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So tonight with the lack of any Speedway on the box I decided to watch the recording of the worst Speedway meeting in the history of the world... evs (Saturday's GP). And I was shocked, I was shocked to discover that actually in probably 75% of the races there was actually passing and/or close racing. I was not only shocked because I'd read on this thread that it had been particularly poor this year but also I attended the meeting myself and didn't really think it was anything special. Admittedly the race was never really for the lead and often between 2nd, 3rd or 4th but racing and passing there certainly was. I wonder why so many people (me included) are saying this was such a poor event (racing wise) this year, where clearly if you were to watch it again and actually take note of a close race or pass you'd see this wasn't really the case. What defines a good/close race? Maybe expectation was too high for Woffy to perform? All the Poles certainly seemed to be having a whale of a time. If you went to a League meeting and 75% of the races produced close racing and/or passing I think you'd be well satisfied... even for £18, with no atmosphere, standing on a grass bank watching mainly tractor racing interspersed with journeymen and amateur Speedway riders. And before coming back at me telling me I'm wrong I suggest you take the time to re-watch the event

I cant recall any meeting this season , and I think I watch Cook race more than you , where Craig has received a ref warning for a starting offense. If Craig is guilty of rolling I'm sure at least one ref will have noticed since April .

I just saw your post, and I just had to comment; you are 100% correct. I live in the US, and my only way of keeping in touch with family, friends (including many from speedway), my old work colleagues etc, is via Facebook. It is also a valuable tool as far as my work is concerned. Facebook is what YOU want it to be, and what you ALLOW it to be. We are not all insecure and socially inept as many seem to feel... Steve

He is a Berwick fan so what are you slavering about. Personally i feel Kyle has done well, as said young riders can be inconsistent but Kyle has done perfectly fine and will improve at his own pace.

Weather permitting, I am hoping to be there. 'Mon the Tigers!

This thread shows just how out of touch some members of this forum are. All they can do is moan, moan, moan. Every year you get the same folks whinging about the racing. Every year you get the same folks declaring how they don't go to Cardiff and most people they know don't.. Yet every year we get a crowd of nigh on 40,000 which no other stadium can even dream of obtaining, let alone having the capacity to do so.

The sport (in the UK), is now no more than a conduit for riders to earn the kind of money that justifies their outlay on kit... A system devised to provide as many rides as possible for individuals, with scant regards to the impact this has on any credible status of each league or the teams within them.. It won't change now I would suggest, as it cannot given how long this situation has been allowed to fester.. Basically riders riding for whoever, whenever, is an integral part of the business plan, and operating model, which then facilitates their participation in the sport in the UK.. Too many teams? Not enough riders? Either way, that scenario isn't going to be fixed anytime soon unless they try six or even five man teams initially to give themselves some head room to deliver a much more fit for purpose longer term plan.. No breath is being held waiting for that to happen I would suspect..

With the present incumbents running the show, it's hard to see any other outcome. Speedway desperately needs some professional people to help pull it out from the abyss.

Reading through this thread I feel I went to a different GP to most on here. I thought the GP was OK. Not a classic by any means but certainly I found it entertaining and never once did I think the meeting was a complete duffer. There have been far worse GPS this year. No, it wasn’t as good as some previous Cardiff GPs but certainly there was plenty of passing. I also thought the crowd was larger this year, which is a good sign. Definitely swollen by the amount of Poles now making the trip. 5 years ago there were just a few up high on the third bend. Now there are thousands all around the stadium. Certainly adds to the already excellent atmosphere. I always buy tickets on the day but this year all the cheap tickets had sold out with cheapest on the day £50. Had to use a tout to get a cheap ticket. The city was absolutely heaving before the meeting and great fun. As for a second GP at Belle Vue, there is no chance whatsoever. Until Cardiff sells out anyway, which is not likely to happen. Why on earth would BSI run another British GP which would reduce the attendance of Cardiff? Never going to happen. NSS not big enough anyways and even if they did it with temp stands, who is to say they might get the track completely wrong just like they did in the SON semi final Friday meeting a couple of years ago? I for one thoroughly enjoyed Cardiff this year. Sure we have seen better meetings there but I came away knowing I will be back in 2020.

With the greatest of respect the rider who said he is quitting and off to Australia should have got the answer of enjoy the flight and the written off van on the M5, get another one from your insurance. Pandering to riders is a big reason why the many clubs are in trouble and that kind of behaviour shouldn't be tolerated in the NL. Far better to oust the riders at the time (X has left the club because he didn't show the level of commitment we required/expected to maintain his place) the sooner there is a return to it being a privilege to have a team place rather than a rite the sooner the sport can start t get up off its knees.

