mikebv

The fans have been saying it's been too grippy this season... The two matches I have been to were not as good tonight as the tracks were heavier.. The best meetings this year I have seen were two Colts meetings ran on much slicker drier tracks .. Tonight was more like the NSS racing that it's become well known for..

It was on the telly.... Looking at the pictures, if the grandstand holds just under 1800 I bet there wasnt 400 sat in there.... And many of those who were would have been season ticket holders.. Maybe 250 to 300 max on the back straight...? That's the play off trade off for you though... They have qualified so no point going until the play offs start as any match is now a dead rubber.. I presume the hope is that the "bumper play off crowd" off sets any losses in the meetings leading up to it..? Not sure it does to he honest, but I am sure they know what they are doing.. Although given they knew it was on TV and that the school hols had finished, maybe some promoting of the event at the last couple of home meetings may have helped? And even possibly they could have sold you a half price ticket for tonight if you paid in full to watch the Colts last Friday? Certainly no FOMO for anyone watching....

Almost as good as that Kings Lynn fans' chant from a few years ago that.... What tune is it sang to?

Tracks shaped like the NSS with wide sweeping bends deliver very ptocessional high speed racing when too grippy... With each rider flying around the inside like they were on rails... Even when prepared 'slick' the NSS makes it's own "dirt" on the outside as the meeting wears on hence the outside line comes into play, whilst by the kerb there is still a bit of material to use.. And the slick track from the outset means all the track can be used given the width of the bends...

Great from Howarth...

Presume no "specials" were done? Even letting those who stand on the back straight have a seat (if they wanted one), for no extra, would help give a better impression to the viewer... The camera that will be possibly used most tonight (the one showing the start from the infield ), is showing rows and rows of empty seats... Don't promote very well do they....?

The crowd looks shockingly bad. ...

Hopefully a nice dry, slick track which hasn't been over watered..

The main reasons the top guys no longer ride over here are several fold I would say... The Sky money, which went a long way in paying the No1 dried up... And Poland started paying multi hundred thousand euro contracts which meant riders could put their feet up for most of every week and not be required to spend hours at airports and in hotels flying back and too to the UK.. And then the GP's extended in number, and the SEC became worth taking part in, meaning that riders could have most of the week to prepare for them (after they had rode in Sweden on the Tuesday).. And, given there isn't a huge amount of prize money in the GP or SEC, you can only presume that the worldwide coverage provides their sponsors with enough of a profile to keep pumping in money to the riders... I am not sure Promoters are 'cowboys' to be honest, but more likely just not capable of running the sport.. eg When they should have cut adrift the GP riders and made their own destiny, they instead changed race nights, moved around fixtures ad nauseum to accomodate them, and ran Guestfest after Guestfest without them when eventtally they simply had to run to fit meetings in.. Crowds were dwindling whilst the top stars were here so to keep paying out massive money to them was pure folly....

I think the reality lies somewhere in the middle... When riders can only ride in their own country, (due to the rules imposed to get a licence), Poland, and one other, it will make it difficult... As all the riders that this will apply to are the "second and third level" riders rather than the top ones who can only ride in one league outside Poland, (with only Dan Bewley and Jack Holder the only ones choosing the UK), it means exactly the calibre of rider needed (and equally the ones who are affordable), are the ones that the UK are missing out on.... Many Swedes will choose Denmark as their third league, and vice versa, with many of the Northern European riders of France and Germany also doing the same... There is no doubt though that even with the issues that exist out of their control, much of the current malaise is very much self inflicted....

I believe a black and white carpet has been stolen out of their trophy room.. Only thing in there worth nicking seemingly. ..

Stock cars at Odsal came back in no small part to a good many "volumteers" who gave their time and their technical skills (and materials), to assist the promoter in setting up the track... A great many of whom were stox enthusiasts who wanted to play a part in getting an iconic stox venue back up and running... I am sure amongst the followers of Newcastle Speedway there will also be several "skilled" technicians who may be able to give up some time and resources to help build and power any "grass roots" venture which would at least keep the Diamonds in existence at some level.. Buxton was a good example whereby a "very basic" Speedway delivered something for many years that was far greater than the sum of its parts, and I would be very surprised if it "cost the earth"... An "entry level" stadium with basic facilities, but with a (very important), decent shaped track, might be doable maybe?

Every meeting will have to be at Plymouth... Edit. Just thought the BSPL will no doubt have a cunning plan to ensure the large tracks can also host electric Speedway... They will attach a huge extension lead to each bike and plug them in.... (Only using official extension leads endorsed by a former World Champion obviously)....

