Leaderboard

That sounds terrible imagine regular speedway on regular nights during the summer, even worse if it was first week of May until end of August, all those dreadful nice warm evenings with reduced threat of rain and the whole of September reserved for Play Offs, Cup finals etc. Thankfully everyone will see sense and run erratically, enjoy the Easter weekend washout and embrace the rush of fixtures before the cut off dates / freezing their toes off watching the season wimper out in late October.

Delays due to choice do put people into thinking it's dragging on - particularly when the environment for fans is unpleasant or there is little else in terms of entertainment to occupy them during 'down times'. This is where speedway can make changes - undercover spectating, additional entertainments etc. to engage fans rather than just watch 15 races. When attending an american football event in London once it lasted about 3.5 hours but it didn't seem that long because of the additional entertainment on offer and I wasn't too cold or wet. Surely if we took the simple step of grading every four heats, then have 5 minute break after heat four and twelve, with a 10 minute break after heat 8. This should give officials, and volunteers the time to have a break and satisfy those who want to keep things moving.

Everybody understands that... Nobody is saying have no intervals. What most people want is for the meeting to flow, with holdups kept to a minimum. What really gets my goat is when we have a long track grade, sometimes as long as 20 mins , then have another race then followed by the planed Interval.. We talk about the fans who don't support the sport anymore, yet the Promoters appear blinded to understanding the reasons why...….

Don't forget the track staff, officials, St.Johns (or whoever) would also like to get a cuppa and/or to have a pee!!

Fricke stepping up to the plate again, Lidsey had a terrrific meeting to finish third could Max flourish again this year i hope so.

The only time when the procedure shows any urgency is when they run double headers. Its such a shame they don't show the same with every meeting... They're tunnel vision is directed only in hanging the meeting out , thus allowing more time to spend your money, whereas the more positive thinking would be aimed at keeping those, in attendance , happy so they attend next time...

not many hold them full on , half to 3/4 then let the clutch out and give it full throttle , when taters was the worlds best gater he used to say a fast start happens in the first 3 yards by feathering the clutch and throttle to make it grip , full throttle from the start will just help to dig a hole .

Entertaining and hopefully successful. Looking forward to the season.

Just as an aside did anyone see the pictures from the WA state title meeting in Oz? Nice 'retro' racesuit for Cam - one at least 5 years old. Id say that shows his training programme is on track

and with a comment like that I can understand why speedway is in such a mess . Id have thought trying to get more to attend would be a better idea rather than say stay at home . But there you go

What i have noticed with Fricke is he now is a real racer exciting to watch and can pass for fun.I always thought he was technically gifted a bit of a gater and maybe a bit to placid not anough devil there but these last two years he has come on nicely loads more to come i believe.

And that's the reason why the attendances have dropped over the years.... Making a comment like that, you must be a promoter …..

The Aussie champs arent usually a guide as i said Tungate always does better in them then he does over here. That said Kurtz and Morris were average in them last season and had poor seasons, and if anything they are both worse this time around. Fricke , a true number one doing great and good to see Chris Holder showing some form. And how good does Lidsey look and he is at reserve for Belle Vue , if he brings a small amount of that form over here will be the signing of the season

Hasn't this always been the case, with a 7.30 start ? With racing commencing at 7.45.

There is nothing wrong with me but if you go about calling people names and insulting them rather then debate then you have already lost the argument

So you have said, many many many times before....

It, was just the same on our forum mate used to cause trouble. Not worth the finger time responding to it. It is just a .

No could about it Fricke certainly ahead of Holder Kurtz etc a quality rider and a proper number one

Not true. A rider has a rider pass and when not riding at a meeting he has no auto right to take someone else in with him. If he is riding his allowance is plus 1 to cover his 1 mechanic. A second mechanic is usually allowed tho. Some riders take great humbridge to having their vehicle searched to see if they are abiding to the official rules. I once had a Diamonds rider who told me he could bring in 22 guests if he wanted to, and I told him his proper entitlement and I never ever saw him bringing in his 22 as threatened. Riders need to be reminded of these rules, and the clubs have the balls to support the pits doorman who tries to enforce the rules. Freeby's are a nuisance to all paying fans.

You know he would be one of my first choices,,, I mentioned plenty of times last season.

