mikebv

Off to Cornwall for a weeks holiday in July, so hopefully will take in the Leicester match.. And then Poole on the Wednesday maybe (not been given permission yet, but to be fair, it's because I haven't mentioned it yet...) Will be great to see Crumpy again....

One thing really noticeable for me having watched lots of old racing (60/ 70'/80's in the main) on YouTube lately, is how much the entry speed into the bends has increased, and how much more "sideways" the riders get as they scrub off that speed to get round the bends. . The older stuff had riders much more 'open' as they went around the turns which meant they kept a much smoother line around them... Maybe the harder tyres were the reason? Maybe the deeper tracks? Maybe the engine location in the bikes? Whatever it was, there certainly seemed to be closer racing and more potential to overtake the rider in front through track craft and throttle/grip control than currently exists today where riders seem to just hit an apex on full gas, drift up the track, lock up before hitting the fence, and fly down the next straight to repeat the manoeuvre... The width of the tracks at some circuits appear irrelevant as only the same part is used in virtually every race. .. As you can only assume bikes are not going to get slower, then the only solution it would appear is to change the track shapes if we want racing similar to what the likes of the NSS, Peterborough, Somerset and Scunthorpe deliver regularly. .

It rarely used to produce 'great racing' when I went regularly in the 90's so not sure how it would deliver it now on much faster kit... Fast racing absolutely, every week you could watch one rider in most races leave the rest behind, with often the leader 50 yards ahead.. The World Finals and the GP's were excellent there but that was down more to the standard of riders in all races and the way the track was prepared. ie. With lots of shale and not "ran slick"... I remember attending a league match the week after one of the GP's and it looked like they had built the 'Hickstead Bank', that they use in showjumping, in the middle of the track.. This was all the shale that had been removed from the track post GP.. That nights 'racing' was back to its usual standard....

Heard pretty much the same, and I think I some double team tracks do prepare the track a bit slicker for their NDL side.. If 'the powers that be' are serious though about bringing the talent through, and also serious in actually providing a quality, value for money entertainment package for the fans, then they should completely relay the track between meetings and give both meetings the same amount of focus.. As I said previously, if riders fall off because the track isnt bereft of shale and billiard ball smooth, then they really shouldn't be out there in the first place..

It will be interesting to see how many times "30 heats of Speedway" actually get completed for those who run the double headers.. Maybe they should put the NL meeting on first? That would provide some motivation to ensure all done I am sure.. Simon Wigg always said there should be 'The Starter' before 'The Main Course'... And if an argument against it is there may be delays to the main meeting due to a possibility of more fallers, then these lads shouldn't be riding in the first place at a team level..

Looking at the teams being assembled, and what appears to be quite a long "tail" for most teams, would it have been better to run maybe 5 man teams in the NL? Or even 4 team tournaments? More actual teams maybe but less riders, with a much lower difference between standard. The difference in standard being so important when it comes to the entertainment served up. The best lads wont gain anything from beating the 'wobblers' and the lads 'wobbling' wont gain anything from getting hammered by the best lads.. You wont get a 'wobbler' to HL status in a season, but you might get a Second String there, so these "middle" riders are the ones who should be given priority places, and the most opportunity to race against their next level of rider.. Let the 2, and 3 point NL average lads race together in 'proper' second halves and see the NL place in a team as something to aspire to. Not to just be handed one so you can be a "makeweight" because your average fits.. Its great that we seem to have a joined up development path for riders, however the on track entertainment will be vital to maintain the public's interest.. Not sure seven man teams will deliver this given the difference in standard in virtually every heat..

It's certainly not slowing down in Poland is it? Seems they still have TV companies fighting over the rights to show their product... Kerchingski..... Edit That's 11 and a half million pounds a year!!!

G is for Geoff... As for A.H.....? Now let me think......

I presume then Swindon and Somerset have done the same too? The IOW have a business model, just like the two clubs above, and all three have decided that they cannot continue this season given the current less than clear conditions re levels of crowds.. And, unlike some, the IOW team dont seem to run the Speedway as some kind of 'hobby' and offset losses via other parts of a wider business ownership, therefore they have to make money. (Or at least break even/run at affordable small loss).. A shame we have lost one of the most progressive promotions in the UK, hopefully it's only for a year..

And a mention too for Adam Ellis.. Reminds me a bit of Jason Doyle's progression... Incremental improvements rather than one big impact in one year, and still a fair bit more to come from him I would say.. Lets hope some of these young lads coming through can progress through to International level and put GB back on top of the Speedway World.. Their off track support, and on track advice and coaching, certainly has never been better, so let's hope they can use it well..