I tend to stay out of these discussions because of all the negativity and stupid stuff spouted by self-appointed "experts", but reading the views of iainb, Steve Hone, and your good self, I thought I would join in... Was this a "great" meeting? Of course not. However, it really wasn't that bad either - or at least I didn't think so! Same as Vojens. Not a classic, but enjoyable all the same. Most of the racing we see today is no worse than it was back in the "good old days". Like most people, I really miss Wembley, but to say the it was even SLIGHTLY superior (racing-wise) to Cardiff would be a stretch... Steve

Exactly that. I've just watched it again and there were good passes. Wright, Emil and Madsen, spring to mind and few races if any were strung out so close racing if not passing. This is a top class field of riders of equal ability so none are going to be easy to pass whatever the track condition which I thought was pretty decent. A good increase in the crowd size this year too which suggests it ain't going away any time soon. I have no complaints and will be back next year for sure.

I can only conclude that most people on this forum were too young to be watching speedway in the 60's, 70's or 80's. I know some will disagree but speedway is no different now to what it always has been, and generally, overall may be actually better than it used to be. Great racing, not great racing, that's how it has always been.

Mmmm, I'm thinking more like a no sale if he doesn't lose money clause. I very much doubt there was ever going to be a sale,,, just uncle Buster agreeing to pay any debt that may occur

Gone way beyond that. No-one truly professional would take it on, having looked closely at it as a project.

The supporters have been saying this for years , and ther BSPA have not listened , I can't see this year being any different . name change of the leagues perhaps .

THE capacity at the NSS is what it is because they had to drastically scale back on the original plans. Hopefully, the Speedway World Cup might be back in Manchester next year.

Speedway has always been held in great stadiums with poor tracks. Amsterdam, Munich & Wembley for starters. I have nothing against Cardiff, i just don't like the GP's. They are like Marmite, you either love them or you hate them!.

The BT Sport Schedule on my Sky planner shows; Thurs 26th BT Sport 1 7.30pm Poole v Ipswich Sat 28th BT Sport 3 7.30pm Ipswich v Poole So both definitely on the telly box!

I thought it was interesting listening to Allen & Stead on the BT GP Coverage, particularly Stead who was voicing his opinion that riders should be more ambitious... At the risk of being controversial, wasn't it Stead that hid away in the lower leagues for a lot longer than he should have done taking the coin? Maybe more of a do as I say manager than do as I do. Anyway, I wish them all the best, GB will be nothing again until regular test matches are run, you can do all the skipping and ball catching you like, there's nothing like experience

Think we caught Somerset cold when we won there earlier in the season , as that was the first meeting with their revamped side . But I think we can keep things close enough to take the tie over the two legs . A lot depends on the lower order of both sides . Anders Rowe has done ok at home riding at 2 , Stoneman has improved , but Luke Harris seems to find the going at CL level hard going . Whereas for us , Connor Bailey gets better by the week and is starting to take the scalps of more experienced riders , Sam Jensen has undoubted potential , but is still at the stage of falling while trying too hard . Andersen is nothing special , while Bickley can gate but lacks the pace for four laps away from Ashfield . Its is still a bit of a concern that at the end of his second season he still hasn't reached a four point average despite all the hype surrounding him when he turned 16 . He still has time on his side though . Cook and Jensen are as good as any visiting riders round the Oak Tree Arena , while Vissing is capable of steady support . Schlein , Harris , Covatti and Morris have their work cut out to get the better of the clashes amongst the heat leaders

people have to remember that the 1981 World Final, which many people call the best ever, only really had good races when Penhall was involved

It will eventually end up like grasstrack, with a few amateur and club meetings run occasionally at weekends.

I believe Speedway in this country will die and can't see it still about in 10 yrs to cum

It's been a bit slow but 1032? That's well past my bedtime. I'll get my coat pyjamas

Attendance could have been quite a lot less... If a lot less people had turned up... Well I never

Guys and girls, pity you are not here. You should have heard the roar when Aspgren made the pass.

Agreed with both. The calibre of people running the show = Buster Godfrey & Co are tbh useless. They couldn’t run a bath. They have proved to be totally incompetent. And before someone says that’s harsh take a look at the state of our sport. It’s completely knackered. Anyone who is anyone wouldn’t touch Speedway with a 20’ barge pole. More pain to come for fans and clubs that’s for sure.

