Leaderboard

I claimed a bit of responsibility too !

Enjoyed my first ever visit to Poole, Tigers struggled to get out the starts and to be fair the heart has been ripped out of the club with Ulrich's accident but the guys tried hard, I think the pirates will go on and win the championship, they have a strong team. The pirate fans were very gracious towards our very small travelling support, thanks for that.

I thought some scum might of stole it for the van, and wouldn't know what to do with the bikes, and maybe leave them somewhere. What scumbags

One of the drawbacks of having all that sign writing on your van! A plain colour van would seem a safer option to me!

Perhaps it would have been a good idea to have the jab the day after a meeting rather than a day before

Think we all know the answer to that.

You’re always up against it if you visit Edinburgh and see McGregor is the referee.

Just looking at Isle of Wight Masters Championship. www.dirthub.co.uk/island-masters-shale-track-championship-schedule-entry-list/ You have to applaud the promoters for taking on meetings of this format. There's no reason why stadium racing of this type can't be run with both speedway and grasstrack bikes dependent on the size and condition of the track. I think individuals on this forum are too quick to dismiss this type of event ultimately who cares at least it gives UK riders an opportunity to race instead of applauding Wolverhampton with their plethora of imports.

My mate went and said it was well supported with lots of families attending. He said the presentation was very good, refreshments great and minimal delays and he got about 25 heats for £12. He also saw ex Glasgow promoter Gordon Pairman taking a close interest in what was going on. Well done Isle of White by all accounts.

And don't forget Ben Barker.

Superb lineup. I’m sure for some it could be seen as an audition for 22. Stunning way to end the home season and further wet the appetite for next.

I think there’s a good chance of someone coming in but any riders should be on points money only. Stick a rider on a guarantee and there’s no incentive for them to score. They get paid regardless.

Think most of your riders prefer our track to yours too! Bad night for the Scorpions and the track prep was poor and drastically under watered. Well done Lions your gating was better than ours and with no outside line the racing by our usual standards, was pretty average. We are now looking over our shoulders, watching teams below catching up in the league points, our remaining matches look well difficult too.

Speaks volumes about what was "on offer" doesnt it? Why pay to watch contrived septets in a competition devoid of credibility or status, when you have already paid Sky and can watch it at home? Out of 5 of us who used to attend pretty much each week, up until 10 or so years ago, only one now does so regularly, with the rest of us getting our fix by watching the TV and taking it in turns to "host the evening"... We will though all go to Cardiff and several of us will go to Poland to watch League racing and GP's, as well as attend FIM events over here.. And "if the weather is nice" we will visit a few tracks on the odd occasion.. Cant beat a bit of "live" Speedway now and again can you?.. I (and the others), would still go every week if the leagues werent ran so 'Mickey Mouse' and actually had some kudos in winning.. And there are more than a "fair few" out there like me I would suspect who just need some persuasion to attend again... (A "fair few" that is more than actually currently attend I would suggest).. And by "persuasion", I mean those in charge actually running the sport properly, either in a league system or in an individual one.. Either way, make it mean something and many who "used to go" regularly, and still keep a very keen interest in the sport, might start to attend regularly again. One thing for sure though.. To keep doing the same thing every single season isnt an option surely is it?

After a very unhappy visit to Poole in August I've had an idea. You know those old black and white POW films where the inmates are trying to get rid of the soil taken from a tunnel? They put the soil in bags inside their trousers with a draw string attached. Then they wandered onto the exercise area, pulled the draw string and released the unwanted soil onto the ground. Perhaps visiting riders could adopt a similar technique with bags of shale when they are doing their track walk at Wimborne Road?

you must remember we are the poole pirates and we make the rules

In the early years, GP 'stars' were possibly thought of as a drawcard as British fans expected to see 'the best riders in the world'. And quite possibly promoters would have seen decreased crowds without them, so it's understandable why they got sucked in. However, history has shown that the inclusion of GP riders did little or nothing to improve crowds or revenues, or ultimately justify the costs that were incurred. That's not the fault of the GP riders who are largely only interested in making the best living they can whilst they can, nor indeed can you blame them for having their cake and eating it with respect to riding in the SGP, if that's what British promoters put on their plates. But at the end of the day, they merely hastened the downward spiral of a sport that had already started on the downward spiral. As I said, the moment the SGP cat was allowed to be let out of the bag, the British leagues had stuffed themselves. A GP series was inevitable in the modern world, just as similar disruptive influences like the IPL and Big Bash were inevitable in cricket, but if you're the incumbent running the sport then at least make sure you're part of the bandwagon and get your cut from it...

