Halifaxtiger

More like 2 and a quarter. The delay at heat 15 was annoying but the track grading and watering was fine with me...………..then again, I was at Sheffield yesterday.

Had that many times at the NSS. Just shows what fantastic race track it is.

Big crowd, lovely weather, cracking meeting Highlight for me was Bewley's win over Masters in heat 11, a huge effort for 4 laps and just got past on the inside. Big shout for Wells, too. Struggled a bit recently but was impressive today. Usual excellent presentation with Chase the Ace going nuts Another shout for Andy Meredith, superb race track and the only noticeable dust was in heat 15.

True, but the NSS is so wide (particularly the bends) that they are less likely. At the NL meetings over the weekend, there was just one faller at Belle Vue compared to 4 at Mildenhall and 7 at Plymouth.

Sheffield got out of gaol here. Not in terms of the result, but on something far more important - attendances for possibly the rest of the season. Make no mistake, the first 11 heats were bloody awful as race after race was a strung out procession from the gate as the dust slowly took over, aided by a bizarre decision not to water the track at the interval (although it may have been that the surface was so bald that water would have made it dangerous). Then Bates charged through in heat 12, followed by Worrall being caught by Howarth and King, followed by a brilliant ride from Kennedy to beat Bates in heat 14. In heat 15, we had a truly superb, text book team ride from Nicholls, as Bates gated and Nicholls sat in behind and held King & Howarth at bay for 4 laps. Those last 4 heats might just persuade some to come back. Had they been more of the earlier 11, many would not have.

Very poor at Belle Vue on Friday. If he's not cutting it in the NL, he has no chance at Championship level.

I think you have a point here. If a meeting is delayed for whatever reason everyone should be told. Poor show if they are not and while it isn't a big issue, little ones add up. I should add people were queueing outside at start time at Scunthorpe on Friday but Rob Godfrey announced the meeting was starting on time anyway (it actually started a few minutes early). I think that was a mistake. Few mind waiting for a short period in such circumstances - especially as it was blazing hot - but some who miss races might be put off. Belle Vue always delay the start if people are outside. As to the bits I have put in bold, absolutely bang on. There are, however, some very encouraging signs that the pervasive 'get what you are given and be grateful' attitude is changing.

Depending on who the missing rider is, you do have a point. Using a junior for Kemp would be ridiculous, damage the gate and probably not do the junior much good. Using a junior for Bowen is very different.

I call it as I see it too. Its not always popular, but there's no hidden agenda either. If people don't like it or believe that I do so for malice, I couldn't care less. Many on here are biased for the club they support. That's not just natural, its inevitable and I don't usually have a problem with them. The ones that get me are those that never go (usually they did at one time but don't now) and rarely do anything but slag the sport off. Their opinions are clearly motivated by prejudice and can often be disregarded - its most difficult to comment on speedway (other than by hearsay) if you don't actually attend and see for yourself. There is a lot that could be improved and those who do go have every right to be critical when its called for. We are all concerned about the low attendances and reported financial losses. But speedway can be very good, too. I have commented on the Belle Vue/Stoke thread just how impressive yesterday's meeting was, because Belle Vue did pretty much everything bang on. Have a great weekend. Kent v Belle Vue should be a cracker. PS If you get the chance, take in Isle of Wight. They have nothing short of a model approach to making a success of a track. PPS I once saw Mr Rogers smash the pits phone at Glasgow in a (justified) fit of temper

I think yesterday Belle Vue hit the sort of family atmosphere that Isle of Wight have become so renowned for (and most justifiably so) where the entire focus is about customer experience. That's a massive step in the right direction. You can't please everyone all of the time, but you can have a damn good try.

Nonsense. Belle Vue started at 1pm yesterday and Scunthorpe at 5.30. At both (especially Belle Vue) it was very hot and breezy. There was no dust at Belle Vue and very little at Scunthorpe. Neither track had a blue line and the racing at the NSS was decent, at EWR very good. I am not aware that Andy Meredith or Rob Godfrey have a magic wand, so if they can produce good racing strips for riders and customers alike so can anyone else. I should point out that the crowd at Belle Vue was the biggest I have ever seen for a Colts meeting and at Scunthorpe it was at least double that of last Sunday (word was they ran out of programmes). Bank Holiday afternoon meetings work extremely well if you can be bothered to put the time and trouble in to make sure that the track is up to scratch.

Good meeting Scorpions very solid indeed with Ayres (apart from a reckless move that poleaxed Kennedy) very impressive. Furious efforts from both reserves deserved more points. I had Sheffield down as odds on favourites this season but that was not in evidence yesterday as they were too inconsistent. Big credit to Rob Godfrey for the track yesterday but he really must get someone to do that or the mic (and for heavens sake, not Roger Westby). I like him doing both but in a meeting that's just not possible.

