Technik

It's taken a good while but some of those names are making their name within the sport

I've not attended the Cardiff SGP for some years now. The town is over expensive & Hotels are able to make up phone number prices for the weekend. The racing has been poor most years but that can be said of many GP venues. But most disapointing is that Britain has not seen a World Champion crowned. In more recent years I have been to Pardubice, Czech Republic for the weekend of the Golden Helmet. I have seen terrific U21 finals on the Friday night followed by an international U21 event on Saturday with 6 rider races OK the flat track I could miss then on the Sunday the Golden Helmet itself with all the glitz & glam you would expect at trooping the colour & if your still keen on the way home on the Monday The Tomicek Memorial meeting at Prague. I go with a friend & we normally pay under £400 each for flights, Car Hire, Hotels & Tickets, With food & beer maybe £500. If you've had enough of 2 nights in Cardiff & 16 riders in 23 races try 3 Nights in Pardubice 76 riders in 74 races plus the Flat Trackers. go for longer & spend less money.

Just the simple fact the SCB have announced a hearing in September it's not looking good

I might be speaking out of turn here, But as I see it Adam Ellis was signed prior to practice & received an injury after an on track incident. The result is that he is signed on for the event & can only be replaced by another that is signed on which would be either of the track reserves. I don't think the SGP reserves would be eligable as they are not signed on for the SGP event only SGP2. I understand that Ellis wants to be in the GP but I don't think it's a good idea to ride with such an injury. I would hope he withdraws if it is a fracture & allow another young Brit the chance of a full 5 rides at Cardiff. I don't want to see him come out & do half a lap & collapse in pain on the back straight & the reserves share his remaining races or worse that he has another crash & possibly hurts others

Another British Championship event with a lack of the teams top riders. I understand some are injured or suspended & there is known reason for them but this event has been in the calender all season. How many more drop out prior to start time? Will the BSPL Chairman be at the gate offering refunds to the public for the below advertised standard of competitors?

In those years gone bye it was the British Promoters that called the shots. The British were the ones that introduced demands upon riders one way or another, An off shore rider had to commit to the British club & if they should decide to race in their homeland then the British club would only be able to cover with a minimum average rider in their position. So really it's a case of the boot is on the other foot & someone else has the pot of gold & built their own empire.

I always think the British Final should be after the British GP & the wildcard & reserves go into next seasons SGP then they have a whole year to get ready & gain extra sponsorship, Not just a week to prepare. It might be the only chance that rider gets to be in a GP round let them have the best chance to be ready. If for instance Drew Kemp were to finish British Champion he could write another book on his years build up to his GP debut rather than a half hearted message on social media he would be able to write on the way to a meeting.

I can't see Speedway ever returning anywhere within the M25. The councils are doing their best to make it a pedestrian area with all the extra costs for congestion & now emissions. Back when Speedway was great in London with racing from Romford to Stamford Bridge Congestion & Emissions were free & stadiums were full!!!

I hope that all it is a a proscribed drug & all this can be put to bed very quickly. I understand that procedures have to be followed & the testers are asked to find certain substances at the time & their time & equipment at the trackside is limited. A friend was once an aspiring cricketer & had an injury in his shoulder that affected his batting & he was warned off over the counter drugs & told to consult the pharmasist & ask for something that was not on & did not contain anything on the IOF list. The best he got was "I think this is OK". He continued to play with the pain. It's easy to see how people can get into trouble quite innocently The Scottish Skier & Kyle Howarth are prime examples of Sportsmen that rely on their own decision making not being a heavily paid member of a national sports team or club. On the other side of the coin if it is recreational drugs then everything the offender gets they deserve.

It was announced he was medicaly unfit to ride & just before the start he left in his van going out the gate at the 4th turn. He looked sick in the passenger seat holding his head. I understand Paul Starkes Father was also ill during the meeting so maybe there's an illness going around.

During my time I have been one of the merry band of volunteers at a few tracks for pre-season duties & then throughout the season & yes my reward was free entry for myself & usually a programme, At one track there would be a tray of sandwichs & a fruit cake for us after racing, The biggest problem in recent years as the single volunteer still gets their entry & often a programme or at least a race sheet. But greed has become a factor & many expect to be able to bring a group of family & friends in with them & if one volunteer brings 5 people in for free that works out to be £2K+ by October. You don't need many of those before you have a big dent in your budget.

