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The first thing speedway needs to do is get in the public eye, no matter how small but getting there, something I saw a month a so back really brought it home to me how far out the loop we are, when Linda lusardi did her cup draw and it made the news papers, what was interesting was the comments about it from the general public and one stuck with me, it was guy from Essex around his 20s and his reply was what is speedway Genuine question ? Now that to me and you is ridiculous but he genuinely didn’t seem to know, now you would assume he would google it but up till that point it didn’t even cross his mind, how many other people are like this ? Last week I was talking to a customer who is massively into in fast bikes and I said I’d sell him an engine that would blow his bike out the water for acceleration and went on to tell him it was GM speedway engine and he said he didn’t know what I was talking about, as I went into an explanation he said oh you mean flat track racing like they do in the USA, speedway is just not in the public consciousness and that’s something we need to address

2500 or so will turn up at the NSS for the PCMT... 14,000 will turn up at the GP's at the NSS... 2500 - 3000 will turn up at the PO Final if the Aces get there... Proving there still is a reasonable demand if the product has some decent levels of relevance, jeopardy, consequence and authenticity.... The issue is that the vast majority of meetings have very little of the above.... That is what needs sorting...

https://tru7.com/a-new-chapter-ipswich-witches/

Who will head up the venture? A promoter can't run two tracks can they? Presume they will need a figurehead? Chris Louis maybe???

And Richard Lawson.... Edit. And obviously Scott if no TV duties come about...

Keep a space open for bomber . He’ll be there most weeks

Agree but if Northampton flops it could have the opposite effect on those groups trying to bring tracks back, it really needs to succeed to benefit the sport overall.

At the start of last year Speedway Star asked supporters for their opinions on how to improve British Speedway and I was lucky enough to have my own article published. In that piece I made the point that it should be made compulsory by the BSPL that ALL UK teams should visit a minimum of three primary schools in the local vicinity of their tracks in pre-season between January and March. It's their duty to promote both themselves and the sport to the local community, as research suggests the attention span for sports develops around the ages of six to seven while they are susceptible to social influence between eight and ten. Introducing pupils to an exciting new sport they may never have heard of before with bikes on display with a couple of riders present would be the perfect way to promote the sport. Visits to school fetes at the height of the season in summer needs to be compulsory too.

all prem teams have signed a prem deal for 2 years, so it will be at least 6 teams premiership next year anyway. they are looking at more stock car tracks to hopefully bring more clubs to the sport

He's a director of Swindon Motorsports Ltd, so the logic would be that he believes in the Studley Grange project. Of course, with Gaming International being the company with significant control of Swindon Motorsports Ltd, an alternative view is that if and when permission to demolish the Abbey Stadium were given there would suddenly be a reason why Studley Grange could not proceed

If Tungate is one they will definitely need to find guests when he misses the Stansted flight 😂

Another Shambles,you really could not make this up. Must be the congested fixture list.🤔

I was at the last couple of Wembley World Finals which had crowds of 80,000 plus... Ole Olsen & Bruce Penhall... To think that the GP will now only get 14,000 shows just how far the sport has fallen... If I had my way I'd bring back the one off World Final... along with the various qualifying rounds... They were great occasions... Meanwhile, Northampton Speedway... Speedways version of The Masons... continues under it's cloak of secrecy...

In fact, he (and Russell) both said Studley is NOT dependent on the Abbey housing. Swindon Motorsports have been asked to legally link the Studley and Abbey plans to make Studley dependent on S106 monies from the Abbey. They have repeatedly refused to do so! Park actually said "he would walk away from Studley" if they were forced to link it to the Abbey plans. Go figure...

Order of priority International National Premiership Championship Know your place

Leading by example

The Northampton promotion must be BSPL lack of information. No team announced. No nickname. No promotion announced secrecy and no engagement with the customers. Must be BSPL

No because Godfrey has got Bradfords stock car meetings. And that’s why he is opposed to two home and away in the championship. self interest from the chairman

Surely, anyone willing to run a speedway venue is not going to be so thin-skinned or woke as to be deterred by comments which are mainly observational, questioning, or humorous?

Too formal, too long, too slow.... It should be 20min max, with the "bantz" between the lads as they arrive and get changed getting covered... The managers team talk and then several 5 second snippets of on track action covering the speed and closeness of the racing, with verbal and physical reactions from fans, Manager and team members as the racing happens.. With a voice over letting the viewer know of the score as the action progresses, and the names of those getting filmed, with the aim being you identify the riders, who, hopefully become recognised.. Throw in the odd 20 second soundbite from the manager, riders and a few fans, (young ones not fogey's).. "We are sh*t tonight", "He needs to sort himself out" etc, etc.. Music playing in the background . Then, post meeting quick sound bites from riders, management and fans... With an advert for the next meeting, with a request to like and subscribe... It isn't about listening to in depth interviews, and the racing snippets are just that, (quick), keeping the whole 15-20 mins short and snappy to meet the attention span of the demographic the sport so desperately needs to attract... There are dozens of examples on YT of how teams have been ultra successful in getting subscribers (and money), from their Vlogs... Speedway, given its lack of awareness from so many thousands of people in every town and city a team runs in, is perfect for such an inexpensive medium...

Northampton could have seven different hand picked guests every week... Win the league and find a buyer!!!

Len Silver promoted Hackney on a Friday night. On the same Friday night 'Nel Revlis' promoted Sunderland.... so my money woukd be on Kram Nomel' promoting, with 'Brady Bewley' & 'Dan Kurtz' as the spearheads for Northampton Spades!!! 🤣

Agreed I would love to see one off world finals back but can't see it happening the gp's were a reasonable success for the first half of their lifespan but I would imagine the one's held in Poland now counter the losses on the other gp's.

