Aces51

Interesting tweet from Torben Olsen this morning. On my way to the National Speedway Stadium in Manchester to test something very exciting together with a new partner of SGP...

I accept that many speedway stadia and tracks no longer provide the facilities and good racing required if we are to attract significant numbers of new fans, let alone retain those we already have. What I don't accept is that it is impossible to get new stadia built. It was far from easy to get the NSS built and I accept that many councils will not contemplate doing what Manchester Council has done. However, I don't believe that Manchester are the only council that can be persuaded to provide a modern facility for a sport which has an important place in the history of its town or city and brings revenue and provides jobs for the local community. What is needed is the determination and ability required to persuade councils and local businesses to get behind such projects. Include whatever community facilities may encourage and enable councils to justify the project to their constituents and to help sell the proposal. However, a new stadium is no guarantee of success. It is a slow process to convince people that Speedway is a sport they will enjoy and want to support but a modern stadium and good race track is an excellent base from which to start. At the NSS we have much of what they have in Poland. A new modern stadium, not on the scale of some in Poland but nonetheless a stadium with modern facilities and a brilliant race track. Riders give 100% because the track is wide with many racing lines and because they feel confident and safe. Racing is generally of the highest standard and meetings usually completed in under 2 hours but despite all of that the crowds have not come flocking back. The numbers are up compared to the dog track but last year we averaged 1500, less than the numbers required to break even. There is no magic potion that will increase the crowds overnight but as more people see the quality of the product on offer and enjoy their night out they will in turn encourage others to attend and the more fans you have the more the atmosphere improves and fans enjoy it more. It's a cycle of getting new fans, they enjoy it, they sell it to their friends and it mushrooms. Clearly, many other things also need to be done to improve the overall speedway experience and vital to that is presenting a credible and professionally run sport. The BSPA have failed miserably and must have the courage and foresight to see that the current management model doesn't now work. Some had hopes that the Chapman era might change things for the better but unfortunately we still have no openness or transparency, rules which are not applied consistently and new back of a fag packet rules which last no longer than a pack of cigarettes. We shall never attract and retain new fans so long as the too obvious incompetence of the BSPA to regulate the sport sensibly and consistently continues.

The BBC forecast was wrong, forecasting no rain until 9pm and the Met Office got it right. The management made the correct call. Covers would save some meetings but would have been no help at all tonight. I can see why you say that because of Auty's performance at the NSS but he is inconsistent and Wright is a better rider overall and certainly so at PL level. I don't think there is anyone on Worrall's average who is likely to get close to his current scoring at Belle Vue but personally I would choose Wright over Auty because although Auty might do better if it's one of his good days Wright will more often score more.

I think you might want the BV v King's Lynn thread but the weather is ok at the moment but rain forecast from 6, 8 or 9 o'clock depending on which forecast you look at. The track usually holds up so long as it's not too heavy and doesn't affect visibility too much so maybe worth taking a chance.

It's nice to see the children playing. I can almost hear Shovlar giggling as he types. Might even keep him quiet for a bit whilst he tries to think of his next gem.

That seems to refer only to the initial team declaration.

Poole's own Comical Ali. It was only recently you were predicting an away win at the NSS and now it's a tough home meeting after we've lost Worrall, who has been showing he has moved up another step this year and has arguably been our best rider. If Poole are as good as you and some others have been claiming this should now be a relatively easy home win. Anything less and the spectre of another disappointing season may be looming on the horizon.

I think Shanes has the potential and his grass track background shouldn't be a disadvantage. Many youngsters progressed from the grass to the shale in the 60's, 70's and 80's. If he is prepared to listen and learn he would benefit from an experienced rider taking him under his wing in the way that Steve Lawson mentors Bewley.

Wright can be good at the NSS but not as good as Worrall. 7 from 5 rides on his only appearance this year. I would have preferred r/r with everyone but Cook able to take a ride.

The Speedway Nations Pairs event is on a Tuesday so it looks as if the NSS can be used although it's possible they have got special permission from the council to run on that day.

I think that Mark Lemon will wait until Steve has a better idea of how long he will be out before deciding the best way forward. Apparently, Steve is hoping to know more on Monday. R/r against Kings Lynn.

Reading the article Bachelor wasn't complaining so much at being sacked, accepting that it is not a problem if you disagree about something but about the way in which it was done, so close to the deadline for team changes as to deny him any chance of getting a team place elsewhere. He also makes some comments about Chapman which are similar to what has been said by people on here.

The Met Office forecast isn't too bad for Monday with no rain forecast after 7am until a 50% chance of light rain at 7pm. Let's wait until Monday before deciding it is certain to be off.

I'll point out again that Jonsson had an official average when he came back to Lakeside but it was reduced by the BSPA because he was no longer as good a rider as when he got that average. Can you not see a precedent there that should be applied for reassessing riders who's form has improved or deteriorated during their absence? Governing bodies are supposed to be consistent in the application of their rules otherwise the system is unfair and lacks credibility.

You know and I know that I was not referring to the GP rider problem but I suppose it was easier for you to pretend I was. Didn't Matt Ford confirm the supposed GP rider rule or have I and others imagined that?

Gordon Pairman made the comment in this thread and it relates to two riders in the current Poole team so it seems entirely relevant to make comments about it in this thread.

Just as a matter of interest Belle Vue won the track of the year award for 2017.

Particularly not fair, right or consistent when Gordon Pairman tells us that the BSPA reduced Jonsson's average when he came back to the UK because he was no longer the rider he had been. The consistent application of the rules would result in averages being increased for riders who have clearly improved since their last time in the UK and that is what should have happened. Of course you have to be capable of viewing things objectively rather than just subjectively to understand the harm this sort of inconsistency does to the credibility of the sport.

I agree. Excellent value.

Forcing riders to stay on their bikes didn't speed up anything. It just meant that riders spent the same amount of time gardening and moving back from the tapes but without dismounting. It also made no difference to the time they spent ignoring the Start Marshall's indications that they should move up to the tapes. As has been said, to make an effective difference all that is needed is a 2 minute clock and referees to disqualify any rider not at the tapes and ready to start within that time limit.

I think you call that a senior moment.

Sounds a bit like Jim Bowen on Bullseye when the contestant didn't win the main prize.. To misquote him; let's have a look at what you could have (won) seen.

I have a season ticket so don't use the ticket office but I think it opens at 6pm on match days. At the moment the forecast is dry for both Thursday and Saturday.

Shush! That means Shovlar is accusing Matt of smoke and mirrors.

I've got the DVD and watched it again a few weeks ago. it was a good meeting and at the time I thought it was brilliant but we've had even better meetings since. My personal favourite is the 2017 Peter Craven meeting. I've seen some better races in other meetings but the overall quality of the racing throughout that meeting was superb. The weather for Friday looks ok at the moment but obviously things can change.