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So Polish rider has a clash of challenges matches and has to be at the one in his own country ie the federation that issues him with his racing licence. Seems pretty straightforward and understandable to me. Not really getting the whinging.

Good idea - You may knock some sense into it

Lesson is don’t pay on appearance ,pay on performance. Imo

Shame he didnt perform like that for Glasgow last year

Decent solid performance tonight with promising rides from every rider Bomber was a class apart with a couple of sublime passes (even more commendable given the track) Impressed with Jake and Cam generally and Richard finished strongly Danny seemed a little subdued but thats not unexpected David had a tough start but had a encouraging race win Drew didnt look totally comfortable but scored well and great to see him with a Witch on his chest Only slight disappointment was the lack of any victory parade. Quite a number of Witches fans had travelled and deserved some acknowledgement Nice to start with a win and I can see this being a team worth watching Get yourself down to Foxhall good people and give it a look

How - and why - is it worrying? There is nothing written there that we didn't already know. It's been covered to death on the BSF. I don't think the head-in-the-sand attitude comes from the supporters; we all know British speedway is in trouble. The apathy from supporters stems from the fact that realistically, there is bugger all that we supporters can do to stop the rot... Steve

Agree, but its not. I think its good if they honour their prior arrangements, after being shafted elsewhere.

well its not really the way ahead, more wtf happened?

Lewis was superb today at Redcar - would not be too worried about Tofty though.

TJ 2-3-3-0 Lewis 3-3-1-3-2. MPT. 1-2-1-2 TJ and Lewis both going well at Redcar, Tofty not so well I know it’s only two meetings but Lewis is starting to prove his doubters wrong.

Its funny cos people moan when Ippo go into a nee Season without a warm up, then when the promotion puts the effort into get the lads ready other people deride it and say they aint going...you just can't win. Everyones entitled to their opinion but why spoil it for everyone else...just don't help speedway does it ?

Drew is Ipswich born and bred and an Ipswich asset - Witches fans see him of one of us and would never be regarded as a guest Also its an inter league challenge where these types of tweaks are often made anyway to even things up

Think the Hippo fans will still have more interest in watching young Kemp than KP at the moment anyway

Good luck tonight lads at the tricky Leicester track. Stay safe and blow those cobwebs away.

It was indeed " my life" too for many years but it seems to have lost so much intensity and pull in recent years. I think part of that loss of interest is due to the feeling of" Oh no! I can't believe that, why are they doing that " about changes in how the sport is run and the decisions taken by promoters on what they lay before the fans as a show. It seems as if I have - finally - seen through it! Regardless of what the "it's fabulous racing now, as good as ever" it is much more predictable ( after the first half a lap ) than ever and so much more processional judging by what I have witnessed in recent years. Hardly worth watching and not much to get excited about ( before or after watching it! ) My clapometer and roarometer still work but are hardly used nowadays. I will be going when dragged along by an old friend from years ago when he comes to town - whose enthusiasm has not yet dimmed to such an extent of mine. I don't think that it is growing "older" as one or two posters have suggested to me but more that the excitement of an average match has just about vanished. Speedway racing UK style has sadly lost it's thrill and ability to rouse - it's siren song has fallen to a whisper. Can't wait for the GPs though!

Strange move from Len, who normally gets things right!. Could argue comparison with Belle Vue (who have 2 Teams one in PL) is a bit unfair, but Kent still easily most expensive in NL. What also confuses me is that in terms of "rival" he only has one geographically at Eastbourne and potential for them or Kent to attract support from Lakeside / Rye House and the London area, you'd think would be prime consideration. Len in NL raises prices to £15 and has no OAP concessions. Eastbourne move up to CL; have new management who tell everyone that they have a carefully designed plan; and who then go £16 which is equal lowest in CL from what I can see for Adults; and looks very good value; also bring in new concessions for OAP's at £14 (according to their website they had no OAP concessions in NL?????); - which means that they charge a £1 less for higher league for any OAP to go and watch in the South East of England. Quite what Drew's kevlars has to do with it, who knows?, other than Drew should find someone else to make his kevlars who is not ripping him off, and Len should not rip fans off with such a tame excuse. Hopefully for Drew they won't get ripped in his first meeting or Len might be raising prices again!

Feel exactly the same. Can count on both hands the number of home meeting's I've missed since '72, but interest has waned a little these last couple of years and last year was the first since '72 that I didn't take in at least one away meeting somewhere. Six months now since the last home meeting and really should be counting down the hours until the first meeting but I have no desire to go. Partially due I think to the poor racing at Ipswich these days, despite commendable efforts to improve the circuit, but mostly due to the totally Micky Mouse league we find ourselves in and the farcical new ownership situation.

We did actually comment on that between ourselves

Never mind victory parades give the Panthers there Bomber back!!! Tungates got alot to live up to now on tonights Bombtastic display

Depends for which country and which team your allegiances lay

Might get Richie in at one venue as a stunt double

A hell of a good read , alot of remarks about the "smell" which was castrol oil but when was that last used? Remember in the 70s going to derwent park on sat morning picking up cans of "speedwell "cans to put on our push bikes and dream of being lou sansom !

