Bunce

The Aces held their own up to the interval, but come the second half the Stars upped their game and stretched the lead. Heat 11 was a disaster for the Aces, with Max Fricke appearing to blow an engine, and then Craig Cooke slipping off when not under any pressure, to gift the Stars a 5-1. Most impressive rider for the Aces was Dan Bewley, a great young rider who must have a terriffic future in the sport. He was really on the pace all night, and was brilliant in Heat 15 to finish second behind Robert Lambert, and heading home Niels Kristian Iversen. Yes the future for Team GB is looking good, but having watched some Polish speedway on TV recently, there are some superb young Poles coming through the system as well.

It better not be! I expect we will get a sun delay anyway. We had this discussion before. They should start on time, otherwise the whole thing becomes a farce again. If I can get there on time from Norwich, then others should also turn up on time. I appreciate that some people work late and such like, but to be brutal that's not my problem. Image if football started late because Joe Bloggs was working overtime, or trains waited at platforms for late arrivals, or planes sat on runways.......etc....etc.

Very sad news. Like many others on here, I had the privilege to watch Ivan race in his prime. Nobody wins all those titles without being something special, and Ivan WAS something special. World class in every respect, he will be missed by all true fans who love this sport of ours. Thanks for the memories Ivan, may you rest in peace.

OK. Thanks for that. Didn't seem much of a penalty really?

Perhaps you would be kind enough to enlighten me then?

I thought he was serving a ban, due to "Holdergate" at Kings Lynn last year, or have I missed something?

Me too. Great to see the system works, even if it isn't the outcome I was hoping for.

Great news, well pleased. I'm more than happy with the whole set up, nice to see Suzi Perry involved again. BT did have us sweating for a while there, but top marks to all involved for a two year deal, at least we know we are guaranteed viewing for that period. Its now up to British Speedway to show BT they have made the right decision by giving them and us fans an excellent product with slick presentation and good racing. Bring it on!

Absolutely correct. Somewhere in my archives I have a letter from the Police Chief that was in charge that day, it gave the exact attendance figure and as a footnote he put "there was not a single arrest, and I just wish it was so for every event held there" We used this letter as evidence at a planning application for Speedway in Norwich, to show that you could get over 90,000+ fans from every track in the country together in one stadium without any trouble. I was really proud of that fact, but sadly it did nothing for the planners, and the application like many before and since.....was refused!

I've just agreed to continue my BT Broadband for another 12 months, and as part of the deal I can continue my BT Sports package (on the SKY box platform) for another 12 months, with the first 6 months free, then the second 6 months at £10 per month. That averages out at £5 per month over the year. I thought it was a good deal, as I do watch some other sports apart from Speedway. I should now get all the GP's, hopefully Premiership speedway (if a deal is signed) and Swedish and Polish speedway on Freesports which should go HD in May. Just need to get that deal signed for the Premiership, and I'll be sorted for the year.

Totally agree with you Semion, I also jacked it in after "Holdergate" but I'm prepared to give it a go again this year and hope that lessons have been learnt. I think the team looks competitive, and with the right attitude and given a decent track, could renew my enthusiasm. We also need prompt starts, slick presentation and a huge reduction in tractor racing, gardening and bike fiddling! If it all comes together, then I'm sure the "oldies" like me will return to the terraces, but if it doesn't, then I'm sorry but like you I'll be saving my money and the two hours driving for other things. My glass is half full at the moment, lets just hope it doesn't spring a leak!

I'm very pleased to say, I received a quick reply from Robin Brundle to my email query, so that's a positive in my book already. Robin went on to explain that the Club are in the process of reactivating the scheme for 2018, so hopefully that will work well this year.

I emailed Robin Brundle yesterday, with the suggestion about the rain-off texting service as a positive suggestion to help fans from having a wasted journey. I will let this forum know when (and IF) I receive a reply from him. Oh, and I wasn't bitching, simply stating a fact. I received no reply.

