mikebv

I actually think the No1 being missing now has less impact than ever given the make up of the teams so a chance to try something different.. When the No1's ran 10 and 11 point plus averages, they made a huge difference to a team so invariably had to get replaced by a similar calibre rider... Now some will be seven or eight point men it means the 'top five' at most teams will not be too many points apart.. And as it's basically a "free hit" this year, maybe they could test the water and see if something 'different' works?.. Ome thing is certain you will never get any major company sponsorship of the teams by running with guests, as they wouldnt be too pleased financing the success of other teams to the detriment of their own I would think..

Fair call. .. The fundamental reality is that without a national mainstream recognition of the sport by 'the layperson' then it will never move forwards.. At least this now seems to have been recognised with attempts finally being made to put the National Team first by bringing through UK lads to hopefully develop to top level, rather than train up the rest of the world, which has been the plan in the past.. A highly successful plan too wasn't it? It must have been because it went on for decades... Get the National Team dominating the sport, and getting the wider level of publicity that comes with it, and you may then start to get some bigger companies involved in sponsoring it... A long, long way off though, and still maybe just too late? Hide the shovel just in case...

No1 missing? Then 2nd and 3rd Heat Leaders can take all his rides if the Manager wants to do so.. No2 Missing? No1 takes one ride and the rest take as many rides as the manager wants.... No3 rider missing then No2 and No4 can take two each (again if the manager wants to do that).. The same applies to No4, No5 and No6, ie if the manager wants to, then the riders directly above and below can take two each.. If a No7 missing then the No6 can take three rides and a No8 takes one.. All riders can have a maximum seven rides.. If more than one rider is missing for any team then simply dont run the meeting until they have at least six each. If another injury happens during a meeting where RR is used then some other regs can be implemented, however, injuries do happen during sports events, sometimes meaning that teams are 'unlucky'... That's Sport.. Thw capability gap from the rider at No1 to the rider at No5 in the averages in particular, will never have been so close as it is nowadays so a perfect opportunity to do something different..

Some say guests are a 'necessary evil'... They are not, it's simply become the 'easy, lazy way out' rather than try and not use them.. A fit for purpose rider replacement facility would eradicate many of the needs for guests, as would a fixture list that doesn't plan meetings in whereby you already know you need them to complete either, or both, teams.. Doubling up/down is though a 'necessary evil'.... There are simply not enough riders to go round and, if no doubling up/down, not enough meetings for riders to make enough money to justify their outlay to ride...

He rented out his farmhouse when he went to live in Poland last year and is (or was a few weeks ago), still living in a place he rented when he returned... And wasn't sure whether he would go back to the family home when the tenancy agreement ended with those renting his place, as he was waiting for Poland to give some clear indications of what they wanted from their riders... Interview in the SS a few weeks ago..

Sadly what we have is the obvious legacy to years of running the sport with a very narrow insular view which, when added to a lack of any clear direction, resulted in what we have today.. And you wont solve these issues 'overnight', however.. There does appear to be more of a forward thinking collection of promoters out there nowadays, who can see the bigger picture that they desperately need to follow.. This year might end up "a bit Mickey Mouse" given teams may end up sharing riders all over the place to get meetings on... But let's be honest it's been "a bit Mickey Mouse" for many years hasnt it? So lets give them a bit of slack this season with the hope a 'new dawn' is around the corner..

Ordered it yesterday afternoon, it came today before 2pm.. Always liked Kelvin, even when he seemed to be less than a favourite of many of the English fans.. (Although to be fair to be him, many of the fans at that time seemed to think they were all Americans).. And for me, does a great job on the commentary with Nigel P... Not everyone's cup of tea, but who cares, they sell the sport fantastically well...

Watched him in the Colts and when paired with Dan Bewley, he would, a fair few times lead him home, with Dan, whilst not exactly being dropped, but also not making any inroads. With Kyle often posting one of the fastest times of the meeting.... Similar too, when Dan led, (and also won in a fast time) Kyle would be matching his speed and often finish a safe distance away but still a close second.. It does appear from watching him that the first corner really does determine his race (to be fair like more than a good few over the years), but I am not totally sure when he hits that first bend with three others in very close proximity, all vying for the same small piece of track, that he is totally comfortable, and that on more than on a few occasions I have watched him, he comes out of the second turn in a non too advantageous position from a pretty useful start.. Definitely got some speed and talent though so lets hope he can develop onwards..

