Sings4Speedway

Only in Speedway can there be calls for youth development and calls against the weakening of the leagues and a plan is put in place to make a right fist of both. One of the best ruling implemented for years was the minimum standard required to be a PL rider. Why is that not being used as a benchmark here? Riders who have achieved a NL average of 6+ for example are eligible for a CL place, then continue with the minimum 4.5 average to become a PL rider. Its been seen time and time again recently where teams build with 6 string riders and the cheapest 7 available gets thrown to the wolves, takes the minimum 3 rides and has their confidence hammered. Im all for British riders getting chances and creating opportunities but only for those who have earnt the right and are proving they can make the grade. Filling teams with riders just because they are cheap, local, compliant is not going to benefit them or the sport in any way.

Fortunately im not a complete non-attendee and do still get a fair fix of Speedway in over the active seasons but not to the levels that i did previously. I can just no longer throwing money at meetings where the entertainment is minimal. A lot of the southern tracks have quite a home bias and as im not a supporter of any given team (just a few soft spots for certain clubs) but rather a supporter of the sport in general and so pick my matches based upon the quality of the visiting sides. A sentiment that i think is growing amongst the more casual fan base the sport has.

My only regret is that i can only like that comment once. Barry & Martin are one of the few teams who realise that whilst their own team is important the league as a whole needs to flourish in order to see the greater benefits.

Well somebody is telling porkies probably that shifty Bishop....hard to trust a man who puts tripe on his crumpets

Two ends of the spectrum with there two both had plenty of ability but one barely had two clutch plates to rub together but confidence a plenty whilst the other had more machinery than he knew what to do with but fading belief. Zach is still very successfully riding Longtracks and i think it will be hard to tempt him back.

Whilst rush isn't the right word i think at the moment everyone is looking for some glimmer of hope to keep them motivated. Many of us are far more used to the NDL being run in a more open and honest way compared to the higher leagues (although i accept the bar isn't very high). But surely even a statement of we have discussed several options for the coming season based upon differing scenarios and will release full details once further variables are known. Keeping people in the dark does nobody any favours.

Ah got you so whilst its not entirely arm behind the back hypothetically if those were the only options its either accept the mileage or turn down and leave the rising star scheme making the route into the higher leagues much harder. TBH i just hope you and the boy have fun in the youth rounds and NL for a long as possible and then what will be will be. Just many talented youngsters fail to make the next steps successfully and are quickly forgotten about. Not saying one way or another about Luke as his destiny rests in his/your hands for now.

So a week on from the NDL AGM and still begger all has been released. Considering the mess that appears to be being made of the 'rising stars' now would be a great time to release a little good news or any rubbish news would go a bit under the radar.....

No draft this season but alluded to by those who have seen the full lists and 'rules' that a draft may exist when it goes to two riders per team. Fortunately all the mistakes of the previous draft systems will have been learned from, the mistakes rectified and we will see lots of even balanced and entertaining speedway over the next few years.

Comedy gold yes but interaction and feedback in real time could be a way of adding a real connect between teams and fans. Rider of the night votes, heat 15 rider votes (even if they are just opinion polls), heat result predictions to play along with whilst the next heat comes out. The options are vast even for such a niche sport. If someone takes it and drives it forward the commercial scale is actually quite large.

No Edinburgh or Plymouth? Are these teams dropping out of the Championship or are your plans to bypass the NDL? (if there is one left). As for the set money deals it wasn't so much as accepting them as the fact that nobody will stick to it, with the last draft system and the £40 limit riders at some teams were getting double that plus big sponsor deals whilst a few stuck to it and saw their draft picks struggle.

In all honesty i wonder how many people on here can say the amount of visits to speedway has maintained / increased over the past 5 years? I used to be at various tracks often two-three times a week. That bubble has officially burst way before the pandemic but even now i know i won't get the magic bug back and will pick and choose any meetings i attend based upon the competing teams and if i can tie something else in with the trip.

50p says 5 year plan torn up and brushed under the carpet. Until then im hope all riders enjoy the "equal set points money". It is lovely to see the optimism of some though i would love to hear the thoughts of Mr Harrison in 4 years time when his boy has been treated like dirt by multiple promotions.

