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A fantastic £1819.49 was raised for the Ben Fund on Saturday. Well done to everyone who contributed

I think that's fair tbh. He wanted to be out a few years ago, and could of walked away, but has stuck around, rather than walk, and shut Lynn down. Also helped with Northampton's track i believe, as well as loaning our air fence. Some P/B fans wont agree though. Blunt, stubbon... Yep i'll agree. Put a lot of money into speedway over the years, agree on that one too. Lynn ain't the best supported club, and i don't think Buster can afford the loses of a late rain off. I'd rather Lynn run as they are, than close the doors.

I think his heart is in the right place its his methods that are questionable, he's saved a few tracks over the years and would love to be out of Lynn but can't even give it away with the sport as it currently is, he must have poured hundreds of thousands into the game over the years. I don't know him personally but having been to a few talk in's with him over the years my impression is if in the wrong mood he's blunt and can rub people up the wrong way in uber quick time and he's stubborn.

Mayfield are also responsible for there being Speedway at Foxhall and you don't always know the ins and outs of what is going on behind the scenes The lad has only rode a handful meetings and looked quite stylish at home scoring 5+2 on his debut which was a reasonable return, 3+1 away at Lynn was poor but same meeting Kvech only scored 3+1 too, and Belle Vue away was disappointing 1+1 Still a young man finding his feet riding in the UK for the first time, he really needs some home meetings on a decent track to get his confidence up for the away trips as most circuits he'll have very limited time on, I think fans calling for him to be sacked so early need to reel it in a little bit

When he signed for Redcar he didn't have a Polish contract he had cancelled it, which was one of the reasons he signed for Redcar. Riders missing a UK match through 'injury', but then rides the next day for a Polish club, should receive a lengthy ban.

Agree 100%. It will rain tonight, just a question of when, but yesterday was not the time to call it off. Forecasting can be more certain on the actual day

The riders, with today's bikes, seemed perfectly fine with things at Glasgow on Saturday night, racing on a wet track, often in driving rain... the difference, they were chasing personal World Championship glory in an FIM meeting as opposed to riding in a humdrum league meeting in front of one man and his dog 🐕‍🦺🧍‍♀️

I feel sorry for PHB in all honesty. He is a young lad who really wanted a chance to ride in Britain and he has come into a make shift team, if he came in with the actual witches or majority from last season he would have felt different and been given a massive helping hand on setups etc. Mayfield built this team to basically see the season out and if we can, get into the play offs great, if not then we tried, basically. So then stick by your decision and give the young man his chance, Ipswich fans have no expectation this season so now is a perfect time for him to learn with little to no care from most fans anyway. That’s my take on it.

Latest news is flash flooding at saddlebow road. A mass of wooden spoons have been floating out of the trophy room and police are asking the public to avoid the area due to sheer volumes of wooden spoons.

https://ipswichwitches.co/witches-opt-against-kennett-move-as-they-wait-on-hellstrom-bangs-return/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSKZRJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFXZ0FSZ05FcVBad2N6SG9yc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHj1mpkKtcwSlSgB3VzQO-GN7cOzHP3VgURKmH1D8uLR4aLhiHqr8GU9CBTsw_aem_WoiRqprV6u7E4QsLX24Qpg

The sooner Buster does one permanently the better off the Sport will be in this country. He's had a number of riders walk out on him, He's also rubbed a number of Clubs up the wrong way with his shenanigans and sadly he's dragging the entire Premiership down with him. It's due to cowboys like him why the Sport doesn't get taken seriously in this country anymore.

Heard he was released from hospital early Saturday, às far as I know n̈o serious damage.ll

It's the Buster basher brigade He can't do nowt right, whatever he does in some's eyes.

I, and a few others were wrong it seems. Bangs now back for the Sheffield meeting on Thursday https://ipswichwitches.co/hellstrom-bangs-back-for-sheffield-showdown/

At least the trophy cabinet will float as its never had anything in it.

