Leaderboard

This is the last paragraph - nice to see some praise. “word for the Redcar promotion. What a great setup they have, centre green immaculate, track in great condition and everything running like clockwork. A super place to watch Speedway.”

NOT sure that is even true any more. Plenty of vacant dates for any track to stage an individual meeting but none do because they know it will lose money.

So in the good old days, even 2 of the gate-n-go-races, won from the gate with no passing, had overtaking?

Exactly what I can see happening. One league, two or three, the only way I can see to reduce costs is to stop giving in to riders' demands. Riders need to realise that the sport in this country cannot afford full time, all year round professionals.

But g13webb didn't say there were 4 heats with no overtaking, he did say " 4 heats were won from the gate " So in 2 of them there was passing for the minor places. 13 - 4 = 9 + 2 = 11 Heats with overtaking.

The potential for a good racing circuit is there World Under 21 was a classic example a fantastic meeting possibly the best at Berwick? Why can’t we have the track like that all the time ?

Totally agree,i was just saying the way Lynn have to do it within the current rules.

I don't think guests are allowed. It just so happens I'm picking a Birmingham rider up at Leeds/Bradford Airport tomorrow morning and taking him down to the Fours, so he must think they are still riding!

Popped along last night. Very good result for the Witches, even better that the Stars ended up with nothing despite it being pretty tight until the end. However the 'racing' was dire. All decided by the second bend apart from three occasions, when Cook barged his way past Heeps in the last heat, Lawson nipping past Lambert whilst he was looking round for King and the best race of the night, the battle for third between Jorgensen and Procter in heat three, half a straight behind the Witches pair. Anyone trying a blast round the outside simply went backwards, just one line, follow the leader stuff. It meant yet another long drive home feeling that I hadn't been entertained and why did I bother. Good results are important but the racing has got to be the main reason for going. If it was just about the result you might as well sit at home and use the excellent update service.

I've been thinking about this for a while, team speedway is not really a viable option at the moment in terms of riders doubling up etc across 2 or 3 divisions. I understand they are trying to do away with it over 5 years and that there are a crop of youngsters whom in 5 years time may be able to boost numbers. However, what state will the sport be in when 5 years is up, will there be a sport left? Personally i think team speedway is already on it's way out, it's only the fans whom cling on to team speedway purely as they have already built a relationship and affection with their chosen club. I think individual speedway is the way forward for the Sport perhaps not the way forward for clubs. I can see there being perhaps 4 divisions of 16 riders call it a Premier League, Division One, Division Two and Three Potentially ran to the same format as the speedway grand prix, with a broadcaster like Sky TV doing something big with the main league where the prize money can be something quite attractive to riders. Run from April - August covering 10 championship rounds, with some form of promotion/relegation bottom 4 riders in the premiership going down top 4 from Division One going up etc. All the way down to Division 3 Rounds ran on Friday, Saturday or Sundays to boost attendances Just for fun, which 16 would be in your premiership? Mine would be 1. Jason Doyle 2. Max Fricke 3. Troy Batchelor 4. Robert Lambert 5. Craig Cook 6. Kenneth Bjerre 7. Rory Schlein 8. Jacob Thorsell 9. Brady Kurtz 10. Jack Holder 11. Hans Andersen 12. Chris Harris 13. Danny King 14. Scott Nicholls 15. Richard Lawson 16. Dan Bewley Ten Rounds at Belle Vue Swindon Glasgow Ipswich Olympic Stadium Sheffield Poole Kings Lynn Birmingham Peterborough

I think Redcar could be dark horses for this.

To be honest the shape of the track argument has been debated many times on this forum, the track size or shape is not going to change so we have get on with what we have. But it would be untrue to say we don't get good racing with the current shape but we don't get it on anything like a regular bases that must come back to track prep in the days leading up to a meeting.

This is one area that really boils my pi$$ The gerrymandering around team changes linked to timing of average changes IMO if a change is made then the rolling average for the rider/s being replaced (and indeed coming in) should be updated at the date of the switch rather than use the out of date (albeit only by a few meetings) last months rolling average Too many times teams make changes at the end of a month to be within the limit only to be a point or two over come the 1st of the month without even riding another meeting

It's had a negative effect, but I can't see any other option they had. Sponsorship was difficult to attract, costs have been cut, even the riders took a pay reduction. You could take the radical step of reducing admission in the hope that there is a significant increase in crowds, but it is a hell of a gamble when you have already lost a lot of money.

Robert Lambert is still very much in contention with two rounds to go but his exclusion last night could come back to bite as a point or two in that race could prove crucial.

Those that thought that Berwick would pull this round on aggregate were deluding themselves I`m afraid and so it proved, in fact as I posted beforehand Berwick would have a job on just to win on the night and so it proved as Leicester ran out worthy winners and looked what they are, the best team in the league. One or two members in the Berwick team under performing of late and that needs to turn round very soon as more home defeats are likely if that isnt addressed

The word dire crops up so often that the word racing should be dropped from the title of "Speedway racing". And the intractability of promoters to accept that that is the case and is at the heart of what is driving people away from the sport. Interest dies for the majority when there is no "racing" part of speedway racing. When will the BSPA wake up and see that unless the quality of racing improves extinction looms for UK speedway? I watched the first round of the World Under 21 Championship yesterday and there were three passes ( after the first half lap ) in the whole meeting and just as is mentioned above, the track allowed the very best of the worlds "young guns" NO chance of racing - just to take part in a high-speed procession. Thankfully I did not travel all the way to Lublin to watch it.

Heat 15 was a good a race as i have seen in allmost 50 yrs hats off to all 4, but thought edinborough were poor with pav the ultimate start tart .

I should hope so Steve, shame us fans dont know anything yet.

Trackrat is just on a wind up again probably really fed up we won.

61.3

What normally happens in this case is that Swindon will wait until the play off cut off date and if there a few points off the play offs and Peterborough are in, then they appeal, win and the points are awarded to Swindon and removed from Peterborough, the wind up merchants do there job, Peterborough fans defend there team and get called whinging moaners the play offs are run and Peterborough's season ends.

The TV box recorded as scheduled, so watched allot of rainfall & about 8 heats. Assume Pirates we're well & truly hammered? Is the racing at Kumla usually as processional?

Thanks everyone for the bits of advice... I've looked and all hotels within walking distance have no rooms available!! But since that shopping centre is within walking distance, might park my car there nice and early as the Premier Inn at Great Barr has rooms available... Too far to walk, thanks again and looking forward for my first speedway meeting at Birmingham (That I can remember) Question... If I park my car at the shopping centre at 6, I'd be alright leaving it there until after the meeting

One advantage of those days from the past - there was little or no televised speedway, live or recorded So, if you wanted to watch the sport, if you wanted to see the "big name" riders, the ONLY way was to pay your shillings and pence at the turnstiles With a big league in operation, there was probably only one chance a season (two with a cup meeting) to see the stars when they appeared at your track