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Poland is certainly an interesting case. I like many have held Poland up to be as the holy grail in what league speedway can be. The interesting thing is having watched several Polish matches on TV the quality of the racing isn't as good as I thought it would be. So that begs the question why is it so successful? I personally think its because the people who run it have made the show slick and ensures that it is ran in a highly professional manor. There for they have a product that the general public and business alike want to be involved with. The crowds generate a superb atmosphere. The combination of the atmosphere and the slick presentation makes the product cool regardless of the quality of racing. I guess the UK was once in that sort of position having watched racing from the 70s and 80s on you tube it wasn't all passing and excitement far from it. However you had the crowds the banter between Fans and the atmosphere that generated. Unfortunately as the sport became more and more micky mouse the fans started to drift away which ment less and less atmosphere so the quality of the racing became the focus wrongly in my opinion. For me I walked away because of the constant rule changes the vaslty over use of the guest rule. The double up and down rule finally saw an end to my picking and choosing meetings. Now I go once a year to catch up with friends who like me used to go. As a guy in his early 40s with young kids I was and should be part of speedways future. However until they can run the sport as a professional product or run it purely as an amateur sport and charge fiver to get in away I shall stay,

I’m sure you could watch sky news and Boris and Matt talking absolute crap about some cold going round if this isn’t floating your boat

This is the sort of stupidity that fuels the hotspots currently being forced to lockdown because of their poor behaviour.

Never fails to amaze me how those who say they don't go to speedway anymore can make such sweeping and often inaccurate statements about its health. It's clearly got major problems but there are green shoots with young riders, GB set up, increased crowds and community initiatives at many clubs and a few promotions that actually have new ideas and some business acumen. No doubt I will be sent to the mad House but I'm more positive now than I was 3 and 5 years ago at Brummies and other clubs in CL and NDL

In this weeks Star a story that league speedway could return to Workington with a new track near the Northside track for NL racing.

If the SEC used the new SGP scoring system, I think Madsen would have been crowned champion as soon as he qualified for the Final last night, possibly when he qualified for the semi final. In the SGP scoring format, his 3 wins, especially the first round where he only scored 9 before the final, make a big difference to his points. I prefer the old SGP/current SEC scoring format where every point counts.

Top v Bottom. Did you think there could be an upset???? Racing has been good and Gorzow have had a good go. What more can you ask for?

Gorzow are doing much better than expected ! Very entertaining match so far.

There are surely riders available to help them strengthen. In an 8 team league there should be no whipping boys like Rybnik are. And if it’s true that Leszno are attempting to sign Lambert, then what is the point of an even playing field at the start of each season. The points limit is something GB has got right. Having one team trying to buy the best riders With no points limit means competition doesn’t occur.

Here is a clue. Ron Clarke, Odsal captain and member of the 1949-50 touring team, sent 'news' to Speedway Echo, published on 25th February 1950. His comment was: "We are all attending a Farewell Ball this week, when our main part will be presenting Harry Tovey with a little something for his services to us. Believe me, and this is the general feeling in the tourists' camp, nothing we can give Harry can repay him sufficiently for the magnificent way he has taken care of us out here. It's really been grand to meet a guy who has taken such a great interest in our team. We feel rather guilty at letting him down over the Test series but that's just the way things work out sometimes. We hope that we haven't seen the last of Harry where our speedway is concerned and we'll never forget him for what he has done for us." My feeling is that Harry Tovey was probably in charge of all administrative arrangements during the tours, but maybe the team captain was responsible for racing matters.

Podkarpacie TV streamed it live on You Tube. Sadly I only found out after it had finished. I've subscribed to their channel and will monitor it in future weeks. In the past they used to show Rzeszow and Krosno matches. The match can also be watched now. I've put the link in the Polish speedway videos thread to avoid cluttering this.

Plymouth have said they would like to run in the slimline development league if it happens. Nathan Stoneman has been sacrificed as they can’t find a second reserve. His statement and that from Mark Phillips are at odds. Stoneman’s absence allows them to bring in Jason Edwards and Chad Wirtzfeld as Mildenhall and IOW not running in 2020. Wonder if the Gladiators are refreshing their pitch for the Championship in 2021.

Does mr godfrey know the comets are racing on a friday night

Not forgotten, but Teo rode in the National League and the other references were to riders who had appeared in the lower divisions.

There a few riders that would like to be as bang- average as Madsen.He explained tonight that his bikes are aggressive and too strong for the slicker tracks.He was also saying that he hasn’t been well over the last few days.Im sure he will sort out his set -up come GP series.Interestingly riders are saying that the Polish tracks seem to be much slicker this season compared to normal. ps Is your Nan being called up to replace Batchelor at Rybnik

Very much enjoyed that from Lambert last night. Great to see him improve off the starts where it was his only major weakness in previous seasons. This short series has also convinced me of just how much a bang-average rider Madsen is. His bike is somehow so much faster than everyone else’s off the bends and down the straights, yet he still flounders about in most races, dropping points by getting tangled up in battles with other riders. My Nan could score decent points on his bike.

Nigel Pearson, I guess

It's grammar not spelling. The spelling was correct.

Never mind next year I can see Lambert getting a wildcard entry this year

I feel that SON will be moved to Poland this year anyway and back to belle vue next year

Where's Flappy? I thought we'd have several team suggestions by now.

