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Maybe instead of trying to standardise the engines just handicap the riders like in horse racing? Bike and rider weighed before the meeting and ballast added to the bike so that they’re all on a level playing field. Simple and effective, no flyweight will spend thousands on tuning if he has to have 10kg or more to his bike

Just looking at Isle of Wight Masters Championship. www.dirthub.co.uk/island-masters-shale-track-championship-schedule-entry-list/ You have to applaud the promoters for taking on meetings of this format. There's no reason why stadium racing of this type can't be run with both speedway and grasstrack bikes dependent on the size and condition of the track. I think individuals on this forum are too quick to dismiss this type of event ultimately who cares at least it gives UK riders an opportunity to race instead of applauding Wolverhampton with their plethora of imports.

I used to love going to Sheffield Speedway… really enjoyed the racing. I went 8 to 10 times a year for many years. in recent years there has been a serious drop in the quality of the racing culminating in only going once a year…. Then a decision to not bother going at all. sad times

There was an MDSL match on after so plenty of options for a number 8 not taken by Poole

In 2018 I was involved in the purchase of waste land, probably big enough to build a speedway track on, from North Tyneside Council. It's in between a rubbish tip a motorway and a railway line and cost £1m. With all councils struggling for cash and planning for housing developments much easier I just can't see any public authority making a significant plot of land available for leisure, especially motorsports. There's plenty of grant funding out there to stimulate the construction industry but you've got to prove that your investment will benefit the local economy. They obviously did that in Manchester with the promise of National and World Finals attracting visitors to the city. Something like that would be great for an authority like North or South Tyneside or even Gateshead, to have world class sport staged in their area but the promise of attracting up to at best 1,000 people once a week for 20 weeks of the year for a noisy motorsport is a tough sell.

Your being ironic again!

We’ve got Poole riders so we can use their rule book. Simple !!!

He's getting a hair cut

One other thing I want to mention that I've noticed about other tracks is that the average age seems to be a lot older at Newcastle (and Birmingham) both tracks who seem to be struggling for crowd numbers, seems to be a lot older than some other tracks, such as Poole, Ipswich etc... Something to look at perhaps? There's an awful lot of young people seems to go to them tracks, which are the types who need to be attracted... What's so attractive about Ipswich and Poole that isn't about Newcastle?

If Scunthorpe are still unbeaten at home after tonight they'll have done very well indeed

Hopefully he will give it one more season. He has just started up links with 2 football teams, he will have season ticket money next year, and hopefully more sponsors will come on board. I just hope with the early statement it does not hinder the attendances for last 3 matches as we really need the fans to turn out in force.

Already in the play offs and Batch taking his chance to lower his average in the meetings that count towards it. Come the playoffs where the scores don't count I think you will see a different outcome..... Ben Cook can't replace Neilsen - Stefan is a 3 point rider and Cook would be 4. I know yoy struggle with these concepts but I don't think even Sheffield could get away with that one

There will of course be legitimate cases. But some of the sick notes used in speedway are laughable! What I'm saying is it's open to manipulation. "Overnight" in a foreign hospital can be written be anyone with a blurry business card pretending to be a doctor!

I think we should ride against Berwick instead

Indeed but scoring well in the play offs will be win win for him. He will increase his income , he will not increase his average and it will encourage potential employers he is worth offering a place next year.....

Phew the Diamonds are saved!!! Unbelievable that the list of previous promotions have never thought of trying to get the cost of renting the stadium down?? I expect Rob Grant will have seen this now and announce the 2022 line up and first meeting date anytime soon. Then he'll be on the phone to Newcastle City Council who haven't got a pot to urinate in, can't afford proper social care, infrastructure maintenance etc etc, for a nice juicy hand out for a sport which attracts minimal visitors to the city and is probably in reality occupying a site which is a prime location for much needed new housing. Of your six facts, three are questions, two of the others are opinion and the other is bleeding obvious. Have a clown emoji Might you consider that young Dandelion was perhaps upset that her favourite team/pastime had just announced it was no longer to exist? So maybe some ill informed comments were made. Or maybe Dandelion is privy to the same information THJ has alluded to or the fact that Rob Grant was told to retain the same company as the previous promotion which was undoubtedly part of the reason he has walked away. Or the fact that despite knowing that there was never going to be enough riders to sustain the 2020 line ups in 2021 the authority decided to allow teams to keep the same line ups despite there being no obligation to do so and knowing that would mean some teams would track under strength teams. I don't blame Rob Godfrey. Yes the structure of the leagues and team building could have been better but speedway at Brough Park is untenable. Brough Park is too expensive for the level of crowds attracted. The track shape is no longer suited to modern bikes and riders. There's little or no opportunity for other income streams (bar takings etc). It's only available on a Sunday and therefore even at Championship level attracting heat leaders is extremely difficult (note who else now runs on a Sunday) even if they could be afforded. There are lots of other ways to spend disposable income in Newcastle and in a football obsessed area in which all the local teams are a shambles the last thing the general public of Tyneside want is to watch another uncompetitive sports team. I think this also answers the valid question as to why Redcar is successful compared to Newcastle. Speedway can still be great but all of the right ingredients need to be there and sadly for Newcastle the cupboard is empty. To his credit Rob Grant knew that the long term future of speedway in Newcastle was outside of the city but where and how much it would take are probably beyond anyones means at this point in time. Especially for a sport that, lets face it, nobody wants on their door step. Even if it could be proved to improve the local economy.

