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I agree! Was looking through his CL averages over the years and it reminds you how dominant and consistent he's been at this level. "Bad" seasons have still been 9 point averages. 2009 Workington 3.93 2010 Workington 7.47 2011 Edinburgh 8.09 2012 Edinburgh 9.99 2013 Edinburgh 10.83 2014 Edinburgh 10.41 2015 Edinburgh 10.47 2016 Peterborough 9.67 2017 Workington 10.37 2018 Glasgow 11.05 2019 Glasgow 10.71 2021 Glasgow 9.46 2022 Glasgow 8.98 2023 Edinburgh 9.08

I think Tarasenko is a pretty safe bet, most tracks he saw for the first time last year. He saw Kings Lynn once and was unbeaten until he crashed in a first turn incident in heat 13. He spent a large part of his time figuring out what are the best engines for english tracks and experimenting so I'd say there is probably more to come from him. He's ultra professional, brave, and very switched on. If he goes to Lynn, I'd expect him to be pushing for the #1 race jacket by the mid year.

bit of a pisstake if you ask me but whatever

But what about the games England are in...?

https://ipswichwitches.co/louis-update-on-2024/ Team building is complete. Announcements in the coming days..

Agree. It's not to bad. I'd rather Wojdylo over Toft tbh , but Tofty should be able to put something on his 5.13, if he is, and can stay fit. We desperately needed a re fresh after recent years, and I think a play off place is a must this time around. After the last few seasons, It's important to keep fans happy. Starting by winning your home meetings.

Your not the only one.. Talk is cheap. I don't believe it either.. But it makes him look even more of a fool if he is correct, for not paying what Buster wanted pre season. That's if he was ever serious in the first place... Either way it don't do him any favours.

Out the 2 i'd pick Feltz all day long. Could never be with a smackhead, so in my head there's a possibility then

It's OK though.... one or two are bound to be called off due to poor weather forecasts...... LOL

Can't see Dan lowering himself to those kind of levels tbh. Leaving BV for KL is the equivalent of leaving Kate Moss for Vanessa Feltz.

Interesting...

Obviously not knowing what the Birmingham business model is, but... You would have to think that Wolves closing is something that they would factor in, and see as an opportunity.... UK Speedway, uniquely for a team sport, does have a high proportion of followers who follow the sport generically rather than worry too much how "their team" does, which could give some potential.. 200 to 300 Wolves/Ex Cradley fans, starved of Speedway each week, allied to 200 to 300 extra Birmingham fans tempted back more regularly due to the higher standard of rider, might just be enough, with the TV money, to make it viable.. They appear to have done a decent job in at least trying to promote themselves, so maybe promoting the likes of Emil, Bewley, Doyle, Holder, Fricke etc, may just prick up more interest from those who still follow the sport locally, but no longer frequent the place... From what you can see looking at the crowds in Div 1, around 1500 seems to be a "decent" figure for tracks to compete and do "OK" financially.. Maybe Birmingham can also generate some extra sponsorship cash now they are in Div 1, and on a major TV sports channel, to offset any shortfall in gate revenue..? You have to wish them all the best for keeping Birmingham going..

Jason Crump has also retired... A double blow for the Aces...

Emil, King, Doyle, Ellis, Rew, Jenkins, Thompson

The information contained in the book is incorrect. My information is from the details provided by all of the tracks at the time regarding the format of the league, the composition of the groups and the fixtures. The first Swindon match in this league was against Poole on 28th April 1956. I have the programme for the match and it states the details on page 4. These details include: "Mid-week First Division tracks will race against Saturday Second Division tracks and Saturday First Division tracks will race against mid-week Second Division tracks. The Robins' matches will be against Poole, Wimbledon and Wembley." The groups determined which First Division teams raced against each Second Division team. The final league table was for the matches from all of the groups, based on a percentage out of the possible points gained - two points for a home win and three away. The book referred to does not include all of the groups, neither does it include all of the results for the teams shown. For example, it does not include Swindon 49 Wembley 47 on 1st September 1956. This is incorrectly shown on the Speedway Researcher website as a challenge match, but the fixture list in the Swindon programmes had the correct information.

...I'm sure that Bob Dugard was never guilty of that!

