage-stamp sized Pinjar Park - and that's the Long and the Short of it.

I thought they'd given up on the 'D', judging by some of the vintage riders going around - not that they're blocking places for juniors, perish the thought! Pretty long bow you're drawing to give the credit for Screeny's emergence in the late Eighties to one year off for Swedes in the early seventies. Fair call from all there. I can't see any harm on one import per team per year - it would only improve the racing and at least give the young Brits a benchmark to aim at.

Phew! Back in good ol' Darwin again after a 14,500 km oddysey around Australia taking in the best that Planet Speedway can offer. I met a few hardy souls from Britain & Poland along the way, all battling the Heat, the Mozzies, the Bushflies, the Tyranny of Distance - all rapt to be over here and loving it to bits! Hopefully next year the series will be over a two-and-a half week period which would include a qualifying meeting - if we can get enough riders interested in competing and giving something back to Aussie Speedway; this year the field was certainly the thinnest for quite a while but still provided the usual dose of excellent racing. A couple of noticeable absentees from the series who can be exonerated were Travis McGowan, who got married last week so I suppose we can go easy on him - Onya Moose! - and Troy Batchelor, who took a week off from his hectic Pomgolian real estate venture to pop over and give us two fantastic performances, taking out the Leigh Adams Cheerio and Gillman three days later then jetting back to the North Pole. Anyhow, I'm sinking slowly in the West but I'd just like to extend a big "Come On Down Next Year" to all adventurers!

How did you know I had the Schnitzel - that's Cosmic, Man! If you catch up with Steady can you ask him if the - er - educational email got through OK? Otherwise I've stuffed it up - BigFatFingers strikes again - you'd relate to that, you fat bastard. I does me best on a limited budget, Shirl. Incidentally I'll be in attendance at Queensway Meadows for the Welsh Open in June -I'm a lonely guy from outta town, with access to an incredible array of Pharmaceuticals and Herbal Remedies, and I just wondered.........

The 2009 Young Anzacs v Young Lions series was extremely entertaining but despite being well-publicised struggled to attract crowds, and the young Aussies and Kiwis were already riding over there. I attended the Kings Lynn round and there would have been about 250 hardy souls there max, who were fortunate to witness some top-class racing. Unless they're heavily sponsored I can't see them getting off the ground.