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Richard Lawson : Birmingham could still have a chance of signing him up until March 2022 even if its announced hes in another team

Sorry to be the harbenger of some harsh reality; but isn't the clear message that the 2022 Team will be built to a budget and have to be cost effective. I can't see any scope for big expensive signings and with clear mistakes made by other teams in paying out way too much for heat leaders; and our own well documented problems in 2021; although they were more to do with crowd figures and loss of sponsorships due to Covid 19, I think we all have to be grateful for Speedway in 2022 and aim to build a team that can basically win at home. The investment of time and effort announced in completely renovating the track is certainly far wiser than paying extortionate sums in air fares, signing on fees and points money that cant be afforded, let alone a big rent hike they'll have to find. A massive well done to all involved lets back them in numbers and with a bit of reality to safeguard a proper future.

Better put some extra air in Robs back tyre, or he'll be going round on the rim.

This is the news for which we have waited since the end of last season, and our very grateful thanks are due to everyone who has wished us well on this forum. Sad that a few posters chose to be negative, but the great majority, I think, are genuinely pleased for us.

Who would you pick instead of Rowe? It's easy to say don't sign someone, but harder to offer a sensible alternative!

So time to close this one!

Leicester are the best looking team so far especially if Rowe comes in at 7. The management have done a good job on the recruitment front.

Newcastle Diamonds will open their doors to the new 2022 campaign on Sunday April 3rd at 4pm. https://newcastle-speedway.co.uk/2021/12/08/stoke-potters-revival-for-one-night-only-in-memory-of-the-late-dave-tattum/

At the end of the day I'm right because it's a fact of life. It just turned out to be another Buczkowski situation that's all where the rider was interested in a British return but obviously a deal didn't get done.

It's Anders Rowe

Yes .It’s not lay downs per se but each time you increase the power you normally narrow the power band more and more. I once saw Chris Louis being interviewed and he said he had ridden Tony Rickardsons bike which actually wasn’t all that fast but it was tuned to a level that he could hang on to and get the best out of the power he did have. Many other riders have their bikes tuned to a level that it becomes unpredictable. That was why Rickardson was such a great rider - he understood his bikes. How often did you see him crash with nobody else involved. Hardly ever I would say.

As long as the fixtures aren’t all over the place like they were this season. The fans and riders need some consistency to actually get into the campaign. And they should bring back the pairs, fours & NLRC to add something different and some additional meetings to what will inevitably be a short league season again.

It is, but it's a pointless exercise. Peterborough could have Hans Andersen & Chris Harris protected in heat 8, but Jordan Palin not protected in heat 9!

I'd definitely have PC ahead of Michanek in 3rd. Mike Lee - arguably the best rider in the world in '79- needs to be in there, certainly ahead of Louis. And can't see a good argument for Briggo being on the list.

No way, by any metric, was Phil Crump top 10 of the 1980s – the only seasons he would have been in the top 10 in the world were 81 and 84, so not even close to the top ten for the decade. Disagree also with Andersson, Wigg and probably Sanders. For me it’s Nielsen, Penhall, Gundersen as a clear top three; then Lee, Carter, S Moran; then four from Knudsen, Sigalos, Jan O, Ermolenko, Morton and Jessup (and maybe Sanders). Jessup is an odd one in that he was the best rider in the world in 1980, a top ten rider in 1981 (where but for ef he likely would have landed a second consecutive silver medal) – but not world class after that. Morton is the opposite, consistent throughout the decade. If I refer back to season by season rankings I did a few years back, then the top ten riders based on their best five seasons across the decade were (and noting Penhall rode only in three seasons): Nielsen, Penhall, Gundersen, Carter, S Moran, Lee, Knudsen, Sigalos, Jan O, Ermolenko. That list would have Morton (11th), Andersson (13th), Sanders (14th), Crump (17th), Wigg (19th). If you were to base the list on top three seasons (i.e. rewarding “peak performance”) the only change to the riders in the top ten is Jessup in for Ermolenko.

Same thoughts from me. Saw him on the Ca tracks in the early 90''s. Looked so fast and in control. A safe Kelly Moran was my initial thought.

That’s ok. Move the gp to NSS, sell all the tickets to Polish, Swedish, Russian fans to boost the local economy and the rest of us can watch on stream.

Its been protected in the championship for a few years, even before rising stars

Yes it's something I've just read in John Louis's book when son Chris also indicated that 'Lay Downs" have also played a significant part to the lack of team riding as they prove to be more unreliable in handling.

News on website reads that a new company has been formed who has acquired the assets of the previous promoting company. This more than likely means the old company will be wound up and unless there are adequate funds left over, unsecured creditors (which riders are) will not receive the money owed to them. That said, the BSPA could arrange for the riders to be paid out of the security fund lodged with them by the previous promotion - assuming there is anything left over.

I've always found it strange that, in a league that has team building so tightly dictated by "averages", the race format gives such wildly different standards of opposition to riders based on which number they are racing at. So many riders left with "unrealistic" (both too high and too low) averages based on them being essentially out of position in a team's line up.

Have Poole named there 1- 7 then

Now that the Brummies are confirmed as running next year, it's time that this thread is started! Any commnets? (Constructive, please).

Just been passing the time watching some YouTube videos (thank you Clean Cut Sports!) and particularly enjoyed the precocious talents of a young Przemysław Pawlicki . The commentator observes that he was certainly a future world champion in the making. What happened to the exceptional Shamek? Why didn't he even make the GPs? I've looked of Wikipedia and it only goes up to 2010 in his case. I know his brother has been making a name for himself. Also what other riders at a young age were considered future champions? I don't mean the great riders like Leigh Adams who just didn't make top spot but the shining lights who suddenly faded out of sight - I am sure injuries accounted for some unfortunately.