And 4 meetings out of one months disposable income is a lot different now than in the halcyon days of the sport.. Satellite TV, Mobile Phones, Internet, Gas, Electric, Water, Car and Home insurance, Modern Car ownership, fuel prices, house prices/mortgages, home mod cons such as fridge freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers etc etc etc all have a much larger impact to the disposable spend left after all has been paid for.. Add in inflation running ahead of wage increases and you have a serious challenge on your hands to get fans attending weekly, regularly through the seaaon.. And throw in the fair few "Mickey Mouse" meetings, which get ran, and which can reduce attendances, as well as the cost for so many hiring tracks, and weekly Speedway would be a big risk...

I see your point but in this particular example/sport in this country it’s unlikely to happen much

I may have applied... but I'm still blocked on Leicester's Twitter X, maybe I should... it could be the only way to get me unblocked

When it’s needed no problem at all, but all too often it was coming out to grade a track that was a flat as a witches twit and hardly any dirt on it, what’s the point? Slick, slick, slick, dry and dusty and can’t water it because then it will go like ice, that’s all too often what we have now in this country bar a few tracks like Belle Vue, Redcar and Scunthorpe to name three.

Restraining order usually works.

That's not a reason to not pay someone. I get it as there's volunteers and it's a great gesture, but time and effort costs.

Small boys in the park? Jumpers down for goalposts? Isn't it? Wasn't it? Hmmm? Home for beans on toast for tea? (Don''t quote me on that). Marvellous...

They could sign... Vaclav Millichich. Or Martin Vaclick.. Or even Martin Vachilich...

So you could provide all 15 heats winners and still lose heavily? Seems weird

Zmarzlik will be happy that he's not riding for Brum in the top flight this time around. He'd get annoyed at Sam very quickly for calling him Bartash Smashlik on a regular basis.

Stop being a stalker

Even if that was case, he's got the wrong end of the stick has he not? The AEPG 'angle' as I understood it is that it costs them too much to host speedway as a landlord and that the rent charged doesn't make it worth it. Unless I've got that wrong? Which is rubbish anyway. They just want the speedway gone to make their millions.

Birmingham did something similar to that a couple of years ago with Coventry and Cradley fans and by all accounts it did not go down well with their own fans, who questioned why they had to pay more while other clubs fans had a discount. Understandable that they want more fans in, but you don't want to get the regular ones backs up in the process.

If it's true, maybe he should of backed his some of his pre season words, and bought it then Vad will be a great back up to a No1 at the AFA. Once dialled in he could average 8.5 -9 around there. The first thing is to win your home meetings. If he can up his away average by a point or so as well, then all good.

Staying at Redcar

Great to see Broady in there. At 89 still see him power walking around north Swindon. The recent Celebration of Swindon Speedway will probably be the last time we will see Briggo, Broady, and Ashby together. Was great to watch British riders such as The Boococks, Broady, Ashby, Wilson, Betts, Hunter, Hedge, Luckhurst, McKinlay at New Cross, West Am, Ackney, Wimbledon, Swindon in the 60s, 70s. How good would Peter Craven have been?

If the fixtures get lined up to create a couple of mini northern tours it could add to the gate, Glas/Edin/Redcar friday night, Worky Sat pm , Scunny sunday....

I remember at Newport, Scott Smith ( the other one) doing a victory lap, the tractor was out, he laid the bike down before hitting the tractor, and the bike stood perfectly upright and continued around the track standing up on the rake behind the tractor

Will be a lot easier for traveling fans to come to the Northside arena, and as most of the league is northern based, could be a few traveling fans, may also be attractive for southern fans, weekend in lakes and Saturday afternoon speedway

That would've been when he went round straight away as soon as the race was over Now the Tractor is not allowed to move whilst any rider remains on the track - hence the programmed grading breaks I do agree though it doesn't have to take an age ans could be done more than after 4 , 7 ,11 and 14 I've never understood why many get so upset with trackwork - done right it improves the racing and surely that's what people want....

Where this comes from is a mystery? It’s like the changing of the seasons and the tides of the sea….

So the 'good old days' that we keep hearing about, weren't so good after all?

But these days with all the doubling up & guesting is that really an issue? After all when on this forum someone criticises the sport the standard reply is look beyond the team aspect & just enjoy the racing. To keep the sport & the league going until Wolves can return just guest support Birmingham for a year

That’s great a real positive step, hopefully it will provide something far better than the old what the fans think page on the British speedway site. Just for old times & a laugh here is my favourite……. From the first race it became obvious that, despite this being a testimonial, the riders meant business. As they jostled for position around the tight bends, every sinew straining to keep control of the sliding back wheels, the crowd roared on their favourite, struggling to be heard over the deep growl of the engines. The blur of sound and colour, as they passed only yards away, was replaced by the one sensation that, for me, made the whole experience real. The exhaust fumes from the methanol fuel forced their way up my nostrils and left an overpowering but not unpleasant lingering smell reminiscent of cooking oil. It was at this point that I felt a connection with my fellow spectators, as if I had just experienced some rite of passage, which no amount of armchair viewing could bestow upon

Hodder? surely Harrison after spending most of last season.

