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What do you mean, if????😉

Ipswich showing why they called it early. Sheffield causing everyone to turn up only to be turned away.

Talk me through how that stops it being a sensational result? They only scored those points because Glasgow riders stopped them scoring more. Bizarre statement

For me, speedway has rightly gone past the approach of ‘can we somehow get the meeting on’ even if conditions are borderline and poor for both riders and spectator’s. There is also the economic angle. Ipswich are a generally well supported team, but a home semi final against local rivals is likely to create an above average attendance. If the weather is inclement during the day with a threat of rain in the evening as well, then inevitably people will decide it’s not worth the risk resulting in a poor crowd and a lost revenue opportunity. Louis will want to maximise the income opportunity from this fixture.

Mean while, somewhere near the Foxhole, Still no stopping Taps..

15 development league riders rode in this meeting. Starke stopping a 16th rider getting a ride, isn't really gonna hurt youth development in Britain. Starke riding also give riders looking for a Champ spot someone to try & beat to prove they are ready for the step up. If any rider beat him they'd maybe get a foot in the door & be in line for guest bookings / Champ team spots.

Who’s this Starke kid, must be a good prospect.

I’m not one to criticise Oxford Speedway (we all waited ages for it to reopen), but a few things after last night. First off, Peter Schroeck is a hardworking bloke who’s passionate about the sport. But his decisions, or lack thereof, are starting to get a bit worrying, especially when it affects the team at home. It’s clear to me that there are a lot of empty spaces around the stadium, and winning at home is crucial. The track is often a dustbowl and hardly ever gets any improvement after some of the longest track grading breaks in speedway. And let’s not forget about car parking despite a £2 charge It says shuttle bus subject to availability as of yesterday, but in my experience, it’s never been available . This puts off a lot of people, especially those who aren’t as mobile I think the management of the club should start taking notice of these issues before more and more people start to drift away.

Time someone stood up to poland ,or teams over here say u off to poland dont come back here!

I see a much bigger issue. Starke's inclusion meant this was no longer an NDL meeting, and so would have to be classed as a Championship standard meeting. Riders have to be 16 to ride in a Championship standard meeting, but Cooper Rushen rode at age 15. Thank god there was no serious accident, or there would have been one hell of a problem with the insurers. Can't believe Vatcher allowed this to go ahead.

Quick history lesson on why that is a bad idea. In 2015 Edinburgh had 2 x 3.00 reserves (minimum average at the time), when you didn't have to have any. They both upped their average to 3.5 approx, then in 2016 a ruling was brought in that each team had to have a 3.00 rider. That meant Edinburgh having to drop one of these improving young riders because they had done too well. So by all means, suggest 2 Brits at reserve, but don't limit it to newcomers, where will they find 18 new riders every season for the reserve berth. One thing they could have done, was to increase the minimum average for foreigners to 4.50 or 5.00 making it much harder for them to drop to reserve, not lowering it to 3.00, which doesn't help Brits at all! Probably should mention King's Lynn now, if Nathan Ablitt had a Champ team I'd give him a go as a RS, but if they can use guests, no harm in picking riders on tracks they'll go better at?

Especially with school exams taking place atm.

Very true,just as in future , Billy big b0ll0cks , sorry I mean the ipswich team manager should be less " openly critical " of what happens at lynn but I bet he isn't!

They both had to take their minimum 3 programmed rides and McDiarmid and Killeen had really only beaten the Glasgow reserves and Harrison so would have struggled in ht 15 off gate 4 which was a grave yard all evening against Harris and Howarth

That's exactly it, I cannot understand how he can be so bad? How has he still got a job as team manager? Do the promotion not see the mistakes all the fans see? To think he got manager of the year award last season baffles me!

Cooper was the reason I went along to watch and I wasn’t disappointed, looks very classy on the bike, good style and fast for his age. Also conducts himself well with the fans in the pits and on the microphone etc, this kid is going to go far.

If this happens pretty sure they will go with one top league with 2 home and 2 away a higher team ave and maybe a stronger NL for teams that maybe can’t afford or manage the extra fixtures

They also seem to have a no8, which is a good idea when using r/r.

it's on BSN buy it from them !!

It's all about stirring up a bit of the rivalry. Some people take everything far too seriously. Ipswich fans definitely don't take Hawkins seriously! If you take a step back, I think most will agree that Louis and Chapman have been very positive for their commitment to keeping their respective team going in increasingly tougher circumstances.

Wouldn't be first rider to prioritise his prem club over his champ one.

No difference. Both wrong.

No rain forecast for Sheffield after 5 pm. No rain yesterday and what's come down this morning and overnight hasn't been extreme. If the track staff can get a good start on track prep this afternoon there's no reason this shouldn't go ahead.

of course not, but i bet if he had signed for Poole Shovlar would be all over it.

