BigFatDave

Well Done Leigh!! So Nicki's up to his old tricks again?

Hey marron, how about posting what he said? Links to forums that don't let you in unless you're a member aren't much cop, m8! Hey junior, I always thought the three nominees were Chris Holder, Troy Batchelor and Robert Kseizak?

Brought a few memories back that did for sure!!

Ta M8! PS didn't see ya at the Sidecars, JF, did you make it? My sentiments entirely, sEdgY2. BTW, on your World Tour will you be takin' in Jonno's Testicamonial, along with all the other meetings you'll no doubt wangle yerself into? Planning to do any riding or just partying on? Regards, Jealous-as-all-****, Darwin.

Hopefully just another idle rumour put about by people with too much time on their hands - nothing on the Gillman site about it. Where did you pick this one up, Junior? The Gillman round is always a high spot, and Tappy holds it in high regard. PS Anywhere but Gosford Lunchy - its got no bar and all you can see is the tops of peoples' helmets! Got some interesting Nightspots but!

Sydney Showgrounds track would need about two metres taken off the infield to allow for the Airfence then it'd be ideal, but they'd need more bars open than at Ozchamps, also the last train'd hafta be a bit later than 11:30pm. The Dome in Melbourne would be a ripper; in October/November'd be the best time there so as not to interfere with the FOOTY!! The EKKA - a boy could dream, eh? Wayville - too long and TOO COLD!! Northline? Now yer talkin'!

Thanks fnqfx, sounds like a fun one.

SA's Arthur Sissis'll be there for sure: caught up with Phil Mackay at the Sidecars in Adelaide and he confirmed he'll be building the bikes for him. Arthur didn't do too badly on the Junior Sidecars as well - he's a natural, hope we can keep him interested in Speedway, these days every Aussie Kid wants to be the next Casey Stoner!

Nah, M8, all this crap slides off me like water on a ducks back, thanks to my New Rhinocerous-Hide Anorak - its the Extra Thick Steve Shovlar model. Plus since I did my Anger Management course I'm a lot calmer - my counsellor's due out of Intensive Care any month now!

You're asking ME about RULES? I couldn't even work out the scoring until it was all over! As for interaction between me & Officialdom, let's just gloss over that one as well! All I can do is point you in the right direction, and even that goes against the grain with me!! Regards, Jumbo Bin Liner. PS Let Anarchy Reign - Smash the State! PPS Goodonya Chopper! Staying home for the Sidecars now are we? The usaual suspects are attending from all over Oz.

I think you'd be advised to be careful in what you say, junior fan, alleging people are taking money under false pretences. Who cares how Arthur got in; he won didn't he? I'm not sure we're talking about the same sport, are we? My glass is pretty well full; yours appears to be empty. Maybe its because you're talking to the wrong people ? Gold Coast seems to be kicking along eh Trackie? Talk of a track starting up in Mackay. Three tracks running regular meetings in Vic at the mo. Very few tracks could survive on just local Solos; mixed meetings are the go. Crowds up for Newcastle and Sydney in Ozchamps this year, and it was pretty chockers at Milly & Gilly! Of course I was there as well which fills up a fair part of any stadium!

There's also the Sponsorship question, Andy. I know Chris had some pretty lucrative deals lined up for this year which went a long way to ensuring that he just turned up at the tracks and rode, rather than having to organise every detail of a 5 meeting 2 week tournament spread over a third of the World's Largest Island/Continent - the logistics can be quite daunting getting to out-of-the-way places like Mt Gambier via public transport, let alone lugging two bikes and associated spares around as well - its a 24 hour drive from the Mount to Newcastle. Fortunately the vast majority of the Oz speedway family are helpful souls rather than Whingers - I nearly got bowled over in the Pits after the Gillman round by what appeared to be a rather large Cardboard Carton on legs - turned out to be Leigh Adams lugging some of Under-16's rider Justin Sedgeman's gear back to the van!