The most embarrassing part being that he took nearly THREE laps to go from last to first in one race...

The problem Kings Lynn have is how often these questionable call offs happen some may be justified (maybe tonight’s meeting ) but some clearly wasn’t in any other sport there would be an investigation into why there is so many meetings cancelled - and if found guilty a fine or points deduction or both but this is British speedway so nothing will happen but does nothing for the credibility of the sport

It’s going to be an interesting couple of years. It’s forward thinking people like Mayfield at Ipswich vs it’s our plaything like those at Lynn. The sport needs Mayfield to win out however I think we all know how this ends. The current promotions who have been around years win out & drive the Mayfields out leaving the sport to die out.

That’s the spirit.

I don't want to get controversial - but I will. I think a big part of Speedway's problems started with the Laydown Engines, and the 4-Valve bikes used in the 70's. It started the free for all with the Engine Tuners. Spiralling costs due to Engine Tuning etc. contributed to increasing the price at the gate, thus taking the Sport out of reach of very many people. Costs became prohibitive crowds grew smaller and smaller. This is where we find ourselves now. There is no doubt in my mind that the old 2-Valve was cheaper to run, safer for the riders, and no real advancement has been shown on the Track. The 2-Valve may have been fractions slower but, what we gained in speed, we also gained in injuries. Tracks built for Speedway nowadays can't cope with the the new 'rocket ships' that riders are using at the moment, hence the big increase in injuries. Tracks haven't changed much since 1928 - but the bikes have. THAT to me is a problem also. I don't believe that the GP System has done British Speedway any good either. Personally, I much preferred the old 'one off' World Final.

Miracle recovery from Nicolai Klindt today in Rybnik racing to an unbeaten, 5 ride, full, 15 point maximum, must have flown over Lourdes on his way ✝️ Pulling moves like Michael Jackson while digging his start positions out at the gate with seemingly no ill effects from his knee injury 👍🏻 Must be a relief for all of the Bears' fans. 🐻🍵🍵

70's racing was no better, nor worse than today's, for me.. What made it stand out was the crowd sizes thus, the atmosphere got created that made you return.. BV's Yorkshire rivals would bring a good few coaches with them ran by their supporters clubs, whiich had several thousand members, meaning an "electric atmosphere"... Almost 20 teams in the league meant there actually looked like something worth winning, and the vast majority of riders were yours and no one elses, (apart from young UK lads being allowed to double up for development, rather than due to a lack of riders, or tier two clubs wanting to use tier one riders at a reduced rate).. Teams rode on their best nights for attendances, and the admission costs took up a far lower percentage of your disposable income after your bills are paid, than it does today.. And Guests were the exception, rather than the rule... The Superstars were on TV most Saturdays, and also crossed over into mainstream non sporting programming... The top lads rode massive averages, making them "box office" particularly away from home when you may only got to see them once... Their averages often being down to them picking the best gates, bonus points being included, a "gimme" tac sub ride against the weakest second string and reserve, and less "head to heads" than today against the oppositions top two, and, usually, especially at home, just four rides.... It was though, overall, the size of crowds that brought the atmosphere and made it "an event"... The promoters of today though still have thousands of "lapsed fans" who still closely follow the sport, but see no reason to attend UK League Speedway... A huge opportunity should the promoters ever one day decide to get these thousands of fans re-engaged with their version of the sport...

Jason Garrity?

No, but taking 3 laps to go from 1st to last at Owlerton last week was embarassing. It's laughable that Belle Vue fans are crowing about how well Kurtz is riding in Poland. All you are doing is proving that he is far more committed to them than he is to you.

Incredible effort and generosity from the good folk at Workington

agree completely - needs a bit of time - people seemed very enthused by his signing but because he hasn't scored massively they are now wanting him replaced after just a few meetings. The proposed solution seemed nonsensical to me and at least that has been reversed now.

