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A short clip of Heat 4 from Monday

Wee Jimmy Krankie has a lot off faults especially with Salmond puppeteering her from the back. In-fact now that I think about it there really is nothing positive you can say about her.

that’s the Cookie I know and love. Watching Craig in full flight is a sight to behold. We took in the Scunthorpe meeting too and it was so good to see the smile back. So great to see!!! Very happy for him

It's also been discussed at length on here. To a certain extent, I think it's fair to say that the SGP generated revenue that didn't exist (or no longer existed ) in the sport, and there is some argument that it provided the sport with some wider exposure on which other revenues (television and sponsorship) might be attracted elsewhere in the sport. However, the SGP (and now the SEC to a lesser extent) lives off the back off the professional leagues as the participating riders can in no way make a living from those competitions alone, and has the choice of the most attractive dates whilst the leagues who do provide riders with their main source of earnings have had to just give way. This did badly affect the British Elite League, even though other factors were certainly involved, and probably substantially contributed to the demise of formerly 'big' tracks like Coventry, although even Poland has been occasionally affected as well. Of course, this also happens in English cricket where the top players now rarely play in domestic competitions, but the difference is that most of the revenues from international cricket accrue to the ECB who use them to support domestic teams. There's a lot more money in international cricket, but the ECB (through the ICC) kept control of the licensing of the top level competitions to ensure that domestic and even grassroots cricket derives some benefit, which does not happen in speedway. The sad reality is that no-one within speedway, especially British speedway, seemingly had the foresight or gumption to do what the likes of BSI did. There was a burgeoning cable and satellite television market at the time, desperate to fill air time with relatively cheap content, and the opportunities were there for a promoters body to go and run this for themselves. At the very least, they should not have allowed the rights to be sold off by the FIM without insisting that some of the revenue came back directly to them (and not just disappear into the FIM coffers), and that just shows a collective lack of vision and cooperation. I'm afraid that I don't really buy into this notion that the SGP required substantial investment to start with, and if the major national leagues had been able to cooperate, could have more easily shared any risk between themselves. And whilst I'm realistic enough to realise that the old World Championship would be pretty difficult to market, I do think it was either deliberately or neglectful allowed to be run down because attendances still held up in the decent venues even at the end.

A few years ago at i track I rode for we had some shale delivered that was rubbish and didn’t bind at all and made it’s terrible to ride so when we were prepping the track at 11pm the night before our next meeting the tractor accidentally knocked over the waste oil drum in the pits which rolled onto the track and continued to roll round the track untill it was completely empty,as much as we tried we just couldn’t stop it rolling the next day it rained in the morning and the track was a nice shade of blue and yellow but was nice to ride if not a little sticky

pooles season starts from tonight,good crowd, great atmosphere developed as the meeting progressed,the riders seemed well pleased and rode as a team and loved the support they were getting.great nite

The rule makes no reference whatsoever to staying down on purpose to get a rerun In this case Morris was 3rd and fell challenging and in no way faked his staying down (it was a nasty one) However his fall meant he wouldnt get a point even if he got straight up and meanwhile Bellego was 50m behind the leader after nesrly 2 laps Even with a 15m handicap he wouldve closer to the rider in 2nd let alone the leader Leicester deserved that advantage and the rule could and should have been used

I think the issue with speedway is not just the style of music played but the fact that everyone has to stand around listening to it for more time than is necessary.

"A number of factors came together to create a perfect storm of problems" That makes it sound like a near apocalyptic event rather than a monumental self inflicted eff up!! Actually come to think of it what was really needed and wouldve been perfect was in fact a storm

Well I havejust got back from a buzzing Wimborne Road. Arrived an hour before tapes up and everything was as usual. But up to 7.30 the crowd kept coming in and it was easily the biggest crowd of the season. Full grandstand, people all the way around the place. Excellent. Spoke to Robbo in the pits and he said the track looked good. No comparison to Swindon where if you were not in front you couldn’t see anything. The first 4 heats were a but tentitive fir the riders. It was clear the track staff had worked late last night putting down thousands of gallons of water and had continued to water during the day. After the first 4 races the track settled down and we were treated to some excellent racing. After an enforce sun break, the Poole boys came out and attacked hard. Leicester just crumbled. They tried, and produced some thrilling heats, Andersen and Nicholls giving everything, but Pirates were just too good. Harris, who ran a poor last in his first, showed what he was about by having two sensational races, shoving Andersen to the fence to allow Jakobsen through in one, then bombing Nicholls in another to allow Brady through. This is what we have been missing all season. Someone who can take the fight to the opposition, and boy did Harris deliver. A great night, some great racing and three points to Pirates in our quest for the playoffs. As Middlo said in the press conference, no team will want to pick us in the playoffs. Next stop is Leicester next Monday. Hopefully 3 more points.

