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Yes totally played into Glasgow's hands. After all the Glasgow riders only had to travel to Glasgow with their private jets, ride on Friday night and then be chauffeur driven down to Eastbourne, have nap and massage before having to ride on Saturday evening whilst watching the grand prix on their mobile devices as there mechanics sorted the bikes.

Hugely entertaining meeting tonight one of the best I’ve seen at Newcastle for a long time. Some great passing by Jorgensen & Richie W. Is Lasse fully fit? He struggled all night and he looked so slow. Not sure how long we can keep going with Lambert he just doesn’t look comfortable at home I’d imagine the next set of averages will see him and Clegg swap? I can’t even see Lambert scoring much at reserve. Leicester look quality, i’d be amazed if they didn’t win anything come the end of the season. All in all a great advert for speedway!

Looked comfortable and that he belongs in GP company and will only get better Im sure He also had the pleasure of meeting the Massif mini tour at the airport and mustve been upgraded as ended up next one of us

We've said it before, but the top riders from a particular era would have been top riders in ANY era. That approach to sport/life would apply to virtually every true great in any sport. The key to it is not wanting to be better than everybody else, but to be the best that you can be. It doesn't matter if you are already the best - you can be better... Of course, not everybody can/does become THE best (you can't control how good others become), but the important thing is that the desire is there. Particularly these days, too many individuals (in all sports) are cocky and complacent, and think they are "it", and think they don't have to apply themselves. If you don't want to put in the effort, that's fine, but don't whine when somebody comes along and knocks you off your pedestal... Steve

and as a viewer i enjoy the semi finals and final. it adds tension and excitement. no issue from my side with gp winner potentially being the 8th highest scorer, ultimately that's not important, the main aim for riders getting the most points towards the title. i think current point system is perfect, would be very disapointed if they tinkered with it.

It's scary how much the crowds have dropped off from last season. In spite of a very successful run of results at the end of last season and beginning of this. I hate to think what the crowds would be if the team was losing.

I agree with @screm and with @highside - I did think Simon Lambert would turn it round but unfortunately it appears I was wrong. For whatever reason I doubt there will be a change at reserve. It has been a disappointing season so far and perhaps a signing would help keep the interest of some of the crowd. I'd love to see Kyle Newman back but that might mean more major surgery to the team, so maybe not. I enjoyed the meeting tonight and like the rest of the hard core we'll keep on showing up but a couple of wins are needed now to retain the support of ome of those who haven't invested in season tickets. On.an entirely different note I thought @Arthur Cross did a cracking job on the PA tonight - a very different style from Roy; I'd forgotten how good a presenter Dalbers is.

THERE is, of course, the TV element. TV companies want a final race to determine the winner of each SGP rather than have the meeting lose steam at the end.

2nd

Another reason he’s safe is because he’s a Berwick asset, so no loan fee to pay.

So it appears there will no longer be a NT final! Simply the group winner will be Trophy champion. So the rules have changed mid-season and then it’s poorly communicated to the fans. Speedway shambles again!

Yes that top five Addio was outstandingI i really believe Bjorn gets forgotten he scared all of those other greats to death.Bjorn retired prematurely Ronnie for me was a 1950s man who after his gap from British racing comeback great Ron was a real star.Olsen is a rider i have always admired he won three title's the same as Nicki but for me was in a different league that era was tough.1973/78 Mauger, Olsen,Collins, Michanek, Lee, Jansson( his time was coming), Crump( on the Streety conversion were the top riders.In that respect the GP series now is the same six /eight who are the best with others on there day capable of having there day.The top five you mentioned have to be one of the best generation's we have had Craven aged 29 .killed approaching his peak Moore had six years off Knutsson retired in a way Speedway was robbed a real shame as all five were legend's.

it can`t have held it up that much,i was home with my feet up by 9pm

I believe the trip to the tigers on Friday night was more the reason for points being dropped and amount of falls. The long journey Friday and racing then having to travel back for home meeting last night would of been very tiring.

