GeneralMelchett

Really good to see some of the lesser lights seeing the the Witches to Victory - Keynan Rew already seems a much more confident rider to last season and I am sure he and DanT combining in heat 14 to mke the win secure will have boosted their confidence no end! Jason seems to have picked up last season at Foxhall! I knew Brennan would be solid for the Brummies - they just need a win as right now they are certainly competive and in meetings until the end! Credit to everyone getting the meeting competed before the curfew as well - there was some grumbling on the live updates forum about Ambulances etc but I am pretty certain if it was your releative that need to go to hospital you'd be more than happy to wait! and edit - Adam Ellis two great meetings at home so far!

I think all the early call offs last year proved ultimately correct - well those weather related ones anyway!

Absolutely the right decision lashing down now - no chance this could have been on!

It seems that I am a curse to Sheffield this year - not in losing but in rain offs - thats 2/2 for me this year - could have been to, and was planning to attend both meetings so far in 2024 - I suspect it will be the right decision although no rain so far today, it is supposed to do so later this afternoon.

I think they will yes but conversely Zach Cook a blinding meeting for Wolves at Foxhall last year and Brennan will score a few as he is fairly decent at Foxhall

sorry I meant from the Birmingham perspective in that swapping out someone for Flint etc or putting Brennan in

Should be a fairly routine win this - but you never know!

Rock, Paper Scissors then?

Good to see a decent crowd. The news on the BSPA site has an image which shows a decent number of people alonmg the home straight etc. Might try for a trip down myself sometime. I suspect peoples views of the super heat maybe defined by the success, the Witches had a couple of decent results from it last year, however if there is the agregate BP then yes it seems odd to have both systems. Like someone posted above I am not sure if any team subs / changes late on would have affected the final result.

Lots can and will happen between now and Sept / playoffs etc. but we don't need anyone to do a Kings Lynn from last season and be so far behind its over for them halfway through the season. When you are ten points up at home not to get the win seems little careless but Sheffield do have a very strong top two (like Ipswich) I intially felt Birmingham will struggle and that will mean a dip in the crowds (they need good results now to keep the crowds interested) but this result is encouraging from their perspective. Sheffield have 2 top riders - Tai seems to be starting the seeason really well - Jack will probably be stronger at Owlerton than away from home but even so there is enough there to suggest they will be in the mix come playoffs. I rather suspect than JP and CH will swap positions sometime after the first set of averages changes. One final question how was the superheat received? It has its critics but the one i witnessed was exciting and well received by the crowd!

It does appear that a much more professional evolution is beginning to take place - this is good! irrespective of Tai's comment or getting the sun etc. Lets hope that this continues. I actually thought the programme at Ipswich was very good last night too, it was a glossy production with a much wider outlook to it, more pages and more like a football programme, or at least how I remember football prgrammes used to be - I haven't been to a live football match in England since about 2016. Again if this is a sign of the sport modernising and becomming more professional then I am all for it!

The one at Ipswich seems to be placed so when viewing from the 2nd bend grandstand and someone is stood partially in the way of the clock ive mistaken it for a red light on more than one occasion. Still bespite the doom and gloom there is a lot to be hopeful about - the season launch event looked good to me and both Ipswich and Oxford seemed to have good crowds last night and the season seems that it will be fairly evenly contested based on results so far - I am not sure if Ipswich picked up any Panthers - I did see one Pathers jacket last night at Foxhall - lets hope a Peterborough solution is found. I passed Alwalton turn off on the A1 on Wednesday and i did think - such a shame that the EoES has gone!