It’s unsettling how balanced and pragmatic this post is, I fear if the forum continues in this vein the space time continuum may implode… quick someone say something to rebalance it - like why don’t Ipswich get artem laguta over for 28 days, he’s got bikes ready and waiting for the call to come! 🤣🤣🤣

Think Ipswich are being fair. Giving Lynn a chance to get Ashton fit and healthy as well for the re-run! 😉

I agree, but sometimes "what goes around, comes around" is justified for some. Saying that though, with the state of British Speedway today, if the weather is predicted to rain, postponements should be made prior to match day. Expenses to club & rider has to be protected, plus, more importantly, the costs to all the volunteers & any travelling fans whether it's 1 guy & his dog or 100. In 2025, people just don't have the patience or affordability to be at stadiums watching track work for an hour only to be sent home anyway. These things are far more damaging than any early postponement for everyone involved.

Also thought Mickie Simpson did well. Looked pretty comfortable on the track.

Let's hope so - I've got a few spare hours now - evening bbq anyone?

Buster's played some iffy moves with postponements so no King's Lynn fan has any right to call 'foul' on this one.

Don't think we should go there really especially after last seasons shennanigans by Buster.

Let's be honest, it's probably a bit of both, and nothing inherently wrong with either given the current setup of British Speedway. If we don't like it, we need an independent body to control fixtures more centrally, but if that's not going to happen, teams will do it. If the roles were reversed, I'd expect Edinburgh to seek to do the same. Why wouldn't you?

We probably do but to maximise attendance figures it will be on a preferred Friday evening. After all it is all about fans through the gate to be viable as a certain John Campbell used to tell you.

It's scandalous that the Championship dropped the process - both reserve positions should be British newcomers in the 2nd tier No non Brit should be allowed near a 2nd tier reserve position

Very good summary. I've been going on about these 10 minute plus grading breaks for ages, I've even started timing them!!!! It's always easy to moan which I don't want to do but we can't afford to be making silly decisions, some of which must be having an effect on crowd levels as they as clearly down on last year for sure.

I’m guessing Lawson,Rowe,Cairns,Rushen and maybe Beau Bailey please not Kerr and Starke.

Poole could already be well into the 2026 signings, with 5 riders already signed and sealed?!

Rain due between 19:30 - 20:30 so correct call if weather forecast is anything to go by.

yeah that and the big bag of cash 👍

Certainly not one with 2 top riders missing, who behind from the 1st leg We get a lot of flack as Stars fans when we do such things. Just giving a bit back Roger and JamesB

Money talks i guess

and this is why the GPs are not a true world championship. Its a commercial venture/circus. Score 4pts from 4 rides and you still have a chance of getting into the final! as Kurtz nearly did and Kubera actually did after scoring 6 pts. Would it be too much logistically to have a one off world final like the old days and keep the GPs as they are. Be an interesting line up if everyone had to qualify. I suppose finding dates for qualifiers would be the main problem.

Had some rain this morning, stopped now though and it’s a bit of a scorcher. Taps, have you got any of that factor 50 I can borra? Don’t wanna burn me bald bonce 😁

7+1 yesterday. The national team coach have the option of giving one wildcard to the final, which would mean the lowest ranking rider already qualified would move down to first substitute. So for now the riders are: Riders: Mikkel Michelsen Anders Thomsen Frederik Jakobsen Michael Jepsen Jensen Mads Hansen Benjamin Basso Mikkel Andersen Andreas Lyager Jonas Knudsen Villads Nagel William Drejer Niels Kr. Iversen Tim Sørensen Rune Thorst Matias Nielsen Jonas Jeppesen Substitutes: Michael Thyme Rasmus Jensen

So good in fact,I posted it twice 🙂

You wouldn't believe the struggle to find 2 riders when Will withdrew. Maybe just maybe Starke was a last resort

At the Showground I always wanted a close meeting rather than a one sided affair, of course I liked to see Peterborough to win but a thrashing never really did anything for me.

What we have is the best it can be Dean,... Far too many opportunities have been missed... As has been said, many times, if you went on Dragons Den with the UK's operating model and business plan, it would be laughed out of the room... Not enough employees to open your doors? Then borrow them from your competitors, and let them use yours... Employees cannot work certain nights? Then change your opening hours to suit them, don't worry that your customers may not be able to attend on those nights but would be happy to visit you on other nights in greater numbers... Employees wanting to only work six months of the year? Then make sure you charge your customers a pretty penny to be able to pay them enough so they get six months off. However. Even by charging your customers "top doller" for 15 mins entertainment, you still wont earn twelve months money by only opening six months of the year, but don't worry, because your competitor's are doing exactly the same thing... The race to the bottom is almost over for UK Speedway. Covid should have been the reset button, with new and radical ideas, but instead we had the "same old, same old" with the result being the "same old, same old" ever dwindling fan numbers and interest.. Let's see what radical ideas they come up with now Birmingham will be gone,? A "purple helmet" may be possibly quite appropriate...? F'naaar, F'naaar... Edit. Just realised the promotional and marketing plan hasn't been mentioned... "Bring a Friend" should be ground breaking enough, (but obviously don't tell them how much it is to get in till they are there)...

Peter Oakes was brilliant tactically, when team managers were a lot more relevant