Given the amount of injuries to "top, top riders" currently, I can see Poland going down that route... TV companies, National businesses who sponsor the league and teams, and even companies who use riders to advertise their products on national TV, will all be feeling frustrated that some of the worlds best are missing due to being injured elsewhere, meaning the product quality has dropped... With the clubs and their fans the most frustrated of all... There will surely soon be a clamor from all the stakeholders to ensure "their riders" only ride one league.. I don't knows what the top riders get collectively for their other two leagues, (£200k?), but I can see a day, soon, when all the stakeholders get together and pay that differential to ensure "exclusivity"... You wouldn't need to ensure everyone is tied down to these contracts either, just the "box office elite" that RR doesn't cover adequately... Similar to the way central contracts work in cricket, you only "play" for us...

Nathan Ablitt William Cairns Jason Edwards Jamie Etherington Leon Flint Vinnie Foord Luke Killeen Dan Gilkes Sam Hagon Luke Harrison Freddy Hodder Ryan Ingram Jordan Jenkins Connor Mountain Jake Mulford Ace Pijper Anders Rowe Cooper Rushen Jody Scott Jack Smith Tom Spencer Dan Thompson Joe Thompson All under 30 and have ridden at some point this season. Not far off 40% of the total number of riders in the Championship.

I wish them all the best as we know they have a huge task on their hands that sadly beat the likes of John Berry, Chris Louis, Jonathon Chapman and Adrian Smith etc. To be honest the sport was starting to struggle when I started going in 1984 it had lost Penhall and shortly after lost Carter and Sanders every year in winter 2-3 tracks were in trouble but there were normally 2-3 people ready to step in and take over the track/s where now days there is minimal interest from new outside promoters. Buster does take a lot of flak (a lot of which is fair) but he has kept Lynn running when he doesn't really want to be involved, he also wants to keep losses to a minimum now he's getting on a bit and as far as I'm aware there's been near zero interest in anyone taking the team off his hands.

Absolutely... and the amount of water they chuck on the track every 4 heats in some if the gp's. would constitute a rain off in a league match

Didn't even know it was on 😁

Bettered only by Ove Fundin......10 years and finished no lower than 3rd. And that was in the era of 1) a single meeting world final...no room for error, not even an engine failure 2) strong opponents ie Briggs, Moore, Craven, Knutson, Plechanov, Crutcher. Could possibly have been 12 years running if the Swedish speedway authorities hadn't banned him in 1966, as he came back in 1967 and won his 5th title.

A few years ago in the top flight you had Belle Vue as a lone voice against the old guard of Ipswich, Kings Lynn, Leicester, Sheffield & Wolves with the lower division sides supporting an as you were policy as the top flight is where their big hitters come from. This set up saw Adrian Smith jump/pushed and be lost to the sport due to the cartel’s reluctance for change. We now have the best chance to make a difference as there are only Kings Lynn & Sheffield left of the old cartel. With regards promotions, Northampton & Ipswich are in their first year and Leicester have two under their belts so this added to Belle Vues ongoing crusade sees the balance of power shift. Don’t get me wrong it’s not going to happen overnight (though we pretty much did that with Northampton) but with these new alliances and Colman in particular I can see change for the good happening. Also even though Rob Lyon wears his Stars hat on match days, he is another who wants speedway as a whole to alter despite his paymaster, so he is another valuable ally in the quest for change. One thing for certain, if it doesn’t happen now, it never will.

Seventies music played over the PA……surrounded by pensioners with programme boards…..ah, takes me back…..to the meeting I attended last week!

Should show some commitment to the UK then!

