Steve Shovlar

Belle Vue V Poole Elite League B date finally announced. Monday 12th September at 7.30. That means we are there the 29th August, 12th September and hopefully near the end of September for the playoff Final. Plenty of practice before the important one. Foolish of Belle Vue to give us our two league meetings just before the playoffs.

One of the biggest problems speedway has, is promoters who frankly don't have a clue how to promote. For an example, Belle Vue. And this is no dig at them, just the way I see it. But I will use BV as they have a nice shiny new stadium. How many people live in the Greater Manchester area? 2.55 million people. And Belle Vue's average attendance is say 1500. What the hell is going on? A fraction of one percent. Whilst the BV promotion have done brilliantly to get themselves a brand new stadium, where are the fans? Why isn't it a sellout every week? How are the promotion promoting? I drove around Manchester last weekend and didn't see a single poster or anything to say there was speedway at a new stadium every week. Like many other speedway promotions, their idea of promoting is to open the gates on race day. In todays media savvy world this is not good enough. Even Matt Ford lags behind with the online shop only coming online this year. Poole couldn't sell Darcy Ward merchandise because of this. The problem is speedway promotions don't employ staff who can sit on the phone all day and promote, sell advertising, send out brochures to local companies, visit schools with complimentary tickets and show off a bike etc. The opportunities are endless but which promotions actually do this? It might mean handing iut hundreds of comps but so what? A few could be turned into regulars, who in turn bring along a friend. Swathes of empty seats on an opening season is not good to see. When the circus hit an area, they have people go ahead to that town and nearly every shop has a curcus poster up and two free tickets for doing so. The circus gets all the advertising for nothing other than the cost of the poster. Its not so much the rules that drive people away, its the lack of investment, over decades, that has failed to address bringing younger fans into the sport. A whole generation is missing, hence we look around us and see an aging fan base more suited to crown green bowls than a high adrenalin sport that is speedway. Sure the rules need sorting with edr issues. Sure the guest rule and missing riders need looking into. But fundementally its a great sport left behind in the mainstream simply due to lack of investment on the promotional front.

Wolves certain but Poole only likely? Poole are only two points behind Wolves with 4 meetings in hand. Poole can finish top. Three points at home to belle Vue and a win in Manchester will almost be enough, unless Belle Vue win at Lakeside on Friday. Then, Poole will have to win at Kings Lynn and Leicester. Too close to call who will finish top. Either Poole or Belle Vue.

When a team is chasing Belle Vue for top spot like Poole are at this time, it always seems lady luck comes along and makes things easier for the opposition. Where is Kennett? PL meeting? Belle Vue should walk this.

Just got back, not a bad meeting in the end. A few good races when Leicester made a gate. Holder in brilliant form, fast and untouchable. Cant be bothered with a full match review it was so one sided. Poole up to third, two behind Wolves with 4 meetings in hand.

Crowd not bad considering its Leicester and two matches in two days. Weak teams like this do the sport no good at all. Men against boys. Going to be cheering Leicester to win some races at this rate.

Great meeting last night a ton of passing. Ouch just trolling.

I dont use twitter or facebook so was amazed I had over 500 watching through periscope last night, including Nicki Pedersen, Monster Joe, Bratters plus others. How did they all find out about me stading there filming on my iphone? Thought the whole event went well even though there was a couple of hickups like mic feedback. I know the guy in the audience who stood and talked about discovering the sport because of Darcy and Holder, but its not good to talk about being gutted for Darcy and his injury. What has happened is done. Darcy I am sure doesn't want to hear how gutted someone or all of us are. Rather think forward to all the positives in life like driving again, gaining independence and perhaps becoming a father in future years. He said in this field of injury advances are being made very quickly and he hoped to be back on his feet in ten years time. He has an absolute diamond in his girlfriend. She seems unfazed by the issues. Darcy is one lucky fellow.

Poole can still finish top. A win tonight and next week, then we have to win at Kings Lynn. But the main point in finishing top is to win the two away meetings at Belle Vue, which can be done. Our team of racers in Holder, Hans, Buck, Kurtz and Ellis will thrive in the wide open spaces. Bjarne and Newman no slouches either. Belle Vue have avoided re-arranging the rained off meeting so far for fear of being turned over. The battle for top spot is not over by a margin.

Bound to be someperformance caveat built into the contract.

Its Michael Palm Toft in place of Bjarne. Not sure what Swindon riding on a Thursday has to do with Poole riding on a Thursday. We are 70 miles apart.

