Arch Stanton

Funnily enough that's another track our weakest member of the top 5, Heeps, is pretty good on! I'm confident we can go anywhere this year and be competitive at the very least.

Agree https://twitter.com/ipswichspeedway/status/843762039575199745

Thought as much. Thanks Kevin.

Agree Bruv and no Championship team is realistically going to beat a Premiership club over 2 legs to get "promoted". Having said that there are one or two that could run Somerset close IMO with the greatest of respect to them but you'd still back Somerset over two legs. If they are serious about promotion/relegation then in should have been Champions go up and wooden spoonists in the Premiership go down. Guess the argument will probably be that a play off will generate a little extra income.

Well press day is here. Not sure there'll be any practice though. Been raining persistently through the night which is a shame as the riders need the track time especially those coming back from injury. Still light drizzle and due to stop so maybe it will dry enough to get some laps in this afternoon we'll see.

You can't draw any conclusions really from an opening fixture and a challenge at that. BUT, I maintain what I wrote earlier in the winter that Peterborough lack top end strength and in Holder as talented as he might be, isn't yet #1 material. He's had two seasons now and been an inconsistent 7 pointer in both and didn't really improve much if it all last year compared to his first season. Spells out injured may not have helped and I'm not saying he won't improve, but I'd be uneasy about having him at number 1 and leading my team as he hasn't yet shown he's capable of that yet. Away from the Showground I think this team will struggle.

Indeed Badge bodes well. Always expect King to go well just about everywhere but always fancy him at the showground. I'm confident we'll take points away from there this year as although it's always one of the more difficult away tracks to go to, we're going with some heavy artillery this year. King will always go well there and you'd expect good support from Schlein Covatti and Newman. Even Heeps has had his moments there so we should go with confidence.

Nice to see King go unbeaten and a positive opening meeting.

https://twitter.com/jeffhiggott/status/842842251357229057 Picture of CL courtesy of Jeff Higgott, standing where the old kerb used to be. That's some difference when you look at it like that! I'm assuming by the "old kerb" he's referring to where it used to be before the first alterations back in 2010? Can't imagine that much has been taken off this winter? So surely a combination of the two efforts together.

Track pictures posted by presenter on twitter for those interested. Looks ready and in decent shape.

Perhaps Badge will know where the Kamikaze/Kimekaze originated from she was one of his biggest fans. Any ideas Badge?

Ah apologies I thought it was you. Did you not come up with the "Kamikaze" for Kim originally and then it was adapted to Kimekaze by someone else, or did you not come up with it at all?

We'd still have one more home loss to spare then Going to be a very interesting first meeting and a test for both clubs. Can't wait.

I'd forgive them a slow start this year TBH although obviously not too long! Sheffield are also a good looking side and the problem we might have early doors is that three riders are coming back from injuries, two of them serious ones. Patience might be the order of the day this year as it will probably take those lads a little longer than the others to get up to full speed but I'm confident once they do, we'll take some stopping. I wouldn't be at all surprised if we got turned over next Saturday by a good Sheffield team, but I won't be overly concerned if we do.

Yes definitely Kim. That was a nickname given to him by our presenter Kevin Long.

A little early but who cares. Less than a fortnight until tapes up on another season at Foxhall. We start with a cracker which I think is fair to say between two of the more fancied sides. Big early test for both clubs and a chance to lay down an early marker. Will also be interesting to see how the track rides after a winter of alterations/improvements? Fingers crossed for good weather for some Saturday night Speedway on the Heath.

3 weeks today and counting..

He didn't sign for Coventry first although the Bees announced him as a rider first. Wouldn't normally have mattered anyway as the top flight would have been given priority whether he'd signed for Ipswich first or not but as Bruv says, the circumstances this year changed that Ipswich will also have priority over Rory Schlein if he gets himself a Premiership ride.

Before going for Danny King it would be wise to check the fixture list first and see how many meetings he would miss. Ipswich have priority over him this season so that could be a factor.

Such a shame to now see a young British lad in Sargeant without a club in either league. I know it's a numbers game putting a team together, but I think he's very unfortunate not to have been asked back at Foxhall this year. IMO he handled the tricky number 2 position very well and racked up the bonus points. With the nature of the sport, I'm sure there will be an opportunity somewhere for him at some point.

Excellent stuff thanks for the details looking forward to seeing it. Having just seen the sad news of the Bees I suddenly feel even more fortunate to be looking forward to another season! Sad times.

Oh FFS!! Literally a fortnight until the curtain raiser with the Ben Fund we get this bombshell. Obviously there was lingering doubts about the longer term future, but I certainly expected the Bees to start the season after the "agreements" a couple of weeks ago. Really feel for the Bees supporters.

All the kerb down and track relaid and level Bruv? Did the shape look noticeably different?

KL look the best to me and although obviously in the minority looking at this thread, I really like the look of Coventry. Not sure about Rye. Would have said it was the best of the lot 5 years ago but it's got a dads army look to me with too many nowhere near the level they were a few years ago and only likely to decline further rather than improve.

Love the showground awesome race track. Good work to make an excellent race track even better.