mikebv

With no TacSub rides I would suggest ten points is doable.. Particularly if Ippo rip up the track and make it heavy... We saw tonight how Poole struggled until the track went slick so maybe Ippo need to take advantage of this.. At least it makes the 2nd leg interesting for us neutrals.. (As much as we are neutrals).. Fair play tonight to Poole for digging deep, and overall not a bad advert for the sport...

Think Ipswich need to make it a 'tad grippy' on Saturday. ..

If that had been Nicki P taking THJ out I would think there would be somewhat of a different understanding of the situation on here.. Good old Bomber...

Took a dive....

Becoming a rare occurance for me too...

My barber used to sing "holding back the ears" whilst he cut my hair...

Track slickening off.. Could be giving Poole a lifeline?

Bomber Harris flying again... (I presume the play offs dont impact averages? )...

No problems.. Poole have a history in making sure meetings go to ten races...

Must confess, I love watching meetings like this.. Simply because 'true racers' get a fairer end of the stick rather than the usual 'gate and go' fest that most bone dry slick tracks provide...

Middlo in a Huddlo, in a Puddlo...

Come on Ipswich.. You are going to blow a chance of a big crowd on Saturday if your not careful... Give them a chance...

Good job it's not a boxing match or the ref might be thinking about stepping in.....

Could be plenty of MX type block passes tonight as the leaders take the outside lines.. Follow the leader if not. .

The two Pirates didn't look like they fancied it too much there... Looks like the Witches have no such concerns...

Is the tide in or out?

I think he meant that there is no 8 point rule apart from that one....

Didn't anyone think of telling Patryk Dudek that it's the Final this week?

Game over... Every season there appears to be no point in going to watch Smederna till they reach the play offs..

The sport (in the UK), is now no more than a conduit for riders to earn the kind of money that justifies their outlay on kit... A system devised to provide as many rides as possible for individuals, with scant regards to the impact this has on any credible status of each league or the teams within them.. It won't change now I would suggest, as it cannot given how long this situation has been allowed to fester.. Basically riders riding for whoever, whenever, is an integral part of the business plan, and operating model, which then facilitates their participation in the sport in the UK.. Too many teams? Not enough riders? Either way, that scenario isn't going to be fixed anytime soon unless they try six or even five man teams initially to give themselves some head room to deliver a much more fit for purpose longer term plan.. No breath is being held waiting for that to happen I would suspect..

That will be pretty much the end game won't it? Similar to the US and Aussie where riders go around from event to event... Mainly made up of UK riders.. The best UK riders will still be riding abroad earning decent coin in well ran leagues, but for the majority it will be a semi pro (at best) standard with, in the main, riders using it as an exciting paid hobby, similar to how so many do in MX and Road Racing.. Unless of course the UK decides to run its leagues like proper sports do and delivers radical changes... Not a chance of that though as we know.. Has someone told Richard Lawson where he is on Saturday?

Let's hope they don't +5% to it as that will be another 96 years before they get there..

If so, maybe Buxton could return?

I can guarantee one way to stop the Sponsors and TV companies chucking money in is for Poland to run their Speedway Leagues like the BSPA do theirs over here..

Spot on.. Sponsors put big money in to be associated with the best and are obviously happy that they are dealing with a clearly well respected brand.. This standard then delivers great TV coverage and means Polish Speedway can actually auction their meetings to the media, rather than take any meagre pickings thats offered by a single interested party.. That great blanket TV and audio coverage then helps engage a new generation of fans, as well as delivering great coverage for the sponsors to the right demographic they wish to engage with.. It also makes means big money to the riders, which makes being s speedway rider in Poland a truly aspirational career which can bring huge rewards, therefore training schools are full and a conveyer belt of talent is pretty much assured.. This money coming in then means realistic admission costs which encourage families in particular to attend as it remains firmly within their budgets, meaning younger fans start to take notice of the sport to hopefully maintain a strong future for it.. As you say, doing very nicely at the moment... I am sure though being very forward looking, they will still be contemplating how they can improve their current operation further.. Winners never stand still, because they know that if they do they will effectively fall behind competitors who are moving forwards.. Maybe to improve things going forward, they will think of dropping the weekends and run on those 'traditional' family leisure nights of Monday and Thursday's? And maybe consider inserting a rule that lets every rider ride for every club in the league on an ad hoc basis whenever there is a gap in any team? Two ideas both sponsors and TV executives would love to see brought in I am sure.. Or maybe they wouldn't...