HGould

Many clubs including Brummies have tried that. Very few come back once they have to pay. They can't have a tour and go on the centre green every week so don't come back. I've been at other tracks when I've seen great efforts, regular and concentrated attempts places like Somerset, Swindon, Eastbourne, Kent.. Ahem do I need to go on? Stadium Tours, Match Mascots, Kids Clubs, all sorts...

I think you have hit the nail on the head. When I started watching speedway there was no T20 and many other sports were solely school based or private clubs like athletics or tennis. We could see world class riders every week. Now kids can join soccer rugby, cricket, athletics and other sports far more easily. They can also join academies and mix with the stars. Brummies have tried hard with kids initiatives but on a shoestring budget and whilst some riders cooperate some don't. The young fans are just too remote from the action, too remote from the players and even at one of the better stadia the surrounds are tired. Asians and West Indians and other ethnic minorities follow sports with role models they can associate with. What role models in speedway do even our white Anglo saxon kids now have when the best 3 dont even race here? Some of the young British riders do try hard to make the effort but too many of the older ones just seem to want to get in, ride and get out ASAP. Not like the nights with Sam and Ronnie in the bar after the meeting at Monmore... Happy days sadly passed

Can they schedule rain then at Poole? It's hardly unexpected its been predicted on weather.com precisely since yesterday afternoon. Still damned if you do, damned if you don't. At least Poole will be awash with cash even if its off. Looks like Middlo might have to reschedule his testimonial again if it is off. BSPL will want this key fixture fulfilled.

I mentioned weather.com yesterday to Lisa and its proven spot on if you're having heavy rain now and indicates it could continue to 6pm. Violent and heavy if you're under them. Been centred on Christchurch from what I can see.

by all accounts they got gazumped on Lawson and Ellis (short term) refused another rider from Denmark who rides PL only and tried about a dozen other options. If other accountsare correct Bowtell and Gilkes are out for the season and MPT still in considerable pain. Barker has a hearing in September (very vague so probably the 30th) and as for Kennett, well believe who you want to but its a long term injury and the fact he's not been spotted in a grass field all season where he could earn good money I think proves conclusively that he ain't fit to race. So how long do you wait for or should they have chucked in the license for the season, got a whopping fine, pissed off a loyal and growing fan base and undone a lot of good work over 4-5 years. Pretty sure Play off cut off will be 31st August based on all the scheduled fixtures unless the next 2 weeks are a complete wash out. As a Lakeside fan you should be only too well aware of what happens when fixtures are delayed and backed and crammed in to Autumn.

It'll all depend on whether Danny can get across the swollen Ford and drain out the middle ditch on the first bend... 90% chance that the place will be flooded and off. Bellend will blow his top, should have been called off on Monday so he coukd have gone home from Cardiff

I'd much prefer Promoters to be decisive and call off day before as you can plan accordingly. Nothing worse than getting there and realising never a cat in hells chance. Vast majority of times now they are accurate. Some Clubs better than others still but like someone has suggested damned if they do and damned if they don't.

Mark Phillips has posted a live video of facey book thing apparently showing flooded Pits flooded track and rain like the week before the Ark. We await a weather update from the Charlie from Redcar (not Charles Wright)

Hope you're right Lisa. I find weather.com very accurate and theirs is horiffic with deluge from around 2pm for a few hours including thunderstornms

Probably good if no one sends the campanoligist a forecast for Poole tomorrow

Flash floods and torrential rain in large parts of South West, Wales, Midlands, North West... Probably worse tomorrow. What is disgraceful about enduring riders and spectators and officials don't have a wasted 600 700 mile round trip in some cases.

Wonder what would have happened had it been Oxford v Edinburgh v Redcar. One rule for some another for the majority. More u turns than Liz Truss

Listening to Hayley Bromley is like scratching polystyrene. Lee Kilby is head and shoulders above any of the newer Streaming Presenters. Knows the Sport too.

I think Welsh Rugby have it back beginning September to get pitch ready for Autumn internationals. Most of their non Rugby events are June, July and August. Not used as much for footy since Cardiff moved from Ninian Park to their new Stadium.