Struggled initially as Kurtz and Bewley started the meeting so well, big difference to last season (so far its only one meeting so lets not get too carried away) was the solid middle order - Ellis seems a very decent no 2, Rew did enough at 4 and the Reserves both were solid / promising. Heats 12 and 14 were often a weak spot for the Witches last year conceeding 1-5's but tonight it was 4-2 and a 3-3. Kurtz and Bewley aside Belle Vue were fairly weak - Lidsey was a surprise never seemed on it tonight. Nicholls wa s asolid guest - yes with Jason the Witches would probably have won by more Enjoyable first meeting, decent crowd 2k+ I would say and one or two very good races. Give Bewley his due he found a lot of speed to go from 3rd to 1st over a couple of laps in heat 6. Once Emil started winning tho it was all over. edit - a Great Performance from Danny King too!

So selfish - congrats to them anyway! hopefully Scott will be an adequate replacement he often scores very well when guesting to whilst not at Doyle’s level should be enough

Last year in the round 1 Fixture the Witches didn't have much backup to Emil and Jason and the Aces won the match effectively with a 5-1 in heat 12 which was a real bad heat for the Witches on more than one occasion last year! In the 2 Fixture it was much closer but Kurtz, I think, surprised most of Foxhall when having been on a 5-1 in heat 13 shot out of the traps to win heat 15 - again the Witches conceded a 5-1 in heat 12! Kurtz managed to get 2 wins against Emil and Jason last year which was probably about as good as any visiting rider at Foxhall v's them - so definitely no room for complacency. However on the plus for the Witches is no Charles Wright for the Aces who seems to go well at Foxhall! Still looking forward to it!

Looking forward to my first meeting of 2024 since the Kyle Howarth testimonal was postponed. Expecting a Witches win but Belle Vue took victory both times last year and in Brady Kurtz they do have a rider who can and will pop out of the start and stay there so no room for complacency!! Wishing good seasons and injury free for all in 2024!

Buttons meant 4-12 for Doyle!!

I felt for him as in a fair few races he would be placed after the first lap but then greater track craft or whatever would mean others would get past him - shame as if he could have held on and scored a few more points confidence would have been better etc - in the end the right decision was made - I recall moaning about it at the time but Dan proved a really good addition until his injury!

His Foxhall form was sensational for the last 2 seasons but last year he had 0 last places at home! from 57 races 150 points! I suspect he has a few more seasons in him yet too! Injuries permitting. One of the best bits of a meeting at Foxhall is hoping he misses the gate which he can do and then work his way through from the back!

TY for that - I had heard it was 2k per tv meeting but wasn't sure if it was 100% correct - seems it was!

In itself tho that is slightly ambiguous - was it 5m over 5 years or 5m per year - it could be read either way? I read it as 5m over 5 years so 1m per season? Spread out over 10 teams that isnt so much. I seem to recall that one ex promoter hated sky matches as the fee per match didnt cover the lost revenue (as the gate always dipped) and disruption to the smooth running of the meeting. Thats early 2000's from my recollection. what is also good to read is this - giving you the viewing figures https://www.methanolpress.com/sky-sports-british-speedway-viewing-figures-2002-2009/

Let’s hope so - I saw him a couple of times at Owlerton last year and in one meeting if he gated he won fairly comfortably - in the other he was struggling badly.

For those that might be interested there is an interview with Adam Ellis in the star this week a short summary is (edit actually its now last weeks WE 27th jan) 1/ He wasnt surprised to be ditched by Sheffield last season he felt things were going well on the continent but not in the UK for whatever reason. He even contemplated quitting the UK scene and focusing on the Polish league and other stuff. 2/ He suspects his GB call up for the WC was due to him riding in Poland - 3/ He is optimistic for the season ahead and is looking foward to riding for Pila and having Hans Nielsen as his TM. he is also keen to get going back at Ipswich - he also feels riding with Doyley and Emil will benefit him.

Without doubt that was not the finest moment of many people - including a fair few on here! Damn good rider at his very best and enjoyed seeing him ride on those 2 season he had at Ipswich - I wish him a long and happy retirement.

agree they look a lot better Tobias alone will be worth going for lets hope his attitude rubs off on the rest of the team he never gives up - the good news for Stars fans is they are cup semi finalists already in 2024! They are still over 1 pt below the limit however!