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RIP Bob. You will be hugely missed.

I would venture that some people think that second tier is strong because top tier standard is so poor. Previously unheard of a rider being number 1 for his team in both leagues.

Definitely too strong, I know our top league is weaker than it's ever been but you've got riders in the Championship who definitely shouldn't be and must be earning big money which is reflected in the admission price which is too high in both leagues. British speedway needs a serious restructure or it will eventually disappear up it's own rear end, we need either two distinct divisions or one big one and a proper thriving third tier for training youngsters. The problem is most riders in British speedway are now accustomed to doubling up and the riches that it provides and would be resistant to change I suspect. Needs somebody stronger than Mr Godfrey to sort the whole mess out.

Any of the people throughout this forum that try to rubbish Polish speedway in favour of the dross from the UK really need to watch this! Absolutely outstanding meeting!

The track prep in Poland is consistently good,over here it’s a hit or miss most weeks at many tracks.

Saddened to report that former Birmingham, Cradley Heath and Leicester rider Harry Bastable passed away yesterday 4th September. He had celebrated his 93rd birthday on August 30th last. Harry was never a superstar, but was a wonderful personality and always a genuine supporters man, and it was always an absolute pleasure to meet up with him and discover that his love of speedway hadn't diminished. Rest in the peace of the Lord old friend.

yes came on said cookies bikes too slow lol

Bewley should have been excluded from the rest of the meeting. He chucked the bike down in order to force a restart.

Yes for Mateusz Jablonski 15 year old rider fighting for his life in a Torun hospital

Didn't Steve Cram train there so I'm assuming it's a 400 metre track sort of size. Loads of investment in South Shields in recent years. I've been involved in some of the grant funded stuff and about to invest another £80m. South Shields is one of the most socially deprived area's in the country so the funding opportunities are there as it's easier to prove improved economic benefit in a deprived area. i.e. will it bring jobs directly at the stadium or indirectly in shops and hotels. The council do want to attract more visitors, they put on free events in Bents Park for example. They want it to be a proper seaside resort Would a speedway team attract the type of numbers who'd spend enough money to improve the local economy? Enough to offset against 'noise'? And floodlights might be an issue. I can't see permission being given for 7 days a week operation so it couldn't be used for training. If I recall there are some new housing developments and some expensive housing very close by (to the West not many to the East). It's effectively the posh end of South Shields. It really would be a cracking day out. Amusement Park, Beach, Fish & Chips or Ocean Road curry (both if you're THJ). Despite being almost in the sea it's quite accessibly by road (tunnel) or train or even Ferry!! Although it's a bit of a walk from the river. The council are supportive of the Mariners progressing up the football pyramid as it will attract more visitors from outside of the region. On that basis having a sports team in a national competition is ideal. An authority like South Tyneside is never going to attract top level sporting events (apart from GNR which it's lost in 2020 and 2021) so having a team in a national competition would appeal, especially one which has moved from a neighbouring authority. Grants for Sporting facilities are outside of my remit but I think they tend to be linked to community based projects and are probably therefore smaller than the cost of building a speedway track and refurbishing a stadium. You'd need a significant local contribution regardless. Certainly worth investigating the possibility because it could be a really good solution. But you need to be able to demonstrate how the area would benefit economically and what it would offer the community (reducing crime, improving skills etc). PS it's right where the Great North Run normally ends for those not familiar with the area.

Plenty riders have the top notch machinery,but you have to have the skills to match.

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

Over the 13 heat format of the 70's opposing number 1's only met in heat 1. Now they meet in 1, 13 and usually 15 so it is much harder to get a 9 point average now than it was then. Also, bonus points counted in the averages then but don't now.

good days and good crowds for them meetings

Last few heats have been brilliant.

Great Race....

Leszno can be good, Gorzow isn't often great unless Zmarzlik misses the start.

Laguta saving his 600cc for the GPs

Bewley needs to learn to make a meal of things, had he stayed down it would've given the ref more of a problem.

A 12 point home defeat is a hammering. The same as a football match if it's 0-0 after 80 mins only for the away team to score 3 or4 goals in the last 10 minutes. It's a hammering. It's what's in the history books. Ps Inspiring Guest choice again or should I say cheapest

You can see why Zmarzlik is the best rider in the World,superb and so much in control nowadays.

A good win, some fantastic racing on a well prepared track and for those who wish to question whether cookie still has it I suggest have a look at heat 13. Outstanding

I think that horse has bolted now, and the British leagues just need to try and move forward in a financial sustainable manner without trying to accommodate the multiple International demands they derive no benefit from. If that means teams essentially being made-up of juniors but who're able to turn up every Friday or Saturday, then that's what needs to happen.

