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Based upon tonight the reserves should be Anders Rowe and Dan Thompson even just to give them the experience of being in the GP build up both I thought rode very well

Forget the past. Bomber is value for money wherever he rides. And let's just exam the facts. He was that close to being crowned British Champion on the same track the GPs are going to be run.

Talksport (Hawksbee and Jacobs) actually talking about the BF!!! And how it destroyed Andy's long held theory that "first to the first corner wins"...

being a belle vue every week ive seen some great meetings, but last night was the best ive seen, even ignoring the final the racing was brilliant

All interesting views I'm probably with Mike BV, with the shut down of so many clubs over the years the premier league has become a non event as you can already see barring injuries who the top three will be, with Lynn and Leicester vying for the final spot so a lot of people will just think I will just go to the semi and play off final. Throw in seeing the same riders week in week out guests galore, r/r I don't go to speedway much now but was a regular when Lynn had Loram and Lofquist at reserve every week you had world class riders coming and you knew if you missed them you most likely wouldn't see them again that season. Travelling down to Coventry for the british final when regularly over 10k would attend the place was rammed great atmosphere, now it seems struggling to get 1,500 people to the same event. However back in the late 80's early 90's Sky tv was in its infancy, Netflix, Disney Plus didn't exist, Xbox's/Playstations weren't invented, bowling allies, multi plex cinema's bars/restaurants weren't massive chains like today. The fact that Cardiff had gone from nigh on 50k to low 20k is also telling, I think sadly for the sport it will be a continued managed decline if Birmingham and Sheffield don't start next year I personally think they will have to with one big league of 12-14 clubs, 5 man teams at a standard around the current championship. Okay you would lose loyal great riders like Doyle and Kurtz but I don't think for many clubs crowds would drop much lower and people wouldn't have to put up with a guest fest if most of the riders were UK based and clubs could dictate the race night more than having to fit round gp stars. I would imagine in the perfect world no club would really want to run on a Monday or Tuesday, the other option as Mike mentioned is you maybe just have open meetings once a month and do away with the team side of things, again I can remember ten years or so back going to a world team cup qualifier at Lynn which pulled in 5k so demand is there for the right meetings. I sadly think today there's to many other things competing for peoples dollar and unless you get the much awaited big chief in to try and turn things around who's got 10-30 mil available to buy all the stadiums the return of the glory days are a pipe dream. Might be worth contacting Amazon and seeing if they would be willing to do a series like Clarkson's farm where maybe they front the money for Alan Sugar to try and turn a club around. Still when its run well the best sport ever in my opinion the final four heats in the world cup final a couple of years back show what a great spectacle it is when you have a decent track and riders who are at the top of their game.

I can't wait for the 2026 British GP at Plymouth.

A real pity they didn't split the wild cards, one each for Wright and Harris would have been good.

It cannot be ran at Poole... As everyone knows, the people of Poole only go out on Wednesdays....

Yeah i think that would have been fair, they both deserved it

Have you been in the South Pole for the last 2 months and not seen the thread about the Belle Vue GP’s ? latest i think is Saturday sold out and not many left for Friday.

Start of the day I’m saying the British final needs to be moved away from NSS then I watch that live. What was I thinking. unbelievable racing all night. Not just the final. But the final was special. Best race I’ve ever seen live. NSS is perfect when it’s super slick. Let’s hope we keep Morris away and keep it slick for GPs. well done lambert. Actually glad someone other than Bewley won to shut up the people that say Dan is a cert to win it. well done Wrighty. Great to see a local lad in the GPs on his local track. But tonight. Speedway was the winner

Gutted for bomber

Awesome racing all night,with fantastic Final.Well done to all riders.Think it would have been fair to give the Top 2 non Gp riders 1meeting each in GP.

That was ridiculous! If that's the last Speedway race I see, I'll die a happy man 😮

The video should be sent to every Sports editor of any TV and Radio station on the land plus every newspaper. Before anyone questions the radio suggestion all stations have social media so video can be shown.