We're gonna hafta teach ya to use the "reply" button, junior fan, for starters anyway. That way you can attribute yer quotes rather than posting a mishmash. Then we're gonna hafta teach ya how the financial side of Speedway works. You're in Adelaide aren't ya? Come along to the Sidecars next weekend cobber, top of the bank turns 1 & 2, (oooops it'll be turns 3 & 4 unless they move the start/finish line over towards the Bar;) ya can't miss me, easier to go round than go over! We should have a little chat! Ivan Golding'll probably be there too; you could ask him how MA operates. I agree it was strange young Arthur didn't go straight into the Under 16's but as you're no doubt aware the situation was rectified and the result is there on the board. As far as Ty Proctor goes with the Under 21's; Troy missed out last year through injury and Robbie was first reserve for the whole series so it looks like MA are giving them a go - who knows what'll happen between now & then, anyway? As for me being a big fan of ROOBOY!!, OK I admit it, I'm barracking for the Territorian Tearaway, the Doyen of Darwin, winner of last year's Brandonapolis, top scorer in the Elite League Final - wait for it - (Drum Roll please) the one and only Rory Schlein (that's how you spell it by the way, a little bit of research wouldn't go astray.) Next years' Ozchamps'll be a ripper again; just keeps on getting better. Be interesting to see if Mt Gambier stays on the circuit; poor crowds there didn't help and now there's rumours of a Melbourne track plus of course my eternal prayer to see Speedway at the Ekka again, should be most interesting. Plus an Oz GP? Speedway in Oz hasn't looked this good for a long time.

PHEW!! I thought it was Inconceivable!!

For your interest, junior fan, Cam Woodward decided he didn't want to pursue qualification at this stage in his career, so Rooboy got the nod. That's the word from the Speedway Commission of Motorcycling Australia, and they'd know, wouldn't they? Who's this ubiquitous "They" by the way? You seem to be the only one bitching & moaning.

Officially set for March 22, wwtbp! Gosford's the venue, and so far about 14 riders in the frame including Alex Davies, Taylor Poole, Todd Kurtz, Tyson Nelson, Darcy Ward and Robert Branford - I guess that means we won't be seeing Chopper at Gillman for the Sidecars!

******* Speedway Racin' News told me tha Ozchamps would be on last night on Fox 3 so I alerted the entire population of the planet - well, the important ones anyhow (you know who you are!) - cued up the DVD recorder and settled back with a Scoob & a Crownie - oh, all right, lotsa Scoobs & Crownies - and what happened - THINGS WITH WINGS!!! Spewin'!

Well at least you know who ate all the Pies!! No truth in the rumour he sold the suit 'cos he couldn't get into it any more? Maybe it shrank in the Wash!!

Good informative interview. Must say I was most impressed with him out here. Once he'd adjusted to the Heat factor he shone. (from http://www.aktuellspeedway.se/) " Q. "You have already started racing this year, because you were invited to the Australian Championship that was raced in 5 meetings during dec/jan. You ended up with sharing the fourth place but you didn't seem to be satisfied with that. What things do you feel didn't work out and in what way did you feel dissatisfied?" - A. "Now when I look back at it I'm not really dissatisfied, it was a very good trip and a new experience in life and it was unbelievable fun. Naturally it had been more fun to end up at the podium finish, but if you are way back from home many things are different. Then, I wasn't really as hungry and wanted to win as much as the Australians and I was a little too careful because the tracks was more frightening than in Europe." Not half as frightening as some of the Fans!!

Who were you slaving for, Trophy1?

Took me by surprise as well, Chopper. Luckily I had a DVD in the recorder. Nah, no 350's, about half-a-dozen races from Milly and about eight or nine from Gilly. Looks like its highlights only this year. Maybe Power Promotions will be doing the complete meetings on tape?; might pay to have a chinwag with Nathan Tapp to see if he's got enough footage to do a 350's DVD; the boys' racing certainly deserves to be remembered.

Its not easy being a Speedway Fan in Oz! The journey's half the Fun!! (Not to mention half the Battle!!) Makes me laugh reading posts from folks who can't be stuffed travelling an hour or so to get to a meeting. I would have done well over 10,000 kms for the 5 rounds of Ozchamps!

David Tapp and his merry band at Speedway Racing News will doubtless be releasing videos shortly - they'll probably be at Gillman for the Sidecars at Easter, so I'll check. Either that or email Nathan Tapp - nathan@powerproductions.net.au - and he'll tell you what's goin' down. This week saw a replay of the Highlights of rounds 1 & 2 on Cable; Joe Screen's more than Value for Money, class always shines through - Trav's prang at Gillman is just as shocking now as it was then - Get Well Real Soon, Trav!!