What about "Young Dan Bewley", and "Young Robert Lambert"? Not had that many years experience in the UK and still very much 'Rising Stars'.. Maybe a 5* grade could be introduced..? But start them at the back like Stock Cars do..

To be fair to the Peterborough promoters it isn't a bad idea... It means that their team will be the first one in the country whereby all their riders have received the vaccine...

As Cilla would have said.... "Surprise Surprise!".....

It will probably be "in the interests of Speedway"...

Well if you are simply going to bring facts into it......

Could the stand alone track be Buxton coming back now Sheffield are no longer riding on Sundays?

You only have to see how Belle Vue now probably wouldn't exist if the NSS hadn't been built, to see the future those Greyhound sharing tracks face..

KTel's Hits Of The Seventies..

You would think it would be dove tailed wouldnt you? Riding in the higher leagues and then riding in the bottom league.. For many it would also mean a change of emphasis too, one meeting riding without too much expectation and pressure being on them at reserve, then having to ride as No1 for their NL outfit with the higher expectation that this brings.. As well of course also being a possible confidence booster if the higher level is finding them struggle...

He sounds like a lad who knows his plaice....

A plane full of Aussie open Tennis players had to quarantine after one person on their plane had a positive test on arrival... After all had been tested, and all negative, before they left... And they all had to form a bubble together not drip feed into the country individually, which Speedway riders will invariably do...

And with quarantine hotels starting next week, actually getting riders to the meetings could be an issue if they are still around in May. Which if they follow the 'Aussie Model' they still will be... You could end up with just a pool of UK based riders guesting every night in both leagues to complete the fixtures... Another question mark being therefore whether enough punters would fork out £20 or so to watch it... The promoters will need some support and goodwill this year I feel to complete the season in a league format..

Just imagine if those in charge brought in such a system... ? The mind boggles as to the amount of various rules, regulations, logistical data and permutations that they would come up with... And at the end of it all... Both teams would lose...

Maybe it's so Jason can ride in the Championship on a 12.00 average..?

Well they already have a top six place secured...

100% this, its obvious isnt it? And if things are still "dicey" come the season start in Poland, then Polish Speedway will just ban everyone from leaving their country if they want a team place anyway... Or if they dont "ban" them from leaving, as that might be too controversial, they will put some compulsory to attend practice meetings together on nights when riders should be 'elsewhere'.... Maybe the UK leagues initially will still name riders who 'may' still ride over here just to put seven names on a team sheet? Then use guests to cover their potential non attendance due to "circumstances beyond their control"... And then hope that later in the season more relaxed rules will apply as the vaccines kick in and reduce the global risk so the initial septets named can all get on track.. With such ever changing logistical issues it must be a nightmare planning for this season, however, I would imagine the promoters would feel that having two years of no UK Speedway on track, and on TV, is something they will do absolutely everything they can to avoid... As March/April 2022 will be an awfully long way from the last meeting in October 2019..

For me, it was two instances that eventually "broke the camels back".. One was the 'Aces' beating Swindon in an away meeting where they had to use Brady Kurtz instead of Craig Cook as Craig had to ride for Glasgow due to (I think) it being a rearranged match. Glasgow being the side he signed for just a couple of weeks earlier mid season... The fact that Brady top scored in 'our' win made it seem even more ridiculous given Poole, Swindon and the Aces were vying for the play offs at the time, and left me with no satisfaction whatsoever.. The other instance was the "swapping of guests at half time" plan rolled out initially for the Poole v KL play off final.. Even though someone at the 'top table' eventually came out and changed it, for me the damage was done as obviously someone else at the 'top table' had initially decreed this nonsense as "perfectly acceptable". (And having two Swindon riders there in the first place was ridiculous in itself).. The bottom line for me was simply if those who run the sport dont take their own flagship competition seriously (as clearly demonstrated by their actions in those two cases), then how can they seriously expect me too..? And also then seriously expect me to part with circa £40 for me and my lad to watch it...? They do though inadvertently help me (through the money I save) to fund my Cardiff, SON, World U21 and other GP trips, so I do thank them for that..