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I’m sorry but does Hans have to have 4 rides? If not Carl Johnson needs to take some of the blame for the poor end to the meeting. Because if Summers was going to go in heat 14, which he did, why did Hans go out in heat 13, we knew before heat 13 that Summers was out in heat 14 yet had not ridden since heat 7. So the track was going to be completely different to then, surely common sense for a team manager is to replace a rider who is so obviously off the pace with a rider, who was going well in the beginning of the meeting, therefore giving them a better chance in heat 14 by having a run out in the heat before?

I agree, not an outstanding meeting by the standards of the NSS but still some decent racing. The crowd was better than I feared considering the United match and the very cold weather. It's one of those meetings that we never looked like losing. To me the highlight was to watch Dan Bewley showing that he is well on the way to being able to carry on where he left off after his serious injuries last season. He had three wins, good race times and didn't back out of a tight first bend. Lidsey showed enough in his first meeting at the NSS for us to see what a talent he is and Bradley Wilson Dean was impressive for Peterborough.

100% spot on there.

Just as well they didn’t last year - all those suits would have bankrupted them

Harris was probably shipped out by bluster to strengthen one of his other clubs ipswich. No conflict of intrests though.

All going well in Buster's Pantherland then? As Blackadder said " Well it started badly, it tailed off a little in the middle & the less said about the end the better ... "

My point is this team is not good enough..and Johnson was suggesting we are..which I disagree with.

What like they smashed Lynn tonight

You’ve been spouting the same rubbish for weeks now - time to take off those rose-tinted glasses!

It was 2008 when speedway began its current decline. Before that is was having something of a minor revival, with radio 5 even running a report on how Speedway had become "cool" at one point. Then, with crowds relatively healthy, the introduced low points limits and "cost cutting" measures time after time, and each time they did it the crowds dropped. So, each time the crowds dropped, they did it again. So they dropped again. It always amazes me when people say that the future is about cost cutting. That is what caused the trouble in the first place.

He might even have had a pay rise !

Looks like Hans may have more that 1 night to forget, possibly a season.....

Hope your internet goes down for a while

I very much doubt we will have any "extra" points to play with by the end of June so will have to exchange (if we wish) like for like. Anybody who is under 40 is going to be bottom of the table by a long way

Maybe the topic heading should be Leicester Track Best It's Ever Been!

i think your timeline is a little skewed it was well into the 2000’s before the top boys all upped and left. To illustrate here’s a list of a few riders that rode in the elite league in 2005: tony rickardsson, Chris Louis, hans Andersen, Leigh adams, Ryan Sullivan, Antonio Lindback, Pepe Protasiewicz, Billy Hamill, Greg Hancock, Jason crump, Nicki Pedersen, lee Richardson, Scott Nicholls, Sebastian ulamek, Greg Walasek, Freddie Lindgren, Peter Karlsson, Michael max, ales & Lukas Dryml, Mark Loram, Andreas Jonsson, Kenneth Bjerre, Joe screen, David norris, Chris Harris, Kris kascperzak, many others that arguably worth a mention, Troy Batchelor, Matej Ferjan, Jason Lyons, Mads Korneliussen, Martin Smolinski my memories of the late 90’s as a witches fan is the team of 98 - gollob, rickardsson, Louis, Svab, nicholls & clouting!

Same thoughts struck me... I have a fairly decent salary but not sure I could afford (or justify) £100+ per month for four Speedway meetings out of my disposable income, with the inevitable teenage requests for food and drink on top! There are so many other costs these days that have to come first.. Kids aged 13 - 16 are conspicuous by their absence at a great many tracks, maybe charging for them to get in also dissuades parents to attend who otherwise might go if their teenagers got in for free? Use free admission for their teenage kids as a 'loss leader', as let's be honest you don't see many teenagers now at many tracks so hardly a huge income loss... Do those who let teenagers in for free now I wonder see a reasonable amount of them there? Someone needs to replace the ageing demographic over the next ten years or so..

Who next Ben Hopwood? Don't get me wrong Phillips has had far more time at this level than many riders ever get and still shows no signs of making the step up but if a change is going to be made i would at least suggest a rider who could become a real asset but the ship has sailed on the majority like Jason Edwards etc. Luke Harris is a fair shout although also still a little too early. Would think the best opportunity is Jordan Jenkins as suggested and as a wild card i would say Danyon Hume would be a better option than Simon Lambert. However at present the diamonds issues are far bigger than who fills the number 7 jacket.