Fast approaching- 4 fixtures every Tuesday and Thursday. 1 match on each day is the main match( 4 camera production) and is shown live on C More main sport channel and Premier Sport. the other 3 matches are 1 camera jobs and are also shown live on the other C more channels.- all matches start at 6pm UK time I am not sure yet what matches are to be shown live/delayed on the ESS play subscription channel. round 1 Tuesday August 11th Vetlanda v Dackarna C more and Premier Sport lejonen v Masarna Indianerna v Rospiggarna Piraterna v Vastervik round 2 Thursday August 13th Masarna v Indianerna C more and Premier Sport Vastervik v Lejonen Dackarna v Piraterna Rospiggarna v Vetlanda

True but the top man should make the gate full stop

Come on, man! This was good speedway racing tonight. Leszno wins 55-35 and the fans really enjoy it and celebrate with THEIR riders/team's big win. There is no artificual levelling of teams due to points limits etc in Polish Speedway, and this is quite right so. A successful team won't be punished and don't have to release any of their riders due to a certain low points limit. That's a good thing. See how popular and succesful the Polish team building system is compared to the British.

Thomsen 14/1 to win heat 15. That's really good odds.

I've checked Podkarpacie TV's You Tube page and there's nothing there at all. It must have been a case of producing a live link which for a while served as a link to a recording of the match then was wiped. So, it looks like going forward it's only going to be useful for live links rather then on demand.

Kasprazak and Iversen fighting over 3rd is good.

Lidsey is definitely going to be top rider

Another utter guff meeting. Polish speedway might have the best riders in the world but it doesn’t equate to entertainment. Poor Dave Goddard struggled to make it sound thrilling but it was as dull as could be. fingers and toes crossed for the second meeting. But Leszno will probably stroll it.

The answer is people need to start voicing their objection to the ridiculous totalitarian restrictions being put in place. At a time when less people are dying in the UK than they have in the last five years.

I worked at Wimbledon when Berry was there. He was more of a caretaker than a promoter. The club was skint and struggling to survive. He was brought in to steady the ship. I don't think his heart was really in it. The following season the Lannings arrived.

Teams confirmed in Zielona Gora Zielona Gora 9 lindback 10 Vaculik 11 Protasiewicz 12 MJJ 13 Dudek 14 Pawliczak 15 Krakowiak 16 Jeppesen Rybnik 1 Woryna 2 Szczepaniak 3 Miedzinski 4 Logachev 5 Milik 6 Tudziez 7 Nowacki 8 Lambert

Free pass for Dave then... Can't pass comment on the way Premier Sport change their schedules and mess everybody about? Just pay my money over and keep quiet?

Other than Boyce flattening Gollob, I wouldn't associate London speedway with entertainment!

It may not completely stop the decline but if those in charge had the opportunity and the balls to hold their nerve, they would start addressing some issues including standardising the machines for league racing in this country. All rides have a choice as to where they ply their trade. In the U.K. we have nothing to gain by paying top dollar. A number of options are available to have standard bikes and if you get away from the expensive machinery you then are not held to ransom by riders over money. Riders to be classified according to their average and then impose a fixed fee per point and start with bonus paid for team riding a partner home. Review the average every two months. Until you get a grip with the variable costs of rider pay rates (fixed costs I would class as stadia, medical, insurance, track staff, referees etc all of which are probably standard and non-negotiable’ ) they are on a hiding to nothing. Control this cost and it might allow the promoter to fund the promotional side and perhaps offer incentives to the paying customer. The club owners may be to blame for many of the failings but the riders are a huge expense and this will remain out of control as long as the riders go for more and more expensive equipment. If you cannot get around a track on a standard machine and use your track craft and skills to win races rather then being a throttle merchant, then perhaps they should look for another job.

Unlikely as he get's 80% of his commentary content from here and Twitter It's racers and royals who keeps people informed on here

And don't lets forget Teo Teodorowicz

There were only a few criticising him for going to Germany,theres always a few that don't seem to want to see English riders achieve their ambition.Many i think would like to see them be able to ride a 500cc a bit younger over here.It can only help them to achieve greater heights in the sport imo.

I emailed them around he time they started showing the Polish league. They have no plans to show Elitserien this season is what they told me.

Not until you get rid of the ‘ top table ‘ of individuals who run clubs of their own , it needs an independent , non biased chair ( which it hasn’t had for years ) .

Ahem, Somerset Wyverns I think you'll find?

For clarification: nowadays, it's only the finals of the annual knockout cup competitions - run by Lancashire and Yorkshire cricket leagues - that attract attendances into four figures. As for Berrington Lough, I guess it suffered from being very much in the middle of nowhere (ironically, today's model for new speedway tracks).

I bet you're fun at parties.

What the hell are Poole still in our section for???? They're Championship material now .....

Very disappointed in Sam last night, I think he nailed the pronunciation of Woryna every single time I thought the Russian was a bit quick to let go of the bike. Well done Robert Lambert, European Champion

You've also got to factor in the weather... and quarantine... and the airline going bust... and dangerous tracks... and electrical fires Good luck!

Great to see how well Lambert has progressed this season, some of the criticism he got last year was ridiculous especially when you consider the injuries he had.

I know the photo is made to look like the kids are close but for all you who haven’t ever witnessed youth speedway it does get like this. To all the neigh sayers who believe there is no talent in the uk come along and watch and form a proper opinion . Personally believe the future is bright for a lot of our youth.

Then it's clear, if there was Speedway in Yarmouth then it could run but with no-one to race against as other local authorities haven't agreed then it's all pretty academic. How on earth the BSPA can be held responsible in the current climate I just don't know.

I don't think that many promoters would have been rushing to get clearance off of their local authority. The government have given them a get out of jail card. Apart from Scunny, there hasn't been a mad rush to put any meetings on.