Soundbites: 22nd May 2004

Bjarne Pedersen

"Everyone in Peterborough's team rode well tonight. They all had good scores, while Magnus Zetterstrom was not 100 per cent and Davey Watt was struggling a bit for us. That kept us down but we still got the win, which is really good because I think it keeps the team together. It should be the case that when a rider is a little bit down we can still win. Everyone has an off night sometimes. That is speedway, but we have shown we can deal with it."
Bjarne Pedersen on Poole's narrow win over the Panthers

"I'm not feeling too bad. I'm pleased with my progress, I feel so much better in myself. In another month I'll probably start some hard work with the physio so I guess I'm having some rest before I start the hard work. I want to be back on a bike in two months from now."
The injured Sean Wilson

"I might have been lucky in the draw. I've looked at the listing of countries taking part and there are only three Polish guys riding. My team-mate at Belle Vue, Tomasz Jedrzejak, is a Pole who lives just an hour from the host track and he is going to come down and help me during practice and with my set-ups which is pretty good."
Rory Schlein looks forward to his Under 21 Quarter Final in Poland

"It was a joy to see Lukas after the meeting, he was bouncing around the pits and had a huge smile on his face. He knows things haven't been going well but that has all changed now. This team is on a serious roll and can really go places. No other team has managed to score this many points against Poole and we had them on the rack."
Peterborough promoter Mick Horton after their narrow defeat at Poole

"Edward feels that he has not made the start to his Elite League career that he had hoped for and now regrets moving into the top domestic league at such a tender age. He will continue to race in Sweden and in the World under-21 Championship and may consider a return to lower league racing at a later date."
Eastbourne boss Jon Cook on Edward Kennett

"I felt really gutted for the lads at Glasgow. That was as good as we've ridden away from home this season and everyone contributed. They all rode their socks off for the team and to be robbed as we were was a cruel blow."
Ian Thomas

"We are working day and night to try and bring in two top-line riders. Unlike other sports, however, speedway is strictly governed by averages and rules which prevent Elite League riders with an average of 6.00 or more from riding in the Premier League. If it is at all possible, we will have a revamped team for the fans to watch in the Diamonds' next home match on Monday, May 31, against Edinburgh in the Premier Trophy."
Newcastle boss Darryl Illingworth

"There will be no pressure on me at all - nobody exects me to do anything, but I will do my best, if I do a good job in the final then great. It's good to have no pressure on you, so hopefully I won't disgrace myself. With people like Mark Loram there, it's going to be quite hard, but I have qualified so I'm supposed to be there."
British Finalist - Seemond Stephens

"Coventry have always been one of speedway's glamour clubs, and anyone who doesn't want to join them, whether a rider or administrator, would be a little fool-ish. They have a real speedway tradition and a tremendous stadium that is getting better and better."
Peter Oakes - new joint team manager at Brandon

"I passed him and there was nothing wrong with it at all. Neither of us could understand why the race was stopped, and I couldn't believe I had been excluded. After that, I felt like going home."
Andreas Jonsson after being excluded for running Mikael Max wide

"I'm gutted to lose the all-time record but I can't think of anyone more deserving and I'd like to congratulate Sean, he's a pleasure to work with. I'm proud of what I've done for this club and always will be and hopefully I can lead them to more silverware in the near future."
Reg Wilson - Sean Wilson recently replaced him as Sheffield's highest ever points scorer

"I said all along that I would grab a chance of returning to the GP series if at all possible and it did not take me any time to accept the invitation. But it will only be a one-off as I have no intention of riding abroad again and I turned down a chance of riding in the British Championship, which offers a route into the Grand Prix proper. For the first time I will not have to worry about points to qualify for the following year and I plan to go as far through the meeting as I can."
Cardiff wildcard Chris Louis

"I think we've proved that we'll be right up their among the challengers for the league title when the competition gets underway."
Islanders promoter Martin Newnham

"I have a date in mind but I don't want to make it public just in case it doesn't work out. My surgeon is happy with the way I'm progressing and I'm just hoping to be able to maintain that over the next few weeks."
Simon Stead on his comeback prospects

"We advertised it strongly locally, but the meeting hardly got a mention nationally. It was a shame more people didn't come along because there was some superb racing."
Keith Chapman on the GB Semi at King's Lynn

"I was told by the Speedway Control Bureau manager that I could use rider replacement for a Swede in a re-arranged match, but not a first-fixture. Apparently the precedent was set in Edinburgh, and possibly Reading, last season. When the referee rang the BSPA chairman for clarification last night, he said Glasgow were right so we had to use a conference guest."
Eric Boocock on the Magnus Karlsson controversy

This article was first published on 22nd May 2004