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This always perplexes me. Speedway as we know is about getting the power from the bike to the track. The only contact is with a tyre. Surely the easiest way to slow the sport down, speed is up, make it safer etc is to change the rear tyre? Why only one type of tyre? Surely a deep grippy track required a different type of tyre to a slick track? No doubt Briggo has a solution too that'll only cost £2000. I'd listen to pretty much any current GP rider about current machinery over someone who hasn't raced for 30 years. Yes Briggo was good then but what does he really know about riding a current bike? Probably more than me but nothing compared to a GP ridr surely?

Statistically, 1000 out of the numbers that must attend speedway in the UK each week (circa 40k I'd estimate) is actually a pretty sizable amount. Oh the irony.

Also, someone went to one of the public consultations and asked about a speedway track in principal. The answer was yes, why not. Now find us a promoter with the cash to build the track. But again, I think you'd be mad to try and build a track in Ebbw Vale.

It been discussed online in the past and the general opinion is that if speedway doesn't work in a city the size of Newport it stands zero chance in Ebbw Vale - A depressing, irrelevant place these days. It's just too far away from anything and anyone. If you were just going to drop a speedway trakc down somewhere then Newport Stadium, which the council are due to abbandon soon is a far better option.

And now Middlo will claim he was right. Well no, because Worrall could beat all the Swedes and all but Hancock from America too.

The whole idea of averages is that it doesn't matter if it's 10 or 15 meetings. Averages iron out the issue of done riding more meetings. I can't believe people are trying to argue that staying on a speedway is luck and not a skill! Do you know what's being discussed here? My argument is dpeedway riders rely on skill, yet a few people are claiming its luck. I could not ride for Poole. I could not ride NL. Why? I don't have the skill. I get scared riding around the Scunthorpe mini track when there is someone else with 10 foot of me. That's a skill I don't poses. I also fall off a lot, because I don't have skill. Or maybe I'm just unlucky?

Over a 4 year period though, that should even out. if we were talking a handful of meetings I'd accept your point but surely over 1200 meetings is a bloody good sample? I agree it's not perfect and there not a massive amount in it but there is certainly a correlation between the top and bottom riders. Even down to splitting heat leaders, second strings and reserves (I assumed 1,3 and 5 as heatleaders though, not always true) you notice a pattern with the exception of PL reserves who as I mentioned earlier in the thread have a tendency to fall off lots or never. I would guess but I've not checked it out there more falls in March die to being rusty and cold than there is in August when it's warm and rider are up to speed too. probably loads more in October when it's cold and wet and meetings are generally run out of desperation in dodgy conditions.

Would they have? The rules state a facility only on the day of a meeting for longtrack. The meeting was not on the Friday so now R/R should have been allowed. Edinburgh cheated and weirdly they have not been punished, but Redcar have been given a point they don't actually deserve for it. Very odd.

Fact, here are the numbers Level Season Falls Meetings Falls Per meeting Elite 2010 39 73 0.53 Premier 2010 80 133 0.60 Elite 2011 101 164 0.62 Premier 2011 165 298 0.55 Elite 2012 94 153 0.61 Premier 2012 163 252 0.65 Elite 2013 45 79 0.57 Premier 2013 103 118 0.87 So 2011 was the exception. But 3 years out of 4 the PL has more falls. Also over all 4 season the PL has more falls. Not hugely but enough to suggest that better riders fall off less. It's not exactly going to be a shock though is it? Unless you support Workington it seems. edit > tried my bets to format it. for some reason despite the forum having the html tags, it doesn't allow html or tables :s