Exactly this, you’re making 90% of all league meetings irrelevant for the sake of 6 meetings at the end of the season.

Thanks for responding... I must say though this thread has been quite tame, you should login to a Poole one when they're on telly 😂

Matt Marson is hardly a young man. His first UK season was 7 years ago and he’s sadly not progressed beyond NDL level. He’s scored 2 points from 12 races for Poole, both gifts when Barker fell at Plymouth and Kerr retired at Oxford. This gives him a home average of zero, away of 1.33. it was brave of him to accept the offer of a CL place, but it can’t do his confidence any good being so far off the pace. So maybe he’s relieved to be let go?

There's not 1 reason, I had been a handful of times and went to Cardiff on a few occasions and always kept up with the SGP but during lockdown I felt like I missed something that I only really dipped in and out of so decided to go to Plymouth a few years ago and felt the sounds and smells that I had grown up with. Makes it easier when you come from a Speedway family to get other family involved, I went to 3 GP's last year and I have Warsaw and the SON booked this year so I am enjoying being a part of it again. It makes it all the more enjoyable for me knowing how small the community is. If only I had time to help Plymouth out in some way as I wouldn't want to lose it down here, we are lucky to have it. If a sport like Darts can become as big as it is I hope speedway can have some sort of resurgence. I couldn't agree more, this thread is a hard read, I am genuinely embarrassed for grown men have paid to watch the stream and have taken the time to go online and tear it apart as they watch it. I was at the meeting and so was my 8 year old and he loves every minute of the racing, it may not be the speedway the dinosaurs used to watch in the 80s but the volunteers at Plymouth put their all into getting the meetings on and the unkindness on this thread is honestly embarrassing to read. I just don't understand in one breath you can feel so bad for the state of British speedway but then rubbish every effort that is made to keep it going year in year out at Plymouth. The catchment area of fans in the south-west has huge potential and the social media team has put in a noticeable effort this year, having ridden grass-track and been the mascot at Reading back in the early 90's I hadn't watched or been involved in Speedway since, after moving to Devon Plymouth speedway is the reason I have gained an interest again and I have introduced family and friends that will no doubt go in the future. Either lift the sport up and promote it positively or stop paying your money to watch it.

I couldn't agree more, this thread is a hard read, I am genuinely embarrassed for grown men that have paid to watch the stream and have taken the time to go online and tear it apart as they watch it. I was at the meeting and so was my 8 year old and he loves every minute of the racing, it may not be the speedway the dinosaurs used to watch in the 80s but the volunteers at Plymouth put their all into getting the meetings on and the unkindness on this thread is honestly embarrassing to read. I just don't understand in one breath you can feel so bad for the state of British speedway but then rubbish every effort that is made to keep it going year in year out at Plymouth. The catchment area of fans in the south-west has huge potential and the social media team has put in a noticeable effort this year, having ridden grass-track and been the mascot at Reading back in the early 90's I hadn't watched or been involved in Speedway since, after moving to Devon Plymouth speedway is the reason I have gained an interest again and I have introduced family and friends that will no doubt go in the future. Either lift the sport up and promote it positively or stop paying your money to watch it.

I only got into speedway 3 years ago now due to getting into a relationship with my Polish girlfriend and when I visited her in Gorzów she took me to a home meeting and it got me hooked (vs Falubaz) I just wish more could be done to promote it on a national scale here. People (including me) do like a back and forth I’ve noticed, about clubs and some digging/banter, but genuinely everyone has the same outlook that they love speedway. Our passion just needs to be pushed to a wider audience and nights like last night need to be key for promotion. She watched last night and loves British speedway now, before she didn’t even know anything about it. Genuinely the sport needs to just have people’s eyes open to it, instead of trying to search for it.