Living south of Norwich, with a 100 mile round trip for home meetings, I'm one of those who won't risk it if the weather looks dodgy. I emailed the AFA last year, and asked if they were still doing the rain-off texting service. (I was told on this forum it was still in operation) I was subscribed years ago, but suddenly the texts stopped coming? Did I get a reply to my query....Nope, totally ignored. So this season, if it looks like rain, or there are strong winds or any other possible reason the meeting may be off, I'll stay at home. So if you are reading this Mr Brundle, get the texting service back in operation, advertise it on the Club web site, make sure it works properly and once you have a database of fans mobile numbers, if they approve, use those numbers for match day updates and such like. Not rocket science is it?

I had a call tonight from BT asking if I wanted to renew my BT Sport contract (on my Sky box) for the next 12 months. Because I have a BT phone line, and BT Broadband I had a special deal last year, with 6 months free before I was billed. I explained to the rep, I had only taken BT Sport last year because of their coverage of Speedway, and at this moment in time, I had not heard if BT were covering it again in 2018, and therefore didn't want to commit, if they were not going to screen Speedway in 2018. The rep said he would go and speak to his Manager. A couple of minutes later he came back, and told me the BT Sport contract covered Speedway until the 7th February 2019. I still have until 27th of February to make up my mind, and get a further discount, but haven't heard anything officially via the BSPA web site, so I'm going to hold on for now, just in case it was a sales ploy to get me to renew! Any thoughts on this guys? Has anybody else had a similar call from BT?

For those of us not in the Central TV area, if there is any way of posting a link to the piece Dave, that would be much appreciated.

Well it made the local Evening News, a nice little article here for you all to read. http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/news/new-homes-homage-to-norwich-speedway-stars-1-5359439

A very sad video. Its just a matter of time before its another housing estate. I first went to Speedway at the Norwich Firs stadium in 1963, and at the end of 1964 I was devastated to see the same thing happen there, so I know how Coventry supporters must feel. My heart goes out to you all, and lets hope you have better luck finding a new home for the Bees, than we did in Norwich.

We tried Trees, boy did we try! I think it was the 17th attempt at refusal of planning permission, or maybe the second public inquiry, that I decided to call it a day.

The new Lovell houses are not on the actual site of the Firs, but a site half a mile away that used to be a ceramic tile factory on Eversley Rd. The Firs stadium site became a housing estate not long after it closed in the late 1960's. Unfortunately none of the roads on that site are named after riders, just a continuation of the existing "Meadow Way".

It seems the memory of Speedway at the famous Norwich "Firs" stadium, has now attracted the attention of a housing developer. Lovell Homes are building a new estate just up the road from the site of the old Norwich Speedway Firs Stadium, and to honour the memory of many of the riders, they have named each house type after famous riders from the past. So if you buy a house at the new Firs Park development, it could be a Betts or a Lawson or one of many others. They even have a picture of the old Firs Stadium in their brochure. Great idea, well done Lovell Homes. http://www.lovellnewhomes.co.uk/developments/east-anglia/firs-park/location http://www.lovellnewhomes.co.uk/documents/uploads/brochures/FirsParkBrochureWEB.pdf

I can't quite agree there. If he was on a sensible average, and bearing in mind the lack of other GP riders in the UK, I would have thought he has a point to prove, and may want to go out on a high, rather than with a wimper. He is a very determined character! If he could regain some sort of form, he is quite capable of wiping the floor with many riders (not literally) I think he still holds the track record at Saddlebow Road? I think its highly unlikely we shall see him at Lynn, but who knows what the new Promotion has in mind? He would certainly put bums on seats, mine included.

give us it all in 1 swift bowel movement So beautifully put!

It looks as if you may not have the chance to even consider Lambert, as the latest news is he "may" be opting out of the UK for 2018.

OK Badge, if you find out when its being screened, perhaps you would be kind enough to remind us all. Thanks.