mikebv

Can't believe Ipswich have been allowed to do this... Nowhere near 25% of matches completed... No point having rules... (Or indeed, regulations)... Is there? Might as well as give them the title now.... I blame Poole...

Not much of a secret is it? However.. That it exists means the racing will never be much cop.... Towards the end of the meeting, riders in front should have to ride mid track to keep up momentum, meaning the riders behind have options to pass... Instead it is "get in front and ride the white line", keeping as close to it as you can, even in Ht 15... Safe in the knowledge that the rider turning himself in and out behind you to try and find drive on the outside, will actually lose ground to you, and even risk losing that place as he is vulnerable to a pass underneath.. Therefore the rider behind might as well just "follow the leader" on the white line and hope that when the leader locks up to scrub most of his speed off, as you do at Monmore, that he hits some extra drive and goes towards the fence, giving the lad behind a free pass... Hopefully Eurosport will give it a swerve now for a few months...

In the 'days of yore'... When the inside went slick at Wolves the outside (mid track to fence) used to become fairly deep which allowed those riders with the most ability to hit the bends hard and use the dirt to propel themselves around opponents taking the easier, smoother ride around the inside.. Now the inside stays the line to ride for virtually all of the meeting, even though it looks slick, whilst riding the outside just loses you yards if you go out there.. Used to be quite a decent track even if somewhat "different" to the bigger, faster more rounded circuits, which seem to be more suited to the modern machinery, and riding styles of todays riders.. Still, Wolves won so their fans will be happy... 3/10 for overall entertainment though I would say...

When you can ride the white line in the latter races of a meeting and get miles more grip than those who go wide, the racing is never going to be much good...

Bet Sam has a "Castrol GTX" jacket...

I have twice so far nearly switched over to watch United.. It really is THAT bad...

Might just be a 24 hour bug...

You watching the snooker?

God. This racetrack is crap.... Back it in... Bring the arse end round... Virtually stop... Get wheels in line.... Ride down the straight... Back it in... Etc etc etc Rinse and repeat... Edit: Apologies. Just remembered. You have to ride these kind of tracks to become a World Champion...

Maybe they are doubling up as a parenting skills documentary too...

Maybe bring Dave Goddard in from Premier? Or Dave Rowe who is much better when he doesnt have to face the camera..

You would think that when a competitor withdraws that someone would at least get some detail to inform the viewing public with wouldnt you?

Just discussed the same with my lad . Nigel will be sadly missed.....

Anyone down the "straightaway" tonight?

Is there any bike noise? Its like watching the Premier coverage of Sweden and Poland... A world away from watching the actual Swedish and Polish coverage.. Like listening to E-Speedway...

Indeed.. I suppose you cant say "for those watching Speedway for the first time it isnt usually this boring, and there are a fair few tracks that deliver much better racing".. Not many would pick Wolves to do an "advert" for the sport would they?

Is there any crowd noise coming over on the broadcast? Or, is there simply no crowd noise?

When it is a bit damp it is usually better as the inside slickens quickly... Here's hoping.

The amount of laps the tractor did in the interval you would have thought he was...

To be fair to Rob Lyon he didnt look best pleased... Several shakes of the head and more than the odd eye roll and look skywards after some races were complete.. Bad day at the office...

They will get to heat five then start it again...

But it's being filled up with riders who are better than Div 2 HL level.. Let's hope NKI can ride on... Getting the top six teams to be clearly of several notches higher than Div 2 has to be a priority.. Using exactly the same riders wont ever do that.

It was, to say the least.. Brought a fair audible gasp from the grandstand as they smashed elbows and Kurtz hit the kick plate with his wheels and the fence with his handlebars... Incredible commitment given the scoreline, even if on a max...

45-45's can be boring and processional.... Some good races today... Panthers in front around first two turns a fair few times... When they managed to reach the first two turns obviously....

I've given up taking it seriously and, like today, just go to watch the Speedway.. When you can improve your team on a night by night basis, by signing a rider, and then never using him again as he is "injured" for the rest of the season, so you can bring in better, track specialist ringers, then worrying and arguing about team changes and "declared sevens" is very much a futile, wasted exercise... A few years ago, two guests were being swapped at "half time" in the Play Offs So they could ride for BOTH teams.. Hardly the "declared septet" of either team I would suggest... Enjoyed today, who won didnt really matter to me, the racing was good, several Polish top two division riders were on show, and the crowd decent... Alll good for UK Speedway having good crowds and having higher level riders than just Div 2 Heat Leaders solely on show...