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In hindsight we shouldn't have declared our 1-7 and just signed Ulrich & Hans on a temporary basis until somebody better come along.

Thought production was as good as Eurosport to be honest and the commentator very good. BSN very good value. Plus every round of Premier pairs added.

That's exactly what Zagar did, and if it was track prep he would have said about the track being prepared poorly. He was quite specific about the problem being the material and I'd like to think he's been around long enough to know. Difference with Zagar is he doesn't care who he upsets by saying it

Josh Pickering is a pleasure to hear on commentary. Plenty of insight and extremely well spoken.

Add Berwick to those two teams thanks to excellent sponsorship, a supporters club that raises bucket loads of cash and a promotion that cuts its cloth accordingly.

Why do folk continually have a go at the Glasgow Promotion because they have successful business? I'm fed up pointing out that the Facenna brother financially support other ventures, such as junior football (equivalent of English non-league) and do lots for the community and charities. Folk seem to forget the help they have given to injured riders from visiting teams and support to Team GB. Too many green eyed monsters with tunnel vision. Maybe the teams they follow would have more cash to splash if the total product offered was up to the standard offered at Ashfield.

I assume that Pickering hasn't done anything like that before and probably doesn't know Kelvin too well either so I think he did a good job last night, certainly an improvement on Crump. Going forward I do think they need someone regular alongside Kelvin whether that's as the lead or co-commentator but it's pretty much impossible to replace Nigel and the partnership they had.

The NSS is the same when I watch the Colts... A great racetrack as shown when the Aces ride but the NDL racing is often brilliant... As you say, just a couple of seconds slower, but not that you notice when watching... The NDL meetings (understandably), seem to have a slicker track too from the off which on the big wide circuits means riders using lots of different lines to try and find the grip to pass.. There doesnt seem the same "riding on rails" around the inside that can happen on the deeper tracks when the top riders ride, which often means strung out (very fast) races.. And obviously there is the capability level which means a few more mistakes, thus passing opportunities.. When Belle Vue charged a tenner in total for me and my then 16 year old lad, we went many times to the Colts and didnt go to watch the Aces as it was around £30.. Basically you got your "speedway entertainment fix" for around a third of the cost.. Real Value For Money the NDL..

Anyone thought Josh did ok for a rider having stuck a mic under his chin

He just turns up and they take him on straightaway.

It is,but that’s Speedway for you.Just enjoy the racing the results are meaningless.

I think Alun Rossiter is the British Sam Ermolenko

God.

To increase the number of racing lines on the 1st and 2nd bends, we decided in about 2000 to widen the track by taking the inside kerbing in by 2 metres. The same kerbs stones were used to create the new kerbing, and you are right that the kerb foundation was left in place and the shale level increased by Tony Swales the then track curator. It was never thought to be a risk being deeper, and never showing until now when there appears to be a less shale covering. I remember in the 60's I think, that there had been an earlier concrete track under the 1st/2nd bends and it broke up and started to appear on the exact same spot as the present problems. The concrete block was removed and I think most people will have forgot about it. Looking at the photo, I would guess someone has spotted something and deliberately scrapped the groove out with their steel shoe to show the foundation. The track action would not have caused the shale to be divided and dumped in two straight lines either side of the concrete. Opportunist I think. BTW the 3rd and 4th bends had the same modification to the kerb line and there has never been a problem there, mainly I think, because it tends to be ridden out wider due to it being 2 metres wider, and also because the inside line of the 1st bend gets significalty more heavy traffic impact with all 4 riders from the tapes, hitting it in every race and more than any other part of the bends. The drainage has always been a problem with our track. We had some plans which showed a diagonal drain across the centre green, but tests proved they were cracked and blocked and beyond use. There was a plan with a previous stadium owner to instal some new drains for the dogs and speedway, but after looking likely to proceed, the owner backed out hoping we would still go ahead and we would pay for them.

I used to love going to Kings Lynn bank holiday Monday… Lynn vAces 1100…pm meeting at Rye house….evening internationale at wimbledon Always rated Lynn in my top 3 sadly in recent years the quality of racing has deteriorated such that I do not rate the track at all… often well prepared track with grip everywhere an no advantage whatever line you use.

If Poole win the league again it'll be because they have a better team than all others in the play-offs. Same as if any other team were to win it.

I understand that. I agree the track was crap. What i was getting at was that i didn't recall people moaning as much last season when you where winning the league on it. I admit i don't read the Panthers threads that much, and i could be wrong.. The AFA is much better since it was prepped slicker. The times ain't as fast, But fast don't mean nothing, it's about the racing. I'm not sure who did the track last night, but how hard can it be to rip the outside up a bit?.

theres going to be ayear when not even belle vue can screw it up lol

I’m not aware of any “successful businesses outside speedway” that Matt and Dan Ford have at Poole to “bail out the speedway side of things”. I doubt Matt’s chateau has covered its costs as it has had to be closed for much of the last two years, let alone been able to bail out Poole. Poole speedway has been a profitable business for many years now, bar a blip in their last year in the top league which was why they decided to drop down.

Or don't sign Ulrich on that average. They were loyal and there's not enough of it these days but there's loyal and there's almighty gambles

It would be simpler to just buy those same handlebars that Bartosz Zmarzlik uses... Then all riders would be as fast as him.. No idea why they all dont do it....

