Sings4Speedway

Im assuming Connor Coles, Ben Morley and Max James all have to apply to get the 8% reduction which may or may not be granted.....

Also shows why the limits shouldn't yo-yo around. 38 point limit last year introduced a several non ready riders combined with natural average inflation and a short season seeing riders like Simpson on averages higher than their probable ability.....therefore the need to jump up to 42. Why can't that NL just stick at a number (ideally 42) with 3.00 minimum and maybe things will start to level out again.

Im going to say it.....Simpsons NL average is way to high for this to be considered a decent signing, if he had come in on his Trophy average that would be different but 8.42 is a massive number......he will probably do alright at Lynn if its deep with his Grasstrack background but technical tracks are going to be a big challenge

Surely its trying to compare apple cider and Perry....... One was tweaking a rule post season starting the other squeezing one in pre season with the caveat that it will be taken out if it doesn't suit Scunthorpe at the end of the year either way both are nonsense.

I think the fake outrage was more genuine fear. A Nora national league could have easily operated alongside the BSPL leagues but with the ability to take a fresh look, introduce fresh ideas but also drop any that didn't work whilst being forgiven as it would have been a known work in progress. Instead the BSPL threatened riders that competed in it and threatened clubs with closure if they co-operated. Rather than generate track time for both established and emerging riders its was beaten down by snakes who champion themselves as saviours of the sport.

surprised they didn't change the rules for him again....

Do yourself a favour and pop it on ignore like the rest of us. Simon Lambert was/is an excellent mentor who has a huge amount of knowledge available both technical and mechanical (though perhaps not fitness) anyone who listens and adopts any pointers he gives them will be better for it.

It was obvious what would happen the day it was announced. Personally i think the NL limit should be 40 and leave it there, changing year on year creates a bigger mess. 40 allows a little natural average inflation to help riders progress beyond but also high enough that a decent standard of teams can be put on track. Lowest rider average should be 3.00 meaning riders have to work hard to earn and keep their place rather than being convenient low numbers.

Any rider on a 2.00 is daft but Ben Whalley is New Zealand national champion. He beat George Congrieve who was decent in a stronger NL so id say even a bad season is going to see his average go over 6.

Why? Scunthorpe look in enough trouble as it is. This will sound mean (because it is) but i genuinely don't get all the hype around Max Perry needing a team place all the time.....surely the fact that it happens season after season says something? Team building averages shouldn't be tinkered with just to accommodate someone to frankly has suspect machinery and doesn't mix it enough. Neither will feature given the points available but Mickie Simpson would be more deserving of the position than Perry based upon last season.

Strong looking top 4 and ridiculous joker starting at reserve should see a good season for the Aussie Academy. Threat is nullified a little once Whalley moves into the 1-5 but short season should be ok. Hope Anika finds an aggressive streak as i worry speed may be there but gating and first corners are going to be a problem.

The big issue that has crept into the sport is that being good enough is no longer the sole consideration for a team spot. Ultimately if a rider is more than good enough they will get a team spot but there are also a growing list of maybe riders that squeak in for other reasons like locality, sponsorship, recommendations from riders who have no actual interest etc. The grim reality is that very few riders are ready once they turn 15 be that physically, mentally, emotionally or whatever. There have been and will continue to be altercations between riders who are above and below the legal age and it won't always be able to be swept under the carpet. I would happily see the minimum age for NL returned to 16 and could even be higher.

The National League has always struggled with the disparity in crowds at various tracks and therefore the budgets for sides created. Kent would easily pull 600+ weekly at Central Park and double that for a Bank Holiday clash. Likewise in that era Eastbourne, Birmingham, Mildenhall but all were standalone teams. On the other end Stoke and Buxton would draw 150-300 on a good day and don't even think about the bad days. The rest would slot in the middle and like teams built have good days and bad. Len claimed to have turned a profit every year at Kent NL so was it wrong of him to build better sides according to his budget? Scunthorpe entered a team so bad one year that most clubs hosted them as double headers as they knew nobody would pay to turn up and watch, is that a help or hinderance to other clubs?

I completely get that Kenzie gets an average after 4 fixtures and he knew (or should have known the implications) what is wrong is dropping the lower limit to 2.00 and allowing those who achieved under 3.00 to race on be signed on their lower number. Then the team building limit gets jumped back up to 42 allowing stronger sides and if sub 3 point riders are signed a bigger gulf in class. A 9-10 point rider and a 2 point rider in the same heat is unlikely to produce good racing or a huge deal of entertainment.

To be fair to Alfie like all other riders he is free to ask for what he likes and its the promotions job to decide if he's worth that amount. There's a stand off waiting to happen, promotions will have to start saying no but i respect that riders shouldn't have to leave home knowing they will make a big loss.

It was what happened, don't think it is now though and the number of MDL sides would reflect that. If anything the volunteers who were doing things for the love of the sport were pushed/priced out by those who wanted the credit for themselves.......PJL anyone?

Crikey must have had a good day somewhere? Last season might not have felt like a disaster but with newbies starting on a 2.00 this season thats quite an extra chunk of points used up.

Decent expenses rates would feature pretty highly. The number who actually do it "for the love of the sport" are far fewer than many like to make out

To be fair thats how the Workington sides have been built since their return with sh#t or bust riders, unpredictable makes for great viewing (providing they turn up), however if a season of consistency hits then big things could happen. I really hope so. There appears to be a better vibe coming from the club than in previous years. Getting off to a good start and a consistent home surface are key

Yes and they finished 3pts off the bottom, this year i think they will be overtaken by Plymouth. Poole and Glasgow top 2 Redcar, Edinburgh, Oxford and Berwick fighting out for play off spots......probably the most interesting aspect of the season Worky & Plymouth Scunthorpe bottom

On the plus side some fence panels passed! Sheesh only in British speedway is a team introduced to the league prior to passing a track inspection. Hopefully all just minor and easily resolvable issues.....

Because the limit was too low the season before, therefore the rider averages are artificially inflated and now the demand is to raise it to keep riders in team places but then gets exploited because signing Mulford on 8.74 (probably less as i didn't take the brit reduction off before doubling his CL average) is less points used than Ace Pijper or Ben Trigger who had poorer seasons in the CL than Mulford did. I can see a lot of emerging riders being pushed out this year and teams made up of CL reserves and NL non improving journeymen.

With regards to Boughen he may well have been poorly advised but lets not forget he had the opportunity to continue in the NL but his ego had outgrown it. Natural talent yes but impatient and got swallowed up. Simon Lambert should he be back in the NL no, could he be an incredible mentor for someone absolutely yes. Very few know or acknowledge just how much he did for Danny Ayres progression. Dropping the minimum level to 2.00 is a big worry with the heat leader calibre being drafted in as i can see riders getting lapped not through falls just lack of speed and thats a worry.

Shame he's got his fingers in all the pies..... "The Bureau consists of 4 nominated Members, one representing the ACU are Paul Hurry and Gary Thompson, whilst Rob Godfrey (BSPL Chairman) and Nikki Jameison (BSPL Office Manager) represent the British Speedway Promoters Limited under the independent Chairmanship of Jim Lawrence (a former speedway Referee)."

Ironic given how many opportunities the BSPL have gone out of their way to shut down with the weasel leading the charge. A better investment of time would be asking why the recently retired riders gave up.....but they wouldn't like the answers.