This is going to cost Scunny, I would rather of had Busk Jackobson or Danny Gappmaier. with 2 riders out could Scunny of done R/R for Tero and a guest for Palin?

Bowtel in the stripes?

Derek Timms once told me about a rider who gave his engine to someone claiming to be a tuner. It was a set up by some of his team mates as he was constantly moaning about his bike. The "tuner" did nothing more than polish the casings, cylinder and barrel so the engine had a mirror finish. The guy fell for it and claimed it was a lot faster than it was before!

It's no good having a big shop, if there ain't many customers.

.It is an INDIVIDUAL event & he was not even wearing Sheffield kevlars, "glory boy" but he even races for Scunthorpe this year in the British Leagues. But , I agree, well deserved & I was there to see it. Even Swindon, Birmingham, Lakeside, Eastbourne, Poole, Ipswich & IOW could claim a bit in his progression, not including the foreign clubs.

Absolutely ridiculous have a rider riding for multi teams. At this moment in time it is clear that there are a) too many teams or b) not enough riders. It’s a complete farce to have a rider riding for multiple teams in the same week. For sure there may be instances when an injury means a rider stands in for another, but it should be very short term, and certainly not one particular riding for multiple times in a week. Doesn’t look like it will be sorted this side of the total collapse of British speedway.

As I said on another post why not just be open with the fans and give the real reason. Promotors would be more respected

A good watch and correct analysis. The main mitigating factor for me, (beside the above video), is no promoting of the sport in the towns and cities where it is staged, period.

ISSUE 87 (JULY - AUGUST, 2018) of Backtrack is out now and here's a flavour of what to expect . . . TONY LOMAS – Exclusive interview Third in the British Final, a maximum for England and just a point away from reaching the World Final, Tony Lomas held down a full-time job and started a new business while scaling the heights in a brilliant 1971 campaign that put him on the speedway map. Tony McDonald tracked him down in the Yorkshire Dales to find out why his career with home-town club Coventry ended acrimoniously and how a protracted move led to title-winning glory with Exeter. Tony Lomas quotes: "I was naive and overawed. I led in every race for a couple of races but then let people pass me because I didn't think I was good enough to be in front. It sounds silly but that was how I felt in the big meetings at that time. I wanted to do well but didn't think I was capable." "Being a local lad, I hadn't cost Coventry a penny in transfer fees, I never received any signing-on money or guarantees and my travelling expenses to Brandon were 25p per meeting." "It was an honour to ride in the same team as him but, at the same time, I was in awe of him because he was so good. Ivan was in his own bubble but, all credit to him, he was fantastic." "The Exeter promoters treated me well. They paid me £750 for signing-on at the start of the championship year but Wally came on the following winter and said they didn't want to pay as much as that in '75. I was disappointed – they'd just won the league and were getting tremendous crowds – but I told him that if he had to lose a rider (through Rider Control), I was prepared to consider going." Here come the . . . AMERICANS Martin Rogers, editor of Bruce Penhall's Stars and Bikes book in 1980, recalls the all-American heroes whose unique brand of showmanship brought colour and razzmatazz to the British League scene . . . plus how British fans remember the Californians. SCOTT AUTREY – Trailblazer Steve Luxton reports from California, where former team-mates and friends gathered to see Scott Autrey honoured by his peers. COLIN GOODDY – Exclusive interview An unlikely move to Poole revitalised the near veteran Colin Gooddy's career. Phil Chard catches up with one of the sport's great characters whose much-travelled career also included spells in the Backtrack era with Oxford, Cradley Heath and Crayford. BRETT'S BATTLE Martin Neal talks to the former Berwick, Edinburgh and Aussie favourite Brett Saunders who admits he's lucky to be alive after suffering a serious stoke last December. IAN MACDONALD – man who delivered the Mail In the first of a new series of interviews, we turn the tables on those who have written countless words on speedway. Tony McDonald has a long chat with the founding editor of Speedway Mail. THAT WAS THE YEAR: 1971 Andrew Skeels reflects on a season which heralded a world title for the speedway's first Great Dane, a British history-maker in Poland, domestic bliss for Belle Vue, Hackney, Eastbourne and Ipswich, the return of league racing to Birmingham and the end for Romford and Wembley. COLIN GEAR interview (part 3) In this third and final part, we bring you more behind-the-scenes revelations from former riders' union boss, including a riders' revolt against referee Frank Ebdon, the SRA's battle to keep foreign riders out of the second division, Colin's disgust when the Lee Richardson Memorial meeting was scrapped and more. ON TWO MINUTES WITH . . . LAWRIE BLOOMFIELD Martin Neal catches up with the former Ipswich, Newcastle, Peterborough, Canterbury and Arena-Essex rider now enjoying family life in Brisbane, Australia. MILTON KEYNES: 50 Memorable Moments It's 40 years since speedway came to the Buckinghamshire new town famous for its concrete cows and network of roundabouts. Rob Peasley looks back at the most happy and gloomy times for Knights whose star riders included Bob Humphreys, Andy Grahame, Bert Harkins, Nigel Sparshott, Keith White, Steve Payne, Trevor Banks, Troy Butler and Gordon Kennett. Brett Alderton and Craig Featherby, both killed in the early 80s, are also remembered. To order this single issue or to subscribe for the year for as little as £22 (UK), please visit www.retro-speedway.com