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So we had two planned meetings on Thursday. One went ahead on a damp track and the other was called off. Some supporters have said that the meeting that went ahead should have been called off and at the same time others have criticised the promotion who called their meeting off for not trying to run. Seems to me that whatever the two promotions had done they would be told they had done the wrong thing! I constantly read that promoters don't have a clue but when there are only two possible actions in a situation both courses of action are criticised. Maybe this shows just how difficult it is to run a speedway track and maybe we should accept that while we all think we understand how things should be run, we are not the ones who can lose a fortune running the sport.

Finally JL getting the deserved recognition, and CL too

Whys it matter… signed before Christmas weren't they?? Can they not spell his name or something is that why its not released

In which case they deserve credit for getting the call right and saving everybody loads of time, effort and money I'd have thought?

I believe a rising star has to be number 7, unless their average takes them in to the top 5.

I agree Poole look a strong Team .

Have to agree with you… Birmingham showed plenty of fight there and I hope their fans repay Nigel tolleys efforts by turning up in their droves.

A bit sad that a genuine, forward-thinking initiative by the League is being dissed by the regular Eeyores on here....

Has the Grand final been streamed yet, just wanting to see the Bomber masterclass one more time.

I reckon you can hear one without farting.

Think one trouble is Oxford have such a packed schedule this year any rain offs could seriously effect everything

Also Oxford don't seem to like an early call off (based on last couple of seasons). Which sometimes means a half 7 call off which can upset some fans depending on how far they travel. But a lot of time they get meetings on when others probably would have called it off. It seems a lot of teams decide things on the forecast, where Oxford tend to keep it on until the track is under water. I assume they have a good base or drainage which can take a bit of water.

I mean I wouldn't want to be making the decision as you're never going to please everybody but I'd have thought there are far more variables than just similar forecasts......type of surface, drainage, water table, how much rain there had previously been etc etc. If Oxford was King's Lynn I personally wouldn't have taken the chance last night and would have been happier with an early call off like Leicester but each to their own.

Crazy flint wasn’t replaced in 14 shocking management.

In all fairness the track probably evened everything out plus oxford are brand new to the league. I didn't think it would be a thrashing but fair play to the legend himself Scotty Nichollls.

Amended

Northside GT tyres arena

There is precious little benefit in having a speedway season ticket in most offerings so Id say good on them for this - a perfect way of offering some extra value for the commitment shown

About time too!! The sport really shouldve been pushing for John to receive recognition such as an OBE/MBE by now........

Agreed. Phil Morris and league need full support.

Totally agree with that but can you imagine the howls of indignation at how the field was not the standard that had been put together for the first try at running? Another case of whatever a speedway promotion does, it is wrong in some people's view.

Yeah it’s a big shame, still get to see some action next weekend with the P&P day on Sat 23rd at 12pm

its not just what he reckons, 177 posts and all of them garbage.

I know...I saw it last night! But we're talking about a G.P rider here... apart from Bomber, nobody else could do that last night! Just to save you looking... Worrall got done in Heat15 also !

Emil Ellis King Rew Doyle Jenkins D Thompson the riding order. At least to start with.

Bit baffling why the Aces are featured 3 times in the first 2 months. They arent that strong this year although the Bewley factor could have something to do with it. Oxford also featured 3 times but as new to the league and having Janowski is a much more attractive reason to feature them.

No they go off 15m

In the Premiership heats 2 and 8 the RS is protected so a number 7 will go off a 15m handicap for the first offence, should they do something else then it will be 3 riders. Of course in other leagues the option of 15m or replacement / use a number 8 will be allowed

Totally agree! Very refreshing!

I was there and it was drizzling on and off until about 8pm. Certainly don't think it could be called 'heavy', though, and don't think the meeting was ever in any danger. The track started to dry out pretty quickly. One thing that was refreshing was the speed on the meeting. Was all over in just over one hour and 15 minutes - not one track grade!

Will only need a couple of meetings.

Last year they got slated for having everyone queue up and the track wasn’t racable. And they get questioned for calling it off early when a weather forecast correctly says that it will rain a fair amount 1 hour before start time. Fans might be annoyed but say it got to heat 3, and a bike hits the grip and takes off, you have Dougie or someone break their shoulder then it would have been “Why did they not see the the forecast?” And you’re team is knackered. Early call off, 14 riders stay out of ambulances on the first day. Also, wet tracks usually help the away team as the home advantage disappears, so there’s a good chance Belle Vue could have smoked Leicester anyway.

Great to see Oxford doing livestreaming and glad to hear it was good. I shall definitely be watching in if I can't make it this season. Rising stars have to be riding at No.7, so Cook can't ride there (unless Flint gets an average good enough to enable him to ride in the top 5).

