Ray Stadia

When I read the article, it seemed to suggest that the council would not support more than 14 meetings a year. I took that to mean automatic support. But a full application could go for more meetings couldn't it? With good reasons to back up why the sport may need more than 14. After all, 14 is an arbitary figure. Just a thought.

That is a good point. I would have thought an electric motor 'shuts down' in a similar way to a high compression engine, but needs to be confirmed. Thanks, was quite slow and didn't see either riders get sideways! Perhaps more work needed.

I did see that video. The interesting thing for me, was the moto x bike still behaved and looked like a moto x bike, but without the engine noise. As I recall, the 'Muller' bikes were not very glamorous, as they were all enclosed. But early days and who knows?

It is a moto X bike. Did you cut and paste the link? This should work now:

The link below may not convince many, maybe me included, but it is impressive, nonetheless. www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Bni45TKUrA

I think the introduction of electric speedway bikes would be positive and negative.

I think some people in speedway are trying to think 'outside of the box' and noise is a big consideration for new tracks. However, I agree, the noise and the smell of R is a big part of speedway. I wouldn't go and watch it. I would go and watch engined bikes and would be interested to see electric bikes, say in the interval or in a second half.

I know you can never be complacent, but the stadium is in the middle of heath and woodland, so it is unlikely that it would be considered viable for building houses........one hopes!

There is a grass track section on the forum, but the boys (and girls), use uprights and laydowns. Laydowns are usually GMs and Jawas. You can run 2 stroke or 4 stroke. Not sure what Lee uses. It's a good class to start with, but some riders stay with 250 cc, without changing. What frame and engine is dad's bike?

The BSPA need to find a way for as many teams as possible to just keep going somehow, for as we know, once a track is closed, it is harder to reopen, for many reasons. Foreign rider reduction has to be a good option to reduce costs, as has already been mentioned. Good local sponsorship would be great, but in the current climate, is it realistic? I just hope the BSPA are looking at the big picture and not navel gazing.

I offered my services as a 54 year old 'wobbler' and last rode anything on 2 wheels with an engine, about 17 years ago. Phil politely refused my services, but has put me on the standby list!

I know, it is a shame!

The fact remains, the sport is in trouble, not just Peterborough, Workington and other wobbley promotions, the sport in Britain as a whole. BSF offers the sport a free brain storming platform and sometimes, good ideas can come from what appear to be bad ideas at first glance. I say, keep the ideas coming, however daft they first seem. And as for the poster I am replying to, you seem to spend your time on here shooting posters down in flames. Perhaps we could have a sample of your 'bloody stupid' ideas!

In fairness, it was a fans suggestion, so we shouldn't be too hard. Any idea could be a good idea. Surely Keith will have signed a rental agreement with the owners of the stadium, the council I presume and unless it is a season only contract, he may have penalty clauses that will cost him money?, but maybe not the same penalty as losing money each week. Therefore, if he still has some appetite for speedway, he should, in my opinion, think about the NL. I do think now is an opportunity to make the NL work for the good of speedway. The chances are the BSPA will do very little over the closed season and will limp into next season hoping for a miracle. The NL part of speedway has an opportunity to grasp the nettle and increase the number of teams, probably from the fallout of PL and EL clubs and rebuild british speedway from scratch with home grown riders only, no overseas riders, just our own. And with a business model which is not out to make money, but to at the very least, break even.

I would have thought at this crisis time for the Comets, moving up to the 'Elite' is like trying to run after you have just broken both legs. If the promotion wish to have a go next year and the BSPA do bugger all over the closed season to reduce overall costs, for their survival chances next year and beyond, I would have thought a drop to the NL a better prospect and try to build up a home grown team, with a view to possibly go into a higher league in future seasons.

Wouldn't squads increase costs for the promoter?

Pudsey Bear is available, but says he wants £50.00 a point, as he is not a charity.

Why would an individual event need to be meaningless? I am sure there are many people on this forum that just want to see 4 speedway bikes go round a speedway track, with some good close racing and they will be entertained. The alternative could be no speedway if things do not alter. It would appear from what people are saying on many threads, is league racing is not doing it for them and for many reasons. How would you make league racing cheaper? Reduce the number of meetings? Reduce riders pay? Regionalise all tracks to reduce travelling costs? It is a big deal and needs a lot of thought, but let's hope it isn't swept under the carpet and next season doesn't open on a wing and a prayer. Regarding Australia, my understanding is a lot of the tracks are prepared for midget cars and they mix midget cars with speedway. The tracks are a clay type material which speedway riders find difficult to ride, especially after the cars have been on. For me, I would be happy to see short track and/or sidecars as an added attraction. However, I accept time could be an issue with some tracks.

Maybe it is time for speedway to drastically reduce league racing or do away with it altogether, that would probably see the foreign riders disappear. Then use the stadium, say, every other week and have different types of open meetings. Maybe even mix with sidecar speedway and perhaps short track. If there is a genuine shortage of riders, league racing is surely farcical? It wouldn't mean that you would need to see the same riders week in week out, as you could have regional meetings and national meetings.

You sound like you have been on the sherbet mate!

Good post. However, with respect, the last sentence may be a little unfair. I agree that promoters as a group organisation need to get to grips with the situation, but individual promoters are virtually powerless, as they are part of the 'big club' and it is the club as a whole that needs a makeover. The weather has been bad and distractions such as the olympics can't help, but speedway needs to be sound and resilient enough to be able to 'ride' these bumps.

And it isn't right that a promoter has to subsidise the 'show' with his own money. One way forward, I believe, to help get speedway back on it's feet is for riders to be paid based on what is left in the pot, after all other costs have been paid. Therefore, they ride on a commission only basis. Yes riders will leave and say not for me. If the situation is properly discussed with riders before the start of next year, that will allow the promoter to decide one of three things, pack up, drop down to NL or stay where they are. If the promoter wishes to stay in business, but sees his riders leaving, then perhaps he could have a year out of league racing and rebuild his team on challenge matches and individual meetings and re-enter the following season at whatever level he is able. The responsibility for the running of speedway should not just rest on the promoters shoulders, the riders should take some of the responsibility too. This way, you may see riders helping the promoter promote speedway in the local community, as they have a vested interest. The benefit to the fans, is in time, perhaps entry fees can be reduced. In addition, the 'powers that be' find ways of reducing costs for the riders, such as tuning limitations.

But the standards don't have to drop Kester. If the same talented riders are riding bikes which are cheaper to buy and maintain, the rider wil be the 'winner'. If the riders expenses are less, the rider will need less pay, therefore takes pressure off the promoter. If the pressure is off the promoter he can reduce admission prices. And it is just possible you may see gates increase. I don't believe fans need to see 4 riders go around a shale track faster and faster. What they want, me included, is good, close, skillfull racing, which can be achieved at less speed. One of the best races I saw at the recent Grasstrack I attended was the 350 cc racing. Not as fast as the 500 cc, but the racing was close and 'nip and tuck'.

I recently went to a local Grasstrack, the racing was excellent. It was only a centre meeting, but the standard was great. I still believe fans can enjoy a speedway night out, without big name riders who are bleeding the sport dry and those riders, riding bikes which are comparitively cheap to maintan. The sport needs to cut it's cloth accordingly.

By the same token, you can watch a Grasstrack meeting for around £10.00, including programme and watch race after race for about 4 hours, which I call value.