I have been monitoring both Max and Brady Kurtz closely for some years now. Being a Poole supporter I seriously thought Kurtz was going to overtake Max when he burst on to the scene in his first full season at Somerset in 2014. Max being 6 months older (both still only 22) has had the benefit of one season more due to his 6 month age advantage, having started in 2013. However Max has won 4 x Aussie U21 titles - plus 1 x World U21 title and is mighty close to winning his first Aussie Senior title in a stronger field with Chris Holder back there and with Tungate/Holder Jr and Kurtz all having supposedly improved in the Aussie Champ over the last 2/3 years. Max even had the delight of being in 3 league winning teams in POL (Nice 1) - SWE Elite and Danish Elite Leagues in the same season a couple of years ago. Not too many can boast that achievement at his age. Max may still have some issues with some of the UK tracks at times (I know Poole wasn't one of his fav in the past), but the stats don't lie. He is pushing on and Brady still has a lot of convincing to do and my fear is he could be another Morris. OK but falls short of the very top drawer. Got away with it with Leszno last season in a league winning side which partly covered some of his low scores. In Poole it showed up big time as he went backwards big time. Max started young but he is progressing at a good rate and think both Belle Vue and Wroclaw have a good rider who is progressing well (let's not forget he isn't 23 until 29th March so a whole career still in front). Looks best at the present of the 3 in Holder Jr/B.Kurtz and Fricke.

As I have said before despite the tremendous cosmetic improvements to the stadium from a viewing perspective it was a much better experience in the days of Cyril Crane and the Littlechilds

Wee bit worried what Justin will do this season.

Dunno mate we all pretty much know that Lawson is in so think I’d prefer to get this announcement out of the way so we can then prolong the excitement (or the agony ) a little bit longer

Lets hope its not him tomorrow then Save that for another day and give us a surprise ☺

There is a simple solution to all the moaning about the time it takes to complete a meeting ,and the length of the interval. If people don't like it ,stop at home.

Difference is Glasgow track was always going to be there even with no money and they will always own it and do as they please with it where as workys being tenants could be out if and when the rugby/football/sports moves into their new stadium with no where to go

the best way to limit revs is with your right hand , if you get that right you become a great rider like hans neilsen , I saw him break a couple of track records never heard his engines screaming for mercy at any time though . on the slick or knee deep in dirt

As you say "to be fair", most of those who get into the pits area free, do contribute some physically some financially, some quite considerably . As Topsoil said it is up to the management. My points are twofold, 1) those who enter free are fully aware of the strains financially on the club, so just on a moral ground should enter by the turnstiles paying to support the club 40 fans times £17 equals £680 20 meetings £13600 . 2) The pits area, 14 riders 14 mechanics 2 team managers track staff first aiders, THATS IT. Even if someone gets in free , not in the pits area, IN THE STAND or hospitality.

I know you are going to think i'm having a go,but i think that is a bit of a myth.Just because there are a few breaks in races at times does it really give people the urge to spend more?If i want something to eat or drink i will get something whether there is a break or not.Same with merchandise.People must be fairly gullible if they think they must spend money if there are any breaks.People will spend if they want to,and not spend if they don't want to.This is my opinion anyway.

Yes,i just thought how it was worded we might be getting the racing started at 7:30pm.I just looked back at the 2018 fixture list on the website and it was worded the same.Sorry Haza,my bad

Spot on Doc

Correct, the parade is deemed the start of the meeting.

I think he's struggling to get the Tip-pex off his screen!

Indeed. I’ve been here for a long time. Took a break for a short while, essentially because of what you’ve just said. It was once a thriving community but Christ it’s scraping the barrel now. Some absolute planks on these boards.

PROBABLY bringing speedway into line with every other form of motorcycle racing under the FIM umbrella... many in favour after a comprehensive study by an FIM working party

A lot depends on if they took their UK equipment with them or borrowed kit in Australia.

That's what the Poole fans were saying last pre season, OK they won the league, but not with the team that started the season. I see the same at P/Bora. PS still happy to have P/bora back in the top flight though, great track that provides great racing.

Of course once upon a time riders used to twist the throttle back and forwards on the start line so as to gain maximum grip when the tapes rose...now of course it's just full revs with the throttle full on akin to rocket propulsion when the clutch is eventually released.

The hard limit to be set at 13500 - cant see this being an issue anywhere other than the startline so any fears of it kicking in mid corner are surely unfounded Presumably this is an attempt to reduce engine wear and therefore costs by removing the issue at the start where almost all the stress halpens Even there the opinion of Chris Louis was that the benefit would be minimal

There is room for all of Facebook, live updates, and all the other sites that analyse things. As I see it updates is really only about communicating who won and what the heat results & scores are in as quick a time as possible. The dissection, analysis, praising, and criticising can come later. Which ever people see as their favourite or which they think is better is up to them. Some people want every minute detail, some only want to know who won. My only issue is I hate duplication of effort. This year a representative from MA is updating the Australian Championship Facebook page quite soon after it happens, and this is the first year they have done that. If it continues it will reduce the significance of live updates and live updates may end up ceasing altogether, but let it be said live updates has filled a void for about 10 years. We all know of certain sites that have used what was on updates to ghost write articles for their own publications so updates has both directly and indirectly helped spread the word. However, social media like Facebook is the way things are going and the more traditional forums seem to be dying out. I have no issue if updates eventually fades into the background where the Australian Championships are concerned, although those that don’t like Facebook will still look at updates. In 15 years Facebook will probably have had its day as well and we all will have moved on to the next platform anyway.

