SteveEvans

Billy Hamill was World Champion after his 11th GP. Considering Hans did 14 World finals ahead I declare my Team USA boss the winner!

Regardless of the circumstances Chris Harris is in the series. Lucky? Yes for sure. But luck sometimes comes to those who want it and this is a rider who has always wanted to be in the series and been very upfront about the fact. Should he be in this series? Well, we'll know by the end of Torun next year. Woffy himself was condemned for making up the numbers and though I think Chris has no chance of the crown next year, the ball is 100% in his court to prove he is worthy of this opportunity. My opinion on the GP is you have the elite band of 6-8 riders who can win multiple GPs per year, are consistent and a class above. Then the next 20-25 in the world are very close on ability and who gets those last 7-9 spots is down to marking your turf and making your claim. Good luck to all 15 in 2015!

I believe the promoter posted on FB it will be available on PPV for overseas fans. So get ready!

I think the promoters plan pay per view for those overseas. www.industryracing.com is their website.

I must say the passions and rivalry from both Monarchs and Tigers fans on here is awesome - reminds me of Wolves Cradley and something quite special that the sport sometimes lacks these days. A Glasgow representative actually did make a tentative reach regarding Aaron Fox but nothing was pursued as the finer details were already being worked out with the Monarchs. That said over the years work between Team USA and both clubs will hopefully lead to more ScotYanks in the years to come. I'm hoping to fit in a visit early in the season and it would be nice to see all 3 tracks.

Regarding Aaron Fox. He is perhaps the most improved rider in the USA and was very consistent all year - each meeting is individual and he made the final 4 out of anything from 12-24 riders) in 80% of the meetings this year. He came 2nd in both the US National at Costa Mesa and State Championship at Industry Hills. Unlucky on both occasions as he was leading before the race got stopped each time. He also came in 4th in Round 1 of the AMA Nationals at Ventura, a track that is very much like Bradford - big and banked. You have a rider who is very professional, hard working and serious about this.The club have done their homework and studied his form both results wise and via video and are happy with what they see. Like any new rider from the USA you can expect a settle in period, but given he is on a big career up curve and can gate better than most new Americans, I expect he will do just fine. His rider profile is at www.speedwaybikes.com. I am sure the Edinburgh fans will take to him and I thank everyone associated with this move for their support and help.

It's a great concept Paul and would be good publicity for the sport. Let me add it to the task list!

I think the GP series should let these guys run a career # like F1 is about to.

Greg's # is the one he used in the USA. In America riders often keep a # for their entire career or minimally several seasons.

I see your points Paul. Firstly, I can say without any question no country works harder at the SWC than USA. Billy H and I work this all year round, we have to because we barely have enough guys in Europe for a full team. The fact that we finished above GB in Prague was based on the fact we simply wanted it more and were more of a unit than any team in the pits that day. Yes, 5th in the world may flatter the real situation of where we are at but as much as you can say USA relied on Greg, why did he do better than Tai and Bomber? The guy was utterly inspired with being on the team and the vision. And Fisher too rode above himself. As far as the Touring Team, we race at NL because the domestic American scene right now probably sits somewhere in between NL and PL. You see the top riders on a tour - first time over they struggle to begin but by the end look better than most NL riders on show. You need to understand that American Speedway almost died out. When I moved to the USA it was just 1 track down South versus 5 in the old day and there was NO junior program - youngest rider back in 1998 was 25. Now there are more tracks and a flourishing youth speedway program but its still in a rebuilding phase. But if you compare present time to five years ago, it is way better and its only headed one way. On the flip side GB is slowly declining and one thing I believe contributes is that some very talented young riders don't go beyond the comfort zone of doubling up and venture to Europe. Also the small tracks in the states often provide more passing in one night than a year or two at some British venues! Handicap racing, that culminates in an 8 rider, 8 lap final, has more than once seen a Hamill or Janniro pick off 7 riders and get the win - its quite a spectacle. US Speedway on smaller tracks should be acknowledged as different but also appreciated for the magic it is. And if you go back to the 80s the close racing got a generation of the best and most thrilling riders I have ever known over to England. There is much work to do for USA to continue to rebuild, but we unashamedly target winning another World Cup, though we appreciate its somewhere down the line. Glad the invitational is getting some talk on here - the organizers work very hard on this and its a fantastic spectacle and event!

