JT

The last time I looked, The Speedway Star was in the business of journalism. Obviously this isn't up there with the Watergate Scandal, but it would certainly be interesting to know why Harris continuously gets this nod, year after year. As Philip Rising is involved with the The Speedway Star, and Harris' inclusion in this meeting is just the latest in a long line of charity picks, that's 'why the hell' I asked. JT.

Ah but will the Speedway Star question why Harris keeps getting this constant charity? Will you ask why a serial failure, who finished 38th in the qualifiers, was somehow allowed to start this meeting at all? It's utterly farcical. I hope he does his usual party trick and fades away, no doubt blaming everyone bar himself while he's at it. JT.

I was taking the p*ss. Talk about taking the piss, Harris started receiving wild cards in 2007 and only once, in 2010, did he actually qualify by right for the series, finishing 6th after a freakishly good end to the season. They kept giving him Wild Cards until this season, when everyone thought they'd finally given up. That's a record of; 2007 Wild Card to get into the series - Failed to qualify by right for the 2008 season. 2008 Wild Card - Failed to qualify by right for the 2009 season. 2009 Wild Card - Failed to qualify by right for the 2010 season. 2010 Wild Card - Amazingly finished 6th, qualified by right for the 2011 season. 2011 Failed to qualify by right for the 2012 season. 2012 Wild Card - Failed to qualify by right for the 2013 season. 2013 49 riders (that's before you get to those seeded to the second stage) entered the first three rounds of the Grand Prix qualifiers, Harris finished joint 38th on 4 points - Harris is given a free pass to the Grand Prix Challenge after Zagar conveniently pulls out at the last minute. Sadly there's something so inevitable about Harris qualifying tonight. JT.

Always nice to see riders on the forum, welcome to the BSF, Chris Harris. JT.

GREAT Britain captain Chris Harris has been handed a late call-up to the Grand Prix Challenge at Poole on Saturday (6.30pm) – and therefore has the opportunity to reach the 2014 GP series with a top-three finish. No, that's the biggest load of rubbish I've read in a long time. The more charity he gets, the more Harris looks like the Frank Gallagher of International Speedway. Utterly shameless. JT.

So the serial charity case gets YET another free ride, what a surprise. What's the bet BSI have promised Zagar a place next year, even if he fails to finish in the top 8, allowing their beloved Chris Harris to sponge his way into this meeting? On the GP website today he says "People think I'm too old to be in the series", no we don't Chris, we just don't think you're good enough, as you have proven far more often than not. I also think the late pullout from Zagar is entirely deliberate, ever since he spectacularly failed to qualify earlier this season, they've been looking for ways to shoe horn Bummer into this meeting. I hope the joker scores five ducks. Farcical. JT.

It doesn't bear thinking about.... Post 2010, I can't think of a single reason to justify even short-listing Chris Harris. It was bad enough they handed him a wild card for Cardiff on a plate, YET another series wild card would be completely farcical. I think it's safe to say his time at this level has passed now, and unless he sorts out his gating, his speed around the bends and his speed on the straights (and his machinery) and actually bothers to qualify by right, I can't see him ever being a full time rider in the series again. JT.

Steve, Ward would've been up there, no doubt. However his fall at Ullevi was his own doing. He's acknowledged he was over riding in the lead up to that crash and says he has learnt his lesson (although you'd never believe it watching THAT final!). 

My point is, Tai has taken risks, but he has also used his head this year (take the race SCB mentioned earlier). I have no doubt Darcy will be World Champion in the future, but if Tai wins the WC this season, it's unfair to suggest Darcy would have been the 'real' winner, barring injuries. 

 One of my favourite sportsmen, James Hunt (what a character!) won the F1 World Championship, when arguably Lauda was the better driver. At the end of the day, Hunt did everything he needed to win the title. Who is to say if Lauda hadn't crashed at the Nürburgring, Hunt wouldn't have taken more risks in the lead up to his win?

 At the end of the day it's points at the end of the year that matter, good on Tai if he wins.

 JT.

I bet PUK wished he had that grip on that first bend. Fair play to Grin, the consummate professional. If he's up for it, Tomasz is still in the best position to finish in the top 8. A part of me feels he couldn't give a toss anymore though… JT.

I'll be honest, I didn't see this coming at all. After years of watching Harris languishing at the lower end of GP's, I thought BSI were just looking for another British rider to make up the numbers. Tai has approached this year in a totally different fashion to his predecessor. Out went, "I'm British, it doesn't matter how crap I am, I'll get more charity next year", in came, "I've been given a brilliant opportunity, I'll re-assess my approach to the sport, and give it my all". Fair play to the bloke, brilliant work. I eat my words. JT.

Unlucky for PUK, easily the best rider tonight so far. Still 13 is a great score. Here's hoping Woffinden can repeat that start... JT.

Good for him, it's great to see a British rider engaging his brain. It's not often you can accuse a British rider of riding intelligentntly. When it come's to winning the World Title, tactics are more important than winning every race. Ask Mark Loram. JT.