A very good night's Speedway... Woffy got his crap meeting out of the way early, better to do it now than later.. Madsen did what he has done for the past few years in Poland, ie proved himself truly world class.. Doyle showed exactly what true warriors these lads are.. And Lambert and Smektala showed that they are truly emerging talent at world level.. There's not going to be a stand out rider I would suggest this year, with everyone capable of beating each other at any given moment so this could be the closest and best season ever.. What a magnificent sport this definitely is when done 'properly'... Should be a great season of GP racing..

Any pass at Berwick is no mean feat.

Our Polish friend will disappear if no one takes the bait. Ignore and he'll get bored.

He's won more World Championships than every Polish rider ever combined.. .. Woffy 3 Poland 2..

They will have to put the ticket on the first few hundred,, as won't be many there to purchase them. Maybe someone will buy the first hundred programs and win and still make a profit

Will watch on the bt sport app Not worth £18 on the off chance buster has actually put a ticket in a program to win £500, it will probably be found in the secret unsold batch

So, it would have been 2018 (where does the time go) when I mentioned I picked up a leaflet advertising Santa Pod Raceway (drag racing) in a Hull Asda store. Well the other day I picked up a leaflet plugging Cadwell Park (road racing), maybe these leaflets are delivered to nationally to all Asda stores; Santa Pod is 110ish miles from Hull, Cadwell Park around 50 miles. I wonder if speedway would benefit form such a leaflet campaign, I seem to recall leaflets being produced, but maybe not widley distributed, when the 1999 Elite League was on SKY Sports with all fixtures listed. I read once that leaflet advertising realises a 2 1/2 % - 5% take up rate, if one is lucky. Though I'm not sure what the costs would be, but paraphrasing a well-known movie tagline: "Tell them and they may come, don't tell them and they won't since they won't know."....

3 rides at Eastbourne next Saturday then

With a very weakened team, you could promote a meeting however you want, but fans will not attend, which in turn would be a financial disaster. Just what a club, which looks like it is already struggling, needs. And if the person responsible was the promoter, would you like to see him resign? Then what?

We move on to next weekend- i`m in Scotland on holiday so will not be posting too much !!!- all UK times Friday May 24th Gorzow v Grudziadz Eleven Sport 1 programme starts 4.30pm 1st race 5pm Friday May 24th Czestochowa v Wroclaw Eleven Sport 1 programme starts 7.15pm 1st race 7.30pm On Saturday 25th there is a chance the SEC challenge final is being shown on the internet Sabmar TV ?(see separate SEC thread) Sunday May 26th Ostrow v Rybnik Polsat Sport start time 1.45pm Sunday May 26th lublin v Torun N Sport programme starts 3pm 1st race 3.30pm Sunday May 26th leszno v Zielona Gora N Sport programme starts 5.30pm 1st race 6pm

Well it was good today mate. I can only vouch for what i had. They must have employed a new fryer. It was definitely up there with previous seasons.

Well done Lions. Another valuable away win.

website/laptop

Nope. Everyone but doyle

Start marshall made 2 errors in heat 14 and has been thrown out !!!!!

A lot of respected speedway historians say that Ronnie Moore was the most naturally gifted man ever to sit on a s speedway bike. I am not in a position to judge, as I only saw him once or twice when he was approaching 40 years old and obviously past his best but he still sticks in my mind as an immaculate stylist. I would love to have seen him round Wimbledon at his peak.

They most certainly are.

Of course it was tongue in cheek though its clear there is a significant amount of people who are doing other things other than coming to the speedway each Saturday.

Who? Stevie Worrall rides for BV...

He is a complete idiot.

I think that you are right about Ivan’s extraordinary dominance in those years Sid, but the thing that always intrigues me is what if Ivan had been born 5 years earlier or the “Big Five “ Of Ove , Briggs, Moore , Craven and Knutson had been born 5 years later. The thing is when Fundin, Briggs , Craven, Moore , and later Knutson were at there peaks they always had each other to have to beat.. In the years you mention Fundin Craven and Knutson were no longer around , Moore was just coming back from a six year retirement and both he and Briggo were in their mid to later thirties and just starting to be past their best . Ivan though, in those years was in the age range 29- 33 , just about the point when most speedway riders were at the peak of their powers. Its all speculation of course, but I don’t think Ivan would have been as dominant if he had to deal with the other 5 at their peaks on a regular basis. Good though Olsen was, I don’t think he was in the same class as Fundin etc. What are your thoughts on this?