Shouldn't be rocket science. Assuming it the same stockcar-friendly, high clay stuff that's used at Lynn (it looks it) then you don't need much of it and certainly don't want lots round the kerb. The Lynn track has been slick this year and the racing has been much better for it. Same for the Play Off final 2nd leg at P'boro last season. Don't understand Busters obsession with grip, Peterborough has so many lines when it's prepared right.

Matej telling the promoters how to prepare a track for racing...

Speedway doesn’t need posh stands as grass banks, toilets, food & alcohol kiosks & a decent track that is already there. Got to have hope as rubbish seeing all our double winners doing well for other British teams

Who do you think you are kidding Mr Lyon, if you think Dads Army’s good. Mr Kurtz went off the start on VH21, and Blodorn with his gating left the others with his chum.

He probably had no choice but to put it right.

Chum recently passed his 95th birthday- King of Western Australia (Claremont) speedway. I got to see him ride at the very end of his career-in 1965 for Poole and 1966 for CH. Any memories from forumlanders of Chum. His son Glyn Taylor also rode in the 70's I think. Another World Final vet passes a milestone, just after Eric Boothroyd. I hope they both have a few laps still to go!!

Adam Ellis may come in handy

Easy win for Oxford,scunny nothing special especially if Douglas is out.

No chance of that. Someone had to hold the fort.

Celina Liebmann is the wildcard for round 1 of the finals in Prague on Friday May 27th.

Poole have chosen a team where their top 3 could be number ones in most other Championship teams. A big gamble with the pressure put on your other 4 riders to up their game/averages. Your top 3 are unlikely to improve so to be successful it's the other 4 that have to improve!............ No pressure then.

No maybe about it!!!!!

A dominant inside line is no good for decent racing, Lynn in the past and Wolves proves that along with the EoES. Riders need options.

For me, it isnt about ripping up the outside.. It's more dont have the kerb line that deep... When the Aces were behind they passed the Panthers riders pretty easily early on, mainly underneath down the back straight coming off turn two.. And. As the meeting went on the outside never really became a "go to" line as the inside stayed so good... Turns 3 and 4 had no drive away from the inside line whatsoever and anyone trying an outside pass made no ground, or actually lost position.. It becomes like "riding on rails" when you have a deep inside line on a big circular track, meaning very little point in moving off the same line when following the rider in front around..

Very early doors, plenty of time to turn it around.

Injury report. Noterbart är att Smederna ställer upp med samma lag som förra veckan. I nuläget är det 50/50 om Pontus Aspgren kommer kunna köra matchen. Det säger Jerker Eriksson till Eskilstuna-Kuriren. Aspgren 50/50 for today (late decision to be made?). Not sure about Kim Nilsson (injured last week). TH Jonasson seems to be back (missed last week's meeting).

Norick Blodorn is more articulate in a second language than Sam Ermolenko is in his first. Kelvin is doing a sterling job but the loss of Nigel Pearson is now starkly apparent as exemplified by the monotone, dreary delivery of someone such as Josh Pickering tonight. The camera work is hugely disappointing, two crucial overtakes completely missed. How hard can it be?

That’s what happens when Buster has input, he ruined Kings Lynn.

Thing is though it is not rocket science to cover every base media wise, it is quite simple, but obviously not simple enough. They cannot even inform paying customers what is happening in the stadium.

The teams embarrassing enough, without you starting to talk utter drivel as usual

The BV team budget is significantly larger than the Panthers budget. Very difficult to compete against teams who have free stadiums given to them. Why is there no financial fair play in speedway?

Poor old Kelvin ... Battling on regardless ... Despite dumber and dumber in the pits, dodgy graphics and a rogue Aussie pointlessly jabbering away.

It's there comfort blanket I tend to ignore the jealousy these day's.

Works even better with a shiny chrome clutch lever

Cook is one of those riders who opposition fans hate, but home fans love. I’m not sure why he gets such abuse.

Spot on

Think the big positive regarding NDL racing at Shielfield,is the racing can be a couple of seconds slower with the young lads,which produces exciting races with more overtaking,it has been like that for a few season now ,that the Junior meetings have been more entertaining.Long may it continue.

Didn’t Berwick have similar issues with the track last week ?. So what he is saying as I read it is he knows the track was sh*t but it was sh*t last week also and probably sh*t the week before , you would like too think if he knows it has been sh*t for weeks he would at least attempt to make it not sh*t in a nutshell.

How dare you omit Nigel Boocock from that list! How about these figures from his peak years for a 10.46 average at the County Ground? Seven appearances unbeaten, with a further seven where he only dropped a point. 1965 - BL - 12 point max 1966 - BL - 12 point max 1966 - England v Russia - 16+1 from 6 1966 - Challenge - 10+1 from 4 1967 - 4TT - 10 from 4 1967 - WCQR - 15 point max 1967 - BL - 12 point max 1967 - England v Sweden - 9 from 6 (boo, hiss...) 1967 - Westernapolis - 10 from 5 1968 - Challenge - 12 point max 1968 - BL - 11 from 5 (with a retirement) 1968 - Best Pairs - 11 from 5 (with a retirement) 1969 - Challenge - 10+1 from 4 1969 - BL - 15 point max 1969 - Westernapolis - 14 from 5 (1st) 1969 - Best Pairs - 14 from 5 1969 - Triangular Tournament - 6+1 from 4 1969 - Guest - 10 from 4) 1970 - Jack Unstead Memorial - 13 from 5 (3rd) 1970 - Westernapolis - 14 from 5 (1st) 1970 - GB v Sweden - 16+1 from 6 1970 - Guest - 15 point max