At Belle Vue, Palin, Rathbone and Woodhull all had extra rides. All up to standard and all developing. What on earth is wrong with that ?

I thought this was a splendid meeting for a number of reasons. First of all, there was a very healthy attendance - certainly one of the biggest I have seen for a Colts match - and it was brilliant to see so many youngsters there. That's certainly influenced by the low entry fees for adults and letting children in for free, so credit there. The racing was decent enough, and its always encouraging to see some of the youngest riders put in excellent performances - Flint and Palin especially this afternoon. I have never seen Perry or Coles give up in a race and they didn't today, so it was more competitive than the score suggests. Hayley, Neil & Chase are the best presentation team in British Speedway and with games and free chocolate for the children, interviews with the riders and Chase's usual antics they proved it again today. There was also the most welcome sight of Adrian Smith working the crowd - something I very much approve of. Finally, on a very hot day with a breeze 10 out of 10 for trackman Andy Meredith. There was absolutely no dust at all, no blue line and you could clearly race on the surface. Major effort to attract fans, decent racing with young riders, superb presentation and interaction and an excellent track. They are four factors which, if copied, might just turn the sport around.

I usually expect something a bit special at Scunny and this was merely good - especially Allen's brilliant pass of Wells in heat 11. Big credit to Rob Godfrey - and referee Phil Griffin - racing through the meeting on a freezing cold day. Nielsen & Auty impressive for the Scorpions and Kinsley deserved a lot more for some big efforts without reward. Heeps was also impressive but slightly disappointed with Pickering as he is usually brilliant to watch at EWR - I don't think the somewhat slicker track conditions suited him.

I can't believe the other night when we were talking about this I somehow forgot about Scunthorpe. I was reminded in no uncertain terms yesterday

Worth going just to watch Pickering.

You can easily park on the road side at Belle Vue. Been there dozens of times and not paid to park yet. There are some places where you virtually have to use the stadium car park - Glasgow, Edinburgh, Eastbourne, Poole, Peterborough spring to mind - and pay for it.

I think that merely serves to show just how difficult it will be for him to get a top flight place here - injury seems the only way to me, and even then I suspect other options will be considered first. I'm a Cook fan - and he's anything but an average rider - but he was stupid with Peterborough. True, he had a point. But in sticking to it he halved his speedway earnings overnight and massively lost out as a result. Instead of thinking it through he behaved petulantly and he will be counting the cost all season. I really don't know where he goes from here but suggestions that he shuts his mouth and just gets on with it seem pretty good advice to me.

Personally, I'd say a proper businessman is someone who cares so much about his paying customers that on a freezing cold night he goes round handing out blankets and hot wheat pack hand warmers, not someone who charges almost double what his competitors do and 25% more than some two leagues higher. This is especially at a time when speedway desperately needs to show that it represents good value for money and that fans are valued and not simply to be fleeced for as much as possible. One of the main reasons why speedway is in the desperate situation that it is is that fans have been taken for granted for years and that sort of entry fee for that standard of speedway is a classic example. The much maligned Buster Chapman deserves a huge amount of credit for the entry charges at King's Lynn, Ipswich & Peterborough and letting under 16's in free. I suspect, however, that he got the idea about free entry for U16's from another club. No prizes for guessing which one, but its the same one that gave out the blankets.

Unlike many places, paying to park at Glasgow & Edinburgh is pretty much a necessity.

I think the frightening one is that Leicester is £8 cheaper than Kent.

Good summary I thought the gate was frighteningly low, although the Wednesday meeting, freezing cold weather and the football will have had an impact. Brilliant to see Bewley back and winning races, Fricke and Bjerre imperious and there was a most encouraging performance from Lidsey. Peterborough were never far away but, you're right, the Aces didn't look like losing. I was going to complain about the interval after heat 13 given how cold it was but as Bewley had two on the trot, the track needed work and the meeting was sorted by 9.05 anyway it would seem rather worthless.

And yet at the fans forum Adrian Smith said that in the school holidays gates on Mondays were bigger than those on Fridays (I was surprised, too). I certainly prefer Thursday-Sunday with Mondays being a virtual non starter, and that's just due to work commitments. A late night at the start of the week has prevented me from becoming a Belle Vue season ticket holder (and I suspect I am not alone). It will be very interesting to see what Thursday night attendances are like at the NSS. Workington were hit hard by the stupid and selfish decision to change their race night but their gates had been poor and they had been losing shed loads for years. Even if they had been allowed to run on Fridays it would have made little difference to their financial situation at the end of the season. Buxton, too, couldn't make weekends pay, so its not necessarily a cure. Having said that, moving from weekend racing destroyed Rye House.

Isn't the case that there will be hospitality boxes and a suite there ? Where are all the people that usually stand on the terracing going to go, as its usually pretty full on Championship riders night ?