That was an excellent meeting even before the final which was just unbelievable, I think you'll be waiting a long time to see another race like that. Credit to all 4 riders, it's a shame that one of them had to miss out on the podium. Really disappointed for Harris, I didn't realise it had been so long since he made the top 3 until they mentioned it. Would love to see him win one more before he finally calls it a day. Not a fan of losing Cardiff but can't deny that the prospect of having 2 GPs on this track is very exciting.

Next year run it on a Saturday at 5pm and EVERY club promoter (apart from the Aces), sponsor a coach for 70 of their fans to attend... You could even do some "cut price tickets" that they have to purchase when they get the place on the coach.. A £20 ticket and free travel? Surely every track would get 70 there as a minimum? And, any track not having anyone qualify/not want to ride, could just support Bomber as he will invariably represent them at some stage that season... Be a bit like the old fours at Peterborough where loads of teams' fans were there in numbers, giving the event plenty of atmosphere and stature... 1000 or so from around the country and 2000, or more,Aces fans in attendance... That would be more fitting for the No 1 Domestic Event of fhe season...

When Lakeside had a rammed stadium when admission was free, did all those people keep their experience to themselves when meeting friends and family and then did everyone have collective amnesia? The attendance the following meeting was back to a typical speedway event. Make no mistake people know about speedway, they choose not to attend. I’ve taken many many friends and family members to speedway over the years but they don’t return as they don’t like it, it’s not because they forgot.

A video of the final race should be kept permanently on the GB Speedway website. When any potential new fan looked at that, they couldn't fail to be impressed. A fantastic race with no quarter given by all four riders. When you watch it again, you can almost imagine them smiling under their helmets - they were having fun out there!

Got any facts to back up that claim? Where is your source? I strongly suspect (but it's my opinion, not fact like you're claiming) that more people watch speedway at Oxford than at the NSS, considering they stage many more meetings and appear to have comparable crowds.

Ritchings 2016 GSA was indeed 3.00. His scores: 34 rides, 16 points. So he received the then minimum assessment of 3.00. Given the antiquity of the average, reassessment of his NDL figure and the dropping of the minimum average, 2.00 seems appropriate.

More people watch speedway at the NSS during the season than at any other venue so to lay the blame of a sparse crowd at our feet is very unfair. This is the first time in ten years that the crowd has been disappointing and there are circumstances that have resulted in this. The travelling fans who don’t turn up anymore I remember coach’s from all clubs for the BLRC at Hyde Rd or a Coventry British Final but now pretty much nothing. It’s not just about travelling fans though as local fans from other clubs won’t support an individual meeting like this or the PCMT. If they did then other clubs would run such an event. Speedway just isn’t popular anymore and thats the cruel reality for us. People say advertise but we have done it all over the years - you name it we have done it. Even people who know about speedway don’t attend as they don’t like it enough and thus pick and choose. Anyway, what an awesome nights racing and a fabulous final. That should be the benchmark for ALL venues. Forget tinkering with the rules or mucking about with fancy suits and bike covers etc. Sort out the racing and I for one would be parting with my money at away tracks as I’ve done in the past and I’m not alone. Gate ’n’ go is a killer for an exciting sport like ours. Sort it out!

I don't think many people will make the effort and/or pay what's necessary to travel to Manchester on a Monday. Certainly from Ipswich it's not doable without an overnight stay. When I travelled with my son for the WTC a few years ago, we shared the driving, stayed overnight between the meetings and drove straight back after the Final - we were both knackered. Only the people who really, really, really want to attend will do so. PS: I haven't been able to watch it yet, because I'm in Belgium and the Discovery+ app refuses to work with the VPN that I use.

If you read another post you would have seen I said I can’t make it as I’m in Ipswich, on a Monday that’s almost an impossible task when you work Monday / Tuesday, Belle Vue is an amazing track, just totally out the way for people down south on a Monday night. Then you have to rely on the locals filling the stadium.

WOW !!! What a final !!! Lambert, Wright, Bewley and Bomber Harris take a bow - that was some Final !!! 🤘👏👏👏👏🤘

That’s that state of GB speedway.If you were really that keen you would be there too.

