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What a meeting Thursday could have been, a fifteen heat shootout for the league title. Instead, we go into play-offs that could see a team that finished mid-table, win the title...

Well done Glasgow. The people's champions 2025.

Back in the sands of time if the sport had been run correctly a proper squad system could have been established doing away with guests & rider replacement. While also given opportunities to more riders for track time. it didn’t happen & we now have a situation where to keep 2 leagues going 50% of the riders double up between the leagues. Totally farcical.

Championship definitely needs more meetings imo. Worky recently had a run of weekly home meetings and the crowd held up well even with holidays and the usual many summer attractions in the area. It was good to talk about who is it next week rather than having a gap of 3-4 weeks without a home fixture. Need to change the current model it has stagnated and proved detrimental to British Speedway for too long now.

I know it's not likely, but I kind of want the following to happen to show the flaw in the scoring system to the organisers (so they fix it). What if Zmarzlik & Kurtz meet in LCQ1. Kurtz is 2nd which means 11 or 12 points, Zmarzlik is 3rd (9 or 10 points) or 4th (7 or 8 points). The world title would then be decided in LCQ2, the finishing order of 4 riders who cannot become world champion, would determine wether Zmarzlik or Kurtz wins the title! I challenge anyone to explain why this scenario is the best way to score the GPs.

I paid £8 entrance £2 programme and free parking to watch Jason racing for Częstochowa at gorzow on Sunday

Is that the ‘we are the people’s champions’ or does that risk alienating half the fanbase 😉

I think bringing riders in who are unattached is a much better "look" for the sport... You cannot use averages all year and then not use them just because something may not look right to some... As long as Rider A has an equal or lower average than the one he replaces then all is fair game for me... At least it makes the sport look professional and in line with other sports, and also makes it look like winning the competition has kudos, is something worth winning, and will stimulate plenty of interest!! It wouldn't take much to work an algorithm average for each level of rider from BZ down, and there would also need to be caveats such as the missing rider mustn't ride elsewhere, and be injured/ill tll the seasons end (eg like Fricke when Lambert replaced him)... If Emil got injured and missed the play offs, then Lambert, Madsen, Dudek etc would be much better "like for like" replacements than anyone from the bottom three teams, and a much more credible move for a pro sport... Wroclaw brought in Charles Wright when Tai got injured and he then subsequently got injured, which meant Wroclaw got hammered in the final, but, for the greater good of the competition, they couldn't bring a "ringer" in, which meant the status of their league stayed top level, maintaining TV and "major" sponsor involvement... UK Speedway needs to aspire to that level of professional credibility, and, somehow, find a way of achieving it...

The play off dates would be logged in the International calender and priority established accordingly

With the answer being from some on here.... "Well, that's just the way it is!"......

Just want to say to Kings Lynn and their fans thanks for a great evening. The racing was great and the atmosphere was very friendly. I think that if K.L. could have riden like that all season then the top four could have looked different. As a sheffield supporter I'm glad I made the trip. I left Sheffield in rain of biblical proportions and wondered if it would be awaste fo fuel, but it certanly wasn't. On a final note it was so pleaseing to see the Tigers on tour / Bend 2 Barmy Army group get a round of applause as they left the stadiun from a group of K.L. fans on the first bend. This is how it should be. I have loved coming down to kings Lynn ever since I was on the spanners for Adam Allott and Kev Doolan. All the best for next year ( except when Sheffierld arer in toun).

It's poor planning of end of season meetings, that should have been run earlier in the season. With so few league matches, there's no reason why clubs can't fit in BSN / KOC meetings earlier in the season. I don't remember that many rain-offs. Biggest problem is probably 4 Friday teams, who prefer not to race on their off race night. People still ask for 2H & 2A, but clubs can barely manage 1H & 1A.

Where does it say people are staying away. Also they was no public statement when Poole fans were abused at Oxford, just move on and forget about it.

