mikebv

Ask them to ride for free... Then see how many 'ride for our entertainment'..... Every current and ex rider I have ever spoken with talk about a) the money, b) the adrenaline rush, and c, (some not all) the (ahem) 'fringe benefits' of being a Speedway rider.. (more a 70's and 80's thing I think)..

You would need five man teams and it maybe could work? Four riders over three points and one lower than a three point rider.. Grade the four A to D and use an overall mean team average of all of the riders, so one side can't hoover up the best rider in each grade.. Race every team home and away = 34 matches. Split the 18 teams into two Conferences based on geography and ride home and away against all teams in your Conference... Meaning another 16 matches in total... 50 matches per rider, not including play offs, where the top four from each Conference can go into home and away play offs to determine the two 'Conference Champs', who then go forward to the Grand Final.. Meaning 56 meetings per rider if reaching the final.. 72 riders needed over 3 points and 18 needed below 3... Not checked how many there are this year who would fulfill that criteria but maybe workable..?

Indeed, it is a mystery... Agatha Christieesque....

But winning the league gets you half a page coverage in a local newspaper, (just below the the local darts and crib league results), and maybe a nice buffet with the mayor of the town.... Couldn't let that go.....

Now THAT would pack 'em in.....

What year's 'old May Premiership' average.....?

So you take a 'Plymouth Select' winning as in some way shape or form actually credible in the context of a professional sports league? Of course it isn"t. It's completely contrived.. However, it did make for a seemingly competitive match and (more importantly), a good nights entertainment for the fans.. As it does (and will continue to do so), for many teams, many times a season, when "Select sides" are put together (by often using track specialist ringers)... Most tracks now are down to their very die hard following, hence not many close due to having "poor teams"... Therefore, for many in attendance, the value for money of what they watch, rather than the result, is the key determinant of whether they return or not.. And as is clear, even those who follow teams down at the bottom, still attend in sufficient numbers...

Your last line is exactly why it isn't worth getting so worked up about.. It really doesn't matter who wins given how the teams are put together so just enjoy the racing... By the comments from those there, the racing was good, and the crowd decent, which hopefully will encourage many to attend again.. Four riders of similar ability, banging handlebars and racing closely for four laps (regardless of any passing or not), is still a spectacle to behold and will always possess that 'Wow Factor'... It's largely irrelevant what the score is, or indeed who prevails in the end.. Just enjoy the racing..

The rate that the riders are coming off their bikes, there will be plenty of 'dodgy bendy frames' available..

I think some councils see sporting events as a risk due to the possibility of the fans getting excited and shouting, which can then transmit the virus into the air... Obviously it would appear that a fair few councils haven't ever been to watch the Speedway served up at some of their local tracks.... Edit: Just had a brain wave actually.... The clubs could invite the local council leaders to a meeting and let them observe it... At the end of it the promoter could then say.... "See? No one shouted. No one cheered. And no one even moved their camping chair by so much as even one millimetre. In fact, the only time the crowd got excited was when we announced that the Bovril in the catering van was ready and that they could come and fill their flasks".... No masks the week after guaranteed..

Not just me who saw the certain irony then....

Well that blue groove certainly keeps shale off the dog track....

When I used to attend Monmore regularly to watch the Aces, and some weeks as a neutral when the Aces didn't have a match on, during the nineties, the track was always very grippy on the outside from around mid track, and made for some excellent racing... I think two fundamental things have changed since then.. One is the second turn fence being reshaped which pretty much lost the outside run on that turn, and two is the fact the modern bikes don't handle the deeper conditions well... In the last 20 years or so, the best meetings.have been when Monmore has been wet, which is similar to how Kirky Lane went, a track not to much different in shape.. Usually meaning the dirt is scraped off and riders don't ride full on gas and don't then have to pull sudden full lockers, which can spit them off around such a tight track, or snap chains.. As you say Doc Bridgett was a key factor, but for me, the standard of rider is too.. Josh Bates last night for example was taking about four goes at each bend to try and get round, and some of the lower orders of both teams seemed to be concentrating more on staying on rather than racing... Which will never deliver any entertainment, and provide what we had, which was lots of very strung out races... When the heat leaders rode against each other the racing improved but when any track goes from blue groove to grip within a few feet, it must very difficult to focus on much more than completing races, rather than actually racing, even for the better lads.. And given the way modern machinery seems to have to be ridden 'full gas' it must be very difficult for any track staff to prepare such a tight circuit with exactly the correct amount of grip to provide close racing without providing additional risks to the riders too... Edit: It did amuse me seeing critical comments from a Poole fan... At least the lads at Monmore last night didn't have to decide if they had to 'double' or 'triple' any 'whoops' on the back straight ....

Nasty...... Hope Adam is ok.... Must be a nightmare riding a track so poor and inconsistent.... Blue groove into loads of grip... Two weeks ago we saw some great Speedway at the NSS... Tonight as different as can be....

Then say "no, I can't do that now as I need to speak with my rider"....

Nice blue groove appearing..... Must be fun going from that to dust and then back to blue groove... Remember though, to be a World Champion you need to ride in the UK to learn all these type of tracks as part of your education ... Used to be a decent track in the 90's but I presume now bikes have moved on that shape of track simply doesn't deliver anymore... NB And Adams then? What an Ambassador for the Sport... Edit Poor track and even worse camera work....

And if the riders were NDL heat leaders then the Championship would be 'Donald Ducked' too... Which is strangely synergetic given the 'Mickey Mouse' aspect of how this sport can often be ran...

Those ever changing camera angles send you dizzy.....

Dont think Zagar is doing Zagar any favours... His GP's could be a nightmare..

I would suggest barely any team places as he would only be able to replace another HL.. You would suspect PBoro is a no no and KL definitely.. At his level that leaves a max eight positions for him.. Batchelor/Holder Kurtz/Bewley Crump/King Schlein/Masters. Maybe Ipswich and Wolves will take a look and get him to cover their injured riders? Lets hope the BSPL dont allow him to cover both through guesting for both teams..

Perm 2 out of 3... Probably Woffy and ????? It's an U21 rider we need now to join them..

Enjoyed that considering it was a drubbing.. Nicki P and Kenny B kept Wroclaw honest and made for some very good racing.. Dan sizing up Nicki P for two laps was great to see.. No panic, took his time and swept by... 3 World Class Brits by the end of this season I would suggest..

In football parlance, Woffy gave Nicki "the eyes" and sent him the wrong way...... Dan coming on a bomb......

I think the feedback is so vociferous and angry because unfortunately Speedway Promoters dont have much "credit in the bank" when it comes issues like this.. When you have so many self inflicted 'own goals' such as actively letting riders miss meetings here to prioritise Poland, or even planning meetings in the first place knowing riders will be elsewhere. I would suggest it leaves many supporters, quite understandably, interperating this as "they dont care for their fans".. Hence when we get a "biggie" all hell seems to break loose as it compounds other frustrating issues.. I think if they stopped a lot of the self inflicted, poorly planned fixtures, being subservient to Poland nonsense, then they would have a much healthier level of support and appreciation from the supporters.. Given the levels of support that Speedway has I think most of the fans are on the same side as the Promoters and just want to see the sport move forward through an operating model which has each team turning up each week with the riders that they should do (injuries permitting)... Maybe starting to make that their fundamental priority would help the fans react a bit more calmly to issues like Wednesday's? And let's be honest, why would you actively plan in to make your customers cheesed off? You wouldn't would you? Yet Speedway seems to sadly make it some kind of 'hari kari' policy at times..

Cycle speedway allows the team (I think 8 points?) down to choose gates.. Seems to maintain a competitive edge to most meetings..