The top tier has seen any decent foreigner as well as our top two riders leave , so rather than our second tier being really strong its more a case of the top tier getting weak. I have said before and will say it again, the old school Premier league was a much better product than the second tier now. Much better and quality of riders much better too

Some pretty horrible comments on here, maybe rather than castigating a young rider for wanting to look as professional and well turned out as he can folk should save their ire for the thieves. I had a non sign written van broken into at a hotel in Daventry a few years ago, it happens unfortunately. Fingers crossed his stuff is recovered.

Crickey! Do the French know?

Would wholeheartedly disagree with this. The second tier isn't a patch on what it’s been in the past. Granted the top league isn’t even worth talking about which probably makes the second tier appear stronger but for me personally its extremely poor.

Such sad news. Bob was a lovely chap and a huge speedway fan and at Oxford neatly every week in 2007 when Brendan Johnson was riding for us. Saw him at Poole just a couple of weeks ago for the Poole v Scunny meeting. RIP Bob.

There is a difference though! Premiership is full of 1,3,5 and maybe 4s of the championship. Therefore every race is a different level to championship

Trouble is Mr centre of attention MacGregor has done it on a regular basis for years..

Newcastle and Birmingham come to mind when not good for viewing so if ur talkin about Leicester I don't understand how u can say that. I'm a liddle puzzled.

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.

I badly miss the old system which led up to the world final where any one of the field could be world champion on the night. They were great occasion’s.

Indeed, Workington won the treble in 2018, with Dan Bewley out injured!

2022 season is a long way off many issues have to be decided regarding league numbers team strength but at KL if Allit is in charge biggest issue is it’s not another jobs for the boys side a 1-7 with all the usual suspects isn’t what’s needed - definitely new faces is what’s needed

I can't start this thread without a mention about Bob Cole After hearing the sad news today of the passing away of Bob on Saturday it does make you think about life and how precious life is. The meeting on Wednesday is quite poignant as I know Bob was based down in Devon for a number of years very close to Plymouth and the Speedway. He was still going down to the Coluesium on Tuesday evening's on a regular basis although still a committed Pirates supporter. Anyway the show must still go on but it will be a sad evening when i Iook behind me and see his empty seat. The other thing making it a little sad is if fit it will be Bjarne Pedersen's last ever meeting at Wimborne Road before he retires. Let's hope for a great evening's racing and 3 points for the Pirates. Thoughts?

Totally agree. Any rider who drives around the country to gain track time and experience deserves praise for putting himself on the line even for little return. I wish a few more experienced riders would make the effort. I just hope that he does not lose heart.

Not the ones on polish tv Cegielski said it was the right decision to exclude Bewley

Be lucky to see NBJ back over this season.Certainly only got 1 match for Berwick and Worrell could be back for BV soon.

Exactly - look at the quality of riders in the BLRC at Hyde Road. Nowadays you could have up to 3 riders from each team in such an individual meeting.

It appears strong because it's full of Div One heat leaders.. However, a lot of these Div One heat leaders would have been at second string level 20 or so years ago in the top division as to be a heat leader then meant either you were a GP rider or an International riding in the World Team Cup or in Test Matches..

So they’ve signed a rider who yet doesn’t have a visa to ride, yet the deadline has passed. What’s the point in having a deadline if you’ve not got all the correct paperwork in place.

Too true

Agreed. You had the likes of Gjedde and NKI riding as second or third heatleaders in the premier whilst winning world cup medals , it was a superb product.

I'd say the era with stoney, Sean Wilson, Dave mullet, Peter Carr, Les and Neil Collins, Kenny mckinna, James Grieves, Craig Watson etc would be stronger than now. Every team pretty much had an out and out number 1 some of racing was magic

Well you think we are otherwise you wouldn't be on here.

Kyle Newman is the reserve for the meeting.

There was no permanent stand at Redcar when it opened. The only solid construction was the pits area. Everything else was portakabins and a temporary stand. Although you might get away, temporarily, with a generator if you couldn’t afford to lay on a mains cable (though goodness knows how much that would cost to run, especially if you needed floodlights) any new track these days would need to have either water in and waste out or expensive portaloos. Although well intentioned - and, of course, now irrelevant - the thought that you could get anything set up for £150,000 seems unlikely. Anyone know how much the Duns training track cost to set up? That would be your base price before allowing for everything extra required for a professional track

Jacobsen fell in his 1st race then had another 3 races.!

Your starting to become a regular Forum Fanny now Dick. Must be an OK site after all.