Arch Stanton

Or more accurately, Championships and cups can, and sometimes are, won undersevedly with huge slices of pure luck. These predictions come up every year and are purely a bit of fun. This is a sport however where an overwhelming favourite can have their wheels well and truly come off after a single meeting.

Sad news indeed bruv, RIP Ron.

Raymond.

Stumbled across this on YouTube and definitely worth a watch. Some great racing on a Foxhall track obviously before all the alterations in recent years. Packed crowd as well. As they say, them were the days!

Track looks like the Showground from a few years ago

More pics of the track work courtesy of Stephen Waller. Looks plenty of room on those bends.

That’s some tail..

https://www.speedwaygb.co/news.php?extend.33591 Well it’s the same “official” SGB Website that reported it incorrectly! Clearly states on their press release after the AGM Ipswich vs Lakeside or Peterborough.

The main problem you’re having is Ged’s Loyalty to certain riders who are past their sell by date and have no improvement in them. Until he changes his philosophy then it’ll continue to be more of the same. Again, changes will almost certainly be made and trophies are handed out in October not March. Even if the team to start with isn’t to your liking, at least you have one of the best tracks in the country and are almost guaranteed to be entertained every other week. Lunna will love the Showground when he gets to grips with it it’s right up his alley. He’ll be a big favourite.

Nicholls if signed, will do well for the Panthers. But, that’s one rider who will take a hit on his average straight away which isn’t the name of the game. Not a chance he’ll even hold that average. As has been said though we know how Ged works by now and the Panthers team that finish the season will be much different and stronger than the one that starts! With fewer fixtures they’ll have to make sure they don’t give themselves too much to do though and make those inevitable changes as soon as possible.

Exactly my thoughts on first glance Baldy. Pretty sparse fixture list! Three weeks between some fixtures not just two. Pleased to see the 16 lapper back as well as the traditional Good Friday double header on the positive side. Surely they could have plugged those gaps with a couple more individual meetings? Billy Sanders memorial, Star of Anglia etc.. Also just noticed we face Lakeside in the KOC. Didn’t we have a bye in the first round and then face either Lakeside OR Peterborough in the second round?

It isn’t “stupid” at all! Everyone has their own way of doing things there isn’t a right or wrong way to do it. Chris Louis actually commented when he revealed the Ipswich 1-7, that although some clubs like to drip feed, he much prefers to do a full 1-7 reveal as soon as the signatures are on the contracts. That’s his prerogative and works best for HIM. Just because your promoter/Club prefers to drip feed, doesn’t mean the way Chris Louis prefers to do it is “stupid” There’s so much to be done over the winter that Louis prefers to get the team side of things out the way as soon as possible, and then concentrate on the business side of things like sponsorship etc. Each to their own.

CL is right in to his Twitter these days and is usually the first to “Like” retweet or comment when a club asset achieves something especially something as big as a national Championship. He’s done it with King, Paco, Gino etc etc. But yesterday when Rohan tweeted his delight at his victory, nothing from Chris whatsoever. Think that’s pretty telling! Ritchie one of the first to offer his congratulations though.

Anyone know if the track work is still going ahead? Pretty sure I read somewhere at the end of the season that they were going to bring in the kerbs on bends 3 and 4 this winter but heard nothing since. Bob can you tell us anything on this? Edit: Found it, it was actually bends 2 and 4 Louis hopes to do more track work in the winter, rounding off bends two and four to make it a more rounded circuit. Certainly the racing this year has been good, with riders starting to make the most of more space on the Foxhall track. “I just want to entertain the fans – and of course win,” Louis added. “I want to make Foxhall the best it can be, some of the racing on Saturday night, for instance, was really good.” http://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/sport/speedway/ipswich-witches-for-the-premiership-in-2018-louis-won-t-rule-it-out-what-do-you-think-vote-here-1-5221673

Will definitely be your lot or Lakeside. Haven’t really got a preference as I’m looking forward to facing both. Didnt get the result but really enjoyed the cup final. Huge crowd and great atmosphere makes a hell of a difference. Hopefully the same on Good Friday.

Seeing a tweet from CL, he’s “hopeful” that we’ll have a Good Friday fixture this season. Wonder if it’ll be Lakeside or the Panthers.

Looks a pretty poor team to be honest. Can’t see it troubling the play off places.

Interesting that on the admission prices section of the website, they state that debit and credit cards are now accepted. About time too!

Good team. Looking forward to a few trips next season. Particularly looking forward to seeing Jenkins and Kemp. Oh and the fish and chips obviously.

Traditionally as we all know you usually go with the “weakest” rider at 2 and as Hartel is new to the league and an unknown quantity, think we’ll start off with him at 2. Rory at 5 and Heeps and Covatti in the engine room.

TBF Jacobs did take a year out by his own choice, year before last I think? His reason were he became disillusioned with the sport and bemoaned the lack of help/sponsorship. If I remember rightly he planned to work a year and get some money behind him to help him buy better equipment and become more competitive. Fair enough really.

Ok must be in the Minority obviously, but that wouldnt make the top 4 for me.

Feel sorry for the Bandits supporters as its looking like another tired uncompetitive team. Where is the ambition and thought from the promotion. I appreciate everyone is different and the Berwick promotion will be working towards a budget, I get that. But already it looks like little thought is going in to team building. Rather than go for the likes of Howe and Doolan who everybody knows exactly what youll get from them, why not have a stab at something different and try a few riders from the continent? Thats a risk as well obviously and they might well turn out cr@p, but on the other hand they might turn out to be diamonds. At least the supporters will have a bit of enthusiasm in wondering what the unknown will bring and the excitement of seeing fresh new young blood in the team. Weve brought one in in Hartel. Now he might be the flop of the season time will tell, but hes supposed to be a talented lad and the intrigue is there with him. You dont get that with Howe and Doolan with all due respect to them as theyve been fantastic pros over the years. Sometimes you have to speculate to accumulate and have a go because theres only so much supporters will put up with before they stop going. If they see the promotion cant really be bothered why should they?

Personally I think it’s just as important to include riders who entertain as much as those that will improve their average. Reading the fans opinions on here at both Lunna’s previous two clubs, both seemed pretty gutted that he wasn’t returning. That’s always a good sign. I think he’ll be a big crowd favourite at the Showground and the track will suit him perfectly.