A lot of speedway fans couldn't give a hoot about football

What is this problem that some people have with Simon lambert? Simon is still a very good rider and still a big influence in the pits with his wealth of experience and still gives 100% on the track.He has,and still is,a loyal servant to the club,a rider who gives 100% regardless who he rides for so instead of getting on his back,be grateful for a rider who bleeds Scunthorpe scorpions!

Agree but perhaps giving the punter what they want with a weekend race night does possibly reduce the odds of losing so much money. Speedway use to be a good weekend sport but alas circumstances dictate that it is not possible albeit NDL teams seem to cope. This is possibly why a rethink is necessary and perhaps go backwards first in order to progress. I would rather go to a Saturday evening meeting or a Sunday afternoon meeting than go mid week. Thursday is OK but after that having been brought up on Friday, Saturday and Sunday meets I would not bother with any weekday/ mid week racing. Just my view and others may feel different but promoters should race on nights which give them a best chance of a return on the asset/investment.

And yet... Year after year, the same system is allowed to continue.... Quite baffling...

I took me a fair amount of time to find the rules, translate them and post.

The golden era was very much led by World Of Sport having an English Golden Generation on the International stage with which to sell the domestic sport... Winning Team World Cups often, and having PC riding like he did so regularly, was a perfect advert for the sport... And in the pre internet days you mainly found out riders were missing only when you entered the stadium, so "too late" to decide whether it was worth visiting or not... That "necessary evil" has now unfortunately morphed into a fundamental part of the operating model.. I have seen on here mention of giving out one point each for a meeting called off, (ianb?), and many dismissed this idea.. However, if last Thursdays meeting had been declared a draw (like cricket would have), I wonder if llosing several grand in payments may have been "very influential" in their decision to ride or not...? And also, focus promoters on protecting their tracks and preparing them better...?

Oxford have squeezed in 29 meetings at Sandy Lane this season. Instead of unfairly criticising them, try praising a rival club for an amazing job in staging all their fixtures so far - with dates also arranged for the three (likely) remaining fixtures. All done by September 17.

Does British speedway not have priority over Swedish speedway on a Monday/Thursday?

Poole are the only team trying to get the fixtures sorted. That's why they are mostly 1st legs. We don't mind lifting trophies at away matches. Why do we have to wait to play Oxford, yes a riders ban will be finished.

I have never been in favour of the playoffs...

Then just accept the competition will always be devalued.... Not a great selling point to media, sponsors or fans is it?...

You’re talking a load of nonsense here as usual. It’s simply unlucky that Sheffield’s final planned fixture got postponed leaving very little time to get the fixture in before the play offs. What happens if it rains on Thursday and the return fixture is postponed as well with the play offs starting next Monday? Would you then criticise Ipswich for not fulfilling their fixtures as well? There’ll be even less time to run it before Monday and in all likelihood, wouldn’t be run. Yes, they probably need to plan the fixture list in future, so that there’s a two to three week gap between teams’ last programmed league fixture, and the start of the play offs to leave time to fit in postponed fixtures. But you, or anybody else, didn’t question the fixture list when it was released at the start of the year. It was just unfortunate that a last fixture fell victim to the weather. Everybody knows how difficult it is for promoters to compile fixture lists when availability of riders is a nightmare with 90% of the team riding here there and everywhere. It’s inevitable that sometimes fixtures will get run when teams are missing a rider or two.

A legacy of the Tigers having three meetings to cram in... It isn't a good look for the sport is it that, once again, we have another self inflicted guestfest when a 12 match home season starts in April...? The guest system simply makes it far too easy to run the sport poorly given its a basic "get out of jail free" card to be played.... The bottom line is, once again, a meeting has been planned in knowing riders are elsewhere, and can be replaced by your rivals employees, with the only clear message it sends out being... "It isn't really that important this competition is it?"...