Park made a big deal about being Swindon speedway’s director both in person and in writing. However, he only became a director in 2017 and probably had little or no knowledge of speedway. Now he claims to be an expert just in time for a big payday!

Park like Osborne is only in it for the cash, neither have any interest in speedway.

Not riding in it is one thing, riding in a Championship match on the same night quite another. The Championship fixtures were set out well in advance of any Premiership planning (which would presumably include Belle Vue's dates) so we cannot blame the league that was organised enough to publish an early schedule. Maybe the winner in August will be the wild card for the 2027 British GP? Making it slightly more appealing to some riders? If the Championship schedule was maintained, and the meetings at Berwick, Plymouth and Workington (featuring Oxford, Edinburgh and Poole) went ahead, there wouldn't be sixteen British riders available to turn out at Belle Vue! Thus, the three Championship matches will have to be postponed -- which is a pity, given the clubs and supporters involved will have been issuing fixture listings and planning travel. Not a good look for the BSPA this time, seemingly running roughshod over the lower(?) league's more-efficient planning. Their capacity for both having and eating cake remains unrivalled.

If anybody wants to follow Michaels work with the youth, you can follow it on facebook https://www.facebook.com/groups/1806730963136661

Wonder if this will be anything near the Northampton 1-7 for the coming season: 1 Jaimon Lidsey 7.87 2 Rohan Tungate 5.89 3 Nicolai Klindt 6.46 4 Charles Wright 6.11 5 Niels Iversen 6.71 6 Kye Thomson 3.95 7 Luke Harrison RS Using the last updated 2025 averages including any reductions I think that the team total is 36.99

My money is on the BV guys and Facenna

It may very well be on YouTube as are hundreds of millions of other videos... and you have to seek it out unless your algorithm waves it under your eyes... What is probably more needed is a paid ad campaign such as the one that British Horse Racing is currently running, that forces it in front of your eyes while you're watching other content.

It has had over half a million views.... It just doesnt do anything for the domestic leagues though... A team Vlog would link the algorithm to other sporting clubs in the area.. eg anyone watching any United or City YT coverage would, due to the sports team geography algorithm, get a recommended on YT should the Aces do their own programme on there... Those huge sporting clubs, local to Speedway tracks, with millions of subscribers, could be piggy backed onto on YT... And. If clubs had already done their own Vlogs, then over half a million viewers of the 2025 BF would have been recommended them... How many of that half million viewers are living within 45 mins of a Speedway team, but just don't know it?

It is in Youtube; I've seen it several times.

Possibly all of them given the need for doubling up to keep both leagues affording the same riders... And the optics of a new track opening make the sport look progressive, which can only help with trying to bring tracks back, or defend further potential closures ...

This mornings forecast for Sunday is more encouraging. Will probably change half a dozen times between now and then though!

Confirmed by mark lemon in today’s speedway star that Northampton is being funded by current promoters and unnamed investors.

They are telling themselves what the requirements are....

That speaks volumes

Was it Buster who someone quoted as saying that promoters would have to "put their hands in their pockets" for a sixth team?...

Surely the Park/Russell promotion were 'encouraged' to say the Abbey was unsustainable - and therefore not put up for sale - solely based on what Osborne said he was going to charge them!!? Talk about 'vested interest' and brown envelopes!!!!

There should be no other meetings than the British final run on this date. It will maximise the amount of fans attending and free up all riders. It's not rocket science, we have so many free dates throughout the year it can't be that difficult can it?

Am I right in thinking that Terry Russell never put the club up for sale when he didn't wish to carry on? If that was the case, what was the thinking behind that?

Vintage races are Jade Mudgway & Theo Pijper for Redcar vs Stuart Swales and Stuart Robson for Newcastle. 🤣

Ryan and Luke both raced in yesterdays amateur meeting, and both put in some very impressive performances, especially Ryan pulling off some fantastic moves to beat Jake Mulford three times, and recording a time of 59.36 too!

One of these days you might have something positive to say until then do one!

How is that any different to the fence at Kings Lynn ? At least there is a grass banking to land on should a rider be unfortunate enough to clear the fence, unlike the concrete that Doyle landed on at Lynn a couple of years ago.

Thats a very defeatist attitude IMO

I have nothing against Stephen Foster. He has done wonders with getting speedway on the radio & plugs the sport when he gets the chance. Also he is a great guys. Its just when it comes to presenting I’d rather listen to the sound of paint drying!!

FFS,, that's me put off already. He is totally the opposite of what's needed at a speedway meeting. Awful decision As for 25 quid,, wow,, they really are pushing the limits of what people are prepared to pay surely. Good luck to Northampton trying to attract new fans to watch on an untested track at that price

First priority has to be the collective mindset of club owners and promoters. Unless they're ALL able to move beyond the silo mentality which has been the prevailing influence, then there isnt any point in talking about things like doubling-up and leagues structure. This includes, whether there are one, two or three leagues, to adopt a collective purpose and co-operation. Without that, there seems little point in carrying on. The current management and decision making arrangements need to be urgently consigned to the rubbish bin, enabled by the establishment of a small board of directors with no personal club interests. This needs to be pushed forward collectively by those owners and promoters who are forward thinking, with the first step being to bin off the progress-blockers including if necessary creating a new company which will render the current BSP Ltd obsolete. All of this is nothing new. But this time it has to actually happen. Then they can sort out issues like leagues, doubling up, rules, formats.

Oh no. I hope she hasn't taken Hancock with her...