Am I not ? Well your totally wrong there -even if I don’t attend I’m always follow meetings on updates that’s if I no when meetings on - sadly blocking people for having an opinion that’s not club policy ( my way or the highway policy applies for fans as well as riders it seems )does nothing but isolate fans and put fans off even more - but there you go

Just received my edition of 'Backtrack' and Martin admirally, and in great detail, answered my question as regards the "Sunday People" sensationalisms that attempted to undermine the sport back in 1984. Like me he generally didn't really think that it had any short/long term effect and apparently when he appeared at the subsequent hearing scored some points against the 'journalist' who wrote the article and was congratulated by the SCB's Michael Limb.

So at the draw after qualifying a clever rider should have picked a draw number with outside gates in round 1(heats 1-4) and round 5 (17-20) and inside the other 3 rounds(5-8,9-12,13-16) easy

Speedy recovery to Tom, a big loss for the Eagles , well done to Tigers, a hard fought win, special mention to Paul Starke who has been struggling this season and Connor Coles who should get a chance at no 6 for us

Just to add I have no problem with dogs myself but you wouldn't see this happen at any other professional sports events.

Not content with being a racist, you're now using handicapped as a derogatory term. You really are a very very unpleasant person.

Zmarzlik isn't Polish. That has just as much credence as you saying Woffinden isn't British. The reality is... Woffinden is British. It isn't a debate, it's not an opinion. It is a fact. As for you and your trolling, I suspect you'll be gone from the forum before long.. before returning under yet another username.

Heat 10 :

Dear oh lord she is a broken record. Worrall normally does ok at Lynn so he might be fine My opinion of the Poole team is that they need to replace Worrall and Covatti...........i may come to Kings Lynn so i can tell them to their face Poole can get something from this unless Lambert is on fire can see Pooles strength in depth pulling them through and getting something. Poole away form is better than their home form until their own riders let them down at Ipswich

Well he isn't really doing his job is he?

I don't give a monkey's about the GP's. Eastbourne v Glasgow for me tonight. I would never miss live sport to watch an event on TV.

I'm absolutely gutted Jake is going to miss this meeting, he is far and away our best rider at this present moment and irreplaceable imo. Still hoping we can put in another good performance against one of the stronger teams, would hate to lose our home record on TV .

2018 - Guests in NL proliferate. Widespread complaints by supporters throughout the league Last winter - NL changes the rules restricting guests for 'any reason' to under 18s. Supporters respond positively Last night - new rule applies, fans start whinging. This is a typical case of fans wanting fairer rules until they apply to their club.

I can't get there every week now due to work and family commitments but try to get there as much as I can. Yes it is more expensive than it use to be but what isn't nowadays?? People say there aren't any fans favourites this season then they need to get along and add to that list of favourites by supporting the team trackside whenever they can. I reckon Henry and Valentin could easily fill that void this season though. How did Charles, Jake and BWD become the crowd favourites in the first place? Do you also think riders might use that 'fans favourite' tag to their advantage when negotiating deals knowing that they might get a better deal out of it. At the end of the day it is a business to them and they need to earn money like we all do so fair play to them if they can get a better deal out of it. I know it is Championship speedway this year but I personally don't care. I go to watch 7 Rebels do their best against the opposition on track whatever level of racing it is dressed up or down as. Presentation wise it must be difficult to create an atmosphere in what is effectively a field as the sound just disperses. I think they do an ok job with it but I am sure the team are always trying to improve and vary it each week. From the times I have spoken on the PA from the centre green to promote the annual Golf Day (which is my way of trying to help the club) it is a strange experience as you cannot see the crowd or really get much idea of feedback from them either. I attended both Swindon and Poole last year and whilst one I felt was better the other was far worse in terms of presentation. I hope it is better on Bank Holiday Monday at Wimborne Road. I actually bumped into the Blunsdon mic man at Cardiff a couple of days later and complimented his presentation which he said he appreciated. Not sure I can make it this week but I will certainly be back supporting the Rebels on the 29th with the wife and kids in tow. Hope to see some of you there!

Track still looks in better shape than Wimbourne Road