I’d leave it now as there will be no changes & I just hope we have speedway next season .

Like it or not Poole have made many changes & look like they’re spot on this time. A solid top 5 & 2 very good reserves is a title winning team for certain. You snooze you lose in this 7 team league.

Torun have a contract till 2020, so they will be back. Best weekend of the year

For gods sake man, take your multi personalities and fark off and troll some other team. Did the whole Swindon squad shag your mum or do you just get twisted pleasure about being a dick online?

Maybe he was the only rider prepared to do just six meetings before making way for drew. Knowing young riders they probably wanted a guarantee, two bikes and a Mercedes van

I was just saying the same thing. When something isn't right, then perhaps it's best reverting back to when it was. I know the crowds aren't there, but 13 heats is just enough to watch a meeting. Take the other night, the BT match that dragged on. Anything over 13 races can become a yawn. When they ditched 13 heats at the end of 1987 the tried 15, then 18 in 1993, then 16 in 1994.... As for businesses losing the customers over the years. That's quite right. But to find that the new Belle Vue attracted some old faces back, only to frighten them away again by the farcical Golden Double and the Play-Offs in which the Aces lost out to Wolverhampton, who snuck in Tai Woffinden just in time to make a mockery of the sport. It needs to be serious. Tell anybody who doesn't know what speedway is about your riders riding for another team in this country and then racing in foreign leagues during the same week, and they'll look at you silly. That is why speedway finds it hard to be taken seriously.

The last thing we want in speed way is to use the word "circus", that gives the impression that the sport cannot be taken seriously. Why not return to the successful 1970's with 13 heat TEAM match followed by a couple reserve races for the up and coming and the individual Rider of the Night races for all and sundry perhaps counting towards an end of season grand final. Bring back the SIlver Sash match races as well. How is that for a variety? What we have to appreciate that when a business loses its customers they are very difficult to bring back. Forget the old fans they will return in time, I did after 14 years, concentrate on attracting new fans. In the mean time sort out the guest rider problem, look at refining the r/r system with no. 8 riders, encouraging local New riders ,organise an attractive league, the use of tac subs etc. and start next year anew.

notice its morris at the back seems to have the hump.ill get my coat

I'd be happy if the Robins could pick up a point tonight. Great that Zac is back but he is essentially riding for two with poor old Jack struggling for points. Nick seems to be really struggling at the moment so that puts a lot of pressure on the remaining 4. Really hoping Batch scores well just to p*** of Chapman..

Nice words from a monarch , Thanks. I was envious of the monarchs fans when Cookie was in their team, he is a passionate rider and is a delight to watch in full flow, I think his presence in the Tigers will give the team a boost, it will also take some pressure off bomber, whether we can make the play offs remain to be seen but if we can have meetings as exciting as this one , I for one will be a happy fan

You're right, probably better to just shut up shop now! They must know it's the last season, why else would they be giving a big push in local schools, offering discounts/free entry to newcomers brought along. Why else would they have laid out on 4 riders in the last 2 seasons. It all falls into place now. Maybe it's just another part of the cover up/conspiracies.

What a terrific meeting this was with a huge crowd. A draw would’ve been a fair result. Heat 15 was a classic flat out race We stopped off to support Josh (Pickering) and it was a bonus that Cookie made his debut. Neither one let us down and we went home very happy I think folks might see a rejuvenated Bomber with Craig in the team......

And certainly don’t ever show that sort of crap live on TV

A very mature and constructive post Trackrat!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Disagree Grachan. If the roles had been reversed you might be far from happy. Clearly the rule should have been used as Swindon gained a full advantage. Whether or not Morris fell deliberately or not, Bellego was out of the race being so far back so why should he gain advantage by coming off the gate again? The opportunity shouldn’t have been granted to him. Not sure Stead got on the phone to the ref to remind him but if not it was a missed opportunity.

Pawlicki,Lambert and Millik would be my 3.

