Sings4Speedway

Obviously at a later stage in the season and due to recent misadventures Foord is running with one bike (there was a time when even NL promotors demanded riders turn up with two). As covered the others were struggling with equipment also, the shale and moisture plays havoc with the basic electrics these machines run on so no surprise they didn't want to play. I have seen some comments of not wanting to dirty other bikes but given the sheer amount of hours it takes to prepare each machine and the knowledge that it will be for one more ride on a track nobody was enjoying it feels like a fairly easy choice. In all honesty the way the NDL has been treated/regarded this season its hard to expect the riders to treat it seriously when nobody else does.

how many times has that been written this season? the lad clearly has speed BUT how sustainable is the sport with that level of attrition on equipment?

Ok Berwick have an aversion to travelling full stop (due to costings) and there were no other available Tuesdays prior to the end of October which is the season cut off so even if it was held in November it wouldn't count. That said i hope the Bullets hang on to the title now as they have defied the odds, snapped up the more dependable newbies and gone unbeaten at home

Is there a date for the Armadale Mildenhall fixture yet? Whats the cut off for the league? If by a miracle that the points difference, points for and against are the same will it come down to head to heads between the sides?

Congrats to the Bullets. Pre-season they looked a 2 man team and with Flint leaving midway it could have been disaster but unbeaten at home and useful points away and Crang coming in and scoring straight away puts them back top of the table. Nervy wait to see if Mildenhall can topple Kent at home also otherwise its Silverware.

With Kent running out of dates and Berwick not wanting to travel again for a dead rubber match it was always likely to be on despite the terrible forecast. It also had get to 10 heats and call it written all over it but for reasons unknown they pushed on to 15 heats and the drama unfolded. Gremlins galore and riders thoroughly fed up with conditions which had gone past skiddy to dangerous prompting for numerous 2 min exclusions, good riders looking average and average riders looking dreadful (i bet Ryan Mac has enjoyed this southern tour). However champions crowned (effectively)and another NL league title slips away from Kent. Kent now have to try and promote 4 NDL fixtures with little riding on them throughout cold October and the treat of "lesser" sides on show. A sad end but i fear those few who have handed over £15 to watch NDL at Kent this year will be able to say they saw the Royals only season and the end of the NL as a whole.

Nothing wrong with the policy at all and the help and support given to riders (especially in the past) by Kent is league rivalling. Kent is more of a trick track than many give credit which can boost some riders who get to grips with it. The likes of Gilkes would have succeeded at most places but raw riders who turned into gems like Mulford, Spooner, Thomas and beautiful Danny Ayres can certainly be considered development success.

Im not saying they would / will i said hypothetically. Ben is dissallusioned with the BSPL and would be an opportunity to have a strong say in how things are run and improve the future.

It would certainly be nice to see a Nora league in operation next year. Run alongside other host events that suit the individual tracks and with a format that benefits all involved. Hypothetically IOW, Oxford, Eastbourne, Buxton, Mildenhall and Redcar? Could even be the return of a few "ghost" teams like Cradley or Reading. It doesn't have to be too over the top serious but about providing good honest balanced racing and entertainment whilst offering track time to riders who benefit from it. Im not picking on any teams listed or releasing any details as i know of nothing confirmed just using examples. It could even be run alongside the BSPL rather than directly in competition as i know of no reason why events from two governing bodies cannot run at the same venue as they have already done at Scunthorpe.

Can't argue that Kent gave Mulford a chance with little previous speedway pedigree but the rest are probably being held back by the NL at Kent this year. Foord has started erraticly and included in the Royals but no more development by them than that. Gilkes did all the work before joining Kent and would have been a success anywhere, Spooner should have had a big year but got frozen out by the points limit and fitness problems. If Kent want to claim / trumpet a rider of "thier own" it should be Clouting but sadly his progress is stalling. Get behind any team you like but when it comes to rider development its themselves and the families that have a right to claim thier development and very rarely others.

Whilst its all about development a loss tonight could affectively end Kents league winning hopes. Tough and technical track for Foord and Warren on their first looks at it and whilst the Millars are certainly not world beaters i would expect them to pack out enough minor placings to keep the Royals from getting any points here

So rider not sacked or mind changed?

That would scupper it, Royals would still be running fixtures next year at that rate. Put a mark in your calendar 28th Sept. Day NDL title is decided.....

I thought the rule was intended to assist away teams keep it a closer contest. It clearly suits Kent and indeed any side with a very strong 1&5. I can see many teams being built that way next year (if the rules remain) as teams can allow an visiting team to build a lead, claw it back with a tactical then dominate in the final few heats. Great for drama but is it sending away teams off without points they perhaps deserve / earned if it wasn't for the tactical switches?

Only issue that arises for me again is should a home side be able to use a Tactical Sub?

Certainly makes sense. Just thought it was billed as NL lite level rather than operating at exactly the same level (or lower) than the competition that was squashed to make way for it.

Any idea of the scoresheet / race format? Looks an awful lot like MSDL level.......

Seems a bit daft as signing date has passed so guests or RR only available options? Scorecard has who had off nights and with Muff technically being a guest as Ablitt already replacing him it can realistically be Bebee or Kelly. Of the two one is a liability and the other has zero confidence but can occasionally win races.

Perhaps pre season every club can pick two riders from a division lower up to a combined average to be thier guests that season. Usual rules apply so can only cover riders averaged above them. Bit like a mini squad system. Obviously 100's of flaws to be considered (although normally not) but least it would give a bit of affiliations to the stand in riders.

Maybe Oxford will be sensible and join a league with other like minded clubs who are sick of having thier own destiny decided for them......a destiny that is proving time and time again to be closure

Definitely no arguments there both more than doubled their averages, hopefully there is a decent league next year and the team building is reconsidered so assets like these don't end up getting frozen out of British speedway.

What was the crowd size like?

But its proven that a not enough people are interested in a 'better' product. Back in 2018 the NDL was at its peak but Eastbourne had a spectacularly good side that was battering teams at home and for the causal fan sadly the dominance didn't offer a great amount of entertainment.

NDL team have mostly chucked it in already and were far from happy campers all season, only Ablitt is likely to move on and that depends on his fitness plus he will probably benefit from staying on a 3.00 average for next year.

Does that matter if its proportionate? If rent and all other running costs are fixed and just wages are variable then they can be adjusted and team built accordingly. I reckon a break even point for NDL could be around 400 through the gate, if that isn't achievable then the sport in the area isn't sustainable at any level.