IAN2

Predictably after reading The Speedway Star this week their is little chance of the sport turning the corner with self interest controlling and all pulling in different directions, according to Jon Cook all is well with little need for change, sorry but get real, you Sir are not paying good money to watch the product served up, not a patch on years gone bye.

I see that Kent have lost their main Team Sponsor in CTA Fire after two seasons, does this mean the Kings have got a better deal lined up for next season? CTA Fire are now sponsoring SITRA the new Club formed at Iwade to promote track racing for all ages in the area, good for them I say, as for Kent are they losing their way on promoting.

The SCB did absolutely nothing about it.

Why should their be, when they also use Lydd.

Of course Jim Lynch is correct has he got a degree in stating the obvious, will He be listened too as he has not got a vested interest now, I very much doubt it, Speedway is a closed select Club whereby you go with the majority or sink without trace. Speedway as it stands is well on the road to ruin and without massive change its doomed, those with the money will cut and run and in my humble opinion will have to re-invent itself from grass root level and a much lower standard, but with better closer racing at an affordable level, which it most certainly is not now.

If you open the new Website you will see that the SCB does not licence the track anymore and amateur flat track racing does figure in future plans.

The Speedway ' Out of Control' Bureau should be ashamed at letting this venue go, more fool them. Onward and upward away from stupid regulations designed to destroy the sport of grass roots training circuits.

Until the sport is run by a totally independent governing body it will die a slow lingering decline, no question. Will it ever happen no. Until the sport dies back to grass root level and re-invents itself we will all have to endure infighting and financial suicide. Our only answer is to vote with our feet until the message hits home where it hurts in the pocket.

Yes but the changes to the Arena line up did not state who was being replaced and Kent's changes were posted very late in the day especially as Benji Compton was obviously not going to be fit in time.

Looks like their are changes to the line ups but no information forthcoming from the Kings to let us all know.

The Official Kent Kings Facebook page says the meeting was called off due to a waterlogged track, did not state if the water came from the sky, the ground or from watering, but it was off before 12 noon. I got sun burned all day long, so the water did not come from the sky.

Notice no mention of the track or lack of it, Blue groove was in fact a runway producing little overtaking and giving no hope to any would be racer from the back, yes the track did not fall apart but then nor should freshly laid concrete. Worrying also the crowd levels seem to be decreasing week by week, better Promotion needed sooner rather than later.

Excellent gesture from Chris Louis for free programmes for each of us on the coach from Kent. Good public relations and Promotion, a little goes a long way in my book. Also a thank you to Robert Henry for coming up to us at the end of the meeting thank us all for our support,adding to the atmosphere of the meeting and giving Connor Coles our best wishes, sadly our loss and Fen Tigers gain. Our own Promotion could learn a great deal from these gestures of good promotion.

Such sad news of the passing of Malcolm Simmons, thank you for helping us and rest in peace now.

RIP Simmo and thanks for the memories.

As a follow up the latest position with the Club is the S.C.B. are holding a meeting in June to discuss Iwade's position as regards to Insurance, Air Fences and Amateur events and practice. Would like to think Malcolm's article in Backtrack has in some way helped our position and we are moving forward with the whole process.

Yes Tony what Malcolm had to say when he visited us just a month or so ago was from the heart and very passionate about the way forward for the sport in this Country, to say he was upset at our plight would be a gross understatement. I understand Malcolm came home from hospital yesterday and all of us at Iwade would wish him well.

Best wishes to you Malcolm and your wife June and thank you for calling in at Iwade a few weeks ago to chat with us all about speedway in general your thoughts are always well received.

Yes a statement from the club will be released in due course when details have been finalized.

Predictable miss matched whitewash, sadly its a case of win at all cost or follow the correct 3rd tier ethos of training the youngsters.

Very well posted and got to agree on all points, did not want to blow my own trumpet,but never a truer word spoken, thank you .

First Tony, so nearly messaged you about could you help with an article in Backtrack,so we are thinking along the same lines, thank you for the thought. Ray,not going to shoot you down in flames, a very valid point,Kent Kings as they are called down the road at Central Park agreed not to use the name Sittingbourne as we use and have rights to the name Sittingbourne Speedway at Iwade. I use the name Iwade on this site as an old time supporter to show we are two different tracks within a very short distance. As Kent are in effect a sister track to Rye House promotional wise, they are always going to use contracted riders from both tracks, especially as Rye have a training school, so in that sense it is a problem. In an ideal world we would feed Kent with up and coming riders if we had a tie up with them. In the future if we survive at Iwade and Kent Kings are granted more than the 3 years left on their planning consent,they may well move up to the Premier League,then giving us a chance to return to the National League, that is my personal hope.

Sadly we do not know how long it will take to resolve the issues and if we could give a timescale we would ,but would add it is in everybody's interest to get the track up and running again as soon as possible.This track cannot be lost to the sport under any circumstance and would like to thank those who wish to see it remain open and prosper in the future.

Yes Graham Arnold is still at the helm.

Can confirm Sittingbourne Speedway ( Iwade ) has not closed. Their is no on track activity at the moment due to a number of reasons namely a Full Planning application which is going through as we speak, the air-fence issue waiting on the S.C.B. for written clarification, insurance for amateur racing and medical cover during events.