PersonalResponsibility

You're right about the poor end to 2024. I think he had a poor start too, and a poor end to 2023 after a poor start, then a poor end to 2022, etc., etc.

...yes, if I'd ordered a grasstrack calendar.

Received the SS calendar I ordered as a Christmas present. Not a bad calendar, but I do have to ask: why is July a grasstrack image? Aside from the fact that I ordered a speedway calendar, was there nowhere else to put grasstrack than a peak summer speedway month like July?

.

That, and what about him calling half the GP field "fillers"! I mean, come on, we can agree some riders probably shouldn't be there, but someone who will almost certainly never be a GP rider writing off half the field is a bit much.

I'm not saying he won't do, but KJP averaging 7+ would be an incredible achievement. I don't think he's shown anything so far that would suggest he could manage that in his first season. Out of the two of them, I think Hausl looks like he has more potential. Still, good to see 2 new faces instead of the usual, good luck to them both.

Nothing humane about being a British speedway fan. I curse the day my old man first took me along to watch 😆 Then again, I'm the idiot who's still following it 25 years later.

There are similarities, for me, of going to watch basketball in this country. I sometimes go on a Friday night and watch a game and it's a great night out. Lots of entertainment, good atmosphere (even family friendly), and competitive action. I'd never really considered it when I first start attending, but I genuinely have zero reference as to how good/bad these players are. I'm aware that it isn't the NBA, but otherwise it could be anywhere between the level below that and Sunday League. My mates tell me that apparently there's better basketball in Eastern Europe but I'm not bothered, I just enjoy a good night out. This is not to say that British Basketball hasn't had its own issues, they've had more than enough. However, the clubs have taken some of the good stuff that the NBA does and applied it to their own product at the level they're at. The best route for British speedway to take is something very similar. Work out what's best for British speedway and go from there. As you say, nothing wrong with picking up some things Poland does, but we won't outmuscle them on virtually any level. Obviously, the kicker with taking this approach is you'd need a solid plan, the right ideas, some joined up thinking and to get the word out there. None of which I'd have faith in the current set of promoters to do.

My apologies, no club should be forced to go up against their wishes.

8 years in the 2nd tier with one single PO final appearance does not scream "top dogs" nor an obvious "drive to rebuild". Curiously, both Leicester and Somerset dropped down to the 2nd tier for 2019, leaving only 5 teams in the 1st tier, and it was only then that Ipswich chose to go back up.

Sounds like we're already halfway there, just need to change to daytimes.

Yeah, I misremembered that one. As you say though, BSPL as an entity are majority shareholders.

Isn't it the case the a significant number of shareholders in Speedway Futures are BSPL members anyway? Can we disregard that they've just given the sport away entirely? As for this latest newbie...he sounds like a lovely fella. Certainly typifies the most recent bunch of Tories.

You've basically answered your questions within your first 2 paragraphs. Hook has improved every year...as a reserve. Fair enough, he isn't a 4pt 1-5 rider who averaged 5.5 at reserve, but equally, how do you know he isn't going to be a 5.5 reserve who averages 4 in the 1-5? A large % of his points came in heat 2s last season, he wouldn't get that opportunity next season. Someone like Luke Harrison is chalk and cheese given he was an 18yo with a single season of Championship racing. Hook is 23 and the question is still being asked if he can manage riding in the top 5. Even Jye Etheridge improved quicker than Hook.

Any top rider opting out of the UK isn't good, but Jason Doyle doing so speaks volumes. This is one rider who'd go to the opening of an envelope if he could race speedway, if he doesn't think the UK is worthwhile then it makes you wonder.

Hook has had one good season in the 4 he's been in the UK. This season he averaged nearly 2.5 points a meeting in heat 2, and he wouldn't get that opportunity next season. They probably thought he wouldn't continue improving riding in the 1-5. Foord had ridden half a season in the Championship before 2025 and Zischke clearly has way more potential than Hook. It's rubbish for Hook, but you can easily see why they've done it.

It looked like Workington would be consigned to the history books not all that long ago. I think you'd be mental if you're feeling alienated because Jacob Hook hasn't been signed.

Great work from Glasgow as ever. They're in a different stratosphere to the rest. You know they'll completely maximise the angle of Hausl/Seychelles too, and rightly so.

The inherent flaw - in my opinion - is not the unworkable system, nor is it expecting 14 "top level" riders to keep their diary free to ride with Arran Butcher and Jack Smith, it's the reworking of the format. 15 heats, 4 riders, 4 laps. 3-2-1-0. 60 seconds. It is the most straightforward format you could ever wish for. The format is probably one of the very few things that (British) speedway has going for it. It doesn't need to be replaced with a three stage act. If this league structure came into play, I'd immediately make my racenight a Sunday, sign the best of those not riding in Poland, and then watch mercilessly as team after team turned up with R/R and 5 NDL riders.

Top marks for effort (asking AI to create it), but this is probably the single worst set of ideas I've seen and that's despite the BSPL operating our sport in this country.

It makes you wonder if they'll get a taste for it. Poland on a weekend, knock out Sweden/Denmark in successive days, and all drivable to boot. No need to set up an English base or even arrange flights really. It might be a one-season thing because of the uncertainty in the UK, but I could see a few deciding to stick with it.

To quote the comedian Stewart Lee: "yeah, you can prove anything with facts."

In much the same way that £1 in 2024 is the same as £1 now. Except it's not in reality, is it?

Just 20 short months after he delivered the "golden generation" too 😔. Life comes at you fast these days. https://watch.britishspeedway.co.uk/articles/morris-hails-golden-generation

This is the Pila who couldn't even match Josh Pickering's demands, too. If Harris has broken his Polish abstinence for that type of money then the writing must be on the wall.