They may have to initially cut their squad size down but they can't be affording to lose their top stars due to injuries sustained abroad. It's the only thing missing from the Polish model to make it a real professional sport and it surely must be what they're working towards and they're probably only one big tv deal away from achieving it... Having said that I've just watched the ZG Leszno match, ran in front of a big, young crowd... but they didn't even have a children's race during the interval (with the obligatory rabid dog chasing them all around)... think how much that would add to the gate, they've definitely missed a trick there 😉

Meeting off tomorrow at kings Lynn. With the recent hot weather they are concerned that the wooden spoons in the trophy room may catch light causing significant improvements to the stadium 😉

My favourite era was the 70s. Crowds were big and the atmosphere due to the big crowds was incredible, even for run-of-the-mill, very ordinary, bottom of the table matches. The racing is far better now than in was then. But today's racing in front of 800 people just can't match the atmosphere of a league meeting in front of 8,000.

Hopefully a lesson learnt for the new promotion. We all like to be kept in the loop with whats happening with our teams, but this should've all been sorted behind the scenes rather than out in the open.

I first went to Arlington in 1976, aged 10, went to a few meetings each season until 1981 and then I was hooked. Gordon Kennett, Kelly moran, what a top two and then next season we added Ron Preston and still didn't win anything!!

I don't disagree with that, but why post about it on an Ipswich thread ? Previous references to him on here have been accusations of him not pulling his weight away from home for Belle Vue and that he has other priorities. All you have done is to back up that theory. 😉

And 100% allowed to do so by British Speedway itself...

Would have loved to have been in my 20s in the 70s and known about speedway, all those tracks I could potentially visit, I would have loved to have been able to go to White City, Custom House, Rayleigh and Romford to name four off the top of my head. Lots of of teams, lots of riders, high in quality too, what’s not to love?

I would be amazed if he isn't... If one employer paid me ten times what the other did, I too would be exactly the same... Especially in such a dangerous profession, and even more so on the (as Craig Cook put it in last weeks Speedway Star), "always inconsistent" tracks of the UK...

Lambert/Holder i would imagine would be top seven in the GPs and top four in the challenge so you're already down to places five/six in the challenge.

Yet perversely the sport needs in some ways to be more like what he offers ie the club owner is also the stadium owner It would make the sport infinitely more stable if that was the case 85% of the time rather rather than the current 15%

Weather Channel forecast as at 9:30am Monday NO MEASURABLE RSIN BEFORE 9pm Then a 50/50 chance of light rain producing 0.9mm This one should be on! It seems almost like Buster is sticking two fingers up to Mayfield for their recent opinion and statement.......

It really is time for the authorities to charge Dale Allitt and Buster Chapman for bringing the sport into disrepute. Everyone knows they are looking at getting rid of Paco Castagna so are deliberately postponing meetings.

Interesting hearing Adam Ellis interviewed at SGP qualifiers Glasgow and saying he wants to come back later this season and ride in UK 👀

Back in those days, bonus points were included in the Green Sheet Averages. This made a huge difference to averages. (remember there are on average 10 extra bonus points in a 15 heat match). Also then, matches were 13 heats so the top riders likely met only once in a meeting. Nowadays with 15 heats including a nominated, top riders will meet at least twice. And with the 4 top riders all meeting in heat 15, someone is going to finish with a zero and take a big dent on their average. In the 70s, a top rider would go into every race with a reasonable expectataion of finishing second at worst. Also back then, leagues had 16 - 18 teams. They met only once all year. Nowadays with fewer teams and fewer riders, teams meet more often, so top riders clash more often. If was also quite common to turn up on a Saturday night in the 70s to find Peter Collins isn't riding tonight or Ivan Mauger isn't riding, because they had a lucrative Grasstrack meeting in Germany on Sunday afternoon. So riders might even miss their only league head-to-head of the entire season. (with no internet. no one knew they were missing until they'd paid their money, and no one seemed bothered). With just one bike strapped to the back of a car, no lower end rider had the equipment to challenge a top rider who may have a workshop at the track. If you want closer racing with a more level playing field, and riders meeting more often, then the current day is for you. If you want a few top stars for publicity purposes with the top stars artificially inflated to appear more dominant than they are, then the 70s are for you.