Some good views on here. I really do like the idea of a Euro Super League. Could it work? In current circumstances probably not. But maybe, just maybe. It would have to be franchised and administered and marketed by an independent body affiliated to the FIM. The BSPA or other national bodies would never be allowed to run it. I like some of the comparisons to Rugby League which now has French and Canadian teams involved. Before Super League and Sky Sports investment, RL was a rough n' ready northern sport played in the middle of winter and followed by a die-hard fan base. Pretty much could be said for speedway these days. However since Super League was launched, it's franchising and marketing has brought a whole new fan base to the sport and also enjoys huge media exposure. So how about if for Speedway? Such a competition could still run alongside the domestic leagues and most importantly the Grand Prix series. There would have to be brand new teams (or in this case franchises) set up to successfully market such a competition to a wider audience. 8 teams - say 2 from UK, 2 from Poland, 2 from Sweden and 2 from Denmark. You could possibly make it 9 by inviting a franchise from one of the other main speedway nations on a yearly basis providing they meet strict entry and financial criteria. So that would be 8 home meetings over the year and of cause probably 1 more depending on a Grand Final play-off series. As someone has rightly pointed out I don't think fans would mind spending £20 admission to see 15 action packed heats featuring the best riders in the world (I love the idea of Woffinden, Cook and Lambert as the heat leaders). It would also have to do away with stupid team points limits. Some will say what about the away fixtures? - Nobody will want to travel over? Wrong. Not every meeting no, but some fans would want to travel over to say Poland or Denmark and make a long weekend out of it. I remember going over to Perpignan in France a few years ago and the city was rammed with 3000 Leeds Rhino fans there to see their team take on the Catalan Dragons. Broadcasting rights and big sponsorship deals would be key for such a competition to work but if left in the hands of the right management this could be done. Maybe such an idea is just a fart in the wind, but if Speedway is to generate a new fan base with a new exciting future could such a competition be the cure? Cheers

Haven't seen this company registered with Companies House yet. Was supposedly being incorporated from 1st December wasn't it ?

And you don't cause trouble here ?

Shortist! Not funny being short so my mate tells me.

It wasn't racist. The tweet wasn't a good one and suggesting let them drown was ill thought out at best, basically in poor taste. However, racist it was not. It's this constant playing of the race card that caused Brexit and Trump.. you'd think some folk would learn.

Just tongue in cheek

The problem is - and we’re complicit in this - that the sport cannot be taken seriously due to the way rules etc are just altered and made up on the spot. We like to think it’s a sport but it’s just a minor fluff entertainment like monster trucks or stock cars. Im sure there’s a Gladiators forum where the contributors bemoan the fact Wolf has been overlooked yet again. Speedway has reaped what it sows I’m afraid.

All those having a dig at me im not saying its not a farce. But Kings Lynn have acted 100% within the rules i cant see why anyone thinks different. What are Kings Lynn supposed to do? Roll over? Go r/r and be weaker? Why are Poole fans blaming Kings Lynn? Poole have Swindons second heat leader guesting for their third heat leader Kings Lynn have Swindons FOURTH best rider guesting for their second heat leader.............that by anyones standards is advantage Poole. I just find it very difficult with some Poole fans saying it harms the sport........im not saying it doesnt.........but how many times have Poole cheated and bent every rule going to get an advantage.....bit rich for their fans to claim the moral high ground...and i say it once again Kings Lynn have done nothing wrong at all. Its been stated that Allitt was looking for a long time to find a guest but if people arent willing to take the booking what are Lynn supposed to do? Just hand Poole the league. Poole are huge favourites and this is why i dont like the play offs...................injuries to teams at the wrong time makes it a farce. Belle Vue had little chance of beating Kings Lynn......and Somerset all credit to them had little chance against Poole, and now Lynn have lost a GP star replaced by a non heat leader.

I agree with that. The play-offs are a bit of a money spinner though,but only for the clubs involved.It brings all the casual fans out for one or two matches.What needs to happen is to entice the casuals out for the whole season not just for the last two matches. Not sure the play-offs actually bring out newbies though.I have tried getting people from work to come explaining about the play-offs and all the ones i have spoke to think it's a bit of a joke.All i get is you run all season finish top and have nothing to show for it and you could lose it in one match.All i can say is well yes and that's it.I don't mind the play-offs but the team finishing top of the league should at least get some kind of trophy to show for their efforts over the season.