That will go down in history as one of the best speedway races EVER!

wow Bewley bottles it when someone shows him the back wheel. never going to be wc.

Busload of us Bandits fans went on a southern tour in 1987. Tuesday Milton Keynes v Berwick, Wednesday Wimbledon v Berwick, Thursday Arena Essex v Berwick, Friday Peterborough v Berwick, Saturday Canterbury v Berwick, Sunday Rye House v Berwick. Tragic thing is we are the only ones currently running.

You've clearly not watched speedway at Glasgow.

I heard they passed the audition to star in Bonnie Blue next shag fest going under the names of Shagnasty and Smuttly

Perhaps because Foord is next in line from the semi final. [Any more drop-outs and Ablitt is next]

The normal northern tour was Edinburgh friday, berwick or worky saturday, glasgow or newcastle sunday

As a matter of interest, what stopped you going between the early 90's and today?

Zach Cook is at 5 for Poole. Poole will win this. Only place Scunthorpe will be stronger is reserve. For Scunthorpe to start winning away, Harrison has to up his game away and Lambert and Allen (Barring his display at Redcar) need to up their game completely.

after watching the final last night and with the two GP's coming up at Belle Vue, I for one cannot wait, will be like a breath of fresh air compared to Cardiff.

This was a fantastic advert for the Sport, but the bottom line is the travelling support nowadays is just not there.Crowd levels at most tracks in Championship are in the hundreds not thousands majority of supporters are middle aged or older.Irrespective of race day or advertising the Stadium was never going to be anywhere near half full.Quite sure a lot of fans watched it on TV though.The glory days of GB speedway are long gone.

If it is a historical average then he would be re-assessed as I dont think he has ridden at 2nd tier level in recent years.

I still don't understand, did Poole seriously expect more from Marson? I guess from their actions, they did, which seems an unusual error on their part... Everyone else knew!

I'm pretty sure he was expecting both moves and even surer he'd have done exactly the same if the roles had been reversed. Furious with himself I expect.

No he wouldn’t. Wouldn’t be able to miss the gate like he does here and reel the GP boys in.

Can I vote for good racing and a good crowd for what should be a showpiece event?

I miss the days when there was a sufficient amount of clubs to have northern and southern tours. Am I correct in thinking the northern tour for most southern clubs would involve Armadale on a Friday night, Shielfield on a Saturday night and Ashfield on a Sunday afternoon?