I've known this accident happen many times after the ban was introduced, but the difficulty is that you had to have at least one receipt of having an oil drum taken away by the environment agency. Difficult to stop these sort of accidents.

Speedway has no long term future in Swindon because of the close proximity of new houses to the stadium. And I'm sure Terry Russell wants out as well.

Yes at Newcastle. We opened Newcastle in 1997 and had a local Aluminium smelter, Alcan, on the coast at Newbiggin. We trialled 'furnace bottoms' on a path in Northumberland during the winter and it looked Ok to do the job. The new track and the fence were put in, and the track compacted like shale tracks. A difficulty was found on P % P day, when a hole appeared which caused Andre Compton to fall and he receive a spiral fracture on the leg bone. More work was carried out and during our first opening meeting, the track broke up badly and the riders were not happy, but with intervention from my 'friend' Ian Thomas he helped us to get thought the meeting with the riders agreeing to see the meeting out with a new inside line down to avoid the holes. The problem was that the furnace bottoms doesn't bind like shale. despite any amount of compaction. In fact compaction only toughened up the top surface, but it you spun the rear wheel it went through the toughened surface, and dropped into a new hole created by the spinning. During the following week this material was dug out and scattered around the car park and interior areas to get rid of it whilst the then closed Cleveland Park was opened up and all it's shale transported to Brough by lorries. This was compacted in layers, and meant we are fit enough to open up with our second meeting the following week with massive praise from all the riders at such good track. Later on in 1999, Newport had a similar problem with compaction of their 'oatmeal' looking shale, and Tim Stone had to stop riders warming their tyres on the home straight. The main issue with a material is compaction, and the materials ability to bind under pressure. Old engine oil from 'loss' engine systems, and some later on, helped this sticky problem, but that is now not allowed under the H % S environment rules. The test of any track is to squeeze a handful of shale to see it is sucks together, and hope that the pinky/red shale is dark during a meeting as a change to pink means it is now too dry and needs some water.

WARSAW and Prague (probably). Personally, would drop either Malilla or Hallstavik (lack of Swedish riders) and have an early SGP at the NSS in Manchester. British fans are generally more supportive of the riders whatever their nationality and the gap from say May to September wouldn't detract from Cardiff. It might even help.

I don't know if anyone has been watching the Hockey World Cup on BT Sport, but it's interesting to see that the music they play is similar to what they play at speedway. Kashmir by Led Zep, and that one that goes "Right Here, Right Now" blaring out. And when England scored, they played the same tune that they play at Swindon when there is a 5-1. Also interesting, that someone commented that it was a big difference playing in front of a big crowd as they are used to playing in front of crowds of about 200. Speedway has its problems, but Hockey is something everyone knows about, yet apparently attracts crowds of about 200 despite GB winning a Gold Medal at the Olympics, and plays the same old music to a crowd consisting mainly of young women.

To save them from further embarrassment.

With gate & go being the norm at over half the Prem circuits and a pretty big part for the rest, is it time to embrace it and run flying laps as part of the meeting. Maybe run 10 1 lap, 10 two lap and 5 (nominated) four lap heats all adding to the score. We could also have match races where they start half a lap apart and points are scored by how close a rider catches up to the other. We’ve got to start thinking outside the box as your regular four lap race just doesn’t cut the mustard anymore imo.

Lookedlike a big mistake by Rosco not using Morris in heat 15, Swindon got lucky withdrawing Smith after one ride so could easily have been worse

It is a good idea but only if: 1. there is a decent reserve available to replace Jack Smith 2. the extra cost of Pieszccek signing does not exceed the revenue to be made from the play-offs

Macaulay Leek, superstar. Leek on his own outscored the Brummies bottom four.

Already linked: http://www.speedway-forum.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/67537-swedish-2018-season-info-on-1st-page/&do=findComment&comment=3161152 It will be shown on speedway play.

Wolves in town that's why

One thing we agree on ... should never have signed Sundstrom and kept Hans instead, as you said, he scores good points on all tracks.

Surely last chance saloon for Jack Smith, needs to beat at least Simon Lambert otherwise bye bye Jack.