Was woeful tonight at Poole.

Looks like Belle Vue are dialled in on their track now. Perhaps they might now risk riding against Poole. How about arranging that A fixture rained off months ago?

An entertaining meeting tonight played out in front of a large crowd. Racing was very good with some hard tussles. Some daredevil passing maneouvres and the right result in the end. Both teams weaker through the loss of Kylmakorpi and Bjarne, so pretty much evened itself out. For Poole. Holder was good value. Must have been frustrated with Hans in one heat when Masters gated. Both Poole riders were climbing all over him but every time Holder went to swoop around the outside Hans back wheel got in the way. Newman excellent. First heat missed the start but had some superb and hard battles. Always in the mix. Buckowski started slow but got better as the night went on. Kurtz night went the other way. After a great first win he made errors which cost him positions. Hans is looking like a journeyman. Just pick up points along the way and don't take risks. Said he was not happy with his performance but we have seen similar all season. Wright did a job. Didn't let himself or the team down. Ellis motm. Spectacular racing and passing. Made one silly error allowing Thorsell through after he had done all the hard work. Improving by the week. Big future in this sport imo. Wolves. Lindgren was mostly very good and an improvement on recent visits. Pk did a job of no last places. Masters started well but faded. Thorsell was ok Schlein was poor. Only scored by forcing Newman to throttle off. Not the rider he once was. Clegg was out of his depth. Howarth battled. Got a massive flyer in one. Heat which should have been called back. So three points to Poole to shrink the gap at the top. And hopefully three more tomorrow against Leicester, when it is only a tenner to come in.

https://www.periscope.tv/w/anEbrDFtTUVQZVdxTm1RR2J8MXlvS01sa0RvQWt4UVrsUPJ8IW9CLozYwZFaVy1RK1-DBbfJw3DJiRdvSZS7 Had over 500 fans from around the world tuned in live to watch this as well as several hundred packed in the room. Video lasts 80 minutes and is well worth watching. Talks about his life, what he is up to, where he is going and his future plans. For those that would like a bit of adventure themselves, the first 43 people to sign up from around the world are going to do a sponsored tandem parachute jump from Dunkerswell airfield. Price is £395 with approx £150 of it going to Darcy to help continue his rehab. Seemed there were quite a few in the room willing to do it. He is in Swindon for tomorrows meeting.

About to start periscope

Talking about the Darcy event after the meeting.

Would anyone be interested if I periscoped it?

Massive crowd tonight. Delayed start by a few mins

I told you a couple of weeks ago to read my posts correctly. I said Bjarne was slow on a bike, which he has been. Fast out of the gate then no speed about him. You must have seen this yourself at Brandon a couple or so weeks back. I never once said he wasn't on good form and that's why his average has dropped so low. You are making up rubbish. I said he was at reserve because the reserves have scored so well to relegate Bjarne to reserve. He hasn't let us down once yet, bar one dodgy away meeting at the start. Try reading posts rather than make up a load of guff to suit your argument.

Well with Bjarnes mum passing away it is fully understandable he thoughts are elsewhere, and rightly he should be with close family at this time. Clearly we can't cover for him so are vunerable tonight and tomorrow. It's just unfortunate we can't get a quality replacement. Big chance for Wolves to get a result out of this.

What about government funding? Has it ever been applied for? The Sports Council gives tens of millions a year to football, the richest sport of them all. Millions to rugby, athletics, even two bob sports like archery and sycronised swimming. Surely putting together a very good synopsis of what would be attained with the funding could put speedway in a position where a few hundred thousand could come our way?

Looks like a special deal for fans coming to the Wolves meeting. Trouble is with such short notice its quite difficult to make arrangements.

Doyle was rightly excluded. The question is, would Pawlicki have stayed on the bike if not hit by Doyle? The answer is yes, he would have stayed on the bike. Therefore Doyle excluded for causing the stoppage.

I would just like to say what a tremendous gift Woffy gave that little girl by pulling her out of the crowd to be part of the award ceremony and to give her his silver medal. That memory will stay with her and her family forever, and as Woffy said it would have probably have just been chucked under the stairs. I have certainly been vocal about him this year, with his snub of his home country's league as well as other issues, but credit where it is due. I am not myself a Tai hater, just angry with some of his decisions, but here he deserves to be applauded for making a little girls day. https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/motorsport/1532878/speedway-world-cup-final-tai-woffinden-inspires-great-britain-to-second-place-then-gives-his-medal-to-girl-in-the-crowd/