This meeting wasn't the best match that I have seen this season although it was eventful! This is a typical picture of all spectator sports - there will be good matches and poor matches often for no apparent reason, so no track should be universally condemned as the cause when the latter is the case. The much loved and lamented Brandon track used always to be immaculately prepared and the riders very rarely had cause to complain about it - yet it regularly produced some very processional races and was often criticized as being "too smooth." I have witnessed some very good racing (and some poor stuff too) at Perry Barr this season and in seasons past and like the vast majority of supporters I accept that every meeting isn't going to be a cracker, so I don't blame, the track or the opposition when a meeting falls short of expectations.

Back to the Dugards ( if they've still the will and enthusiasm which only they would know) in a competitive NL with a decent points limit so fans will pay to watch is probably the only viable way next season, oh we had that before it was taken away.

I think you have probably hit the nail on the head there when you get 50,000 at Newcastle and 25,000 at Sunderland plus footballs not cheap either so you can only do one of them plus the local papers aren’t really that bothered about speedway any more and it only gets a mention on the news when Geoff Brown is on. I do think a competitive team has a massive influence also a winning team will always be better supported football being the greatest indicator ,I appreciate everything that has gone on this year and you have to cut your cloth accordingly , in my personal opinion I think the change of race time has had a massive effect especially for me as I can’t now make it and I think that will be the same for a lot of families

Think it's particularly fair Swindon claim the majority out of his clubs...2 league titles and would had been riding for us if it wasn't for the two evils of Covid and Clark Osbourne!

In 2 valve days, as a Jawa factory rider, Ivan Mauger would visit the factory and have tested many new engines on the dyno. He would then pick, for his allocation, the best engines for himself, this gave him a better starting point for tuning than having the less powerful engines. Mind you having Guy Allott as the tuner helped a lot. I can remember seeing the rockers on Ivan engines being on needle rollers, instead of the bronze bushes they used in the factory, much smoother operation. So even standard engines, straight from the factory, are not equal.

But we now find ourselves in the position of NO GP riders riding in our Leagues yet we still elect to run on off-nights and on many prime summer weekends there was no Speedway this year!

You can't sign someone before and not redeclare until after the cut off date Any new signing made prior to the cut off would have to have been in the declared 7 for Thursdays meeting however clandestine the communication was!

The die was cast the moment that the professional league promoters, but particularly the British ones, failed to grasp the opportunities offered by the SGP and allowed the FIM to sell it off to a private promoter with basically no benefit accruing to them. The SGP affects the Polish and Swedish leagues much less - if at all - but even so it's ridiculous that they allowed a prime asset that basically utilises their assets for free to escape them. Very poor vision and even poorer politicking in the FIM corridors of power. Once the SGP got a foothold, the British leagues were screwed either way as the speedway-going public were used to seeing the top riders in Britain, so any stand against using GP riders would cost fans, yet by trying to accommodate the SGP they found they had to run on off-nights and/or not on prime summer weekends, and lost fans anyway. The GP riders dropped Britain once the wages dried up, not least because the fans stopped coming. I'm quite sure they'd still be turning up if the British leagues paid Polish wages, whatever other excuses they may have given. But the whole issue of insufficient riders is a wider one, and is another thing that wasn't well addressed over the years. Doubling-up is fine as a development pathway through the league structure, but ridiculous when it's just a way to make up the numbers. It just becomes the thin end of the wedge - reduce opportunities and you ultimately reduce the number of riders competing for those places.

I'm happy with what I've watched at Peterborough this season and that's with a team written off as wooden spoon winners by many before a wheel was turned

In the grand prixs money will always talk and Bartosz is small in stature he will always be quick but that does not always translate as a bit of weight could mean better grip off the start? Domestically something has to be done to reduce costs to the riders, no one can afford to pay them the sort of money they would like to be earning, so the only other way is to work it so that a riders outgoings are less, thus they can keep more of what they earn without it being ploughed so heavily back into their equipment. Until speedway is made more viable to both, riders, promoters and fans, things will continue on a downward trend, it really is that simple.

True... But instead of adapting and being in charge of their own destiny, the UK Promoters decided to come up with some unfit for purpose half way house, half arsed system which was built around the GP riders' own individual agendas.. Even though it was evident that crowds dwindled whilst these riders rode over here, and when missing (which was regularly), meant guestfest upon guestfest... Which only then sped up the dwindling levels of punters.. And then of course the GP riders then pretty much all dropped the UK like a stone.. Yet the UK still have the same operating model?..... But nowadays just to provide around 70 riders or so with multiple team places... Not a great plan is it?