Poor taste that... He risks his life sledging for our entertainment... I would like to see you sledge for our entertainment... i bet you've never sledged for our entertainment... etc etc etc....

What village do you live in Geoff?

Lambert has certainly got himself up to that '2nd Tier' of riders who are currently behind the likes of Zmarzlik, Woffy, Lindgren, Madsen, Doyle, Vaculik, Emil Laguta and Janowski... And possibly the best placed within that 12 to 15 or so riders to go on into that "Elite" group given the 'glide path' he has been on.. Not many riders become "overnight sensations" like Doyle did after about six years of pretty average performances.. Usually after three years or four years racing you can see who will make that "Elite" level as they will be riding to HL level over here in the top league.. Dan Bewley is the 'next cab on the rank' I would say given his end of season performances last year. Another full season like he finished the last will see him leap up the standings I would say, however, a season of mediocrity and where he is now (a solid HL in the UK) just may end up his level.. Woffy's support will be a huge opportunity for him to succeed, let's hope he can use it to move his career to the next level. (Top 25 or so in the World)

Spot on.... At 16, Joe Screen was riding in the top division of World Spedway and regularly beating genuinely World Class heat leaders, and at 19 winning the BLRC in front of a truly World Class field that would have been full of GP riders if that had existed at the time... And even with all that, Joe 'only' reached No 6 in the World.. No mean feat at all, but it shows just how far behind these lads are to where he was at their age (and even younger)... None of them would win races in the Polish top league regularly like Joe did in the equivalent level top league over here... Maybe they will develop to become 'top level' riders, and riding in Poland will definitely help with that, but there has to be some reality check as to where these lads are actually at... Genuine World Class talent is usually winning, or finishing top 3, in 'junior' World Championships at Under 21 level... Scoring maximums in the NDL, or riding at reserve in the Championship, at the same age as those who do win junior World Titles, is miles behind.. Robert Lambert is the most modern example of where you need to be at U21 level to become genuinely World Class.. Let's just give them some slack and see how they go, as being 'World Class' is truly a long, long way off for them all...

Ipswich did in readiness for the British Final... And Scunthorpe who ran the junior meetings also did...

I would be amazed if any track hasn't completed all its 'Covid protection' work a long time ago... Remember, last season was still supposed to take place a fair way into the pandemic, so tracks would have done the work then... In readiness for an almost 'instant return' should it ever have took place..

Probably save a good few quid in expenses too not having to get to the IOW... Especially for those 'northern tracks' that have coincidentally decided to run an NDL team this year...

A shame... Could they still run some 'open meetings'? One thing that the team on the IOW seems to grasp is that if you need 'X' hundred per week to remain profitable, you don't necessarily need the same 'X' hundred per week... And with such a transient population on a 'holiday island' promoting their 'product' to people who might only be there for seven days or so is vital... Every promoter should promote every meeting like the IOW do, ie just like it is their last... Because one day, for them all, it might be... The IOW team seem to understand this better than the vast majority of all the rest I would suggest.. Best of Luck to everyone down there...

And it doesnt really matter what the "rules" are, because, as we know, Polish Speedway will do exactly what is right for Polish Speedway, at even the slightest hint of them being impacted... Up to, and including, banning their riders from leaving...

With WJK in charge, maybe another war is being planned and they will try and take Berwick back? "FREEDOMMMMMM!!!" Get the muskets out lads just in case...

Spot on... The sport has riddled itself over the years with "journeymen" from overseas that have been on an almost revolving door basis.. "Tried him, didnt work. Next!" Must have collectively paid huge money out too for what on a lot of occasions has been short term results...

Wasn't that down to fact Speedway was an "Elite Summer Sport' and those who got offered a grant were classed as 'Winter'?.. Either way, I think the fact it wasn't "free money" was possibly the reason it wasn't pursued. Paying it back might have dissuaded them from going down that particular avenue.. Ironically, a year out for some tracks may have actually been beneficial given we hear so many "lose money" regularly.. And that year out has also, for me, put the standard to where it should have been in relation to its crowd levels a good many years ago. Which must reduce costs going forward.. A 'reset' was long, long, overdue, so maybe this season, with the TV money to add in also, could be a start of something more positive for the sport in the UK?

If the rule in England is 50% of the stadium capacity up to 1000 max, then WJK will allow 51% of the stadium capacity, up to 1001 max... Fan Dabi Double Dozi.....

*cough, cough*, You mean of course that "It's a case of it's in the interest of Speedway"... *cough*..

Imagine if Josh had been Matt Ford's nephew and Poole had signed him using the same criteria?? This place would have been in meltdown!!!