If you want a permanent track with good capacity what about Ipswich. Don't they get 10000 plus for stock car world finals

Roof shut to stop track drying out and to get air con to woek

Tend to agree.. I went to 4 Wembley Finals...90,000+ at each great occasions 1972 - awful racing 1975 - awful racing 1978 - poor racing only enlivened by Kennett and Jessup doing so well 1981 - great racing and great spectacle. Everyone remembers 1981, conveniently forgets how bad the racing was in the previous 3 (and before that) yet it's lauded as a "great venue"

In amidst all of the delays and issues hats off to the Stadium / Tannoy Presenter / Announcer Not sure who it was; as you don't really see them in the setting at Cardiff, but worked overtime and can't have been an easy gig.

You are wrong. Clubs staging major Events will put out a release seeking sponsors for meeting / heats / fuel / oil / various packages. It's standard practice. Don't Poole have sponsors, heat sponsors, match sponsors or is the Chateau owner so filthy rich he pays for everything. A Club has to pay to stage a major event, it has to generate enough through its own promoting and attendance to make enough to cover the costs and generate a profit. Get out of cuckoo land.

No one knows exactly what he has taken, either in excess from off a banned list of legal prescription drugs (e.g painkiller overdose) or something that is illegal and not pain relief but something classed as a social drug (soft or hard) or even alcohol related, other than Ben himself. It would seem very unlikely to be a steroid or performance enhaning in terms of muscle / strength building, more likely to be either a social drug (in which case he deserves 2 years minimum ban) or an over-dose in terms of amount of a prescription or off the shelf drug that is on a list of medicines he should not have taken OR and probably most importantly, have self-decared he had taken. If you were to test and ban every rider who in extreme pain and under pressure to ride has taken a prescription drug he shouldn't then there would be very few left. That doesn't excuse what he's done , it means he got caught and has to deal with the consequences. May the first person who in pain has not swallowed may be more than they should for relief cast the first stone (accepting there are degrees of difficulty or risk you are then putting workmates under - a bus driver may put 60 lives at risk, a train driver hundreds, a Speedway rider you have to balance against that kind of risk factor) Past reputation, good or bad counts for a lot and on that score it's about as bad as it gets. Had he been someone with a better reputation no doubt many would be calling a different tune. It's Ben Barker so in many eyes its hard to have any degree of compassion. Until the actual results are published (if there are ever published) and a hearing takes place, no one knows do they? The Hearing btw is standard practice and is his chase to explain with representation if he wants it what his side of the story is. His CL Club have been very clear to set out the defence from day 1, not excusing it but in mitigation. IF the findings back what they are saying the punishment may be relatively short, possibly to 31 October, if what was found refutes and contradicts that defence then I think it'll be 2 years at least and he will have fooled them and all the rest of us. Whatever the outcome the Sport needs MORE tests and more education and not just gloat that they have caught one and then sit back and do naff all for another 3-4 years.

If your not sure god help the rest of us. Be interesting to see what happens. Bomber would be very popular Might be best for Brennan to focus on tomorrow.

good point...thought he was SGP reserve - who is SGP reserve as opposed to local reserve

On m5 and just realised the ferral zombie half of brum are playing Cardiff today 12.30pm kick off. Brilliant planning that from someone. They will be loose in the city and blind drunk at around 3pm...headin for pubs no doubt! The ferral lot of brum who shame the city v Cardiff who are equally idiotic. Word of advice, if they approach - ignore, keep stum and head in the other direction!

If Lebedevs is there (without bikes presumably on way) he would take Adams place. He'd be deemed to be signed in for practice. I'm not sure there is a requirement to actually practice. If he's not there (Lebedevs), I'm not sure if Brennan would take Adam place or whether Tom and Leon would just split Adam's rides. Someone with more knowledge will know.

Indeed after Lawson has nearly wiped people out pulling same trick a few times lately in PL and CL. Basso is a massive talent and in the right place with you to optimise it.