Disappointing but not in any way surprising, we don’t really look very good at the moment. Was it the right decision for Craig to return so soon only he will know , we really need more than that over the two nights from a number 1. What tomorrow brings is anyone’s guess. On a side note how can anyone notice someone smiling with a crash helmet on , quote from the updates on Heat 13. The mind boggles.

Some teams do like using it in last 5 heats of the meeting I have noticed. Not sure about that! But guess you need to take in gates in the heat and oppo riders.

Wtf why was broc not in heat 9 as TS. Some tactical decision made this season need to be seen to be believed!!

Let's face it 15 heats interspersed with watching a tractor or two and a bowser if you're lucky ain't cutting the mustard. Maybe variety is the spice of life. I know at the Flat Track meetings I attended at Oxford there were various classes racing and had a few Speedway races too. They also had Grass bikes racing too if I remember correctly. Considering they were getting 15-20 riders off and on track for each race very little in the way of delays either Got to see Les Collins racing again too, which is always worth watching

Know sign of trackprat today, must be celebrating poole (Paul) reaching the play offs glug glug

Sheffield won’t win play offs because of 2 things. Injury to Nielsen and Bachelor isn’t bothered He couldn’t put much less effort in on track to be honest. He keeps backing off at first bend !!! I don’t understand how he can beat the same riders in the championship yet not in the premiership.

Agree it's a football centric region even at a time when all the clubs are at best also rans and don't look like winning anything. Other professional clubs (rugby union, basketball, cricket) do survive in the same environment. However they do have a much bigger national/international appeal than speedway and that's before all of the other none sport related leisure opportunities which are easily accessible. On a hot summers day (not that there are many) ideal for speedway there are amazing beaches just a short train journey away. Not sure why young people in the region would know the sport exists let alone give it a go. There's a massive student population in that area of Newcastle but if it's pitched to a family audience and takes 2 hours plus for 15 mins of action I can't see how that would appeal to students. Maybe if the beer was cheap and it was next to nowt to get in. They're more likely to attend non league football which is 7th or 8th tier stuff rather than watch the 20th best speedway team in the country. At Newcastle it's either got to be a premium winning team product to have a chance of attracting attention and crowds (the last one 20 years ago didn't, although the football team was almost successful at that time) or be something cheap and cheerful that can operate within its means. Which isn't at a costly facility like Brough Park or with a team at current Championship level.

i reckon sheffield could pitch this title from wolves or panthers just a thought

wrong in the best interest of the mighty pirates . i dont think

https://www.facebook.com/BanditsSpeedway/videos/4092955130815716

How will the signing get approved if it's not in the rules then? Is it Kyle Newman, he was in the Grandstand last night for a bit!

For the sport in Sussex to run next season would depend on a few things. They would need to run in a league they can afford. They would need a figure head that the BSPL and the Dugards both trust Also, a significant start up fee would be needed. The BSPL would want the club to continue and the Dugard family would be behind the right promotion, they don't want the sport to finish at Arlo and will go out of their way to see it continue at the venue despite it costing them money.. The big issue would be the start up costs for a new promotion, that would need sponsors, fans and investors to contribute IF they want the sport to continue..

I am sure it is it just needs proper promotion and a decent team with riders who excite the crowd and get them talking. Basso at Poole a prime example. A young rider with a future in the sport who is thrilling the crowd with his riding. There are others out there that fit the same hill. I would be more surprised if Eastbourne were not up and running next season. There’s surely people out there that see the potential to take the club on and head forwards, with a brand new team.

Were you at the same meeting,the track looked fine to me,only one faller in summers I think.him and Douglas were super quick last night.a good close meeting up to the last few races.alk credit to the riders.good to see Josh Mac up with the pace,some terrific speedway once again at the ewr.

You're the only one who cares

Same story every year key rider gets injured. 2018 lewi Kerr, 2019 Starkey, 2021 ulle. Due some fortune

Poor night for the scorpions no heat leaders turned up which eventually cost us. Must say I was impressed with Connor Mountain as the guest scored a handy return and well earned his place in heat 15 wouldn’t mind him in Scorpions colours in the future !

Rising Stars should be kept as reserves even if their averages are preventing it. Like the Polish under 21s,

The official site really is very poor, twenty four hours before a meeting no preview, no team news, very poor. On the positive side for those interested you can still but a 2021 season pass.

wasn't it a 'post stock car' prepared track ???? may have something to do with it

the horse has already bolted on this one, we're much too far down the line to make any changes now

Its all down to "costs" riders have to play their part, do they need 4 crash helmets, do they need to pay someone to fuel a bike and change a back wheel , a hair dryer to cool a clutch? All the things riders didnt have in the glory days it has to go back to being a decent paying hobby not a full time job.have said many times the only people making money are the stadium owners and engine tuners!