mikebv

Need more fans to make it viable I would think... Grandstand alone is circa 1800 and the whole crowd seldom gets too close to that.. They reduced the back straight stand due to not needing the size it was too.. Would certainly 'complete' the stadium though..

Especially with two of the best riders in the world hopefully fit and well to ride... Bewley as U21 rider as a track specialist, and track record holder, isn't a bad third rider to have too.. (If they are stil doing the compulsory U21 rider?).. If not then Craig Cook is another who is excellent around the NSS.. Could be a very good couple of days.. (If on)...

GB with two genuine World Class riders who you could make a real case for both being comfortably in the World's top ten..

Wow!!!! Well done young man!!!!!

Looking at Nicki P in the last one, maybe Blue isn't the next best choice? Problem is if he doesn't then Madsen will and be under him..

So nearly right.... Just the 30m ahead by end of lap one....

Great first turn.. Didn't hook it too early which could have been tempting, and moved Pedersen over...

Nicki P. King of the block pass.. We will miss him when he decides to hang up the kevlars. ...

Come on Robert!! Great start for him with Madsens two rides..

Great ride by Warriner... I mean Vorriner.... I mean Voreeni... I mean Veroni.....

Stockport County get 3500 a week...

They have... They are going to run the meetings by sharing riders... Riders will be allowed to ride in both of the top leagues for two different teams and even the NL if they qualify to do so depending on their average so these lads can have a third team.. They will also allow the sharing of riders on any given night between teams within the same division, so for example, Brady Kurtz could ride for BV on Monday and Sheffield on Thursday, likewise Nicki P could do the same but in reverse.. Obviously it could result in contrived septets, with riders riding under a 'flag of convenience' on a random ad hoc basis just to put a meeting on.. In fact, pretty much the operating model they have ran for donkey's years!!! Ahead of the curve British Speedway, ahead of the curve..

Circa £200 a point is the covid 19 going rate for the heat leader level riders.. 50% less than normal. . Hence Josh G decided not to bother...

Well, well, well.. Will it last..?

Another excellent edition this week.. Well done to all in maintaining such a high standard..

Everyone has things in their life that as they get older they remember 'as clear as day' even as the years advance. . Wilkie's crash that night is one that I can still see unfold to this day.. One that even as a young kid I had seen happen dozens of times before... One that 999 times out a 1000 the riders get up from and walk away.. Truly tragic that Alan never did walk again following that crash.. But truly inspirational the way he reacted to it, and lived with it. I suppose you either have that strength of character, and the courage needed to go with it, or you don't... And as he proved over his racing years, and the many years since that night , he had both in abundance..

A few refs certainly had to ensure that the locks were secure in their boxes... My over riding memory of Wilkie was of him standing on the fourth bend, inside the track where the tractor parked, wearing his Red, White and Black leathers, arms folded tightly, back ram rod straight, watching the racing intently as Captain of the team. He would then march across the track back to the pits at the end of the race to either pat his team mate on the back, or, if not succesful, and he felt it not a good enough effort, issue some 'motivational feedback' to his colleague... A proper Captain in every way... For some this might be a cliché, but not for Wilkie.. They truly don't make them like him anymore. .

My first hero... A true giant as a leader of men.. He rode in the days when it truly meant something to follow a speedway team in the UK.. But whatever it meant to follow the Aces as a passionate fan, you always felt that somehow Wilkie felt that passion even more... Not been many like him, (if any at all).. The incredibly positive way he handled that tragic nights legacy through the rest of his life, and the perspective with which he viewed it, should serve as an inspiration to everyone. Gutted tonight to be honest.. RIP Wilkie, God Bless..

Alll one family... Read in the SS that its against the law to check ID's in the stadium so people are sitting next to whoever they want and saying they are related.. Hence swathes of empty seats together, and lots of full seats together.. And we have to wear masks to get a kebab..

The tracks seem to have been a little 'off' from what has been the usual standard over the past few years that I have watched it.. Maybe restrictions to access or staff numbers are impacting somewhat? Usually a bit more grip around the outside at most venues, which delivers pretty good opportunities to pass. And that's even for the away team because, as you say, most of the tracks are of a similar vein, ie ridden flat out with plenty of space on wide 'open' bends.. Its still better than the Snooker though.. Or E bloody racing..

Whose the ref? Frank Ebdonski?

Can't have been for putting his leg out surely? That's very much the riding style for many these days.. And MJJ was doing the same..

What is it with all this shouting from the fans? Young fans it looks like too.... Far too noisy for me this. . Where's me blanket. ..

Running with the concept, I would just run with 16 riders over four or five rounds depending on how many tracks can make it happen.. The top 16 riders will invariably be mainly the ones who DU and will have spent the most so it gives them a chance to earn some money... It also means most on show will be of a similar standard so should mean the racing is decent.. Wild card to the winner for next years GP.. £100 a point on average would need £12k a meeting to cover it if using a traditional 20 heat formula, so circa 1000 fans needed at say £15 in, to pay the prize money and VAT.. Circa 1300 needed to pay all the costs in total maybe? Surely a Speedway starved populus would generate at least 1300 or so? (If those numbers meet the % criteria at the time).. And there are several venues around the country with tracks fairly 'local' to them so could pull in those fans too who are desperate to see some live Speedway.. Gives the riders a few quid, gives the fans some bona fide Speedway to watch rather than some contrived septets in a challenge, and, if sold properly, could get some publicity for the sport thus keeping it view..

I think Madsen thought it maybe better to not risk injury.. He could still win this, but the GP's will be his main aim..