Sings4Speedway

This might come as a surprise but i agree with you i places. However its not just the NL where the standard is too spread out, the Championship also has 2 point riders out on track with 8/9/10 point averaged riders. The whole system needs a shake up to make an actual race to include all 4 riders and not two races in one. Im sure there will be a statto somewhere who can compare number of fallers? Yes there is the element of learning in the NL which can cause crashes by misadventure but that also adds to the unpredictable nature of it and is more entertaining than from the gate racing that can often pepper the updates of the higher leagues. My big issue is the slating of the league rather than the riders. A promoter can have his opinion on performances just like any other poster on here but to make broad sweeping unjustified statements is nothing short of Jon Cooks ignorance and rudeness.

My only disappointment is that i can only like the above once. Ive thought very similar for a long time and buried somewhere is an equivalent post. Qualifying rounds, differing levels, handicap races, sidecars whatever it takes make it razzle dazzle. Look at the X games and arena cross. They pack huge stadia and in reality is no more thrilling than speedway. 4 riders could go round a 100 meter circular track and make it entertaining if the abilities and bikes were matched. Bring back the pantomime villains, arm waving and just entertainment. If newbies go and think its alright they won't come back, if they attend and leave thinking its amazing they will return and will bring others.

Would think so especially with Paco moving up and Ash Morris dropping in at reserve, he must be looking forward to getting a bucket load of points.

"Ben also needs to realise that he has the potential to be a professional speedway rider and that's a very different animal to being a star in a League where half your opponents struggle to stay on, get their bikes to do four laps and in some cases can barely skid a bike. I've seen him have some terrific rides at this and Elite level so the talent is there. I don't think the NL comfort zone is doing him any good" The above is a quote by Eastbourne's Jon Cook. Delightful to see what he really thinks of the National League, a league that Eastbourne have just moved out of and that featured a lakeside team not so long ago. Nobody claims that NL riders are the finished article but i personally find the above comments incredibly rude towards everyone who competes in and follows the NL. Here's my quote back "You can stick your opinions and any club you have anything to do with now or in the future where it doesn't shine as you won't be getting one penny from me."

Completely agree that without those comments its a harsh but fair article about 2-3 riders struggling to make the step up in the sport. For the record Morley will but is taking his sweet time about it, Wood needs backers of Bickley's level to sort his kit but is a natural motorcyclist and Bowtell doesn't have the comfort of NL racing because he didn't land a team place. As for the comments about the NL they are frankly rude and vastly untrue, it does the sport no good to slate itself and there are as many fallers & mechanical issues in higher leagues as low. Jon Cook is welcome to keep away from the NL in my opinion as he made a right fist of it with Lakeside and didn't exactly do wonders at Championship level before burying the club. I hope for the supporters he is more successful this time but he won't be getting a pound from my pocket while he is anything to do with the club.

Are you able to post the whole quote so i can get context? Does seem like an absolutely mad comment from a man desperate for success in the first year in the league up. Don't forget where you came from as its quite possible the Eagles could be grovelling back there if they aren't careful.

Doing the Somerset vs Plymouth challenge. Not sure if Barker thinks he should not be racing that was just Redcars views of his off track issues.

In all fairness it was a Wilson masterclass that separated the two sides in the end. Every other rider scored their averages (bar Wood & Andrews who got +3 each so levelled themselves out). Because the Island is so large and requires so much shale it is often quite slick which is similar to Plymouth of recent weeks/months/years and any side based at the Devon track need to be good out the gates, there is an opinion that IOW is alright for non gaters as there are plenty of passing chances which is true to a point but a rider needs to be substantially faster to make a pass stick. Im not quite sure what the Plymouth side holds over IOW (probably belief) but winning on the Island is becoming a regular feature for them and with all great respect they are not the finest team in the league this year.

Having not seen the actual comment the jury is still out however a respected poster reported it as "need to stop playing big fish with amateurs in a league where riders struggle to complete 4 laps". If those were the words of Jon Cook he can officially go and bang everything he has to do with Speedway where the sun don't shine as far as im concerned as the only thing he will be getting from me from now on is grief....if the comments are in any way accurate if not then i will reconsider.

As said many times before Speedway isn't comparable to most sports. The action time vs cost is getting out of hand in some places. Sister sports like grasstrack are usually under £15 and for 40+ races, Stocks and bangers again far more races for the entry fee's. The fact is that the sport currently is competing with other amateur ventures but attempting to charge professional prices.

I hope the rumours about Eastbourne's horrible negative comments about the NL turn out to be just rumour as ive been lining up a couple of trips down to the Sussex track but if it is the case the current promotion will not see one penny from me.

Crikey i know i know he has played God with the rules but surely we can't start referring to Rob as such....and what would that make Buster???

Nothing worth reading......

Indeed and even the die hards are diminishing in number......5 years time "we dedicate that win to our supporters, all 20 of them"

Taking over where Kylmakorpi left off.....

Very difficult to argue with what you say there. Whilst there is constant bashing of "diluting the product" i feel the standard of riders on the track at the same time needs to be addressed. If all riders in a meeting had averages between 4 & 6/7 then the entertainment would be a lot higher than the current gulf between 2 & 10 pointers.

The major problem is that because the clanger was dropped in signing him at the start of the season it allowed the other decent 2.00 riders to be snapped up, the remaining are either not quite ready (but would benefit from the experience) or doing NL only and have deals sorted for next season already. Fortunately the limit goes up to 40 soon so will be 3 and a bit points available to replace Phillips with......lets see if that actually happens?

Whilst not defending him Rogers may have proposed the reduction but the promotion as a whole chose to run with it. There have been plenty of reasons why the attendances have fluctuated for the Devon based club, if someone was able to produce accurate attendance data showing that the numbers did not rise or fall during that time period then clearly the club could have lost money (although knowing the budget at the start of the season should be preparing accordingly).

My big fear is that unless others follow suit and make Speedway an accessible affordable sport again many others will follow suit (myself included) and watch 1or 2 GP's abroad a season rather than attend club racing regularly.

Thank goodness for that .......i initially wondered if it was turn 2 at Poole.

Glad to see Loka through as a fresh face to mix it up could be interesting. Likewise disappointing Milik didn't make the grade however all 3 qualifiers are going to have to bust a gut to make the actual GP's

Perhaps because he isn't as blinkered as you and acef who cannot bear a bad word said about belle vue? and for the record i don't care for the shade of red used for the aces kevlars this year

Barely

The huge problem is that the only club in the land to offer £10 speedway is Belle Vue with their Colts side and that is subsidised. The complaint of diluting the product come thick and fast but is anything higher up worth the money? The superstars are keeping away for a multitude of reasons but even if teams were formed of GP riders added into the current top flight sides would numbers come flocking back and be prepared to pay £20+ a meeting?

I cannot applaud the promotion enough for this move and keep fingers crossed its a success. If Berwick can prove that Speedway in this country is sustainable as a £10 sport (which it is in its current guise) then hopefully many others will follow suit.