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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

Bomber was simply terrific tonight for the Witches tonight at Leicester Thanks very much Buster

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

As already said, they agreed to do the Sheffield meeting before signing for Newcastle, so would be hard on them not to be allowed to ride in it. A few seasons ago (when we used to host all the Northern teams for the "Northern Launch"), Berwick sent their number eight, as the rest were at Kelso Races on a "jolly" which had been arranged long after the date of the Launch was announced. I am sure the press (if any actually turn up) will get plenty of action shots from the "new" riders and any portrait shots they need from the six riders, before the Practice part of the day starts. As far as the "Meet the Riders," most fans know Stevie anyway and will only be missing out on one new rider (Simon), so it's not going to be the end of civilization as we know it.

Might get Richie in at one venue as a stunt double

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 :-)

Not around tomorrow so will not be able to find Polsat Sport internet coverage. http://www.soccer-live.pl/transmisje.php?id=motorsport is not yet updated- hopefully it will be. These are a few which were around last season. http://tele-wizja.ru/player/ps.html http://tele-wizja.ru/player/zapaspolsatsport.html https://internetowa.ws/channel/polsat-sport/ https://s.ustreamix.com/stream.php?id=polsat-sport&token=161fe9afef87639bcf49fbb05fbeca2e https://supersportowo.com/stream11.html DRHTV.pl and Maniak.tv could be on here https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCW8lBBH8RyuVZyscVDBLCTA/featured

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

If you do visit, pm me and let me know.

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

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.

'I was there' too, rammed, packed it was....

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

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'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.

As far as I know Kev Doolans fork covers are available for short (ie one meeting) or longer term sponcership so that those with very limited amounts of money have the oppotunity to help him and be recognised for it. Anyone interested contact Kev direct.

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

I must say, that track does look a good shape. I hope it will be as good as people are hoping. For a long time now we've had a problem with riders just spacing out down the straights. Hopefully this will solve that a bit and keep races closer. It will be interesting to see how it rides. I can't see many people wanting to stand on bends 1 and 2 though!