Sings4Speedway

Personally as team manager i would just hold back my top performer on the night for heat 15. Then chuck 2nd-5th into the vote, worst case scenario is you get 4th&5th in ht 14 and 1st&2nd in ht 15. I hope the voting numbers are published at some point, what would happen if everyone boycotted the stupid system and there was no votes for heat 14?

Im not so sure. I think any of them barring Paco could hit 6.5 this season if they have a run in the right position and i reckon that will be enough to take the jacket. Didn't ash Morris almost end up at number 1 for Newcastle last year?

If he remains in the number 1 jacket all season i will be staggered

Odds on Wally being the first no show of the season? First to fence an opponent? and First to have an own team scrap with Danny Ayres?

I have to say i have nothing against Drew or where he chooses to get his kevlars made its just a really poor example from Len of how costs are rising as in examples like this they are not rising he is just choosing a more expensive brand. All other clubs blame stadium rent or medical cover increases to duck out of it so nothing new but he would have been better of saying we have signed an expensive team that i expect to get a lot of points so need to up the gate money.

Whilst i accept that many clubs are struggling financially Kent have turned a profit every year and are able to top up rider packages with sponsored extras. Uncle Len using examples like Kemps kevlars cost him double what they did last year so need increases etc is baloney. They cost double because he went somewhere more expensive/took up the optional extras. If Kent/Len want to throw funding behind riders to help them progress quicker then fine but don't force the additional costs on to the paying public.

The sad fact is that barring Cradley & Leicester i can't see any sides getting near Kent at Central Park so unlikely to pay out for one sided hammerings. Depending on the Eastbourne select side and how well the Plymouth side do in the early 4TT that might tempt me along but otherwise looking through the fixtures there isn't anything else that appeals to me.

Ive long thought that the replica shirt market is something that Speedway teams have missed out on (even if it was licensed through the manufacturer with a club taking a share?) It is something that all other team sports capitalise upon & even individual riders are doing well from but UK teams fail at this consistently.

Especially when you consider that on occasions exactly the same sets of riders will be on show. In these times where equality is everything the gaps seem to be getting further apart.

£2 more than any other team in the league and £5 more than Belle Vue is alarming. Im impressed with the calibre of team that Kent have built this year but if its not being built with budget what hope does the sport have of surviving.

15 blinking quid to get in at Kent this year! Fair play to those who can sustain the constant rises but personally i will be attending very few meetings at that rate. More likely spending my money at Eastbourne at the next level up for just a quid more. Poor reasoning too, riders costs have gone up because they have allowed them to, its not the fans fault that riders choose to have new race suits, bikes, engines every season but they are the ones being hit in the pocket.

Aside from new punters coming through we are short of new riders coming through as who realistically would encourage anyone to take up the sport. Costs are spiralling, clubs are folding, apart from 1/2 riders we are adrift on the world stage and at the mercy of a glut of foreigners to keep the leagues operating.

It also has to be said that whilst a useful experiment greyhounds, horses, stock cars and speedway are pretty different sports whereas solo speedway, sidecar speedway and short track are much more connected. If these could be organised with the invited riders matched to a closer standard then the entertainment would come. Its even got potential to break riders into class groups and close the gap in standard. As for the comments about regulars i just don't see the sport surviving with the current supporting trends or even in a regular team format. The GP's continue to prosper whilst all leagues are struggling, all the indicators are that the majority want less meetings but of a much higher entertainment standard.

Maybe he has actually ended up with a deal that means he is paid per point so will have to put some effort into his racing.

True but they are still in their infancy with respect to speedway. If they were being made for specific riders rather than just a one size fits all then they could be a little more tailored.

No they want to give Ipswich half a chance

Obviously plenty left in the Ipswich budget. Still doesn't mean he isn't grossly overpaid. Plus the Witches were desperate for a big name rider in the side or risked fans not turning up. Harris would need to end the season on a 10 plus average to make himself considered good value.

have to say im hugely in favour of this an have made similar suggestions in the past. I see the future of the sport as more of a travelling show rather than a weekly team sport. As you said various classes / formulas all run on the same day. Grasstracks can draw strong crowds with a lesser standard product. Make it a full festival of shale based sport but as the most suited Speedway would finally be the headline act.

Confirmation of what was largely known already although confirmation that Tungate is notably cheaper than Harris is quite alarming because i doubt Rohan comes that cheap so Bomber must be raking it in once again.

Thats the point. Even in a relatively simple league with simple rules nobody can write down anything concrete. Its always just flakey stuff that gets abused and exploited.

I have to say that as a middle ground im surprised more clubs don't utilise the Jersey approach. Riders can have their own kevlars and be recognisable via legs but have X jerseys made each reflecting the clubs preferred design for the upper body and can have the riders sponsors included too. Keep a couple back for guests and cheap to make when Poole change 6 of the starting line up.

Personally yes i think it would/should be great if all clubs had team kevlars it just has to be listed as part of the contract /signing on fee. As a rider you are expected to wear this design kevlar every match, here is £5-600 go get them made to the design we specify. If you wish to spend more that's your own choice. Its not rocket science to be honest.

Looking at the pictures i would say he was riding at Scunny? Not sure who wiped him out but "only" seen bruising to lung and abdomen as injuries. Wish him a speedy recovery.

In fairness when i read your original post which has now vanished i thought you were digging out the MK Knights. Whilst the ideal is that all ghost teams are doing their best to find a new venue of their own not all have the funding to setup a fresh lets be honest how many established clubs can start up again, Cradley for example have been trying without success for ages and have much deeper pockets than most. But by keeping the team name going the hard working groups of supporters are keeping the interest afloat and by having an active team name is still a positive step to the sport returning to the area.

Whilst harmonising has its merits, it is certainly not a simple rulebook. Why not ditch the IRR, if a rider gets injured then the rides are covered by reserves. If a team is already running RR then they must have a number 8 on standby. That is easy to explain rules "that average guy got injured so they can only replace him with the reserves" rather than "that average guy got injured so now the best 3 riders can all take a ride each and completely swing the match". If a rider has to withdraw does a mandatory X day lay off still apply?