Personally no, alot of ppl keep saying if he's in the mood but if he isn't he could end up being a no show again which ruins any decent team when your no1 is out. Saying that I can see it being cook at no1 tho

Personally I’d have Cook at number 1 still got plenty in the tank in my opinion. I also think riding for his local Club with the right people around him and local support will let us see the best of him on track. He’s rode at a high level for the majority of his career and will be a top rider in the championship if he’s in the right place, time for him to come home.

8.52 with the reduction in a "watered down" league could be a bargain.

I think the ever dwindling attendances across the sport show fans are less willing to turn up every week. The reality is there are many reasons people don’t attend weekly. The patchy fixture lists (and uncompleted fixtures) have been an embarrassment to the sport. Especially when there have been blank weeks during the height of summer and then a mad rush to finish the season come October when the weather turns. Of course any business wants to make a profit and a weekly one at that. But they also have to be realistic about how their product is consumed. It’s better to make a profit from two meetings a month than a loss from four.

Here are the Top Ten averages by year (over 9.00) 1965 11.12 - Nigel Boocock 10.83 - Ken McKinlay 10.48 - Mike Broadbank 10.16 - Ron How 9.90 - Jimmy Gooch 9.65 - Cyril Maidment 9.45 - Ronnie Genz 9.43 - Eric Boocock 9.42 - Norman Hunter 9.35 - George Hunter 1966 10.54 - Nigel Boocock 10.46 - Eric Boocock 10.00 - Colin Pratt 9.67 - Ken McKinlay 9.60 - Mike Brooadbank 9.55 - Cyril Maidment 9.42 - Norman Hunter 9.41 - Terry Betts 9.39 - Trevor Hedge 9.29 - Eric Boothroyd 1967 10.52 - Nigel Boocock 10.43 - Ray Wilson 10.29 - Eric Boocock 9.74 - Terry Betts 9.53 - Ken McKinlay 9.37 - Roy Trigg 9.12 - Dave Younghusband 1968 10.74 - Nigel Boocock 10.72 - Martin Ashby 10.17 - Eric Boocock 9.71 - Norman Hunter 9.62 - Ron Mountford 9.58 - Colin Pratt 9.45 - Terry Betts 9.40 - Malcolm Simmons 9.37 - Ray Wilson 9.15 - Trevor Hedge 1969 11.08 - Eric Boocock 10.78 - Nigel Boocock 10.56 - Ray Wilson 10.35 - Norman Hunter 10.33 - Trevor Hedge 10.01 - Jim McMillan 9.97 - Martin Ashby 9.39 - Reg Luckhurst 9.38 - Dave Younghusband 9.35 - Terry Betts

Maybe this is finally the stadium Osborne promised for Reading. Two birds with one stone.. Man's a genius I just hope the BSPL have taken the Robins' licence off ice and removed Russell from any control - but somehow i doubt it!

2nd half first sounds like a brilliant idea. But.... Lay out the rules for the second halfers clearly. Start on time. No stretching the 2 minute warnings. No gardening. Just a crisp flow. Get the main teams ready to go. In fact, maybe run out the main team riders on parade, in pairs, crisply between junior races. Of course this means they have to be ready and the crowd have to be clearly informed who it is they are seeing. And then the main meeting has to start right on the money and be run smoothly. Come back Charles Ochiltree

Simon Wigg always suggested putting the "junior match" on before the "main event".. Two reasons.. One, being the younger lads got to ride the track at its best, and in front of a " big" crowd, which can only help those who progress to the higher levels.. And two, as he described, when you go to a restaurant you don't have your starter after the main course.. Six heats of junior racing done in 25 mins or so with fifteen mins of track grading/visit the bars before the "main event" would tick a lot of boxes for young rider development and value for money for the fans.. And, before we get the usual "what if they crash and delay the main meeting"?.. Spoiler alert. Speedway is a dangerous sport where even the best can, and sadly have, been left disabled for life, or even more sadly, lost their lives.. Crashes are not exclusive to young inexperienced riders.. It would be good to see "something different"...

Steps back in amazement. Mind you. If they get all their fixtures completed, it might embarrass a few clubs who can't, despite only running one team.