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World Champion Retains
Eighteen Point Lead
2000 World Long Track Champion Kelvin Tatum of Great Britain has decided not to proceed with his protest over an incident involving reigning Champion Robert Barth at the British Grand Prix at Tonbridge.
The protest stemmed from Barth’s actions in removing the carburettor from his bike in the parc ferme at the end of the race. The parc ferme is a security holding bay, where all the bikes are placed immediately after the race pending machine examinations.
It is strictly forbidden for riders or mechanics to enter the parc ferme and remove any items from the bikes, but after the British Long Track GP, Robert Barth removed the carburettor from his machine and refused to allow the machine examiner to measure it.
After lengthy debate the Jury fined Robert Barth 350 Swiss francs for his actions.
Tatum and the British contingent were extremely upset about Barth\'s actions and the 350 Swiss francs fine, when Barth should have been instantly disqualified and points deducted, however Tatum has decided not to take the matter further.
Now that the protest situation is resolved, the World’s top track racers are preparing to travel to the Southern Hemisphere, for the first ever round of the FIM Long Track Speedway Championship ever held outside of Europe, the UK and Scandinavia.
November 1 will see the 2003 World Long Track Champion crown in New Plymouth, New Zealand.
Points after five rounds:
Robert Barth (Germany) 113 points, 1; Kelvin Tatum (Great Britain) 95 points, 2; Gerd Riss (Germany) 78 Points, 3; Mattias Kroeger (Germany) 68 Points, 4.
An excerpt from this weeks \"SPEEDWAY STAR\"
The following quotation is from an article, which appeared in Speedway Star this week regarding, Don Godden, former European Long Track Champion about 1969 and now a member of the ACU UK Grass Track Commission and an FIM machine examiner.
QUOTE:
\"Godden, FIM Technical Steward on the day, was informed that World Champion and current series leader Robert Barth had removed the carburettor from his machine whilst it was in the secure Parc Ferme compound awaiting technical inspection.
The rules clearly state the machines must remain in the Parc Ferme for a minimum period of 30 minutes and that the only person who can authorize removal is the FIM Jury President.
On request, Barth produced a carburettor, which was cold and clean, but with the correct marking applied at scrutineering.
Godden immediately reported the matter to the FIM Jury who after discussing for two and half-hours, including interviewing Barth, fined Barth 250 Euros but did not alter his finishing position.
Godden, incensed by the decision, made his feelings clear to the voting members but this had no effect on the decision they had made, and he informed them of his intention to resign. Godden is adamant that he will have nothing more to do with ACU or FIM matters.
Dutchman Maik Groen was fined a similar amount after his exhaust pipe was found to be not in accordance with FIM regulations, but again no further action was taken.
Prepared for Mauger Motorsport by Motorsport Network Ltd
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