SPEEDY69

Zagar?

Is Chris Holder planning to ride in the UK next season (Tru Plant sponsored?)? Is Iversen bound for Ipswich? What's Robbie Fuller doing these days?

I don't know in what country that might be but I reckon, allowing for UK inflation, 50 quid then would be worth about 90 pounds now. We'll agree to differ on clubs folding, i think the bigger drain is cost rises, not income falls. Speedway in the UK can barely support two professional leagues, let alone three. Would you mind paying more to watch NL speedway?

Jacek or Marcin?

Sadly Buxton have withdrawn from the NL and on reading the great article in the S Star last week (bought in WH Smith) it seems costs are the issue yet again. It really was a sad development when the third league went 'professional'. With ever increasing medical, insurance and licence costs it seems NL riders have been looking for higher pay rates, vans and even paid mechanics! If the third div collectively refused, there would be more riders seeking CL places and lead to less need for doubling down from the PL. How many more tracks will have to close before the BSPA and more importantly the riders realise that the money is not there. When I rode in the third div in 1997 the top scorer got 50 quid and a gallon of fuel plus 5p mile travelling. The bottom two got 15 pounds in total. It was a hobby so I didn't object to paying to ride. Those who wanted a career also had to shell out in order to progress. That's how it is in many careers - how much debt do students leave Uni with on the prospect of future earnings? I really hope the track there is not lost and that the third tier soon returns to amateur status and I feel really sorry for the Moss family. What do you think?

No thanks, boring to watch - gate or nowhere.

At home. Still as has been the case in the top league for a while, the first three months don't really matter, it's the team you have for the summer months/playoffs that counts

Just like we had meetings on Wednesdays last season! What this means of course is that riders will have to ride in UK I there is a clash.

Spot on. When talking to Jeremy Doncaster a few years ago he said he was very keen to keep as much stuff from one year to the next as possible, frames, wheels etc. Fact is, many riders use new every year because they want to, not because they have to or need to to remain competitive.

A speed gun situated at the end of a straight on a track would be an interesting addition to speedway, a bit like they have for skiers. Not all the time as it would get boring but now and then. Surely can't be that hard? Big screen at the track I think would have the biggest opportunity to improve fans interaction but a speed gun could help.

You're right, some riders do earn a lot of money and there does seem to be loads who don't need to work at another job over the winter any more - good luck to them, it's not their fault is it.

Interesting. I wonder where Swindon and Berwick feature in this speed list (of course average speed doesn't mean the highest peak speed i.e. at the end of the straight)?

Nope, riders will then look to make two livings

I hope they are both told to 'do one', from all tracks. A business has to budget realistically.

I think the Ltd company idea is a good one. It could mean that losses across clubs could be absorbed against profit to reduce tax bills even further, I'm no expert but could clubs become franchisees of the BSPA? I really hope we see the end of PL number 1s in the Championship.