a4poster

Apologies if this has been posted but here is a link to Torquay fans forum - some of whom have been doing a little research - https://www.torquayfans.com/viewtopic.php?t=8858

Interestingly enough Torquay United are planning a protest on March 23rd against Uncle Clarke and the way he is running the club. They are appealing for supporters of other teams to also attend. I though I would post as Speedway supporters - in particular Swindon fans have heard this rhetoric before - https://www.torquayfans.com/viewtopic.php?p=279169&sid=20a07a7fbe98e9570c60e7994d2caa24#p279169

Thank you Oliver Holt on the excellent article in the Daily Mail. Now as a thought, would't it be nice if he followed this up with an article about the going ons at Swindon? Perhaps the new proposed development at Torquay United and out-of-twon stadium by the same owners?

In this week Speedway Star is a survey for readers to send in their thoughts about the magazine. No doubt this forum will have many lapsed readers who for one reason or another stopped buying on a weekly basis. You can fill out the survey online - link on the main page of the Speedway Star website - and return or even use this link if you don’t want to ruin this magazine by tearing the completed page out. ** My only gripe with the magazine are the regurgitated backtrack interviews that no doubt many Speedway Star readers would also being subscribers to BackTrack have already read many or if not all of these interviews!

Once again it is a Thursday and no Speedway Star delivered. Over the last six weeks I have it delivered just once on Thursday, three times on a Friday, once on a Saturday and once on a Monday. I was prepared to give the Royal Mail the benefit of the doubt with it being Christmas but this is getting beyond a joke.

On todays Devon Live: https://www.devonlive.com/news/news-opinion/torquay-united-give-guarantee-over-8998975?fbclid=IwAR1_JyZOnu-rWd1o-Z1CFaxMOIsjVxzSTzgavcWYdSq2toqRKtLqgqdm3_M Sounds familiar doesn’t it!

From todays Devon Live: Clarke talks about the new stadium!

With the SON being back in Manchester for 2024 can anyone tell me if Team GB get seeded direct to the final? Thanks in advance.

Oh dear, this story has a familiar ring to it. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/67380185.amp For anyone who doesn't know Plainmoor (Torquay's ground) is in a prime re-development spot - a new out of Town stadium has already been mentioned! From the outside it looks as though the Club is being run down as they were in the Football League a few years ago but now find themselves facing life in the seventh tier of English football.

With Christmas looming large on the horizon are there any new Speedway books being published? If not Christmas any in the new year?

Thanks.

Thank you very much for your reply. I wasn't sure if it was possible or not. My next question then, if one of the top eight scorers after the twenty qualifying heats has had to withdraw from the meeting, would the semi-final they should be in run with a rider less (i.e, three riders only) or would the rider in ninth place be promoted to that spot. Thanks again.

During a Grand Prix do the meeting reserves points count towards the overall standings. For example, if for some strange reason a reserve ends up in the top eight of the qualifying heats (1-20) would they go into the semi-finals? If not would the 9th placed rider do so? Also, if this were to happen worth the reserve rider get the Grand Prix points? I.e, 1st, 25pts etc. Thanks.

Hi, does anyone know if there is a coach running to the Pairs at Oxford the night before the Grand Prix? If yes, has anyone got details? Thanks in advance.

I know he doesn’t have to but I wouldn’t it be a tremendous boost for the British Speedway if Woffy did ride in the British Final. An event that has held such prestige in the past but has seen it sadly diminished since the inception of the GP’s.

From my point of view if Woffinden performed to the level that is expected of him we would be World Champions and Messrs Allen and Stead would be lauded as tactical genius' as we are only talking about a two point swing.

Nah, not a chance. Just watch the annual backslapping and everything in the garden is rosy attitude when the Cardiff GP comes around!

Hi, can anyone tell me about dates of any future grasstrack meetings in the south-west this spring/summer? I know about the guys at Roche, but are there any from Bristol down, Bridgwater? Also Wimbourne.- do they have any meetings and is the Whoppa still held? Thanks in advance.

Does anyone know when and where this season’s (2023) Premier League Riders Championship is taking place?

I feel for Torquay Does this sound familiar?

Yes, many a happy Saturday afternoon were spent watching ITV's World of Sport. Personally I think the demise of the show - that had made many riders of the time household names - it also had a massive detrimental effect on the sport itself, as Speedway not only disappeared from our TV screens (for a number of years) it also disappeared off the radar of many people's minds, this coupled with the damaging News of the World scandal a period the sport has never recovered.

Thanks for the reply. We are going to try and make it quite early in the season before the Eurosport coverage starts. Ideally would love to go back to Belle Vue but if for some reason - weather/other we can flip over to Wolverhampton. Well that’s the plan.

Has anyone any idea when the fixtures are released? I am looking to schedule some away tracks to coincide with a few other trips.

Has anyone looked into creating a Speedway Supporters Trust with a view to bringing back the sport too Brandon. Supporters from all over the country could buy into the project regardless of club alleigiences. This trust could call itself the National Speedway Trust with individuals paying a monthly fee. It’s aim would be to bring defunct tracks back or help bring new tracks to fruition. The trust would have stakes in any track that was bought back until it was deemed to satisfactory to sell - once tracks are back they simple wouldn’t be handed back to a individual or promotion.

Any news on how the meeting went?