20 years ago there were many more clubs, league fixtures and at least 50% more regular paying supporters on the UK terraces, so I am not quite sure what the better shape is. Thinner? It isn't better quality racing, not from where I have been standing anyway. As for a Barry Hearne type figure, I can't think anyone would appear as there is no way to make promoting UK speedway profitable again. Is it Buster Chapman, when he increases his ownership to 8 - 10 clubs? Do you know, although I do not like his operating methods, he could be the saviour by cutting down costs and increasing the likelihood of semi-pro racing here if he did increase his holdings? No-one else is likely to do anything like that unless some 70 year old diehard fan wins £100 million on the Euro lottery and wants to blow it on wine, women ( or men ), song and speedway. Instead of doing something useful with it!

When the fixture mattered, in what was the biggest match of the Stars long history, we still succumbed to 4 consecutive 5-1 's and later trailed by 18 points . Now, in a match of little importance , and already 10 points adrift, this has to be the most uninspiring match possible... If you could think of reasons why this sport is in such low interest , this match highlights them all. I will be most surprised it the Pirates don't rattle up 60 points, at least....

I'd assume the licence that Horton held is no more which means one less hurdle to cross if we ever get a track to ride on.

After reading season preview in speedway star, Mr cammy knickers wants Tigger's to have more luck this year !! Think last year you were beat by a better team !! Now thinking Berwick side this year resembles that better team from last year, good luck bandits in Tigger land. By the way just over 1 week to cookies testimonial any riders known yet ? Got my h18tory tee shirt to wear next week !!

Andersen is done at the top level. He won’t win the big races when you need him. Solid 3rd heatleader these days. Tungate performed better than he will elsewhere as a number 1 given the track he was on tonight. I’d keep summers, let Barker go and get a proper number 1. Then becomes a much better team.

I think this is the best race I've seen for a while (I know it's off topic for this thread) Partly because it's a hell of a race, partly because it's a match winning race and mostly because Chris Holder finished at the back ...Oh, how I would love to live in Poland...

So many people want riders sacked after just 2 or 3 meetings. Its ridiculous to manage that way, all riders must get a fair chance of 10 meetings minimum. The team won. The league hasn't started.

Racing & presentation was very poor. The fence issue which Steve mentioned was very disappointing, as it was quite obvious it wasn't right yesterday. Jack appeared to be totally disinterested and not quick at all, hopefully improves soon.

Good on Kasper! unexpected result with Poole looking iffy at home.

And the Poole unbeaten home record lasts ............. about 90 minutes

Much better from Kasper tonight.

Heat 1 58.18 Heat 2 59,43 Heat 3 59,56 Heat 4 58.56 Heat 5 58.94 Heat 6 58.72 Heat 7 59.40 Heat 8 59.50 Heat 9 60.00 Heat 10 59.89 Heat 11 59.40 Heat 12 59.00 Heat 13 59.80 Heat 14 60.21 Heat 15 59.44 Hope that helps

I agree it is a shame we don't have racesuits. It would look more professional.

Speedway here should be semi-professional already. The fact that it isn’t is part of what’s preventing it from starting from scratch and building from grassroots up to perhaps be a well followed sport again.

No British passport rules have changed not able to do NL at all they looked into it but cant

For me Chris is still one of the top 5 riders in the world on natural ability. It's always been the other bits that have let him down. On Ability he's the best rider in this league bar none. The more he can involve people like Matt Read in his backroom staff the more his results will improve.