Thought Kilby/Schlein did a great job with the livestream! Thought the track was rideable, but not raceable (may be the last couple of heats)....unless you're 'Bomber'...who can race on anything ! I for one predicted a heavy loss for B'ham (like most others)....not sure what the need is for admitting that, when the posts are there for all to read? May be we should all be patting szkocjasid on the back for getting closer with his prediction? Going forward....if a reserve cant replace a reserve in Heat 8....then B'ham would be better off having Cook at No.7 (IMO)

Maybe because there hadn’t been any significant rain in Oxford for at least a day, whereas by 6.30pm the Leicester track was totally unridable.

Fair play to Brum. They took the home team to the final heat despite having to carry their ‘No.1’. Early days, but if this what the Brummies can deliver, the league will be all the better for it. The closer the scores of course, the more interesting the return fixture becomes with regard to the bonus point.

Thought it was Swindon

Well that wasn't the battering predicted.

So how many people are going to admit to being wrong about Birmingham's team tonight I wonder?

Good match that. Enjoyed it despite the conditions. leaving the track and not touching it is what’s needed when the base is rock hard but tracks wet. impressed by lampaart

no zack for leon in heat 14?

Perhaps Sam can take you along to break the news to the riders? "Hey Leon, go out there lad, and screw your chances of earning some points money, I want you to touch the tapes so that someone else can get the chance to earn some more money instead. Be a good lad a and do as you're told, there's a good boy!" I'm sure you'd relish that job, eh?

In the good old days when most clubs ran weekly meetings an early season start with challenge matches etc. to get race fit seem to be the norm. Now with a much smaller league and some clubs running once every two/three weeks, I really do not understand why racing starts in March and then you have the lack of meetings in the height of summer. I accept that riders have more European meetings etc and demands on the track time in each country but surely it is time that the idiots in charge of the sport in this country worked out a formula that catered for the UK market/punter. Who wants to stand on a cold wet terrace in March or October. Yes it had to happen years ago because of the number of teams but the sport today is a shadow of its former self and many of today’s promoters would not have coped in the 70’s, 80’s and even the 90’s. Today a meeting gets called off on a forecast, not actually what the weather is like and they wonder why punters, think the sport is a joke with riders who cannot be bothered and promoters who not only fail to promote but can’t even get a meeting on when you have a bit of drizzle. It is not as if many tracks attract the opposing teams supporters, not many travel to away meetings so call offs could be left to the last minute as it is mainly only local support trundling along to see the match and very few turn up hours before the start so ample time to inform all of a call off. Is it any wonder no one outside the diehards credit speedway as being professional. Exhilarating it maybe but that in itself does not make up for the rest of it failings.

This Berwick team is one that could do very well. Good top 2. Etheridge capable of maximums at home (helps with aggregate wins) two improving Brits at second string & Borke at reserve who should do better at Shielfield than he did at Armadale. If everything goes to plan, they're good enough to challenge for the title.

So they can shut down for the summer!

I think we all understant that is a possibility, & as the latest update states the group have"considered their strategy under every likely circumstance". However you view the situation there can be no doubt that the group have performed a minor miracle getting us this far, with huge support from the council, MP's , the residents of the local area, &supporters from UK and futher afield and deserve massive credit for what has been achieved to date.

And play close attention to all relevant aspects within the local plan as well as the submissions by major players on the PCC planning portal. It's funny that AEPG say that they and the EEAS have no future obligation to support Peterborough Speedway financially, however, they are keen to say LP36 & 30 doesn't specifically mention speedway. As the only permanent/annual regular sporting and leisure user for 49 years when the local plan was adopted, what else does LP30 allude to? Also by wrecking the speedway infrastructure & stand they are trying to engineer a position where LP30 doesn't apply, as noted by PCC Policy : LP30 – Culture Leisure, Tourism and Community Facilities Policy LP36 specifically makes reference to the requirements of Policy LP30 and the loss of existing cultural, leisure, tourism and community facilities: The applicant will need to demonstrate that the proposals meet the requirements of points k-m, in particular with regard to the speedway track. The applications do propose to make a good, appropriate, level of sport and leisure uses. Normally, the application would not be considered to meet points k-m as they stand, as they do not provide a replacement facility for speedway use, and the speedway track was clearly fit for purpose. This has been made more complex by the Speedway club having been served notice and asked to vacate the site and remove their safety and lighting infrastructure, therefore no longer meeting point k and in no longer being fit for purpose requiring the meeting of point l and m. It is noted that Sport England have provided comments in response to the application.

Variety the better for me. One league with as many clubs as possible. Reduce to 5 or 6 riders per team with the mandatory requirement of atleast one young brit at reserve. Get rid of the big name riders and let the clubs pick there own race night. Have a league system that whoever finishes top is the champions with the knockout cup having a play off system to make it more meaningful. Keep the national league running also allowing commonwealth riders to join the league. This should add more choice for clubs to pick a more balanced side along with more options for guests if injuries take hold on teams.

I'm sure the Premiership CEO will have it all in hand as nobody will want to follow a strong Premiership season (2024) with a weakened product?!

I predict that Richard Lawson won't