I would say you have never seen live American Speedway if you have this view. The tracks are smaller yes but it takes immense skill to ride such and maybe the Euro's will learn something new! The close racing can be quite mind blowing! A speedway race that brings world stars to the USA, a place of current speedway growth and a potential GP location (not at this track of course) can only do the sport good! Also don't forget USA is currently ranked two places above GB in the world standings so maybe the three riders from across the pond might get ready for SWC '14 at Lynn!

As we speak the evil Matt has Emil and Gollob's applications for British passports in process. They will be the 6 and 7 this year for Poole. Yes, you heard it here first cos I just made it up.

I haven't read through all the pages but the answer to original question is simple. Speedway Riders have the ability to race up to 7 days a week or over 100 meetings during the season if they so choose. None of the leagues or competitions run enough meetings to give this amount of work so hence they are able to multi task and ride different leagues or competitions. Its only lack of coordination between the organizers of the competitions that gives a problem. If the EPL only ran 1 match per fortnight footballers could be potentially double up (all hypothetical and suppositional) but 1-2 matches per week is plenty!

If its a true draft system a rider who turns 16 mid season would not be eligible to ride at 6 or 7 until 2015. They could however be signed in someones 1-5.

Paco is about 19 I think. Great guy, we raced against him and the Italian team in Hungary.

Would love NL to go Retro and run 13 heats, 2nd halves, old tac subs, etc. Also 13 heats would be easier for clubs who have EL or PL side to stage double headers if they got behind on fixtures so might also enable a team or two to join. Just my thoughts, I think such would be a breathe of fresh air and could be run for about the same cost as a current meeting!

The response to the biggest news to hit British speedway and open up the sport to floods of new riders is shocking! Meantime, in other forum news, Poole are better than Coventry...or vice versa....

Huge news! This class has run all year in the USA and has enabled many to take up the sport. Martin Hagon needs huge credit for this pioneering programme.

You could well be right. I think the principal of this idea is to keep costs down - my first when I heard the 2 NL Brits at reserve rule was a club like Poole could essentially pay silly money to the best two. Perhaps there will be some flexibility so riders where they can end up with their parent club while equally not allowing anyone to get two of the best available.

Perhaps. But I think the theory is here is cut out expensive travel costs for low scoring foreign imports and keep the spots more for riders who are truly committed to the league. Cost cutting is a big factor here but its better to do it this way than to do a blanket reduction at the top. JMO.

All in all I think the format isn't that bad. Looks like the format is going back to 2 reserve heats. I think give it a month or 2 and some of these British lads will be on the pace. More meetings will help them no end and some will come good. Essentially costs needed to be cut somewhere and its smart to do this by eliminating expensive low scoring and sometimes uncommitted foreign riders. The 32 points for top 5 enables the few teams who have or can afford a top rider to keep them on board while equally allowing club to be deep with 7-5 point riders and be competitive. I am concerned about double uppers combined with NL Brits - I am hearing 2 of the top 5 can double up so that may create up to 4 riders who could have a fixture clash when you race a Saturday away match at Leicester or Eastbourne. The 20 NL riders I am hearing will go into a draft where each team get to pick in a designated order. If its based on what we do in USA then the clubwho finished last year get to pick the first rider, while Poole would get 10th pick. Not sure if order reverses for 11th. The allocation of these 20 riders could be key in determining where the title may end up. I am glad its a full set of fixtures. I hope Peterboro sorts itelf out and I am sure there is more to their situation than meets the eye.

Change at #2 and I'd say that's accurate!

It always amazed me that on Sky coverage there was never any mention of the race fixtures for the upcoming week. Talk about missing the obvious advertising window to encourage people to see it live!

9 matches not enough. How about a squad system? Example, team uses Hancock and a 3 pointer for 9 home matches, two 6 pointers for the other 9. Its a bit clunky I admit but you can get top names in without cutting down on dates.

Regardless of Sky money or not until the penny drops that the main role of a promoter is to provide a show that is must see week in week out and worth the price of admission, the sport will continue to lose fans slowly and contract. Sadly its either a case of continual cost cutting (except admission) or find ways around the rules to gain advantage. The dwindling quality, quantity and value for money for speedway over the last 25 years is plain to see. Its still the best sport around and on a good night is worth more than the value of admission. Sadly it used to be worth the value of admission every night, win or lose and that difference is the only reason the terraces get thinner each year.