Vince

The tracks where their survival is in doubt, if the rumours are true. If those tracks were to break away would others follow if it made their financial position more sustainable? So much depends on what changes are or have been agreed for next season but it is something I have thought a possibility for a while.

Probably not but that very likely means the sport is going to lose some tracks. I'm not so certain as you they will just accept that.

If you bought in a rule tomorrow stating that everybody had to use 2 valve uprights and ignored the redundant equipment and need for a completely new set up for every rider it still wouldn't save a penny. Speedway is an expensive sport but that's because of a combination of things and little to do with the basic engines. Compared to years ago travelling is far more expensive. The job market has changed significantly so it is harder to find a job that fits in with Speedway commitments, the chances of having an employer who is a Speedway fan so willing to allow time off for the sport has more or less disappeared. Plenty of riders hold down a job as well, many need to in order to subsidise their Speedway. The standard of equipment expected by promotions, fans and riders has increased greatly. We often see comments on here about how great it was that riders turned up with a bike on a rack on the back of their car. See how fans react these days when a rider turns up with scruffy equipment or even worse if mechanical problems cost their team a win and you'll realise those days are long gone. Just read through any team thread and you are likely to come across somebody saying that rider a would be ok but he has really slow bikes and needs to invest in his equipment! That's just rider costs, when it comes to stadiums and tracks H&S, utility bills, cost of transporting track materials, medical cover and a never ending list of other essentials that are getting ever more expensive all take their toll. Cost cutting isn't as easy as it might seem. I would suggest a standardisation of carburrettors, ignitions and clutches along with a rev limiter to increase reliability to cut equipment costs for riders. The saving from that in terms of reduced admission would probably be pennies rather than pounds. In reality the operating costs of Speedway are probably already pretty near the bone.

I can imagine that the BSPA might bring in a 'gentlemans agreement' not to use riders from a non affiliated league. However like most such agreements they make it wouldn't be too long before somebody desperately needed a rider or a really promising rider came through the new set up and a reason was found to use them. There might be a spell where young riders find it difficult to make the break through but it wouldn't be very long before the supply of new riders dried up for the higher level clubs. I'm not suggesting that this is the way forward for the sport but just wondering if it might happen given the rumour that the requirement for air fences will see tracks closing.

Insurance wouldn't be an issue, any of the current motorcycle federations are already set up to provide cover. International meetings not a problem either. It was decided in court many years ago that riders could hold licences in different affiliations so they could take out an ACU licence in addition to whatever licence any breakaway league required if they wanted to compete internationally. I really can imagine something along the lines of the current NL being run without the involvement of the ACU/ BSPA.

It would seem that there are more than a couple of tracks who are going to really struggle to be able to install air fences in time for next season. Given that will be a condition of entry to league racing under the FIM, ACU, BSPA are we likely to see a group of tracks running under a different authorising body next year?

Because they have found a place to 'grind their axe' anonymously and if they do so repeatedly it gives them a voice out of all proportion to their numbers?

Rye House practice cancelled this Sunday - 11/8/13

Closest to you are Rye House, Sittingbourne and Lydd. I have no idea about Lydd as never been there, Sittingbourne is a nice little set up, I think contacting clutchplate on here will get you all the info for that one or they have a website. Rye House is the one I have most experience of and I have seen that Andrew Silver is keen and willing to help young kids. You can get Andrew or Mia on 07821660695 for more information. Be worth a trip to Rye at the end of the month when they have the kids there, saw a couple of them practicing last week and they looked very promising. The final round of the youth championship is at Sittingbourne on 22nd September as well so another local meeting worth a look and I am sure the people at these meetings can fill you in on the finer details if you decide to get into Speedway properly.

I love motorcycle noise as well but unless all motorsports combine under a single umbrella to insist on their right to exist and make noise the anti's are going to keep making life harder for all of us. What I have seen of the likes of the FIM and the ACU over the years the anti everything brigade are going to have a pretty easy time of it!