Whilst i agree with you (and always will you speedway legend) there was also a time when not everyone had a phone full stop in the same way not everyone had a computer but times evolve and life becomes tricky without. As an honest question if speedway were to disperse with the physical programme would you consider getting a smartphone of whatever level to utilise the 'e-programme' or would you just print a score sheet and keep at it the analogue way?

Is it just me or is it all just toooo complicated and we already have enough complications with averages but we do at least partly understand them so why not just set it as newcomers to the CL 2.00 - rider who has completed 30 NL meetings or fewer 2.50 - rider under 23 3.00 - newcomer who has completed 30+ NL meetings or over 23. from then on they just have the average the achieve with above minimums applied. For PL reserves need to achieve the required minimum standard via conversion rate as they do now job done. Im all for promoting British and making them more attractive signings makes sense but not if it makes it all too easy. The reason more Aussies succeed than Brits is because they have no choice, its make it or fly home.

Except the riders in the scheme will have places in teams held open for them that currently are often filled up with non improving NL riders apart from those no improvers who have got in on the scheme! I hope it is limited to two leagues only as many on the scheme will desperately need the NL rides for confidence (if there is a NL left) and i hope those involved have deep enough pockets as running 2-3 bikes with 3-4 engines and all associated running gear that is required to compete in two leagues alongside van, time off work etc will push several to the limit but i hate the begging bowl messages mid season and have enough of it from established riders.

With the greatest of respect if the programme sales are what dictates if a clubs survives or doesn't then the writing is already daubed across the wall.

So if im getting you correctly should a rider agree to go onto the rising star register they must accept a team place if offered to them regardless of where it is or face the consequences whatever they may be? Obviously there might be some sense applied in some cases but only likely to financial such as not paying a rider 500 miles fuel money each home meeting. Would certainly be interesting reading to see the sanctions being held against the riders especially if you consider that two places per side will become the norm in the Champ in future. I can see the fun being sucked out of the sport very quickly for some riders being forced to clubs/tracks that they don't like very much.

You are right to a point but even the right amount of dirt can produce one line racing at even the best tracks like NSS or Peterborough. If all the grip is out by the fence at the showground it just produces fast but processional racing. Tracks need multiple racing lines / options for track craft to decide the outcome rather than gating technique and most suitable engine.

I completely agree but with printing costs on the rise and an increasing demand for better value for money how much revenue do program sales generate over a season? The programs on sale are often printed prior to team changes due to injury/unavailability, rain offs cause either redundant stock or repurposed scruffy examples plus of course the surplus of unsold items. More fans are printing their own sheets and filling in trackside as circa £3 for a document that is rarely read or adverts noted is a pricey addition to each visit. Advertising space could still be sold just to be displayed on the app and with links to companies websites may actually create some genuine trackable sales. Throw in a link to any team merchandise and it could be a very usable item.

The consequences should be published along with the list. The asset system is largely flawed and i fail to see why many riders sign for clubs/local clubs other than being given a sensible financial incentive. Being restricted by a club that could affect any riders development despite that club having zero interest is just daft.

The only benefit i can see of an app would be to remove the need for a physical program. A scorecard with the actual riders and updated meeting scores and actual times so that nobody has to rely on shoddy PA systems. They would get around any cancellation and reprints plus the dreaded insert. Obviously there are plenty who still enjoy the physical program but in a green sustainable world e-programs feel like the future.

But why is it so complicated? Why not say 0 years Champ experience 1 Star, 1 Year experience 2 stars etc. PL Experience 3 Stars min. All riders under 30 are eligible. Verge has ridden for 10 years, Harrison hasn't been on a 500. Naming individual riders and putting them into grades is opening it all up for criticism. There is still no incentive for any of the clubs that need the riders to get involved with the development of emerging riders, thats where the progression and success of the system will come from.

Was this not planned to be introduced via a new ignition system only for them to not actually be available due to production / hologamation constraints? Another well thought out ruling. 2nd halves stopped at Somerset because the track staff got fed up waiting for it to finish and wanted extra to stay on. Unfortunately rider availability and the lack of main meeting urgency hurt the numbers attending. The novelty for riders traveling fair distances to watch a lengthy interval, drawn out parade and interviews before curfew arriving and 2nd halves curt short/abandoned grew weary for many talented riders.

Don't knock the last one, Jacob has got good bikes and if Savalas could squeeze in his kevlars he could be brought in as a 1star ringer