Grand Central

This is not really a true reflection of the seventies. I do not believe the 'second most popular sport' tag at all. I'm not sure who first came up with this but the use of hyperbole tends to incriminate Dave Lanning, but I may be wrong. What is more certain is that you have misquoted, as is often done. The correct quote from back in the day is 'second most popular summer spectator sport'. Subtly, but vitally, different. And still, probably, untrue. But who would know? I also think it is an overstatement that Speedway was taken seriously' by the media. The Nationals had Speedway correspondents then, whereas today there are none. So, things are dramatically worse, no doubt. But I don't think that many of those reporters found it easy going to get their editors to go with a Speedway story at all. The Mirror Group sponsored the British events of the World Championship so they gave decent coverage of that. And the other events they supported like the International Tournament As did the other papers like the Express. The London Papers did quite a bit around events at Wembley, too. But the broadsheets did not do anything. Guests have always been a difficult 'sell' to outsiders. And those that always hated the sport anyway eagerly used them against us. But did it have any effect on media coverage, really? I'm not sure as mostly it was the international stuff that got the column inches anyway. The provincial local papers have always reported well in Speedway Towns. This is the only place that has ever gone big on League coverage. And they have never made much fuss about guests. Most of the time (even in the seventies), people in speedway moaned about the lack of coverage. And with quite a few newspaper archives now online you can see just how right they were. Better than now, by miles. But nowhere near as good as we would like to think. And certainly nothing to get excited by. And on TV we got a regular fix on World of Sport. The BBC did their annual joke on us by covering the Internationale in comedy fashion. The prescribing of Rose tints for the spectacles of older folks now appears mandatory.

Talk of track preparation in this context is a little premature. As yet there is no track.

As if the hole wasn't big enough already ...

I don't know if this is relevant. But I had a straw poll among my imaginary friends and they came out 2-1 in favour of tac rides. My therapist, on the other hand, prefers the old system of bonus points.

Oh, the wonder of Apocrypha.

Yes, enormously. It is only the FMN that receives the prize money. And it is only from them that riders are paid. In the case of the Russian team they will be paid by the MFR. And it is them who decide how much they are paid. Emil and the others HAVE to do battle with the MFR. There is no one else.

I told you a fact. About Speedway.

No. They are representing the Russian Federation. The MFR. Not Russia. .

That's fine. Actually having read your subsequent interchange with others. I didn't disagree with any point you made.

It would be if I had done that. But I didn't.

You make is sound as if they are a different species. Like Lippizzaner horses bred for their beauty and grace in the Slovenian countryside. And exported for the delectation of the cognoscenti. Or the Fanzone. As we know it.

The weaker team didn't. This was a two-legged home and away fixture. Belle Vue used tac subs in the first leg as well. If you're going to pick fault. Be accurate. .

And had the SWC been held at the new Belle Vue as planned Team GB were going to make ample use of the ruling. And will, of course, if when it happens.

And it was 39 years ago this very weekend (saddoes remember these things) when PO put Frank Shuter to Number One and Ivan at Number 2 in the Speedway Star Cup second leg Match at The Zoo. An unheard of move at the time. Ivan then came into the very last race as a tac sub and beat PC and Soren for Exeter to win on aggregate. Hyde Road was packed and there was uproar throughout. Still one of my top 5 meetings of all time. .

With Carter the Clown, we are all in Dire Straits.

The three or four paragraphs of that regulation are poorly written, no doubt. And can be read as contradictory. However my decyphoring concurs with Racers and Royals. The Team for your first match (Round 1 or 2) has to be named 14 days in advance and can only be changed due to injury/illness. The team for the Race Off or Final does not have to be named until half-an-hour after the practice for that event. And that team cannot be changed after unless due to injury/illness.

Nothing to disagree with here. Of course all those things matter. But my question was more specifically aimed at just what is allowed immediately behind an airfence. As DeanMachine has pointed out some tracks seem to be just putting the airfence infront of the girders/suspension wires of a Stock Car track. Surely that is not safe. Whatever the workmanship. But is it deemed OK by the authorities?

Some of the vertical supports. like girders, that lurk behind some air fences look lethal. The lifting of an airfence by the first contact can leave these obstacles exposed for the secondary impact of one or more men. The constant back slapping everyone does about airfences has always made me a little uneasy whenever you see accident were the ATB as been massively dislodged, exposing these ugly looking posts. What are the rules now that deal with this. .

Yes, today it is. Yesterday and for the previous days, it wasn't. That is why people posted about the strangeness of it.

Get a room!

Yes, that's exactly what it makes you think. When TV companies move any of their programmes around the schedules and break continuity it is usually a bad sign. It usually signals to those involved that they won't be commissioning a new series when this run is finished. Just like tracks themselves. It is so difficult to build audience without the continuity of racenights.

I'm glad that Mr Rising added so much to the earlier article in the online Xtra mag as that was a liitle weak. This had much more meat, bite and thought. I thought this article was very good as a 'point of view'. It was never meant to be any sort of 'blueprint' for the future; more a call to arms. For those who will heed It may be stating the bleedin obvious in some areas but it just seems that is needed as some of those most intimately involved in the sport cannot see these things for themselves. Perhaps some of the more boneheaded ones will think about it a bit more just because they read it in the Star. Quite a few promoters, of my limited acquauintance, are perversely stung by comments in the Star; more than most other forms of criticism. Some of them are real big babies. Lets hope for something positive. It is our only hope. .

I ended up at BSPA.com. Bay State Psychological Associates. I asked about the remarkable news that Eddie Kennett had been picked for Team GB. They have offered help at their sanatorium.

Understood.

Again, thanks for the info. Had no idea those were the costs. But just like all the talk have been having on here regarding the way forward for Speedway. That investment is still the right course. To be left behind would be a tragedy. I'm sure you would think that SS is more go ahead like BSI than a dinosaur like the BSPA,