And the winner of this weeks most stupid post goes to….. Doyle has been the most loyal overseas rider to British speedway over the last 10-15 years This meeting could only be rearranged for Wednesday when he has a contractual agreement ……. You may or may not be aware this meeting has to be staged before the cut off leaving not many nights when it could be run If this was rained off mid season it would 100% be rerun on a convenient Monday or Thursday with 2 fill teams barring injuries. Ipswich have moved fast to secure 2 guests both of whom go well at Sheffield

What a load of twaddle! Doyle is one of the most loyal non-Brits to British Speedway. It's not his fault the fixture has been rearranged and it coincides with a commitment he's contracted to elsewhere. It's a rock-and-a-hard-place for the Witches, who have managed to find guests for both missing riders.

I'm not sure that the Hundred is a drastic shake up in comparison to Twenty 20, other than having much more money thrown at it, being marketed to a different audience and getting much more TV exposure- all of which could have happened with the existing Twenty 20 format. And, as I say, it is rumoured that once more franchises are taken over by IPL owners it will become a Twenty 20 tournament. So it isn't the format necessarily. However, speedway needs to think about how cricket attracted all that and carried out the marketing. Strangely enough, a lot of what you propose, and I agree with, already happens at most IOW meetings. If only BSPL would have a discussion with Barry and Martin about what works and what doesn't I'm sure they would be happy to help

Typical pilots fan always whinging about something 😛

Some great news, Filbyterna will return! Filbyterna announced today that the club have decided to return. They will start with fielding a team in Divisions 1 from 2026 season and also aiming for hosting the individual SM-final in 2027. https://speedwayfans.se/gladjebeskedet-klubben-drar-igang-verksamheten-och-ansoker-om-sm/

UK speedway was never ran professionally & the great chance of creating a future was blown when the Sky money was wasted. The fact that the poles have a product that attracts huge crowds, investment form business & more than one tv company broadcasting the league live is down to their hard work & running the sport professionally.

I’d be more happy if Sheffield rode that night this was called off. Like they did against us in the final when it suited them.

I’ll second that.

You happy with Ipswich having 2 guests tomorrow night or should they be lining up with 5 riders?

Yes very unlikely is how it may well be..But I think east Boldon greyhound/speedway stadium is only 5/6 mile from the large catchment area of Tyneside so it's surely worth some wealthy promoter at least running the rule as to reviving speedway - maybe some already have of course?

