mikebv

After the pressure on them in Poland at the weekend's, every week, during the season, it must be light relief to turn up at UK Speedway venues and "enjoy" their evening's racing... Racing with a lot less riding on the result, with, for most riders, zero chance of getting replaced regardless of performances.. (In fact, sometimes the worse you do can actually help you get a job the season after!).. It does all seem very "matey" though doesn't it? Which isn't a good look if you want the viewers to believe they are watching top level professional sport that has some jeapordy, and consequence for winning and losing.. Let's hope the GP's deliver some proper sporting drama and excitement to help showcase the sport...

The inescapable fact is that UK speedway comes across far too many times like a "social club" rather than a bona fide sporting contest... As several riders have said... "It's much more relaxed and fun"... The play offs are the only time you see racing more akin to what you would expect from a professional sport that has something worth winning....

Almost a full house tonight.... Still a spare seat in that 7 seater taxi though...

Happens every year, be it the top level, or U21 and below... Lots of known clashes but the meetings still getting arranged over here... You bring back GP riders to try and boost crowds, and then arrange meetings when they are not there... What a great idea...

A sensible choice... These riders never know from one year to the next what team changes will come in over here, and take them out of a job... Always best to look after No1... And, let's be honest, he isn't missing much is he? Edit: Apart from obviously having the chance to have a good laugh and a joke in the pits with Ryan, Sam and Max...

Chris and Max having a good laugh together there... Just like they would in Poland... Steady and Sam Masters the same before heat one... The UK version if the sport is just a mechanic for the riders to earn money isn't it?

It was from Tom....... Take that Anders.....

Another great Sunday evening meeting from Poland.. I almost feel some sympathy for the UK promoters having to follow on, on a Monday... Great stadia, big enthusiastic crowds, a sizeable away following, truly top level riders in almost every heat. (With all belng contracted to both teams on show), and professional looking managers and mechanics dressed in club merchandise... With most races contested by at least two riders, with the third often not too far behind given at lesst three riders in most races are of a "very good level".. Add in a very good junior and it can be all four in contention to possibly still change their individual positions as they enter bend three, lap four in lots of races... A lot of boxes ticked for the viewers, fans in the stadium, sponsors and advertisers.. Not quite the same amount of boxes ticked too often, sadly, on a Monday evening on TNT..

I think fhey will believe this.... Telll them that Tom has signed for Sheffield from Ipswich... And ishould they stay watching the sport, and notice that the very same Tom Brennan is riding for Ipswich regularly.... Tell them that Tom didn't like riding for Sheffield so went back!!!... Tell them that UK Speedway allows you to see if you like your new team mates before signing permanently.. A seven day change of mind policy...

This is progress... Not long ago it used to be "K-tels Hits Of The 70's" at most tracks... "Not 'alf mate"....

I seem to remember he washed his hands of the thing as he wasn't getting listened to...

The cycle speedway king designed the track...😁...

Or to paraphrase... It is all Mickey Mouse Bollox in the UK, but we still do our very best to pretend it means something... When are they going to at least try to make what they present have some credibility? Before it is too late ..

Till October....

The Aces should just sign him for Mondays and whatever Thursdays he can make... He only needs to really ride the Thursdays of the play offs...

That is always a difficult measurement... As, what we have today, week in week out, is pretty much down to the "hard core" who, basically, will turn up regularly to watch "anything" served up.. A section of the crowds these days being "die hard club fans", and the other being "generic speedway fans".. Both sections just want to watch "some speedway" with one section judging their enjoyment of the night due to the result, and the other, judging their night on the racing.. The more difficut to quantify measurement is his how many are not there from the numbers of say 20 years ago?...

We have already had an NDL match hastily replaced with a Premiership meeting on Bank Holiday Monday, due to a Polish rearranged fixture, which will now need rearranging.. And, I am confident, given history, that others, particularly nearer the end of the season, will get replaced as the top leagues rush to cram their fixtures in... These NDL meetings will therefore, more than likely, take place with guests who can make the restaging's, replacing those who cannot... Therefore. Another quickly arranged NDL meeting using guests, wouldn't have been a huge issue would it?

If it had been called off due to rain, with two full teams expected... It would have just been rearranged like all other call offs... Meetings get called off prior to the day of the meeting due to a "dodgy" weather forecast, so why not call them off due to a "dodgy" team full of guests? They run "guestfest" meetings like this simply because they can... And that is fine when fans pretend with them that it is a bona fide competition.. But those promoters, and those fans, cannot then moan as the sport slowly disappears due to the lack of sufficient crowd numbers.....

I am sure you would have been delighted to have been on the receiving end of that Dean..... "Never mind young man, all good"...

A "bit" reckless... He wasn't in control from quite a way out, and needs to protect his fellow riders who cannot see him... Gives 100℅ which is what we love, but needs to learn a little track craft... Laying it down might have been the best result...

Roll Up! Roll Up! Form an orderly queue!

Broken ankle for Magic?

Luckily Magic didn't land on his head but flipped over.. PHB out of control..... Racing hard and racing reckless is a fine line..

Horrible crash....

Bartek was voted "Sports Personality Of The Year" a few years ago... You only have to see the national companies advertising on TV using Speedway riders to see how these lads are well known amongst the wider sports watching community... Similar to how the top riders in the 70's over here were recognised as "top sportsmen" at the time.. As I say, Poland won't screw up the sport like the UK promoters did, and still do...