Hawk127

Emil seems to be getting back to his best. Great ride in that last heat and that demonstrates why it can be so good and unpredictable

Michelson does not like team riding, just as well it was Emil

That shows lack of experience. He will learn.

Brian Foote when riding for Rayleigh gave Jack as good as Jack dished out. The boos started the moment his name was announced during the team introductions. A hard rider and a great character as was Brian. Ted Hubbard was another hard rider.

One of the main problems in this country is you do have enough money coming into the sport in sponsorship etc. to make it a viable proposition for the number of clubs and with riders wanting to be full time employees using kit which is far too expensive it is impossible to square the financial circle. Stadia want the rent, riders demand top dollar to earn a living and maintain equipment and pay mechanics etc and fewer pundits have disposal income to take a family of four week in week out. As Dean has already said, the bikes are not a lot faster than years back but a good deal more expensive to run and maintain. Do spectators really care if the race is a few seconds slower. As long as you are being entertained I do not see race times an issue. The British public are simply not in love with speedway like they use to be and it is a brave person who would invest in the current business model in the UK.

Do any of the Ukrainian riders ride in any of the Polish leagues? Nazar looks as though he could be quite useful.

Racing is not bad so far despite the scoreline and an enthusiastic crowd souring the teams on.

Yep, miles out, got it wrong and well done the witches. Will not do the lottery in a hurry. Great to see the witches pulling together. I will now crawl under the stone and disappear.

I think it could be closer than that. Depends on how well Jason performs. Looking at yesterday’s Polish matches, the Leicester contingent did well so a close competitive meeting looks to be on the cards. Good luck to both teams and hopefully an injury free meeting.

A great day of entertaining speedway from Poland and that last race with Fricke topped it off, great ride. Thanks to all the riders who gave so much today.

Try the Polish thread, it is much more interesting.

Great to see a wide range of age groups including the youngsters giving it everything. Some hope yet

Great race well done Maciej

Great ride by Maxim

What speedway follower would not want to be in a stadia like this on. Warm Friday night watching speedway. Brings back memories of Friday at eight at Hackney

The meeting is not great but the riders turn up one day before a GP and Poland seems to race on days/nights when fans want to attend. In years gone by this use to happen in the UK with weekend meetings well attended but now the sport draws the short straw. Perhaps the UK clubs need to get back to thinking what entertainment they can offer on nights that suit the business model for each one and if that means going back to square one then so be it. Give it one year of reverting to running how it used to be to be and I reckon attendances would improve. If that does not work then, it will simply shorten the inevitable and the fickle followers will see clubs fail.

Totally agree and some meetings are no better in Poland but the difference is the support, the stadia and the enthusiasm of all involved which is at another level compared to UK. Yes many many years back that following did exist in the UK but those days have long gone due mainly to mismanagement of the sport. It will never reach the heights of Poland but at least it is something to aspire too.

Freddie doing what he needs to do given the GP this weekend whereas Bartosz is a racer and is always out to win.

Heat 18 and heat 19 show why this sort of meeting is important to a cross section of rider skills, heat 18 and. Youngster claims a scalp and heat 19 shows the class of Bartosz. Perhaps the P9les would like to hold a round of the championship in the UK

It is good that the Polish riders turn up and the authorities seemingly are running the sport. Where did it go wrong in the UK. Why is it the same discipline and commitment does not apply to UK speedway. Something is definitely wrong and the attitude of riders seems way wide of those in Poland.

Overall, I do not think anyone has too much to complain about. The racing was good, two different winners, track held up well compared to the temporary tracks and the non speedway issues such as catering and ticket may need addressing but overall a good weekend of racing for the tight knit community of speedway followers. A shame it does not even make 1 on the Richter scale of press reporting and maybe the limited attendance when other sports probably get far more through the gate on a regular basis means it is not exactly going to register as a high profile event for ‘Joe public’. The sport has a lot to do to if it wants to get in front of more people in the UK and maybe it needs to ditch the current business model. What would work is only going to come about by trial and error. For example consider a sprint championship with races at every league meeting culminating in a knock out competition which would then be followed by league meeting with five or six man teams followed by a second half for the rising talent and let’s this be the equivalent of the SGP2. Stop time wasting, as one race finishes get the riders out. Start offences, riders straight back round to the tapes. Rider breaks the tapes, back off 15 mtrs. Just ideas but sadly as it is the sport is the pimple on the arse of world sports entertainment. Most probably wish that those in charge could recognise the issues but alas many have the head buried in the sand syndrome. Hopefully this years problems of the non speedway issues will be sorted for next and we get treated to a feast of speedway at Belle Vue.

Sorry I meant so many sports people don’t bother singing to their own national anthem and just seem to mime some incomprehensible rubbish. That aside the suggestion that has been made by others is that when interviewed he is talking rubbish, he probably thinks in Polish and tries to translate to English. I wonder how many go to Poland and when speaking in the local language think in Polish. Not a chance they think in English and most of what they are saying is then lost in translation when they speak. Some should try it some time.

And Smarzlik knows the words to his national anthem unlike so many who don’t. Thanks to all the riders who made it two good evenings of speedway.

He can only race what is put in front of him and as a Polish sportsman promotes the sport well in his own country. He is a class act and in the same league as Gollob. He is an ultimate professional so what more can you ask for from a rider. The fact that the opposition cannot match him is not his fault.

Can Freddie do it. Should be a great final race and a superb end to two great nights of action. Forget the poor camera etc, it would have been just as good with a decent radio commentary which they could easily do with two professionals who know what they are talking about.