Latest Press Release from Save Coventry Speedway & Stox. AS the Rugby Local Plan consultation continues, the Save Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign Group are pleased to reveal details of the Consortium seeking to take over Brandon Stadium and restore it for motorsports use. As will be detailed below, the Consortium have already had several meetings with the Campaign Group, along with both parties having formally met with senior representatives from Rugby Borough Council on two occasions this year. To provide some brief background to the current position, after Rugby Council’s Planning Committee unanimously refused Brandon Estates’ planning application, that decision was upheld by an independent Government-appointed Planning Inspector following a public inquiry. With that decision confirmed in January 2024, the owners had a period of six weeks in which to issue a legal challenge. When this was not forthcoming, the Campaign Group turned its attention to the ways in which we could transition from the necessary process of opposing planning, to focusing on the pathway towards the restoring of the stadium and the return of motorsports, assuming of course that control of the venue can be secured. The speedway side of the equation was already in place as Matt Ford, the sport’s most successful promoter over a period of two decades, has declared his wish to promote Coventry Bees and had given evidence at the public inquiry. However, we have always been clear that the ongoing sustainability of Brandon is dependent on speedway and stock car racing operating in tandem, and on that basis it was crucial that we secured a stock car promoter. There are only five promoters of BriSCA Formula 1 stock car racing in the UK, and these promoters own all the dates on which meetings can take place. Those dates are then allocated to the venues at which those promoters operate. Over spring 2024 we therefore reached out to various parties who we felt may have an interest in being involved, with an initial meeting taking place in the boardroom at Nationwide Windows and Doors in Rugby last July. Further meetings and communication with the Leader of Rugby Council, Michael Moran, followed until the Consortium was formally established at a hotel in Manchester in January 2025. The Campaign Group have continued to work closely with the Consortium in order to facilitate meetings and provide the local knowledge required, but by the same token the Consortium is also acting independently in terms of the professional and legal work needed to push things forward. The Consortium members are as follows: GRAEME ROBSON: Based in the North-East and the owner of G & T Robson Agricultural Buildings, undertaking earthworks, fittings, plumbing and electrical work, and erecting around 12 buildings a year. He also recently manufactured the new 1,000-seat grandstand at Skegness Raceway. RUSSELL ANDREW: Based in Buxton and owner/director of freight transport company RR Andrew Ltd, concrete manufacturing company Kwik Mix UK Ltd, and three coach transport companies. He also has a working farm of approximately 150 acres. Mr Robson and Mr Andrew are promoters of all forms of stock car racing, including BriSCA Formula 1, under the Yorstox name, and are currently operational at Odsal Stadium, Bradford. LYNDON RUSHBY: Based in Staffordshire, and owner of Rushby Developments for the leasing of commercial property, and Jones Biomass which dries material for production into environmentally friendly wood fuel briquettes. Last year Mr Rushby sold one of his companies, Jones Skip Hire (Wolverhampton) Ltd in a multi-million-pound deal, and he sought to purchase Birmingham Wheels Park, which was subsequently sold to Birmingham City FC. WARREN HUNTER: Based in Preston, and Managing Director of Huntapac Ltd with a turnover of approximately £55m/year growing, harvesting, processing and distributing root vegetables to major supermarkets. Mr Hunter had already made an approach to purchase Brandon Stadium prior to being known to the Campaign Group, and he made a formal offer in May 2020, before appearing as a witness at the public inquiry. JOHN WHALLEY: Locally based in Rugby, Mr Whalley is the Managing Director of Nationwide Windows and Doors, one of Rugby’s largest employers, with an annual turnover in 2024 of approximately £46m and forecast to grow to £58m in 2025. Other business interests include Jooced (Jooced Custom Sound and Vision), a cinema and home automaton business undertaking bespoke and tailored installation of high technology products. We hope that by providing the names and credentials of these individuals, this will give supporters confidence that the dream of restoring Brandon for motorsport is underpinned by serious businesspeople who possess not only the financial capability but also the organisational and technical expertise to turn our dream into a reality. With a business plan in place, all are firmly committed to the vision, and the over-riding reason for their involvement is their passion for motorsport and their desire to see the stadium return to its established use. Gaining control of the stadium and restoring it for motorsports is not only the outcome desired by tens of thousands of motorsports fans in the area and beyond, but is also the best outcome for local residents who have suffered for nearly a decade whilst the stadium has been left to deteriorate, and the overwhelming majority of the local community, who have also made it clear they do not support housing development. The Campaign Group and the Consortium recognise the inconvenience and trauma that the closure of the stadium has caused and undertake that on taking control, the first priority would be to secure and tidy up the site. We have kept Cllr Moran informed throughout the process and place on record our thanks for his proactive stance towards hopefully reaching a solution. From the outset of our talks with Cllr Moran, he has insisted on a dispassionate, professional approach to resolving this longstanding issue. We have been fully content to proceed on this basis, and we have continued to furnish him and his team with information regarding our and the Consortium’s aspirations and intentions. We urge supporters to continue to contact the Council with their messages of support for Local Plan policy item W1(B) which seeks to provide full protection for the stadium. Please e-mail your messages to localplan@rugby.gov.uk with ‘Preferred Option Consultation’ in the subject line; or responses can be sent by post to: Preferred Option Consultation, Development Strategy Team, Town Hall, Evreux Way, Rugby, CV21 2RR. Whichever option you choose, you must include your name and address. Responses must be received by Monday May 19.