If there was an easy answer it would have already been done (although knowing speedway it wouldn't ), but I certainly don't think the answer is hosting expensive travelling circuses that have little long-term stake in the sport and take revenue aware from local tracks. I also still think you need to keep the team element, because it's difficult to establish continuity around individual riders who come-and-go. People are also not going to turn-up regularly to watch meetings that don't count towards something. Unfortunately, and as some have already said on here, the sport has become so badly run down and under-capitalised, that I think you have to rebuild the sport around a lower semi-pro level. I think you need to establish a central pool of established riders in order to control costs and ensure broad competitiveness amongst as many teams as possible, but encourage teams to develop riders who'd be protected (i.e. allowed to stay at the same team) for 3-5 seasons. I'd not advocate wholesale rider changes every season, but the sport needs to control its costs and ensure there's no incentive for cheque book speedway. I'd also think about having a central pool of engines, all maintained to as similar standards as possible, which would be randomly allocated before each meeting. There's no point discussing anything else until you work out what the sport can afford and bring its costs under control. But I do think you'd probably want to merge the current three leagues into two, with the second being NL level, to provide more variety than now. I'd think how you can run a 20-heat programme swiftly, whether that's as one match or a shorter match and support event. I also think there needs to be some sort of gimmicky event at each meeting, like an 8-rider (two grids) race that counts towards something, and possibly some after-match individual event that contributes towards some sort of national season-long competition. Some of this isn't going to be palatable to traditionalists, but the sport is now on its knees and there soon won't be any traditionalists left unless it can appeal to new audiences.

Was envious of the monarch fans when Cookie was in their team, he is amazing to watch in full flight, he also shows great passion for whatever team he rides for. , I hope Cookie's presence will rejuvenate bomber and give the team a much needed lift, whether we make the play offs remain to be seen , we may have left it too late, I sure will enjoy watching Cookie in full flow for the rest of the season.

Test matches are always 6 rider teams.

I think he was only axed because of money he is a very talented rider but i think he is quite expensive for a rider who has a 6.36 average.

Full international at a tier 2 track...when did that last happen? Glasgow deserve it...wish we had similarly excellent promoters and track down south..

I'm not sure his wife will agree with that statement

It would have to be a fan of over 20 years ago I would say... Since circa 2000 many fans have predicted the current situation as simply it was the ONLY outcome if British Speedway followed the same path of destruction... Too many Mickey Mouse meetings which by definition then led to Mickey Mouse Championships eventually eroded the patience (and interest) of even the most ardent of fans.... Quantity of Speedway meetings became the mantra rather than the Quality of them... All to pay for the far too many riders over this time who became full time professionals meaning they needed shed loads of meetings to earn a decent living after paying out 'daft money' on machinery and tuning, all to keep up with those with true genuine talent who would, by natural selection, inevitably rise to the top of the Sport. (Like has happened ongoing since 1928)... The only way of paying for this 'professionalism' was to run more and more meetings of less and less credibility, and charge inflation busting admission fees year on year to desperately try and compensate for the ever growing annual reduction in income, all due to dissilusioned fans leaving the Sport in double digit % numbers each season.. Sky must have pumped in circa £20M to British Speedway over this time with the net result of diddly squat in positive impact to the Sport today... Riders, bike and engine manufacturers, and tuners will all have earned a staggering amount of money in this time (an even more staggering amount given the actual size of the Sport I would suggest)... If only half of that £20M had been invested in proper marketing and advertising of the Sport, maybe used as 'Prize Money' rather than 'wages' to give Championships some credibilty and kudos, or even used to subsidise admission costs, I would suggest the Sport in Britain would be a million miles better off than it is today..... Sadly, when fans the length and breadth of the Country gave the Promoters some excellent constructive feedback in Speedway publications and social media, no one actually listened... Maybe they were genuinely deaf? Or maybe they were just simply arrogant...? One thing is for sure... They need to start listening now, and do something about it immediately... Before it truly is too late...

Ljung as a wild card is a complete joke. Berntzon would have been the obvious choice since he so far is having a good season, especially at his hometrack in Målilla. Ljung haven't shown anything that warrants a wild card. IMO it's really boring when old has-beens like Jonsson and Ljung are given the wild card.

Well you go away for a few days and come back to find a new team! Bjerre - the epitomy of dullness, to be fair he was signed to fill a gap at short notice Krystian - a great shame the early promise has faded, he didn't seem to be much of a team-man though Kurtz - don't know how he lasted so long, another stopgap Sarj - maybe another time I think the new line up has much more of a team feel to it. I can understand why they went for Nicholls and hope that Connor Mountain gets a fair run and not binned after one month.

Hope you guys get Champ speedway on a Sat night in 2019, and enjoy your speedway, with decent crowds