mikebv

Tom, for me, is a rider that will have a career similar to Steve Worrall.. A 3rd HL/Best Second string, depending on the top 3's level based on the team ponts average strength.. A good solid rider rather than a "world beater", (as they tend to be those who can pass opponents often as well as gate), and there is nothing wrong with that... Wish him the best for next season, its been good to watch his progression at the NSS..

We do seem to measure the young Brits far too critically... They don't need to all be a "Robert Lambert", just being a "Simon Lambert" will be more than enough to help the sport going forward in the UK... Starke, Complin, S Lambert, Barker, (and probably many more), all fill team places over here each season, and all have been quite a way from the "top level", yet all ensure teams come to the tapes each season.. It's the same with the "rising stars" and, "professional juniors", who, now after three to four seasons of riding, are now very close to their level that they will continue to ride at, naturally replacing the older Championship Second String level riders mentioned above.. Just let the lads ride and see where they get to.. The sport needs UK riders taking up plenty of the team places so let's just hope they reach that standard first...

No idea why that would be.. A 100%, full on, rider... Will miss seeing him at the NSS, but will definitely go when he is there...

Double header with the Jubilee Cup?

He would struggle at No1 to keep that.. Up to five races a night involving the two big hitters from the likes of Sheffield, Ipswich and Belle Vue (with several heats having both of them in), would take a fair old toll on that figure I would suggest..

In a league with riders such as Holder x 2, Tai, Fricke, Bewley, Emil, Doyle, Kurtz, Tarasenko, Lidsey, Tobi, (Janowski?) et al, Matej would find it difficult as a No1.. Similar to when the Aces went with Simon Stead in that position I would suggest.. And that didnt end well...

"We have had our first meeting and it was brilliant. It was great to hear from every tracks' delegates that the sport is superbly led, and that each meeting they attend is truly an amazing event that simply couldn't be improved, and provides incredible value for money"... "It was noted though that all the delegates clearly felt that more guests were needed to add more credibility to the league, so that is something we can definitely look at improving"..

And 4 meetings out of one months disposable income is a lot different now than in the halcyon days of the sport.. Satellite TV, Mobile Phones, Internet, Gas, Electric, Water, Car and Home insurance, Modern Car ownership, fuel prices, house prices/mortgages, home mod cons such as fridge freezers, washers, dryers, dishwashers etc etc etc all have a much larger impact to the disposable spend left after all has been paid for.. Add in inflation running ahead of wage increases and you have a serious challenge on your hands to get fans attending weekly, regularly through the seaaon.. And throw in the fair few "Mickey Mouse" meetings, which get ran, and which can reduce attendances, as well as the cost for so many hiring tracks, and weekly Speedway would be a big risk...

Small boys in the park? Jumpers down for goalposts? Isn't it? Wasn't it? Hmmm? Home for beans on toast for tea? (Don''t quote me on that). Marvellous...

Then the book and stubs are ok! Getting Wolves/Cradley fans in has got to be worth at least a look at for Brum I would say given the collective crowds Wolves and Cradely could attract at Monmore.. History suggests they cannot hope to have enough of their own fans, sadly, to maintain a Div 1 team..

They could sign... Vaclav Millichich. Or Martin Vaclick.. Or even Martin Vachilich...

If they dont significantly increase their crowds, there wont be any regulars to moan about it...

Maybe offer last years season ticket holders at Monmore a couple or three free meetings? Or even a heavily reduced season ticket? Proof of having one last year required obviously...

I do always feel "quite young" every time I have been to Brum....

Cook has his well published mental challenges, however just to overcome them, or even just cope with them, as he has shown he can do, actually (and maybe even ironically), shows great mental strength and resilience.. In a place local to him, with supportive management, and in a league of a significantly lower standard, I can see him flourish, and also have a Div 1 place after a couple of months or so as teams make changes to their middle order..,

But what about the games England are in...?

Obviously not knowing what the Birmingham business model is, but... You would have to think that Wolves closing is something that they would factor in, and see as an opportunity.... UK Speedway, uniquely for a team sport, does have a high proportion of followers who follow the sport generically rather than worry too much how "their team" does, which could give some potential.. 200 to 300 Wolves/Ex Cradley fans, starved of Speedway each week, allied to 200 to 300 extra Birmingham fans tempted back more regularly due to the higher standard of rider, might just be enough, with the TV money, to make it viable.. They appear to have done a decent job in at least trying to promote themselves, so maybe promoting the likes of Emil, Bewley, Doyle, Holder, Fricke etc, may just prick up more interest from those who still follow the sport locally, but no longer frequent the place... From what you can see looking at the crowds in Div 1, around 1500 seems to be a "decent" figure for tracks to compete and do "OK" financially.. Maybe Birmingham can also generate some extra sponsorship cash now they are in Div 1, and on a major TV sports channel, to offset any shortfall in gate revenue..? You have to wish them all the best for keeping Birmingham going..

Jason Crump has also retired... A double blow for the Aces...

500 to 600 fans a week are not suddenly going to grow to 1200 a week, which you would think is a minimum to compete in Div 1.. No1 riders certainly dont come cheap, even with TV money to subsidise it.. A huge challenge for the Birmingham leadership team, let's hope they can deliver a competitive and affordable team on their support levels.. It certainly wont be easy, so best of luck to them.. Will go when the Aces are there if not on TV..

One million percent.. The racing is still great to watch at most places. And being able to watch some of the best in the world do it also makes it worth going along to watch..

No stranger than having Bomber riding for everyone week after week..

Could also see sWINDon back...

There is a track already, which is currently having a brand new stadium being built, actually n Swindon itself.. Maybe someone could run Speedway there? It has been ran in Swindon, quite successfully, for a good many decades... Has anyone told Terry about this site as it sounds perfect... Or, if he does know about it, and doesnt want to use it, maybe someone else would like to open up Speedway there? The Swindon Robins could be a name to consider for the team...

730 tapes up... By 8pm, "junior match" and "lap of honour" for the winning team completed and track reset done for fifteen mins... 815 "Main Event".. 15 heats all done and dusted by 75 mins later.. Two hours of 21 heats of speedway entertainment all completed by 930pm... Interview the juniors during gaps in the early heats of the main event around their meeting and performance which gets them some wider notice, and have a 30 min post meeting fan conference/selfie opportunity with the home teams' riders of both meetings.. 10pm. Time to go home...

Simon Wigg always suggested putting the "junior match" on before the "main event".. Two reasons.. One, being the younger lads got to ride the track at its best, and in front of a " big" crowd, which can only help those who progress to the higher levels.. And two, as he described, when you go to a restaurant you don't have your starter after the main course.. Six heats of junior racing done in 25 mins or so with fifteen mins of track grading/visit the bars before the "main event" would tick a lot of boxes for young rider development and value for money for the fans.. And, before we get the usual "what if they crash and delay the main meeting"?.. Spoiler alert. Speedway is a dangerous sport where even the best can, and sadly have, been left disabled for life, or even more sadly, lost their lives.. Crashes are not exclusive to young inexperienced riders.. It would be good to see "something different"...