Fine you win. It's not a fact that PL riders fall off more often. It's not a skill to ride a speedway bike, it's all sheer luck. Somerset beat Workington all down to Somersets luck. somerset were lucky their riders beat the Workington riders more than the Workington riders beat Somerset riders, Somerset were lucky their riders didn't fall off. Somerset were lucky their riders didn't stop (although actually somerset riders did fall and have Ef's btu they don't count do they? only the "unucky" ones). I don't knwo why promoters bother paying the riders lareg sums of money to lucky ride a bike around a track and rely on luck to beat the opposition. You or I could get lucky and score 15 points. Tell you what, next time Richard Lawson scores a maximum go and tell him he was lucky. Because theres no skill involved in staying on a speedway bike. It makes me laugh that a few of you can claim it's luck and then have a go at me for daring to suggest that falling off may be down to a lack of skill. So yes, when a rider rides in the EL he gets talent. He gets skill. He's not been picked to ride in the EL because he's got talent and skill, he gets it because he is riding in the EL. Again, promoters may as well just sign you up as EL number 1 because signing for a EL team suddenly gives you talent and skill so you don't have to rely on luck to stay on your bike or for it to last 4 laps.

Lioness, I fear you're wasting your time. Its been said for a long time the way points are just removed is wrong. Just one of the many issues with the sport.

I once lost on a Peterborough vs Ipswich rain effected meeting. i had backed Peterborough at something like -12 and they were 10 up after heat 12 and the meeting was ended. The bookies (bet 365) said it was a loss as a result had been declared. There rules agreed with this too. It down to each bookies rules ultimately.

I've gone from 60+ meetings a season about 5 years ago to 5 meetings in 24 months. Why? It's no ruled, it's Matt Ford and self interest. Kildemand-gate was the straw that broke the camels back.

It's a fact that PL riders fall off more often than EL riders. If you dont like it that's your problem. I'd say faking of your bike is a lack of skill. Let's be honest, to be a speedway rider skill number 1 that is required is to ride a bike. The second is to stay on the bike. Are you really suggesting that stating in a speedway bike is not a skill but luck? Is going fast luck too? Maybe Chris Holder isn't the Worlds best speedway rider just luckiest? Ad for your list if riders, yes, they've all fallen off but not as much as PL riders. Weirdly PL reserves seem to be very all or nothing in the falling stakes. I'm assuming it's because the ones falling off are going faster than their ability allows while the ones staying on don't go fast enough to fall off. And if you're going to quote me make sure it's right. I've never said Workington had a lack of skill. Maybe you should read what I write?

If I had to ride straight into a fence on a speedway track I'm going to Rye House to do it. Probably Wolves after that.

Kings about 28 now and Bridger is so far ahead of Auty it's unreal. As good as Barker he's does well through grit and determination, he's not a natural. Lewis eclipses Ben in the talent stakes but Lewis doesn't have half the commitment of Ben. If Lewis wants it he can still be a GP rider, Barker and Auty won't ever be GP riders IMO.

It was well documented at the time that riders didn't get paid for TRs. In fact Carl Stonehewer walked out of Workington before a meeting as he felt he'd been under paid. No doubt riders quickly worked out they were now scoring 2 or 3 points a week less and upped their points money demand to make up for it.

A points limit of 38 or 48 wouldn't make one iota of difference to attendance figures.

Surely they'd go faster as they drop off the other side of it? :/

I've just read it a few times and I'm more confused than ever! You could be right, I have no idea :/

1.It wasn't a criticism.2. The old, "do it for our entertainment" - that being the case there's a few riders who should retire now then!

For every team with 7 heatleaders, there must have been two teams with 1. I bet them match ups were great!

TBH, while play-offs would be nice,. the Storm team is more about finding the future Bees and it looks like Luke Crang stands half a chance, his scoring int he NL after so few meetings is already pretty awesome. At his current rate a season of Pl racing next year and he might be ready for the EL a year or two after, certainly seems to be a bit of a natural looking at his scores.

So to confirm. If a Workington rider stops then Workington are unlucky. If a Sometset rider stops then so what in the World of Workington fans on the BSF? It's equally poor prep from both riders in the real World. I didn't say anything about Workington riders being novices. What I said is riders falling off is a lack of skill and not the oppositions good luck. Or do you think a team winning 60-30 is just their good luck that the opposition are not as good? It's a fact that more riders fall off per meeting in the PL than the EL, does suggest that better riders don't fall off as much, doesn't it? Or maybe EL riders are lucky to stay on lol

6 falls in the EL in 3 seasons. Hardly excessive. Mills has had 15 falls in the same period. Less skilled riders fall off more, its pretty obvious.