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It's unfortunate also, when you talk to a lot of the senior polish riders who came over here to learn their craft and become better riders because of the variety of track etc, they are now telling me that because polish tracks have got slicker over the years and much more rider friendly, the skillset of how to turn a bike, throttle control etc is not seen as important any more. So the young Polish riders no longer look to come over to the uk to learn for a couple of seasons. Combine that with the high revving, light flywheel engines we have now, and all you get is a load of throttle jockies who are super fast on the continent and then end up in row Z when track conditions are anything other than perfect. It's just the direction the sport is going in. Plenty of people on here love flat out racing at Belle Vue, but when the track conditions are consistent the only real skillset is getting the absolute perfect set up for you engine, and being as light as can be. The rider has less and less influence on the modern speedway bike and tracks.

He looked good at Kent on Sunday, 3 wins, including 1 over each of the Thompson Twins

7 rides for Lambert then. Anything other then Full or Paid 21 is a poor show imo

I am totally not a Poole fan but it’s true get a grip people if it’s chucking it down why would 1 would you want to stand there and watch it and 2 would you want a rider to get hurt of course you wouldn’t it was the right decision and it means you get another meeting when it’s hopefully a fine day.

Personally I think kelvin is doing a very good job as lead coms, I also very much like the different co-comms every meeting, and I hope they carry on using different riders. Well done Eurosport for that. BUT…… Sam is very hard to get behind. Nice guy, great rider, but not cut out to interview or present. It’s sad but true.

How often are there delays because the riders cant turn the bikes because there happens to be a bit of dirt on the track ,all down to track craft something which is missing with riders these days!

I recently had to clean out my carport and in all the accumulated junk, I found a book that I had completely forgotten I possessed. It was written by the great American rider, Sprouts Elder and is called The Romance of The Speedway and it gives a wonderful insight to the pioneer days of speedway. The following paragraph reveals a little of the evolution that was going on in speedway machines before a standard was reached, not to mention revealing a few famous names as well! "Gus Kuhn, I believe, used to ride a Calthorpe when he first started. Jack Parker, of Coventry, preferred a B.S.A., while Billy Lamont at one time found in the A.J.S all that he wanted in the way of speed and acceleration. Then again Art Pechar was partial to the Indian 500c.c., while Ron Johnson and Sig Schlam, the Australians, used to ride Peashooter Harleys before they took to Douglas bikes." I've never heard of a Calthorpe, but I wonder if Jack Parker's B.S.A was a Sloper, which was popular as a speedway bike for a while in the 1930's. With it's forward inclined engine, the Sloper sort of proves that there is nothing new under the sun, especially when you look at todays "lay-down" style of bike. I suppose the former was good for speedway by accident, the latter by design. Ron Johnson and Sig Schlam were Western Australians and I think Schlam was killed racing at the Western Australian Cricket Association Ground, (the famous WACA). Speedway was run there for one or two years in the early 1930's, but couldn't compete with Claremont and closed down.

The top two in the NDL table go head-to-head at Shielfield on Saturday! Bullets: 1 Kyle Bickley, 2 Mason Watson, 3 Ace Pijper, 4 Greg Blair, 5 Luke Crang, 6 Kieran Douglas, 7 Ben Rathbone Royals: 1 Alfie Bowtell, 2 Jamie Halder, 3 Danno Verge, 4 Joe Alcock, 5 Ben Morley, 6 Chris Watts, 7 Sam Wooley. As well as the NDL racing, there will be an NJL mini-match, festuring Berwick's Academy youngsters and Redcar Cubs. All for a tenner! Which means you get 21 heats for your money at less than 50p per race! Bring it on!

15 weren't bad neither.That gap was so small down the back straight i don't even think Victoria Beckham would have squeezed through there sideways.

Hope they can sign him up for next season. What a racer

you're not wrong but how much more money would a replacement ask for compared to Congreve? It's not just a rubbish team because of a lack of riders. It's 3 points under the limit for a reason.

Great result but Kerr and Worrall need to be much, much better than that.

This is a start but the club also need to sort out it’s communications strategy with the fans on a match night. Hopefully whoever takes the job is empowered to communicate with the fans wider than the press role but given the role advertised I would expect not. There is a gap in the way the club communicates with its fans through media outlets but that’s just a start, I would have been far more satisfied with a communications officer role being on offer but at least it’s a start.

Was on the BSPA website yesterday. BELLE VUE: Max Fricke, Brady Kurtz; IPSWICH: Jason Doyle, Danny King; KING’S LYNN: Josh Pickering, Richard Lawson; PETERBOROUGH: Michael Palm Toft, Chris Harris; SHEFFIELD: Jack Holder, Adam Ellis; WOLVERHAMPTON: Sam Masters, Ryan Douglas. plus the rising stars.

How about third rule. 3. A guest rider cannot be called Chris Harris. (That should do it).

Or maybe who had him for breakfast……

I think John was looking for some domestic details. Like what did Crusty have for breakfast on Wednesday, April 17, 1946? I'll get my coat.

I once to spoke to a former World No3 and he said before signing a rider he suggested they should be asked to go out on an old upright and that would should exactly what set of skills they possessed. When he holds training schools he makes each rider spend time on an upright as he reckons that tells him more than seeing some young bloke going flat-out on a lay down.

I go to cheer on the away teams

I think speedway is much easier in general if you work on the assumption that everything any promotion says is a lie. Then you can feel happy when you find the odd truth in there. It's all about managing your expectations. Like many it's too easy to give promoters credit, when really none is due

Imagine 10-15 years ago being in a last heat decider. Your guest would always go out for you and try and get the win. Spineless management , youd offer Howarth extra to go out and try and get a result.

