Do you mean reduce the cost riders have to pay to ride or the cost promoters have to pay for riders? Reducing the cost riders have to pay for their 'kit', which must be restrictions on the number of bikes they have (difficult to police) or ensuring engines are basic trim and not heavily tuned. ??
One of the reasons why speedway is so costly for the promoter. Yesteryear, the riders provided their own leathers, no cost to the promoter (unless the promoter bills the rider for the suit(s), which I doubt?). Or are the suits usually sponsored by the companies that have their decals on the suits? It is a good point that you make, probably very little time to organise the various necessities, unless it's been going on in the background? 🙂
That is true, as long as I can remember, during the closed season, there were/are teams with a 'will they, won't they', hanging over their heads. But there were so many more teams then. It is all very dire, for sure, aside of Ipswich and their shenanigans.
I suppose if Ipswich closes, it could be to Mildenhall's advantage. Different speedway for sure, but still 4 bikes riding an oval track. Somehow, speedway needs to reinvent itself. When you consider the number of tracks speedway has lost over the years and still losing, it really is on life support! 😪
Apparently, Andy Lee passed away on Monday, the father of Michael Lee. Andy was a very accomplished scrambles/moto x man, but was very instrumental in nurturing Michael's success on speedway and long track. He did a lot for the development of moto cross and used to run his own practice track in Cambridgeshire. RIP Andy. Condolences to family and friends.