Daniel Smith

Crowds for the average stock cars meeting at King's Lynn are quite deceiving to the general public. While it does look far more spectators than Speedway, 20-30% of the crowd are actually the drivers families and mechanics that don't pay to get in. On average, I'd say the stock car crowds are not that much larger, about 200-300 more. As a business though for Buster, with Speedway he has to pay money out, with Stocks money is only coming in. Just on that basis stock cars take priority over Speedway.

Not quite true, every fan of clubs, countries and individual events expect riders to give their all at all times. Speedway racing is all about putting everything on the line, even their own lives. Same as any motor sport. If you're not prepared to die to win you may as well quit the sport as you'd be racing as a fraud, ripping off the paying the public, not doing yourself justice to try and make a decent living.

I think poor Robert has come back way to soon. In the GP it was like watching a different person. He's was looking so tentative last night. Clearly the back injury has been such a shock as to how close his life would have come to changing. Throttling off when others were close, in a few heats he was as quick if not quicker but just wasn't interested in making a move. Fingers crossed that this isn't the moment when we see such a local hero's potential to be one of the world's best takes a back seat and he ends up just going through the motions here on in like so many before him.

Warning, real life. May be a difficult read for some. Quite possibly, but it's not as an excuse as some are making out. Craig's issues are real, like mine. Just to give an insight, this is where I'm at in terms of illness, depression and anxiety and what Craig could be going through. Just to clarify though, not one case is exactly the same, none are to be placed under one umbrella. Current illness started from are servere bang to the head in 2016, probably the 4th I've had in my lifetime (coming up to 41yo). 4 times unconscious, fell down stairs at about 10yo. 16yo, again fell down stairs after a blackout. 23yo, I can't remember what happened but supposedly smashed unconscious from being hit with a car door. 37yo, again can't remember but supposedly blacked out and smashed my head on the bathroom sink and toilet. Brief medical history from this point; 5 CAT & MRI scans, all clear Numerous counselling (unaffective) Suicide attempts Medication (unaffective when certain cases arise) Severe Fybromyalgia Anxiety and depression Currently on long term sick for 3 years since April 2016. Currently, have an awesomely supportive partner but when you've lost long term friends and an unsupportive family so days become very long and lonely. Currently unable to cope with busy areas, never go anywhere alone. Communication is very difficult and frustrating. Can't have full on conversations, just simple yes-no or nodding. Conversation is to much, what I'm thinking and what I can say is not the same. Some days I can't even move, dress myself, shower etc due to excessive pain. Another day I manage 10 mile walks no problem. I just don't know when these days are coming. I've had 3 failed attempts at claiming for help from the 'Department of Work & Pension' for 'Personal Independence Payments'. This pressure to try and survive from day to day is very exhausting. I'm sure now and again you've seen my life frustration spill out on here. That's another thing, because of what you see and read you really are clueless to what that person is going through. There is not 1 simple fix to each and every situation. I'm sorry, but for me, counsellors have been and absolute waste of time and money. Medication at most works until something happens. There's also no simple "Just get over it" fix either. For Craig, should his mental health stop him from doing what he does best? 100% absolutely not. The world of Speedway, fans, rider's, promoter's etc know Craig's problems. Craig's defence s simple, the opposition prey on his weaknesses and force a reaction knowing they'll get one. This is exactly what happened and Eastbourne. Craig, over that situation would have fallen in to deep depression and regret over it. To get his mind straight again will take time, but 100%, the sport shouldn't take away from him one of the only thing that keeps him saine, racing his bikes. Providing Craig has the strength and ability to race, no way does his mental health make him dangerous. The only things dangerous are outside influences who know which buttons to push and intentionally push them. The playground bully, these are the kind of people that can be claimed as unstable and should be banned from the sport.

The scoring system in British Speedway is the best thing the BSPA have ever come up with. The system keeps meetings alive far longer than the standard system

What people fail to see with the SoN this year was Rossiter's absurd decision to bring in Harris. Regardless of what happened previously, that decision alone deserved criticism and the sack. There were so many better options available.

THJ Terrible signing

That's exactly how meetings should be done. Hopefully it becomes the norm at King's Lynn, I may even come back if things improve on a regular basis

Absolutely correct. For me, the way forward is to give the responsabilites to the team captain. Rob and Vicky should pick the rider's for Great Britain meetings and then Woffy does the rest on race days.

Great to read there was some decent racing last night. Hopefully this is a corner turned by Buster to let the track run it's natural course.

Best news this week

That's been proven to not be the case at all.

What you say on the whole is correct but not where King's Lynn is concerned. King's Lynn used to produce excellent racing whereas now, you'd be luck to get one heat of wheel to wheel action. It's no coincidence that Peterborough fans have seen a deterioration in the racing at the showground. The tracks are there, it's the delusional owner that's the problem

- Real name - Daniel Smith - Age - 40 - Location - Wolverhampton / Sutton Bridge - What do you do for a living - Long term sick going on for 3 years now. Really really miss work. - Club you support - King's Lynn, don't attend at all now due to the current owner, refuse to line his pockets. - what got you into speedway - A mates parents used to take me when I was a kid. First real memory of the sport though was when Mark Loram signed as a reserve, riding the track differently to anyone else. Also watching Denis Löfquist constantly falling off. - best speedway moment - way to many to mention - worst speedway moment - Peter Karlsson's leg breaking crash at King's Lynn. Was an absolutely incredible and shocking noise when he hit the fence on the first bend at full tilt. Then the death at King's Lynn of David Nix. Saddest of all was the death of Ashley Jones, this one hit me hardest as this happened on my birthday. - Favourite speedway rider and why - Nicki Pedersen. Reason is he gave no fooks and raced as hard as possible. - most disliked speedway rider and why - Darcy Ward - for someone of such quality on a bike, his attitude didn't half stink and it's still no different. Great racer / horrible human being. - what do you enjoy other than speedway - watching many other sports. Manchester United fan, England fan in Football, Rugby Union and Cricket. Love watching the Ryder Cup Golf, Darts and F1 occasionally. Due to illness, am unable to get around as much as I'd like and do more physical stuff. - social media links - No ta, only like keeping up to date in things I'm interested in. Not really a social media chatting type

You don't like him because he acts stupid. Yet everyone on the south coast of Poole absolutely loved Darcy Ward. Forgetting his talent, that kid was a proper d!©[<. Craig is very tame compared