Overpriced? http://www.sportsbik...content_cat/104 Suggests that current Speedway silencers are pretty well priced for such a limited market, you can't really expect them to be priced like a Ford Fiesta. Of course you could just bury your head in the sand and pretend there are no noise issues effecting motorcycle sport but the truth is that noise limits will continue to reduce in the years to come. You could get all the riders together and tell the FIM to shove it, would be perfect for any council wanting to close a Speedway track to be able to go to court and say that they are refusing to follow the rules laid down by the sports own governing body. Within ten year riders wouldn't need to defy the FIM any more as they wouldn't have tracks to race on. For good or bad times change and ways will have to be found to make the bikes work at new noise levels. As for the price of dirt deflectors and parts for them - I can't argue with that.

How about? Cheap entry for any youth competition licence holder into Speedway. Speedway clubs backing local events. Putting up a few trophy's for the local club to call one of their meetings 'The "speedway team name" Challenge' wouldn't be expensive but it would make a connection. Free Speedway try out days for youth competition licence holders. One of the things the BSPA really should have is a van and a few bikes that can be used for try out days and static displays. Needn't be expensive to run a couple of pitbike engined bikes and a couple of Jawa laydowns. Chuck a TV and generator in the van and show great racing at motorcycle events or big crashes at Tesco's and it should generate some interest. My favourite is for clubs to form or tie up with local Grasstrack clubs.

Whilst it is true that numbers of lads riding bikes on the road has sharply declined I would be amazed if the number of kids racing motorcycles isn't at an all time high. there have never been so many motocross clubs running meetings or so many proper mx practice tracks open in my lifetime (which is nearly forever!). Motocross is seen as being a cool thing for kids to do by their peers, Speedway most of them have never heard of. What has changed is that there is hardly any place for kids to take a rough old field bike and have a play. Nowadays their parents have to be interested enough to outlay for a bike,a means of transporting it and the time to do so. The days of a group of kids chipping in to buy an old road bike to thrash around a local woods have pretty much gone. Nowadays the only people doing that are bike thieves who don't care if they have to leave the bike and do a runner. When young kids show an interest in bikes all they want to do is ride them every hour of the day and that is something Speedway in the UK just can't offer them. The sport has to look at being part of whatever type of motorcycling kids are doing from when they start with the idea of Speedway being something you progress into at 14 or 15.

I agree that you should not dismiss the forum out of hand and that it could be a useful tool for the BSPA but I can understand how it has come about when you read some of the stuff on here. As far as only posting what you would say to somebody's face I can see nothing antiquated about having a discussion in an adult and reasonable manner on this forum. That is how the vast majority of the people who post on here would carry out a conversation 'face to face'. The majority would not be abusive to somebody stood in front of them, not because they are scared but because most people don't behave that way in normal life. There is nothing wrong with considered criticism and everything wrong with anonymous abuse in my opinion. Nobody ever took criticism well from somebody that was personally abusive, lied or had no idea of the facts behind their criticism. Of course it is about earning respect, both ways, posters on here by making their points in a sensible way and the BSPA by responding to that properly.

Would perhaps be more accurate from a Promoters point of view! Firstly I do think that Promoters could make better use of the forum and on some things could be more open than they are. However I also believe that you don't have to read through too many topics to see why they don't take the forum seriously. As an example if you were the Leicester Promoter reading the never ending thread about his club can you honestly say that your lasting impression would be about the sensible comments and constructive criticism offered by the vast majority of posters? If it were me I very much doubt that I would be able to see much past the continued abuse and personal attacks of a very small minority. That minority of posters who fail to credit the BSPA (an organisation which is made up largely of businessmen who have been successful enough to be able invest heavily in a sport they are passionate about) with any sense whatever and are pretty vocal and often abusive in saying so cost this forum any credibility it might ever have within the sport. For sure there are things in Speedway and about the BSPA that drive me nuts and I would like to think I know ways in which they could be improved. However my ideas for Speedway are just that and should they succeed or fail they will not endanger my business and quite possibly risk my families financial security. With those things at risk I too might be reluctant to rock the boat too hard. I understand how the 'say it face to face' comment might appear threatening but equally if people only posted what they would be willing to say to the persons face perhaps their comments might earn some respect. There is no reason to be abusive about people from a position of anonymity and /or distance other than cowardice.

