mikebv

It wasn't a perfect product for the top two leagues as it showed up all their own lack of perfection... A very reasonable entrance fee delivered value for money, watching riders willing to race on tracks less than 'spot on', who gave every race their all, with many just pleased to have the opportunity provided... And (no disrespect meant), given it was the 3rd Division, if it was a couple of contrived septets on display that you watched, it didn't really matter, as you weren't paying 'top dollar' to watch your Speedway.. And the development of the riders and the entertainment they produced was the key to your enjoyment... It was probably "too good" an overall packaged product, which the top two leagues (which are pretty much one and the same) couldn't compete with... Hence they took the steps they did...

Got to feel for Freddie....

Nige and Kelv blaming Berntzon for the Zupinski crash....

Great to see Tai starting well again... Pressure off maybe which will help, but as we go towards the SON it's good to see he has a bike he must be happy with...

He has definitely got many of them psychologically beaten before they race him.... And that is because he keeps getting away with that 'spearing the bike' at them as they move out and let him through... Nicki P would let his left leg dangle out, get hit, and slide serenely to the fence.... And lie there till Zmarzliks exclusion light came on.....

He only gave him a 1.0...

You can only get excluded in the 'shallow end'....

Amazing how many top riders basically 'crap' themselves when Zmarzlik aims his bike at them as they enter the bends.. Nicki P would have him excluded ten times out of ten...

Especially given his performances in the play off final in Poland.. Handled the massive pressure well....

Fireman Phil out again... (Norman Price driving the truck)...

I think Kelv and Nige have a different interpretation of that rule which includes "not when you were expecting to be hit"...

Ref should exclude Thomsen there... Just because Vaculik didn't crash he was still severely impeded...

Does seem ridiculous when you can clearly see the riders averages above and below their team position...

As clear as day....

Ruined so much of the racing through crap track prep... Obsessed with soaking every track he touches....

Fireman Phil gets the water out again... On such a dark, not warm evening it must be a nightmare keeping the dust down....

Maybe they could get a big hotel chain involved as the GP's will take place around the country... Maybe the Sheraton Hotel chain could be chosen as the exclusive hotel company to be used if they agree to sponsor the events..? The "Sheraton Hotels Individual Trophy" has a nice ring to it... And off the back of this, maybe they could advertise the event as the.... "Sheraton Hotels Individual Trophy Extravaganza"..

Are they now covering it?

And can also result in clubs getting lower crowds as they run more home meetings to cram them all in... Fans then cherry pick which to attend.. Particularly on the dark, damp, colder evenings.. Eg Workington suffered by being successful and having to run so many in one month due to losing some Friday fixtures.. Ironically, not always weather related..! As we often say so much of the issues of the sport is simply down to its own signed off operating model.. Which, with just a modicum of common sense and business acumen, could be resolved overnight..

I often feel that the Disney channel would be a quite appropriate place to show it too...

Spot on.... Use every week of the summer momths possible to run the leagues and then have a cup competition in October if they need to pad out the meetings to give the riders enough races to earn money.. Or, if that means too many meetings for the great many riders who DU during the summer months, at least run the top league to its conclusion in September so the 'flagship league' gets its best crowds and publicity, and leave the 2nd Div to run in October as now... "Let's hope the weather is ok" shouldn't be the most often used comment when discussing the play off finals...

Perish the thought...

On the same night at the same meeting....?

Correct... If Mountain does ok, one of the other 3 might want to use him later in the play offs...

You can see the logic.. Keeps the season going for those fifth, six, seventh and eighth and keeps their fans interested.. Within a match or two you could be in the play offs or relegated... Also, isnt the plan to extend the top league to ten teams? Maybe it will be done the season after? Meaning the seventh and eighth teams dont "coast" knowing no relegation rides on it... And obviously, the play offs bring big crowds, and I presume, very good viewing figures..