Soundbites: 26th March 2005

Smith	Harrison

"You don't know me but you own my contract!"
Andy Smith introduces himself to Avtar Sandhu

"I just get stuck in and I give everything I've got for the four laps in every race, and luckily I've come out on top. I just need to improve my starts a little. If I do that my scores might get even higher."
Edinburgh's Rusty Harrison on his impressive early season form

"Peterborough put up a great performance, they were too strong throughout. We came here thinking we could do it, and maybe we should have used a tactical ride after heat ten when we were eight points down, but decided against it."
Oxford boss Nigel Wagstaff on the defeat at Peterborough on Wednesday

"We have gone to a hell of a lot of expense to win the right to stage this meeting and I have no doubt it will be the best ever seen in Peterborough. The city was lucky enough to stage the 2002 World Cup final but this will be even better. The best riders in the world racing for the honour of being Best Pairs winners with a hell of a lot of money up for grabs - it should be something special."
Mick Horton on tomorrow's Elite League pairs meeting

"I want to push my average up to eight points and to get regular guest rides in the Premier League with a graduation there on a full-time basis in 2006. I would also like to see myself scoring well enough to get regular rides in the nominated heat 15 of Conference League matches. That's not a case of being big-headed but one of motivation for the season ahead."
Matt Wright of Wimbledon

"The problem with Zetterstrom is that he can dish it out, but cannot take it himself."
Buster Chapman's view of Zorro

"There have been a lot of phone calls from a wide area from people wanting to know where the track is and how much it costs to get in. Clearly they are people who haven't been before and it is up to us to put on a well-run, professional show to encourage them to come back."
Ian Thomas

"I'm talking to people, asking questions and everything seems to be positive. I have not had any obstacles put to me so far and I am really hopeful that Northside could be racing in the Conference League in 2006. That would be terrific for Workington Comets and there would then continue to be a good working relationship between the two of us."
Graham Drury

"I could never understand people booing him before he even started racing, it makes no sense. He's proved people wrong and there's a lot more to pull out of him yet."
Craig Branney on his Hull team-mate Lee Dicken

"I'm disappointed for the riders and the fans, who have waited all winter to see the new team. But I'm sure they would rather wait a week for a decent meeting rather than see us run in the rain. The track was good, but as soon as the rain hits the riders' goggles the visibility goes. Speedway is a dangerous enough sport anyway, we don't really want to increase the possibility of crashes. It was the right decision."
New Exeter manager Graeme Gordon on Monday's call off at the County Ground

"There was a lot of effort, but we rarely seem to get going at Sheffield and we certainly missed the double figure score that Paul is good for around there."
Stoke boss Dave Tattum laments Paul Pickering's absence on Thursday

"I feel a bit flat after that. You never like to see anyone hurt and I feel for Billy. It was a pure accident in heat nine and who knows what might have happened if Billy had not got hurt. "
Alun Rossiter on Billy Hamill's crash at Blunsdon on Thursday

"While winning the Premier League is our priority, we are determined to reach the later stages of the Premier Trophy by finishing in the top two of the southern section qualifying group so Reading have to be beaten."
Islanders boss Martin Newnham on Tuesday's opener

"To be honest I thought it would be closer, Morris, Franc and Kristensen are good riders. I am still trying to set up my clutches better, but it clicked together for us as a team, so we are happy with the result. In speedway it's no good saying it's good enough, we can do even better, that's what we want."
Emiliano Sanchez of Hull on their win over Newcastle on Wednesday

"One swallow does not make a summer. So I'd suggest that the Poole fans do not run to the hills just yet."
Middlo keeps Poole's defeat at Arena in perspective

This article was first published on 26th March 2005