Speedway & Greyhound racing have always worked well together. The race circuits are the same shape & with the speedway on the inside the greyhound track offers a safety zone to protect the public from low flying motorcycles. the safety zone is required in the speedway rules (2M minimum). In current times it is difficult to finance any arena to host a single sport more so when the sport is seasonal. Greyhound racing can opperate all year & several times a week & even practice or trial in the daytime with little or no noise. Maybe we loose a massive amount of dogs after their racing careers are over & that is a sad situation & in a pet friendly country it should never be that bad, I know there are organisations that rehome retired greyhounds. I think racing dogs are some of the best looked after before & after they race they undergo a medical examination by a vet, All the dogs must be registered, I know in the 80's this was a number tatoo in the ear but I imagine now it would be a chip. After racing is the issue. But what if there were no racing.... What would happen to all the dogs already in training?... What would happen to this breed? No racing would equal no need for the breed... Would the greyhound fall so far out of favour that the whole breed would dissapear or become so small in numbers that the breed would become a single mutation carrying any abnormalities through its gene pool.

I don't mean any disrespect. But I feel putting this issue on an open public forum is not going to help you at all. Can I suggest that you make contact with the BSPA and/or Oxford speedway direct as they will be the only ones who can possibly assist you with this.

I fear for the future of the World long track Championship as year on year there are less riders wanting to take part. I remember in the past 8 rider races then 6 & now 5. The Polish have a round on a speedway track but there seems little interest from any Polish riders to compete outside their homeland. The Germans are nowhere near as keen to watch after many great years with Muller, Maier, Lausch & Riss. Tracks are closing for many reasons, I understand it's a massive undertaking to hold enough land for a 1000 metre circuit to host 2 meetings a season when it could be used or sold for development.

Between 5 foot 4 & 6 foot 2!!!!

Maybe your right. But another angle, He has been struggling with engines this year & now has new ones. Just maybe it's a chance to test them & get paid to practice to find his best set up & in turn record better results for Poole in the long term.

Reading have had 4 I believe Racers - Rivits - Ravens & the last will remain unsaid B******s

A concussion brings an enforced break, sometimes if the trackside MO feels the concussion is severe they may tick the box that means the rider will need medical clearance before returning to racing. The end result is after a concussion the rider may feel fit but if unable to pass the test they cannot be signed off as fit to race

I think the Referee was correct to put blue out in the first he lifted going into turn one & the second incident the riders clashed out of the start & did not get apart unsatisfactory start was a correct call. we all slam Referees but they have to make a decision on what is in front of them, It's very easy to say from here on turn 1 it's this or on the back straight I saw this but the Referee sits in the same position at almost every track.

I can only say to all Newcastle fans "Keep the Faith" all the time the stadium stands there you can hope! After 14 blank seasons at Cowley the Cheetahs returned to the same stadium! Always dream big........ what if it comes true?

Bob Humphreys training track is a vivid memory the old house used as a changing room (use at your own risk). I remember one weekend getting stuck in there as there was a concert on at the bowl & the police wouldn't let us out so we were allowed backstage to watch U2

My opinion of the young Kiwi was about on the money. But to take him out at this stage & replace him with Jack Smith who has proved time & again that the Championship is beyond him. I think if that was my option I'd stick with Congreve, at least you still have hope that he can improve.

All I can say is the latest BSPA NDL declaration has Henry Atkins in the Plymouth team.

If you go to the FIM website you can find the rules for the SGP & it will explain how the semi-final & final gate selections are made by the finishing positions after the first 20 heats & how ties are worked out by race wins, seconds & thirds, even how a non finish is rated depending on the reason.

The track has been there for a few years, But I'd say it's only used a few times each season. It has always cut up & produced ruts but everyone knows that & takes a wider line to avoid the ruts, if a rider chooses to brave the ruts on the inside then they must weigh up the pros & cons of their actions. This may not be the best race circuit but the need for more nations to be included means the local fan base has to be catered for as well