If ever there was an example of the difference of skill level between the Championship riders and NDL then the first few heats and the farcical delay in this meeting showed it. A bit of dirt on the track and NDL riders couldn’t handle it whilst those few riders who ride in the championship, Ablitt, Ingram , Hodder and Ace just got on with it and rattled up quick race times. Making the often maligned ( and quite often deserved ) trackmen use up expensive diesel doing lap after lap without actually doing a lot on a damp cold night just annoyed the sparse crowd, some of whom left after heat two , because riders simply do not have enough experience of a deep track ( is an inch deep ? ). How do you gain experience? Get on and ride the condition’s! Once it restarted , after an hour , yes, the racing improved, ( all in the head in my opinion ) in fact there were a few classics amongst the top boys in the latter heats gaining the Tigers all 3 points on offer. Lions will say they were unlucky losing Spencer ( he fell twice whilst under no pressure ) but I think the Tigers just wanted it more, even inexperienced Green was giving it a good go. Would hope Redcar keep the NDL side for 2027 but can’t see it with that small a crowd.  

Yes Grachan that 1975 British Final runoff with Wilson upset me as a young lad for a long, long time. I was on the first bend at Coventry and was willing him on with everything I had. Shed a tear after that race. Would love to see it again but not on YouTube. I haven’t yet heard there is footage of it on a dvd though.

Running in 2027. UTC!

Awwww. Martin Ashby. What a rider. I was totally obsessed with the guy as a teenager. I remember the first time I ever went to Swindon Speedway. Swindon v Wolves in 1974. I stood on the apex of the first and second bends. First race I saw - Martin Ashby of Swindon beating some foreign bloke called Ole Olsen and breaking the track record. Amazing. He had the best style of any rider. Take any picture of Martin Ashby riding, and you could put it into any other picture of him. He always looked exactly the same in every picture. So stylish, but possibly not aggressive or ruthless enough sometimes, which probably cost him a place in my first ever World Final in 1975. That race with Ray Wilson was over 50 years ago now, and I'm still traumatised by it! I even took my FS1-E to his garage once for a service - just so I could say my moped was serviced by Martin Ashby. After he retired, he was regular supporter at Blunsdon. Always in the same spot - near to the tea hatch going into the first bend - as though he were just another supporter. No heirs and graces at all. RIP Martin Ashby. What a guy!

Poole's reserves scored 30pts over the 2 legs Edinburgh reserves scored 5 that's where the Monarchs lost it and has been there chillies heel all season  barring a couple of meetings