Aces51

Jakobsen and Lambert certainly gave 100% and looked impressive. The track was very wet following all the rain including a downpour after 7pm. The drainage again showed how good it is and in the circumstances the racing was OK. Some passing on the 3rd and 4th bends of the first lap as well as the usual on the 1st two bends. The wet heavy shale made it difficult to pass on later laps but there was some close racing. Considering the terrible weather and the absence of NKI, Robert Lambert and Cook I didn't think the crowd was too bad. I suspect many thought it would be called off.

The league table I'm looking at Swindon are in the top four and Poole are fifth. I'm not saying Poole won't get into the play offs but with Poole currently fifth Coventry have got an even tougher job.

Still undecided then.

An enjoyable meeting. The track was slick and the outside line just wasn't working but still some close racing with some good races. Wolves didn't give up, Lindgren looked fast in his first couple of races and was worth more than he scored, Thorssell battled hard all night and Kylmakorpi had his moments. I was surprised at how poor Howarth was, he was the best EDR at the start of the season. For the Aces a good solid performance. Fricke was superb, Cook rode well and it was a shame having passed Lindgren that he made a mistake coming off the last bend that let him through for the win. Nicholls seemed unlucky to be excluded in heat 6, he certainly got a nudge from Lindgren going into the first bend, Steve Worrall acquitted himself well in a heat leader role, refusing to be intimidated by Lindgren who was in close contention in the rerun of heat 6. Jacobs also did really well and makes those calling for his head in the earlier part of the season look foolish. It's good to see the fear coming from some of Ford's disciples. Not too sure about that, no Fricke and a question mark over Bomber's current form. Although I still think we shall win.

Hansen may well score as many as PK would, maybe more if he gates and Morris is probably an improvement on Clegg on current form and at the NSS. I can't see r/r scoring as many as Masters might have done. The new improved Fast Freddie and Kylmakorpi should like the new track. 3 points for the Aces.

I know Bomber usually does ok but he's not exactly on form at the moment. Fricke is a significant loss and again the question is why are these matches arranged to clash with events like the World U21 and the Slovenian Championship. I think Aces will come away with all the points.

I think the problem is not free admittance to former riders but that some expect those who come with them to be admitted for free as well. I may be wrong but I think that is the problem at Belle Vue.

And that could be one of the reasons why crowds are generally so poor. Once people find something else to do on the weeks with no fixtures they can easily get out of the habit.

Further information from the Belle Vue website about tickets and access to the stadium. Supporters attending the 2016 British Final, scheduled for June 13th at the National Speedway Stadium, please note the following information applicable to race night:... Tickets for all areas - Grandstand, West and South Terrace - may be purchased at the Main Reception from 9:00am - 4:00pm. Please note after this time sales transfer to the Ticket Offices. Ticket offices will be open from 5:00pm in the Main Grandstand and 5:30pm in the South Terrace for ticket purchases, and all turnstiles will be activated from 6:00pm. Ticket Purchases and Collections for the Grandstand and West Terrace (Turn 1) areas are located at the Grandstand Ticket Office, adjacent to the Main Reception on Kirkmanshulme Lane. Ticket Purchases and Collections for the South Terrace (Back Straight) area is located at the South Terrace Ticket Office, on the South Car Park near the turnstiles on Pink Bank Lane Ticket Collection Points will be located independently of the main ticket offices, and will be clearly marked "Collections" for your convenience. Your ticket will grant you entry into the stadium via the applicable electronic turnstile shown on the ticket, for example South Terrace tickets will grant access via the South Turnstile. 2016 Belle Vue parking permits will be valid for this fixture. All remaining on-site parking and St. Peter's School will be for those wishing to take advantage can do so at a cost of £3 per vehicle. As we expect a large crowd for the 2016 British Final, we advise fans to allow plenty of time to arrive and collect and/or purchase their tickets to gain entry into the stadium complex. Heat 1 will commence at precisely 7:30pm. There will be no delay to the start of the meeting.