I have you admire your advanced sense of irony bearing in mind the avatar you choose

Adam Ellis was at Cardiff with a couple of riders from the French speedway League, and Adam suggested that it would certainly not be too expensive to run 'Test Matches' against a French side. Maybe not at full international level, but certainly at Championship League level.

Unfortunately, for whatever reason, the racing definitely isn't!

Thread for that in Speedway News and Discussions.

How far advanced is the new Stadium at Swindon, as in will they start the season there next April ?

I think that it should be staged at Stoke as their final meeting

There is certainly no way, in my book, that it will make it's Centenary ( unless it bends the rules and moves that to 1923 and not 1928 ). We know that the BSPA are capable of that. Perhaps 1923 will be a "guest" year!

It wouldn't matter where you go, a long weekend would be expensive unless it's in your home town! It is strange that travel across Europe can be cheaper than staying in Britain, but that's the way it is. I just don't understand why the NSS was designed with that small a capacity. I get the finances, and that that any stadium similar to those in Poland - let alone something like Cardiff - would have been cost-prohibitive, but come on, a "National" stadium that can't handle anywhere near the crowds that a number of League One football teams draw? That's hardly something to boast about... This thread illustrates the problem speedway has always had when it comes to showpiece events; do we want a good racing track in a small, crappy run-down stadium that you wouldn't want to take your parents to, or a questionable track in a beautiful stadium that can provide a superb atmosphere for a crowd of 50,000? Again, despite what a lot of people want to believe, we all went to Wembley for the occasion, not the racing...

Try Steve Brandon on Twitter.....He’s posted the times and channels for both matches.

From memory, they went bust mid season that year.

The Polish clubs invest thousands of Zlotys in their junior programme- the kids come straight from school and jump on the clubs supplied equipment. There are rider tests every year to pass so that they are allowed to ride competitively in the junior competition programme - where the riders have plenty of meetings.

It was said (earlier in his thread?) that they might try more banking on the turns. That would be welcome as a means to better quality racing. But it won't be easy to achieve. A physical / construction challenge. Plus the fact it may rule out the lowest level spectator areas on the turns at least.

Yes

Not right for who? It works for Poland. It could work for Great Britain if junior riders were "protected" more in the reserve berths instead of burning them out too soon. Just look at the number of young riders who've jacked the sport in these past few years. I've never known anything like it. All we're left with now are budding young British Champions blossoming to fruition in their mid-30's. It wasn't that many years ago that a certain Patryk Dudek and Bartosz Zmarzlik spent a few years at #6 or #7 for their respective teams. It didn't do them any harm, and when Poland won the last SWC with effectively an u23 side, it shows that it doesn't do the national team any harm either. As I said, it could work in this country, and I think it should be made to work in this country. If your club uncovers a British gem of a rider, then why not let that club benefit from their discovery, and whatever investment they make in that rider? That should be the team's reward for doing something in the national interrest. But instead look what happens. As soon as a budding young British rider starts outscoring an old foreign crock, then that crock gets the benefit of an easy life in the reserves whilst the young British rider gets a hard time in the main body of the team. And then you get the headlines about young English riders "taking time out" from the sport...(never to be seen again)

He wasn't in the children section was he.

Broc Nicol confirmed for both legs and Jake Allen would have rode both meetings had Scunthorpe not had a rearranged fixture that night so Josh Pickering steps in for Saturday, whatever happens I'd like to thank the guests for stepping in and hopefully getting the Bears to the Championship final

I think Glasgow win both legs , after the pairs on Friday Cook and Jensen look on top form and I think Glasgows reserves are slightly stronger than Somersets , Glasgow by 4 on Wednesday then to win by 8 to 12 points in the home leg

Who is Elise ?

Take 8.99 and throw it in the bin . the hours you will save reading Woffindens $hit , can then be invested in a railway layout .

People aren't suggesting replacing Cardiff with Belle Vue, that would be ridiculous, why can't they both be used. Those interested more in the racing will go to Belle Vue along with more from the north probably, those who like the weekend away and the event would still go to Cardiff.

I'm thinking of starting an alternative speedway forum, where swearing and telling people what ya really think of them will be allowed. This forum is full of xxxxx and they need to be told they are xxxxx.

Some people seem to be so hard to please, I think Nigel Pearson and Kelvin Tatum do a great job, as does Natalie Quirk. How luck we are to get any kind of speedway coverage especially domestically.