GWC

Year zero start again but some promoters will rile against this as their vested interest is to win at any cost and to hell with the rest.

Speedway has adapted to the stadia we have and most are ancient. If the sport started today with the engines available I wonder if a 500cc engine would be deemed safe enough to produce competent and entertaining racing especially in many of our stadia.

Surely combining the leagues is the only way of riding the sport of the double up/down issue. Riders want more meetings so they let them ride in 2 leagues and promoters get to save on importing more (iffy) foreigners to keep the leagues fully staffed. The tragedy will be when tracks start to close down.

There was a time when riders adapted there riding to suit the track conditions. Its now the reverse and highly tuned engines are part of the problem.

It will probably take a wholesale decline and closure of tracks back to about 10 operating. Once that happens so long as those tracks closed can open up again within 5 years there might be a revival. Its been done before!

But you could have lost as Nicholls caught the tapes with his helmet and then an uncharacteristic fall when poised to go past Garrity. Odd team changes where I thought Clegg could have taken Nicholls place when he hit the tapes and got his 3rd ride out the way, starting 15 metres behind at Rye is certain defeat it ain’t Belle Vue! Dare I say it but Kennett would have made the difference. Belle Vue do have a talented team and deserve success.

Tom Brennan will be a defining moment for Eastbourne. He will move up next season and out lived the NL. What do Eastbourne do?

The bspa or SCB should be all over Stoke and there track after Saturdays farce. There’s home advantage and then there’s dangerous.

It’s the same with non league football as some players expect to earn their living just playing and not combining it with a job.

Wood certainly has more about him than some other riders currently doubling up for the NL. If this season goes to plan then they will be vieing with Mildenhall for the title and need to use that as a spring board to high things. The down side will be more results like the Kent meeting on Saturday!

Doubling up should be a given for NL to CL as it’s where riders can get much needed experience. If the CL is reduced points wise then it may be more attractive to Eastbourne but at the moment I think it’s way too strong and too expensive.

Anders Rowe should be a reserve to aid his development and boost his confidence. Len’s youth policy hasn’t been successful and they need an experienced performer as cannot rely on Bowen and Thomas and the occasional score from Stoneman.

And have fallen out of love with motorcycle racing and see no reason to patronise delapadated arenas (BV excepted) Inf: more than 30 million people play computer games.

I have long followed speedway from the bike in the back of the boot days and stopped going in the mid 80’s. On my return in 2004 I couldn’t believe how more professional the sport had become with vans mechanics and 2 bikes for each rider. That mirrored our society then with greater wealth per person. Sponsors were happy to invest in riders and teams as times were good. Then came the crash in 2008 money tight sponsors disappear and speedway in my opinion has been on the decline since. The sport needs a backer for all the leagues but all we have is BT in the Premiership. A few thousand pounds going to every club in the lower leagues would probably make a world of difference. If those clubs then give it to the riders in higher wages then we’re back where we started! A free for all system doesn’t work so restraint needs implementing.

In retrospect the gap has always been huge. Going back to 2005 Steve Boxall was a 10 point NL rider and a 3 in the PL (Championship) as was Matt Wethers. Both had opportunity to move up with their respective clubs. Its really how much opportunity they are given and more importantly encouragement, backing (cash) and a bit of talent of course.

NKI with 5 points very poor for some reason. His performance in Poland for Torun was much better than that!

Are you his agent?

BSI can probably afford it and reuse the shale once a month. Unfortunutely UK speedway can’t.

Who will be replacing Adam?

Hopefully the majority will be full time Championship riders next season!

A lot of common sense talked in this topic so if we the supporters can see it why are the owners not able to grasp the issues. I’ve witnessed all 3 leagues this season and see a decline in attendances. I was talking to an associate of a club (NL) and like me he agrees the decline is accelerating at an alarming rate. However much the bspa try to talk it up the product has to be priced according to what promotions can afford. If the riders are killing the sport then it’s time to tell them some home truths. As mentioned the NL should be semi pro at best.

RIP Kelvin Mullarkey - saw him from a real rough diamond to become one of the best team men in speedway. Loyal to the end.

Cheap shale causing the problems by the sound of it as Somerset have had track problems too. The higher up the leagues you go the better the track needs to be but expenses cut to pay riders?

Thanks for that splendid accolade! Losing Kennett has probably seen off Rye’s season now especially at home. Roll on next season when we hopefully will be back in the Championship.

IF Hopwood lives in the north then it makes sense for him to ride there. Alfie If signed would do an excellent job.