Apparently Tim wanted to have the pits on the centre green when he built Newport but wasn't allowed, whether that was disallowed by the council or SCB I don't know.

I think you are right and there are degrees of legality. Clearly the most harmless offences are those that may harm oneself (like taking Cannibis or speed for instance) and the most serious those which may cause harm or even death to others (like speeding for example). I won't criticise you for speeding as it is something I do often, I won't criticise Michael Lee for his drug taking either and I don't do drugs or believe cannibis should be made legal. However what he has been convicted off - forget all the over the top theories about who gets paid etc - is as near to a victimless crime as it gets. Certainly alcohol, cigarettes and road accidents claim far more lives than 'soft' drugs.

I reckon the Pope need look no further than the BSF when he wants to install a few new saints.

It was just a joke!!!!!!

Driving past a busy school at 9am at 29mph is legal but very likely wrong. Driving past the same school at 35 mph at 3am is illegal but is it really wrong? Just to stay on topic, It's a nothing story as far as I am concerned, had he been selling it at the local track it would have been about Speedway but it's not.

I don't think either of the spectators were offended by the team names

While I am dreaming! 5 years down the line and we have team building rules that allow clubs using riders bought in through their own Grasstrack and training system given a 1.5 point reduction. Clubs using riders developed through others system allowed a 1 point reduction after paying a transfer fee that is paid directly to the developing clubs training arm. Foreign licence holders never allowed to drop below their assessed average. The average 5000 crowd at Speedway getting 20 overtaking moves on a manicured track for their £10 admission fee and all completed in 90 minutes (OK I'm getting carried away now!!!)

You are dead right, whatever they do the BSPA never get any credit on here. Swindon under threat and they now have a local MP officially on side. MP's made aware of the sport from the positive side and in a position to be lobbied and lobby for the sport more effectively. I thought it was an excellent piece of work from those who made this possible and the first posts are all critical without giving a single, sensible, reason why it could be a bad move for Speedway. It's little wonder that the BSPA refuse to listen to what is said on this forum when it almost entirely biased against them. A speedway riding secretary to an MP must be a first as well!

http://speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.21544

I have a fair idea of how Grasstrack works but there are nowhere near the amount of meetings or opportunities to practice available to riders that there were in the past and without a doubt the sport is in danger of disappearing. T Why any youngster would even contemplate buying a Grasstrack bike these days is beyond me, for the same money they can buy a MX bike and choose from practicing or racing every weekend throughout the year without travelling more than an hour or so from home in most cases. This has also damaged Speedway as the two were always closely associated and in my day (many,many years ago) Grasstrack was THE route into Speedway. Imagine if, say, Swindon and Poole were to join forces and set up a Grasstrack club where the emphasis was on the Junior riders. Neither track has availability for youngsters to practice but between them they could probably rent fields inexpensively because they are bound to have some landowners or their associates as customers. The rest is relatively inexpensive to set up and the riders still pay entrance fees so the financial outlay could be kept low. If they ran half a dozen meetings during the season and the same number of practices off season perhaps it would be an incentive to get kids away from MX and onto Grasstrack. If they knew that their heroes (the Speedway riders) were going to be around to help them and they in return had access to the pits as mechanice a couple of times a year there is even more incentive. Throw in second half rides for the top 4 in each class and discounted entry for members and their families and it becomes an attractive proposition. Get Eastbourne and Lakeside to do the same thing and suddenly Grasstrack riders in the south can be on their bikes every other weekend and the sport is once again worthwhile doing. Roll it out across the country and in 3 or 4 years you have a thriving Grasstrack scene and a healthy supply of talented young riders who want to race Speedway........well it's a good dream!