That's why the Leicester track was such a good education for him... put some fear into him... and now he's in the GP's lol FWIW, I think you were right in your initial posts about Ellisgate 2, the promotion were dishonest with the fans, they may want to be dishonest in dealings between themselves and riders but when you start being dishonest with the fans you're on a slippery slope to ruin

My main point Panther is it is only weeks since Nigel passed yet people still snipe.Look i was never a fan of the modern day presentation yet all of those named i have total respect for all of them.With Sam we can see what a decent man he is and he is respected by everyone who is important in speedway.

At least they aren't slagging L Rogers off because it was raining.

Before jumping to conclusions did Howarth want to ride in heat 15 or anyone else. The weather was horrible, track wet and was Shane's the only willing volunteer?

And obviously you know what is happening in pits slumping over your computer, dope, proper fans are absolutely sick of your comments, totally negative and quite frankly unwelcome and if you want to make yourself known to me personally about your reference to my son in post on earlier page I will welcome your pathetic response

Maybe the offer for the land was too good an opportunity to turn down regardless of the loss of income through covid etc..Big shame as Somerset was a great track and produced some very good racing.

Who's in the final, yes!?

Does the previews and match reports and any other stuff (signings etc) relevant to the club, mainly for The Journal.

I think a good start would be no guests for injured or missing reserves.Clubs should have Promote a No8 or junior in the long run surely it would help the development of younger riders.

I can’t say it has ever bothered me really. We all know riders get injured, so guests are fundamental to the sport. I don’t mind if Chris Harris turns up with the visitors at Ashfield every week really. I do think once a guest is announced, they should only be replaced if injured/sick. And I do think if a rider isn’t coming back, they should be formally replaced with a permanent replacement. Apart from that, I don’t really see too many issues. There are already rules about how often you can guest for a team, or at a track, aren’t there?

Joe Alcock for ryan, RR for Palin. I never heard of the European under 23 team championship.

He hot footed it to wait outside the Stadium.(just in case any Team needed a guest).He wasn’t doing anything else.

The one thing that eeked me was last night !, opposing sides Guest got stuck in traffic at 5pm, so in my eyes that team should of used R/R, with reserves taking his rides till he turns up , not using another Guest who's fixture was postponed earlier in the day, It is making a mockery of the sport. We have seen teams riders turn up late before haven't we.?

I was surprised to read Rory Shlein's comments in this week's Star regarding the Madsen - Michelson incident where he believes the referee got it badly wrong. "Leon complained he was being leaned on. Well if you're going to slam into someone coming of the corner you should expect a bit of leaning back. It's grand Prix racing" He then goes on to say that Madsen made contact & was the aggressor. Seems a bit of a tainted view to me, and certainly not how I saw it. We've seen lots of aggressive moves in GP where riders have barged through and moved their opponent right to the fence but I can't see how Madsen 'slammed' into Michelson here. From half way round the first corner Madsen had clear track in front of him and hugs the kerb as he exits and passes Michelson. From that point he has clear track in front of him and doesn't ride an unnatural line or squeeze Michelson who has plenty of room outside of him. Also Madsen didn't "complain" he was being leaned on, he was merely saying that he wasn't to blame for the contact. A racing incident where it was hard to apportion blame yes, but I think the referee got it right in this instance and even if you disagree he certainly didn't get it 'badly' wrong! I take it Rory doesn't like Leon?

He missed Leicester's visit to Edinburgh last Friday through illness which means he is now serving a mandatory seven day suspension expiring tomorrow. However this does not prevent him from riding in an overseas league.

Aye that's the smart money bet, it's going to be an early call off. Annoying, as its a lovely day today grrr.

A women commentating on football is as bad, it just don't sound right to me, im not sexist and diversity is fine but for me it's a no no, I'd rather watch to match with the mute button on

Natalie covers Moto GP for BT Sport now. I would assume this is a better gig than league speedway on Eurosport.

Just depends on what was agreed when the booking was taken, often now guest bookings are on a guarantee, often they are agreed 4 rides only, no heat 15 or tacticals, just depends whether the rider or promotion are in the driving seat when it's arranged. Who needs who the most. The skill is in the negotiation.

One for all other team managers to make a note of, when booking a guest. He's just shrunk his market value immensely.

Not too offended reading that from u as u have made many "ridiculous" statements as well

Noooo, Pirates too strong for wee Jimmy Tigers Is Bomber guesting again? Anyways, lookin like a wet afternoon & evening up there on Friday, not my fault this time folks!

Checks thread title. Yep, definitely says Birmingham Brummies 2022.

What's ect.

Those line ups will make a more exciting meeting than most championship ones I imagine. Anyone who hasn't tried it needs to give it a go. Unfortunately I live near the south coast and too far, but brings back memories of some great competitive meetings when Eastbourne were in the NL.

But is he riding that many more than a rider who rides overseas in many different countries as well as the UK ?

That has been the attraction to riders in the past in getting them to the UK, the sheer number of pay days, it seems that the younger riders with ambition are taking their chances in the PU24 league at the moment and who can blame them as they may well hit the jackpot, a la Jaimon Lidesy. Of course the majority of them won't make it, so hopefully once they've realised that they'll adjust their goals and start coming back over here.

There's a great tribute here: http://www.wolvesfpa.com/remembering-nigel-pearson/

If somebody who was not a fan takes the trouble to acknowledge how much Nigel did for the sport, how much he'll be missed and what a great tragedy his passing is, then that is a tribute made all that more sincere by indicating where it is coming from.