Mildenhall Speedway Supporters Trust CIC Press Release dated 01/09/25 [PR 16/25] Speedway returns to West Row this Saturday (6/9)! Saturday 6th. September is the big date for all involved with the revival of Speedway at Mildenhall Stadium – when the Fen Tigers finally return to their home of half a century, in their Golden Jubilee year. The opponents are long-time rivals, Rye House Rockets – themselves a club in the midst of a long campaign to see them return to their track. For the Herts club that prolonged battle goes on, but for the Fen Tigers Saturday represents the successful conclusion of a journey, albeit with many a bump in the road which has seen them battle back from closure nearly two years ago, an unsuccessful attempt to move up the divisions, a near catastrophic fire at the stadium in West Row, the established Speedway authorities failing to accept the style of foam safety barrier erected to deal with the new Stock Car fence built as part of the arena refurb and the club opting instead to go under the alternative licensing body, NORA92. But all of that is behind them now and rather it’s all hands to the pump to ensure all goes well when a large crowd is anticipated on the Suffolk Fens to welcome the club back. And for one of their young riders it’s been a long and patient wait also. 20 year old Kenzie Cossey was introduced to the fans (supporters who at the meeting back in February took the decision to form the Community Trust which has ultimately been the financial and promotional model to get the club back on track) as one of the new breed of riders who will be donning the famous orange and black Fen Tigers’ race jacket and gave an insight into his racing background then. “I’ve been riding Grasstrack, initially as a schoolkid with the Norfolk Star club, since I was only about six years of age – and had a successful spell in the youth ranks winning the GB championship in 2014. “Moving up to the seniors I was unsure at first how it was going but when I came third in the GB 250cc championships it gave me a big boost. And increased my determination to follow in my family footsteps and move onto Speedway”. That family connection goes back two further generations because Kenzie’s grandfather is a GB Speedway legend: 33-times-capped by his nation, World Finalist and winner of the FIM Internationale, former Norwich Star, King’s Lynn, Wimbledon and Hackney rider Trevor Hedge. “My granddad is a bit of an idol of mine as he was one of the very best in the sport back in the day. And of course he’s also very famous in the sport for his company which produced and serviced Speedway engines so having had him in my corner has taught me so much on and off the track”. And there’s a family connection to the Mildenhall club also as Kenzie’s uncle and long-time mentor was the late Gavin Hedge – son of Trevor and one of the most popular ever Fen Tigers’ riders. “Yes my uncle was Fen Tigers captain for three years (from ’99 to ’01) and to me it’s such an honour to be following him into the Mildenhall team myself. I have to say with Trevor and Gav to live up to I am glad that my surname isn’t actually Hedge as it takes a little bit of pressure off!” And the youngster from Barford near Norwich has made a great start in those Fen Tigers’ colours with a paid double figures return, including a first ever race win in senior Speedway at Mildenhall’s away win at fellow NORA club Isle of Wight last week, “It was a first for me riding the Isle of Wight circuit, but I couldn’t have asked for a better night, coming away scoring 9+1 and to win a race around the very same track that Gav won many races at was a lovely feeling! “And to be selected as the Mildenhall Rider of The Night was the icing on the cake.” Kenzie also revealed a familial connection to the very beginnings of the Mildenhall track that hasn’t been commonly known. “My granddad Trevor was called in, being an East Anglian based rider, to help the group who first built the Mildenhall stadium for Speedway to help design the track in the mid-1970s. So I’m so looking forward on Saturday to be racing there representing the Fen Tigers – the fulfilment of a long-held dream. “I’m so pleased we got our Team Manager Kieran Phillips off to a winning start in his role – I cannot thank him and the club enough”. And Phillips has another third generation Fen Tiger in his side for that opener, with Connor Coles (whose grandfather Bob Coles was one of the original 1975 team). Coles will be joined by twice Grasstrack European Champion, the locally-based James Shanes plus the experienced duo of Rhys Naylor and Sam Woods and Hull-based Polish racer, Patryk Daniszewski. The Rockets will be led by the rider who’s ridden West Row the most times as an opposition rider, Ben Morley and the trophy up for grabs will remember a legendary Rockets rider sadly passed away, the late Kelvin Mullarkey, who lived in West Row. Steve Ribbons has taken a huge lead in the campaigns to revive both clubs and was a great friend of Kelvin’s. “We really wanted to use this opportunity to remember Kelvin and we hope his daughter Leigh will be in attendance to present the trophy in her father’s name to the winning side. “Big thanks go to the School of History at UEA who are bringing their ‘Speedway In the East’ exhibition along, for their sponsorship of the meeting along with long-time Mildenhall supporter. Local businessman Troy Dudley.” Ribbons explained that on this occasion they’ll be no second half racing but it’s very much in the plans for future meetings, “It’s really a Herculean feat on our hands getting everything ready for this first meeting and organising a second half has proved to be a step too far. Riders interested in racing on the new track can though come along to our practice session on Sunday – places are available but filling up fast”. The Fen Tigers vs. Rockets action in The Speedway In The East Challenge gets underway at 7.30pm on Saturday 6th. September at Mildenhall Stadium, Hayland Drove, West Row, Suffolk IP28 8QU. Admission (by cash or card) is £15, accompanied children aged 15 and under go free.

Here's a thought:- what if clubs could only have the second leg in semis and finals, if there was some form of live stream coverage.

Well we have a new contender for the dumbest post of the week award. Maybe you should look at the Oxford fixture list for both teams and you will see that one of the teams has been riding every week at home.