First visit to Somerset since 2008 with Reading. Forgot how cold it can get there and a 30 minute delay to start proceedings after a lady needed medical help didn't help, but these things can't be helped. and to be fair, that kept the meeting going well once started. Some good racing without it ever being really great though Chris Harris heat 15 was sublime. Apart from Harris who will be a real force round the OTA, I was very impressed by Henry Atkins for the home side, very good potential that lad. Kurtz and Covatti also did well whilst the new German lad will definitely be an asset. Rory S was good, but expected that from him on a well prepared track in clear weather (rain and bumops who knows)! As I mentioned earlier Rowe was on the pace and with Atkins looking good, hopefully he'll be given a long run to prove himself without too much pressure. For the Brummies, Ashley Morris and Zach W both performed well and good to see they are continuing to develop. Ulrich showed some glimpses that he can still mix it with the top guys, Paco produced 2 good heat wins, so certainly doing his job at reserve. Shanes was competitive and brave. Kyle Newman flattered to deceive in the tough number 5 jacket whilst Tobias Thomsen was off the pace apart from heat 8. Crowd wasn't great, about 500 at a guess. Thought it might have been higher with nice day and kids off school. Not over impressed with the presentation, all a bit bland - don't do much to get crowd going or get kids involved. Reasonably priced Chicken Nuggets though :-) Enjoy evening overall.

Well marginally quicker than i expected but better for the Cubs to be rid of Kelsey. I really don't get why riders who show little or no commitment and "retire" time and time again still get so many opportunities. Ryan Mac has had plenty of chances himself and is still to prove he can cut it fully at NL level but has shown slow improvement over the seasons so is probably the best suited replacement available at present.

Very alarming that the top spot is occupied by two teams who are not top flight. Plus a NL in third is equally disturbing. In fact throughout the list there is little to suggest that admission prices/attitudes reflect the levels teams compete at. It has to be said that everything for the £18 bracket down "seems" reasonable and extra credits to those who admit under 16's foc. Certainly not shocked to see IOW as one of the best yet again.

Money wasn't the issue with Chris Harris, that was the smokescreen for Ipswichs problems

You would think that such a ruling couldn't be implemented as it would be age discrimination. Not sure what the polish laws are on this! It's not like those 3 are stealing a living either?! Greg Hancock - absolute legend and Holta and Protisewicz are two of the most exciting riders in the league! Would love Holta to find his 2017 Czestochowa form again when he returns from Injury. He was on fire at the back end of that year.

Mediocrity may be setting your sights too high!!!

Our glory days are over - for the foreseeable future ( 10 -15 years at least ). The huge challenge is to survive for the next 10 years and keep 70% of the current clubs running. Journeyman riders are expecting and getting far too much for doubling up and that is not the future because the on-track racing value has so diminished. Major structural changes will have to be made to costs and what is offered up as racing entertainment before the tide of falling attendances turns ( it is can be turned). Riders, like all of us, will go on taking what they can squeeze out of promoters, that is human nature. Even Tai Woffinden riding regularly here for a UK team would make no difference after the first few meetings. I am someone who would love to see him do that but he could not pull in enough new fans to make it viable.

Better shape, think you are confused ,don’t think you would get many agreeing with that theory.IMO It is crying out for Independant body to run the sport though,not many takers on that front .Imo

Likewise, especially at reserve. Cant think who would have tapes problems!!

Here’s a few minutes footage I took this evening of the riders having a practise session.

Whats the point of banning a. winning riders and b. any riders at all since there’s not enoughof them anyway. This had to be a joke?

I stand by it. The No 1 is the leader. If he is under performing it effects the whole side. If he's doing his job it can lift the rest of the team.

I note you are a Belle Vue fan....surely after your clubs opening debacle you would see the sense behind the postponement. I would rather they allowed the extra week to get it right then turn up Thursday & the track isn't ready. I think the club has taken the correct decision.

Over the last decade the Elite League/Premiership has significantly weakened the product on offer and as a consequence crowds have dwindled. Therefore, the evidence suggests that a "watered down" league will only hasten the demise. Three clubs have gone from last year. Of those three, Lakeside rode on Fridays and Workington rode on Saturdays. Therefore I am not sure weekend meetings are the panacea you think they are.

One question I have to ask after reading Dave Peet's comments on the Scorpions site “Leicester haven’t been in our league for a while, so some of the lads had not ridden it before, and we spent most of the meeting trying to get dialled in, while the track was a bit grippy early on. “In the end, it became a stepping stone for our league meeting here later in the season. Next year we come back, we’ll be dialled in.” Which guys haven't seen the track before? Auty and Garrity rode for them. Allen rode in top flight last year so will have been to Leicester. Coventry rode their NL fixtures there so Bailey and Kinsley will have rode for Mildenhall and List rode in the ben fund a couple of weeks back. Got to wonder if he does actually have a clue

It’s all about opinions and mine is you’re a keyboard warrior!