Its the 4th in averages. So it'll be Lambert. Followed by 3rd in averages on the 16th then the top 2 announced on 23rd

Thought exactly the same, he looked class and I thought he was destined for the top.

As long as a rider hasn't been announced, that makes him fair game for team predictions imo!

the only metric Andersson out performs Mort is performance in world finals. Outside that, Mort won BLRC, inter-continental, world Pairs and WTC titles and had a better BL record. And there is no metric at all which would place Phil Crump in the top ten riders of the 80s, unless we limit to league performances at Blunsdon Rd, or Overseas finals held at Hyde Rd in years ending with an even number...

With Oxford and Brum, and others possibly still needing to complete their teams, Rowe may not be short of offers and playing hard to get? And if he's looking for chances in Poland might be tempted take a slightly lower offer from a midweek track. Alternative could be a 4-point newcomer

Yes unless you change over reserves

Six man teams. . Nine heats where all pairs race against each other on alternate gates.. Then. Three heats of managers choosing pairs, winning team name theirs first, then losing team pick theirs, and losing team pick two out of the three gate positions, winning team then have what heat is left... Last three heats lowest to highest scorers, losing team choose their gates for one heat, the winning team then get the other available, then heat 15 is a coin toss.. No riders under 4.5pt averages, however each team can have two 'subs' signed below 4.5pt (RS's?), to replace missing riders (similar to how a Number 8 would now). So no guests needed, but instead a 'Number 7' allied to a fit for purpose RR facilty with each eligible rider allowed a max seven rides.. 15 heats in total, only one tac sub in heats 10 to 14 allowed if 8 behind, as gate positions are also used to gain an advantage, and all riders of a reasonable ability level to cover even a missing No1 if the RR facilty is fit for purpose....

Great to see the Brummies carry on (wish I could see another Midlands side returning - Coventry). I wish you all the best for the coming season. I do feel that good riders might be in short supply and this could affect the Brummies team. If that's the case, and the side is not top quality I do hope that this won't deter the fans. It's also very good news to hear of track work - competitive racing is a must if the sport is to survive. Merry Christmas to all and I look forward to seeing a Brummies team racing at Oxford (just moved nearby - great timing!).

Yeah its all for show no doubt. Move a few containers down to make it look like they are trying to get it done before some issue arises which will prevent the build. Of course, I would love to be proven wrong but it will never happen.

I also remember in said book that John Louis stated that Rickardsson's bike was set up totally differently to Tomasz Gollob's during their time as team mates at Ipswich whereby Rickardsson's bike would be "screaming" whereas Gollob's would almost be "purring" as both riders preferred different set ups and handling/responsiveness.

I was never a fan of this particular ruling as, despite popular belief, the "star" rider didn't always take the best gate available. Also having fixed gates limits the opportunity to team ride whereby the rider generally on the inside (Hans Nielsen was a great advocate) dictated the first turn but I guess that the art is generally less applied nowadays with the more powerful bikes amongst other things? Also fixed gates were never consistant as dirt (if any?) tends to move towards the outside as the meeting progresses thus proving advantageous to those who have outside gates later on during the meeting and vice versa of course.

Kyle Howarth is Leicester's 6th signing

Preliminary line-ups of the teams for stages 1-2: "Technical Sports Center of Sverdlovsk Region". (Kamensk-Uralsky) Khomitsevich Dmitry Dmitry Koltakov Weber Hans "Bashkortostan" (Ufa) Evgeny Sharov Krasnikov Nikolay Nikita Bogdanov "Mega-Lada (Togliatti) Daniil Ivanov Kononov Igor Toloknov Nikita "Torpedo-SHAAZ (Shadrinsk) Matvey Volkov Artyom Burmistrov Dmitry Solyannikov "Vympel" (Kumertau) Basil Nesytykh Nikita Tarasov Alexander Fesenko

One of the MANY reasons that the racing is so crap now is that there are fixed gate positions for every race. We have riders that are useless using the best gate positions, and he top riders stuck on the rubbish gate positions. Team pairs should be able to choose gate positions to suit their style of riding and the needs of their team. Humphrey remembers correctly that teams 6 points in arrears could choose 1and 3 OR 2 and 4. This should be re introduced. These rules would put an end to any advantage being gained by flooding of the away team starting grids by track officials, as used this season at Eastbourne.

Think he was on it this season skidder when he took over from matt.

Average is 4.88 not 4.89

Spot on,clubs like Poole, Birmingham, Plymouth, Oxford would certainly have the edge in attracting the best of the young brits!

About on par with Jason Edwards, but a couple of years in hand. We might have had a good team in a few years with those 2 and Brennen as the core.

Danyon Hume, Glasgow's 3rd signing

Your stoopid.

for the love of the job

Yeah have to agree. If you're number 7 doesn't score in heats 2 and 4 then naturally look to replace him in 8, 12 or 14 and give no.7 3rd ride in no 6's hardest ride on paper Team management 101 I'd have thought.

Yeah he put on social media that he failed the test that you have to get 70 percent I believe. I had a go myself online and as a British citizen I only got 68 percent !!

Much as I loved Martin Ashby, I'm surprised to see him put above Simmons and Louis, who both made a World Final rostrum.

Kinsley, Mulford, Verge, Spooner, Warren, Clouting, Foord. (Comes in around 39) Then adjust as necessary when points limit known.

Let’s get a bit of perspective here, this is a press release saying….” We will be doing the same thing as we did last year, picking our own preferred ‘ youngsters ‘ and telling some other ‘ youngster ‘ your the non useable number eight for the night. We say we are going to have a junior league , same as we said last year, but we didn’t bother with it really and we may or may not bother again this year” Lets wait and see what actually comes out in the wash.