Belle Vue can sort their fixtures in time for the play offs and we have a busier schedule than most. The desire needs to be there. I did mention at the start of the season that Belle Vue are always the first to get to 75% of fixtures thus reducing our window for potential injury replacements. Any club that cannot fulfill its fixtures in an appropriate manner a week or two before the play offs needs to give their head a wobble. Guests have always been around but not with the regularity of these days. In the most famous KO Cup final which we won after THAT run off, we had Jim McMillan guest for Chris Pusey. Guests can no longer be described as a necessary evil as there was a perfectly fine rule in place in 2022 whereby you could quite rightly replace an injured rider at any point of the season. This rule was dropped in favour of guests (or the less than effective RR). This guest move has been actively applauded by many on here following the 2022 season when the rule was correctly applied to both Peterborough & Belle Vue. Never been a fan of the play offs and I’m still yet to see the full 30 heats of any since its introduction, such is my apathy towards them.

Then no one can ever wonder why the sport isn't taken seriously by the mainstream media... The same would happen in Poland if they ever adopted the UK system.. This has resulted in massively one sided finals when teams have injuries... However, in "proper sports" injuries are seen as part and parcel of what happens and some get lucky and some don't... Poland realise a one sided final still has integrity and will maintain the credibility of their competition .. Thus, keeping media, sponsors and fans engaged... Also, if Sheffield are missing Jack Holder then the next two in the averages should be able to take all his rides, they could do this, and their own rides, and still do Ht 15, if the manager wanted it that way... Many guests get used due to the RR system not being fit for purpose...

... and you pay your £25 entrance, £4 programme and £3 parking last week to watch former World Champion Jason Doyle perform and this week you get a 6 point rider from Ippo's bitter rivals!

Agree and probably should have had another win and an LCQ place on Saturday.

About twenty years ago we investigated the possibility of a Speedway return to Sunderland on behalf of Tony Mole. At the time, if I remember correctly, Newcastle was a National League Track. Tony was proposing to open up as a Conference League Track. Whilst we had about two meetings at the Stadium, they would not entertain a Team at Sunderland racing in a lower League than Newcastle. They were however receptive to, and listened to us and heard us out. We informed Tony Mole of their position and left it with him. No further action was taken. I suppose that being as we got our Meetings that it was NOT a definite NO from the Stadium, they never said that. Perhaps now that Newcastle has gone, it may be worth another try. Some Promoter can only ask. We would definitely need the support of Newcastle Supporters too, in order to make it a viable concern. Given the response to Sunderland in the 1970's, I would like to think things have changed, and that we could all get together to support a Sunderland Team in the North East for the benefit of BOTH Cities. Many things will have changed in the ensuing twenty years. Maybe Steve is right and that there is NO chance - but - if you don't ask, you don't get.

Also are we back to NO Tac Subs in the play offs?

Only guessing but it is SGP2 on Friday night, 12th September, so assuming Jake Mulford & Dan Thompson will be missing, hence racing on Sunday 🤷‍♂️

It’s just farcical

What do you think speedway should do 'to go the way of cricket'? In some ways, speedway is already the motorsport equivalent of short form cricket, in that it is short bursts of activity with space for additional activity in-between. It's widely thought that The Hundred will be converted to a more usual Twenty 20 tournament once more of the franchises are bought by IPL owners. I'm in Poland at the moment, and went to a play off match at Leszno yesterday. The age profile of the crowd was significantly different to the UK, with much more crowd chanting, scarf waving etc. But it was all about the speedway - no 'novelty ' entertainment between races etc

Clubs losing money need to seriously look in the mirror, Plymouth who are hardly world beaters and have a very limited track and space have upped their crowds considerably by the looks of it through some savvy work on social media etc. Granted in some cases things can’t be avoided but I absolutely think there would be a lot to be said for promotions being less insular and less of the ‘woe is me’ attitude.

Just the normal at Glasgow ATM,great racing.