Tatum's remark, "Hampel is an understated rider, kind of goes under the radar" can be translated to "Hampel is a boring<removed>". This kind of venue, full time track, 10-15,000 capacity, is where the Grand Prix is at it's best in my opinion. I'd far rather watch Mallilla at full capacity, than Ullevi, for example. JT. PS. That isn't to say I don't like Cardiff, that's slightly different (with 40,000+ crowds year after year). I can understand the desire and ambition to take speedway to bigger venues, but watching 5,000 watch the Swedish GP in a venue as huge as Ullevi is depressing, in my opinion. Work your way up to the bigger venues, by building up excitement on purpose built tracks and advancing from there. JT.

King's inclusion marks something of a watershed moment in British Speedway. For far too long, BSI have bowed down to Chris Harris constant whinging and given him Wild Cards as a matter of course. Sure he won a Grand Prix six years ago, and after a freak turn of form at the end of 2010, finished 6th in the world, but aside from that he's constantly failed to qualify by right for the series. Time after time they gave him a lifeline, while other riders who weren't British, but far more qualified (i.e Bjerre, Holta), were sacked as soon as they dropped out of the top 8. I don't think King is the answer, but after the British Final/Grand Prix Wild Card fiasco this year, it's nice that someone else has been given a shot. As for Harris, this may just be the wake up call he needs. JT.

Agreed. This guaranteed place for a home rider nonsense is a bit like gifting the sub-standard Czech team a final place at this years World Cup. Let's face it, Woffinden is our only world class rider at the moment, and with all due respect to the likes of King, Harris and Nicholls, they would barely make a Danish B side. I can understand from a commercial perspective including a home rider, but in my opinion that rider shouldn't then be able to qualify for the Grand Prix series, even if they win the meeting. On a slightly different topic, I also think a series wild card should only be offered to a rider once, to avoid the farce of riders getting repeat nominations, despite frequently failing to qualify by right. Unless they suffer an injury while in the top 8, it's ludicrous that one rider should get more than one charity pick, in my opinion. JT.

Thank God they didn't go for Chris Harris yet again. I'm not a massive King fan, but I believe he has been the top British rider in the Elite League for most of this season (Woffinden aside). I suppose that's kind of logical and makes more sense than the random choices they've made in the past. JT.

Lindgren is the Chris Harris of Sweden, sadly a bit of a charity case at this level. A shame as he's been a great league rider. Saying that at least he's come out and said he doesn't want to rely on a Wild Card this time; http://www.speedwaygp.com/news/article/2761/freddie-forget-wild-cards Talking of Harris, now is about the time he usually starts begging BSI for a place. Surely he's not even on the radar this time around though? Although I think Gollob has gone off the boil lately, if he wants to continue, it'll be laughable if he doesn't get a Wild Card for next season. Especially when you consider the likes of Harris and Lindgren have a history of getting them. As things stand (with Holder certain to miss out), the four best Wild Cards would be; Chris Holder Darcy Ward Tomasz Gollob Grig Laguta. However I suspect they'll use Jonsson's injury ravaged season as a reason to give him another shot (although he wasn't set to qualify before his latest injury). Maybe Janowski to replace Gollob? (if the former doesn't qualify from the Challenge). JT.

PUKKKKKKKK!! Maybe a rubbish meeting, but bloody brilliant to see a former Wasp win! Watching him fly around Somerset for Newport back in 2003 you could see he was special, stoked for him! JT.

Contrast this crap, with the first round of European Championship. It's difficult enough to promote speedway to newcomers, without hosting World Championship meetings at tracks like this. I'm a speedway fanatic and I'm bored out of my mind. JT.

What a totally awful track and an utterly tedious meeting. I would question why BSI choose this place year after year, but then these are the same jokers who chose to give Chris Harris wild cards year after year, so they have a history of utterly baffling decisions. Crap. JT.

If we're going on riders who are 'good enough', the only remotely world class rider we have is Woffinden. It's been said many a time, but Harris has had more than enough charity to last a life time. Even if he was fully fit, I wouldn't have satisfied his insatiable appetite for a Wild Card. I like Nicholls, but he's also had a few chances, and given his age and form, I don't think he's the answer. Cook probably isn't ready to actually qualify from this meeting (only Woffinden would IMO), but he's the best of the rest and he certainly won't be short of confidence. JT.

Shame for Harris after one of his best meetings for a while. Would Woffinden be a wasted Wild Card from a British perspective or would the prospect of a British winner improve the crowd? Time to give a new rider (Cook?) a chance? JT.

With Kennett unlikely to qualify from his Holsted semi-final, and a British rider guaranteed a place in this meeting, is it safe to say Chris Harris, BSI's favourite charity pick, will get the Wild Card for Poole? It's not as if he's had enough chances so far... JT.

Great meeting. The top two straight to the final and only one semi final makes things much more exciting (and fairer in my opinion). I always think the two semi finals are one too many in the Grand Prix's. I also enjoyed the commentary, witty and informative. JT.

What a race that Heat 20 was before the crash, incredible stuff. JT.