Racing at all levels can be good or poor. The NL meetings at Belle Vue have been excellent. However, it is a fact of life that more people, particularly newcomers and casual supporters are more likely to be attracted to the highest level available in their locality. That is why the Aces draw much bigger crowds than the Colts and why Poole drew much bigger crowds than Bournemouth. That is why this idea of a super EL with only a few teams and the top riders, meeting home and away once and then those clubs running a PL level team to fill the majority of weeks of the season will not work. The small hardcore of fans will attend meetings at both levels but the casuals and newcomers will only turn up for what they will see as the first team, not for the reserves. We know the sport was in serious decline when the top riders were racing here and that crowd levels were such that we couldn't offer anything approaching the money on offer elsewhere. Why do people seem to think that their return now would increase crowds to a level where they would, at the very least, pay for themselves. It is time to accept the financial realities and to cut our cloth accordingly. The sport has to live within its means to survive. Many changes and improvements need to be made. Promoters need to ensure that the sport is run more professionally. Chapman's new rule book has to be clear and concise, rules have to be interpreted fairly and consistently, teams have to retain riders from year to year, riders committed to the UK so fans can identify with them and the presentation at meetings has to be slicker and more attractive to the younger generation. A combined league at a slightly higher level than the PL, either run as one league or, if necessary, divided into those who can afford the costs at that level and the rest at a lower level. A league which would involve only one match home and away with each other team plus a KO Cup would soon produce is own stars and the standard would improve over time hopefully, with mainly British talent. The casuals and newcomers, who have probably never heard of Woffinden, Janowski or even Hancock, would simply see it as the best league in the UK and that is sufficient to attract them. Some point to the failure of a combined league in the 1990's but that was down in part to the failure of the EL clubs to share the top riders. It worked in the 1960's when there was a fairer distribution of riders and almost overnight a lot of top second division riders, Mauger, Brown and Monk to name but a few had developed into stars of the new league, more than able to compete with the stars of the old first division.

Under 18's are free at Colts meetings and it's only £10 for adults and £8 for concessions. The racing has been excellent and it's a good way to try to get new fans interested.

I don't think we need it anymore. However, I did hear that Matt has offered to pay for a holiday for Colin Meredith and suggested we use the services of the Poole track curator and his patented hole and wavy surface machine. I think we'll be ok though, Colin isn't too keen on a week in a caravan on the Wimborne Road car park.

I should have bought a lottery ticket this week. Some good races with plenty of passing although not as many as on Monday. Steve Worrall was exceptional, winning heat 9 easily despite starting 15 metres behind. Cook was also on top form after his first race blip and it was good to see Jacobs get a race win. Zagar was unfortunate to have engine problems when leading and showed his class when picking off Jonsson in heat 13. Lakeside put up a good fight, none of their riders were dominant but all put in workmanlike performance apart from Kerr who struggled in the 1-5. It looked to be a good crowd again, about double what we were getting at the dog track. Greater Manchester is a huge conurbation but the problem is the number of other major entertainment attractions available. Hopefully, the excellent facilities and good racing will mean that new fans will be attracted by what they hear and be more likely to come back when they see what is on offer.

I'm sure he would, riders rarely turn down an opportunity to earn a little extra. I thought it was a done deal he was going to Poole.

Thanks, we all make mistakes.

Perhaps seeing so much of Rosco made it an easy decision.

This was my only post on this topic so I've no idea what you are on about.

I I think Bridger could be the difference, if he scores anything like 15+ it could be very close. If he doesn't ride well then 50-40. Fricke is in outstanding form at the moment, effectively 7+1 from 3 rides against Coventry, as he pulled up expecting a re-run when Sarjeant got away with a blatant roller, whereas Kennett is an unknown quantity at the new track, so difficult to be sure who will be the greater loss but I think it will be Fricke. If the racing is anything like Monday we shall be in for a treat whatever the score.

I haven't done an analysis but could one of the main reasons be the change of rules that prevents using a guest for second strings?

I did think it odd myself that none of the usual avid Echo readers had posted it. I saw it on Twitter at about 8am but didn't bother to post it then as I felt sure that one of the Poole fans would. I posted it over 4 hours later when I realised nobody had.

That was last week, this week he's a home rider so will have the same concerns as the rest of the team.

Which is probably why nothing has been done to put it right.

The adult standing entrance fee is £17, so even with the booking fee it is no more than the £18 that some EL clubs charge for poorer facilities.

From little acorns ......... Let's hope so. I've seen good comments from people who hadn't been since the Hyde Road days and from people who had never been before. It was a great advert for the sport so let's hope some return and that word of mouth brings along others.