And no fixed gate positions either, meaning a No1 could choose the best of the two available to his team if he wanted to... And (usually), only 4 races a night, unless getting put in an "easy" race as a Tac Sub against a second string and a reserve..

Brilliant Woffinden.....

Great Race....

Sad news... R.I.P. Bob....

It appears strong because it's full of Div One heat leaders.. However, a lot of these Div One heat leaders would have been at second string level 20 or so years ago in the top division as to be a heat leader then meant either you were a GP rider or an International riding in the World Team Cup or in Test Matches..

As I said, I truly do believe there are many, many more people who dont attend regularly (but still call themselves "Speedway Fans and remain very keen followers of the sport), than do go each week... A huge market to attract back as it clearly is out there.. You see many discussing how they can get "new followers" interested, yet it would be much easier to just get the "ex regulars" back . I would suggest at most tracks a minimum 50% rise in attendances with many tracks having over a 100% uplift if all those who have basically "given up on British Speedway" came back to it..

Each club could have an enormous budget, and set a 50 point limit.. There will still be teams (rich teams in this scenario) that wont be able to compete due to a lack of available riders to fill all the teams.. Heaven knows what would have happened if so many tracks who have closed over the past decade hadn't done so... It would have been "best pairs" every week..

But why should British Speedway be impacted by what the FIM do? Most riders over here dont even compete in the FIM events.. The top league in the world runs at weekend and works its own domestic programme around the FIM weekend meetings.. Seemingly without any problems whatsoever.. Sweden have Tuesday and Thursday. Denmark have Wednesday.. And Poland have Friday, Saturday and Sunday.. The UK elects to have Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.. With Monday and Thursday being exclusively the 1st Div race nights.. Many clubs could race Friday, Saturday or Sunday I am sure but unfortunately as they share riders around with each other it is unworkable.. And as we know you do need guests (it's the law), so too many racing on the same night will mean no guest riders available.. And therefore less meetings for the riders.. And both leagues racing on the same day/night at weekend, would also mean dozens of riders having to be in two places at once.. A difficult skill to achieve... In short. Their very own operating model that they choose to run has a far more detrimental impact to the sport in the UK than any FIM meeting planning... By a huge margin..

Speaks volumes about what was "on offer" doesnt it? Why pay to watch contrived septets in a competition devoid of credibility or status, when you have already paid Sky and can watch it at home? Out of 5 of us who used to attend pretty much each week, up until 10 or so years ago, only one now does so regularly, with the rest of us getting our fix by watching the TV and taking it in turns to "host the evening"... We will though all go to Cardiff and several of us will go to Poland to watch League racing and GP's, as well as attend FIM events over here.. And "if the weather is nice" we will visit a few tracks on the odd occasion.. Cant beat a bit of "live" Speedway now and again can you?.. I (and the others), would still go every week if the leagues werent ran so 'Mickey Mouse' and actually had some kudos in winning.. And there are more than a "fair few" out there like me I would suspect who just need some persuasion to attend again... (A "fair few" that is more than actually currently attend I would suggest).. And by "persuasion", I mean those in charge actually running the sport properly, either in a league system or in an individual one.. Either way, make it mean something and many who "used to go" regularly, and still keep a very keen interest in the sport, might start to attend regularly again. One thing for sure though.. To keep doing the same thing every single season isnt an option surely is it?

A few precious riders that Promoters over the years have used to fuel their own ego's by wanting and having them in their teams... Often needing sponsors to supplement these riders' salaries due to a fanbase drop that these riders didnt actually prevent from dwindling by their presence.. And they were/still are, also happy to swap fixtures around to suit these riders, at the (often literally), expense of the fans., or run contrived septets when these lads were/are not available.. (Which became/is still, pretty often).. The majority of fans these days dont really take the competitions seriously but love watching the racing, so clubs should just run on the best night they can get their largest crowd.. And only sign riders who can be there on these nights.. Let's face it, the vast majority ride in both leagues now, and quite a few end up representing most teams in both leagues through guesting so there isnt any real credibility to what they run.. So just do it when most of their fans can get there.. Make the best of what you have...

Maybe it's to let his brother ride? Or his nephew? Or is he U21 so already there? (Or maybe he just can't be arsed)....

You wouldn't. .. It would be based on averages... Averages that invariably the more experienced and better riders (old heads), have higher than their less experienced and lesser capable counterparts.. At the moment some clubs in Div 2 have three of these riders, which is too many if you want a more equal, affordable league, and also means less places per septet for developing riders.. Interesting to note though that age is actually used at RS level as a criteria determinate...