Am off to bang my head against a brick wall, that is the tail wagging !!!!!!!!!

Great article in the Guardian raises a lot of questions https://www.newsnow.co.uk/h/Sport/Motorsport/British+Speedway

Good article and hard to argue with on so many points. For me perfectly summed up by the following. Corcoran describes the camaraderie in the sport as the glue that holds it together but is damning on the reasons for speedway’s decline. “The bikes’ technology has changed but the presentation has not,” he says. “There has been a distinct lack of innovation and investment and it has been a race to the bottom rather than the top. The sport screams out for a Bernie Ecclestone or Barry Hearn character to grab it and run with it. “There is nobody centrally driving the sport. If you were a potential sponsor from a big brand you wouldn’t have been approached by anybody. Same goes for TV. They have had centrally negotiated TV contracts but they have been pitiful because the guys you are dealing with are, with respect, scrap metal merchants and used-car salesmen.”

These days the sport would be ridiculed for this, "how can the sport be taken seriously?". Ah, the good old days :-)

up and running here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEpzqkfEizg

I might be down for the Young Lions BYC round. The MDL of course will be using the main track I think. Good little meetings.

Reading are using Swindon this season in the MDL as their home track, and the Young Lions also have a meeting here, both of which are good .

Stevie doing press&practice then dashing to Sheffield Simon has permission to miss it completely per thurs chronicle

Sure Jason will be a 2 point reserve next season if all goes well this year, be interesting to see if Charlie can make the step up in the nl this season.

Great news, again applaud the club on the direction they want to go in signing young riders like the Spillers, keep the conveyor belt of young talent going

We try or die simple.

He's not expected to be fit before July at the earliest.

Can't imagine that the Company who has made them will be too happy with Len for announcing how much they have cost, anyone know who makes his?? I'm pretty sure rival manufacturers will be having a right belly laugh!

Yes - but it was a Rugby League match, 104,000 odd.

Len used to charge top dollar at the Wick when Hackney had a poor team, so it's nothing new. These days you need to hang on to your fan base, not drive them away.

Maybe they could do skid schools on it. Start on 125's then 250's or old 500's. 2 valves or Wessies

I bought a copy of Speedway World at the first meeting I ever went to. Its front page headline was "Brian Crutcher Retires", so I never got to see him ride! I think though there is no doubt he should be in a top 30 British riders of all-time. As you say yourself, Sidney, for a while he was the equal of the likes of Fundin, Briggs and Moore and he was a well-known name in an era when speedway received a bit more publicity in the papers than it does now. On the other hand I saw Ron How many times and thought he was always a bit underrated because he was second to Ronnie Moore but he was an essential part of the all-conquering Wimbledon team of the late 50s and early 60s. He was a world finalist eight times and between 1958 and 1964 averaged over nine points per match every season. Between 1958 and 1965 he was ranked in the Top 20 riders in the world in the Speedway Star ranking lists, generally around mid way. Without listing the other top British riders, I think I would have him in my top 30.

Hope Lynn is getting a loan fee

I was at the Coventry v Hull league decider in 1979 and I think the attendance was given as 23,000. It was certainly a huge crowd and I remember having to park about a mile away from the stadium.

I know it's a pain for you,but it may have made someone's day who is at work on nights.I get pretty peed when i'm working and there are fixtures i miss i must admit.But only 4 years 9 months and 17 days and i'm taking early retirement so should be able to watch all matches,providing speedway is still about then

I've got Ron's 1962 World Final race jacket in my collection I've also got Briggo's from 1959. Two wimbledon legends for sure.

15 blinking quid to get in at Kent this year! Fair play to those who can sustain the constant rises but personally i will be attending very few meetings at that rate. More likely spending my money at Eastbourne at the next level up for just a quid more. Poor reasoning too, riders costs have gone up because they have allowed them to, its not the fans fault that riders choose to have new race suits, bikes, engines every season but they are the ones being hit in the pocket.

Its been a long long closed season for Ipswich fans Looking forward to a first visit to Leicester on a mini Massif road trip Up the Witches!

Council have put Double Yellow Lines down Most of Loomer Road either side

Gordon was the star of the last ever appearance of speedway bikes at Wimbledon making the tarmac look as if it was a shale track on the bends. The video is on YouTube

Very sad to hear of John Chaplin's passing. He was, like myself, a lifelong Birmingham supporter, but his reporting was always impartial and his many speedway books were always interesting reading. He and I both rode for the same Cycle Speedway club - Birmingham Lions (who in more recent years changed its name to Sandwell). I started riding in 1953 when I was 13 when John was one of the leading riders in the club, but as a beginner, I was in awe of the senior club members and didn't really get to know him then. Later on, through our mutual love of all things "Brummies" we became good friends. I knew that he was battling against a very painful illness, but didn't realise that the end was so close. John will be sorely missed by not just those who knew him personally, but by everyone connected with speedway. Rest in the peace of the Lord John - and thank you for your friendship.

No they want to give Ipswich half a chance