PersonalResponsibility

I remember him riding in that meeting, I think you knew then he was going to become top class. If a Russian kid can turn up at Rye House and win comfortably, it's impressive. It was great when he eventually came to the UK, he really seemed to embrace British speedway and for the most part gave it 100%. Always thought it was a shame he never rode in the GPs during most of his peak years - his first couple of seasons battling with Nicki were top entertainment.

If the Championship clubs are doing alright but the Premiership needs to continually drag teams up against their will, it feels like there's a lesson in there somewhere. Anyway, isn't it time that Dua Lipa stops thinking about her own marriage going well, and consider what would be best for me instead?

Let's make another series of Harry's Heroes. Get your Floppy Norris', Deano Barkers, Martin Dugards and a few more together, enter them into the Premiership racing out of Oxford. Job done.

You've posted more than one of these opinion pieces in the GP section and, while they're interesting, I've not seen anything to back them up. Yes, the Moto3 thing and the court case are real, but otherwise it seems to boil down to the fact you don't think it's possible to run a GP series with such commitments and that the GP calendar hasn't been announced. I'd say it's a reach to say the GPs will be reduced significantly in any way, and even more so that it would somehow benefit British speedway. I don't think riders have ever made fortunes from the GPs, that's what Poland is for, so taking an extra 20 meetings in the UK is hardly going to move the needle.

Maybe making hay while the sun shines until the new Polish rules come in in 2027?

I agree that it's unlikely (why would he start now after all?!). Jeppesen and Kildemand might not either, but they might not have a choice even if they wanted to, at this rate. It's a relief in some ways that Scunthorpe signed Pickering, I was starting believe there was a non-zero chance that BSPL saw 9 riders and 9 teams and just thought it would all work out perfectly.

Yeah but he's enjoyed every minute of it!

There were 9 riders above 8 last season. Scunthorpe have already signed one from outside of that 9, so at least one of them will miss out. Another needless rule. The points limit already does the job.

He might well be one of Wroclaw's juniors next season - at what point does he become ready for an away meeting at Berwick or Scunthorpe?

Sebastian Alden has returned to sign for Valsarna in Sweden - one last rodeo as a Bandit?

They're pushing for their own man - Piotr Szymański - to replace Armando Castagna as the head of world speedway at the FIM when the time comes next November. Who knows what the outcome would be if that were to happen...

This is the crux of the problem. Imagine being a speedway rider in this day an age asking for a job somewhere? "I can't work nights, most weekends, ideally not much during the summer either. Oh, and I might be off sick for a while if I crash and get injured" "When can you start?"

I've just been reading an obscure report/essay about speedway. It's mainly focused on the 20s/30s and the birth of speedway, but I couldn't help but think some things sounded strangely familiar. Still, at least we've learned from our mistakes.

And look at Germany now - SON2 gold medallists! They've cracked it. It's better than any Rising Star scheme.

In the context of Plymouth I don't think it's that odd. If you supported a football club who'd been on the brink of extinction, had a few iffy seasons and was now in the process of rebuilding, increasing crowd numbers and growing, I think you'd be pretty happy. Add in some entertaining home games, a safe mid table finish, even happier. I think it'd be weird if Plymouth fans were happy finishing bottom 3 every season, but they're going in the right direction, so it's fair enough they can find some positives.

"Championship clubs are nothing without Premiership clubs" "someone has to step up and fill one of the voids left by Oxford/Birmingham." "Club bosses need to block Glasgow from competing in the Championship and instead give them an ultimatum" Perhaps it's just me, but who is "nothing" without the other here?

I completely agree that's what they should do, however I'm not sure it'd be as easy as that. It wouldn't take many riders not to bother and you'd struggle to have a worthwhile sport to sell. As I said, the riders shouldn't be dictating the sport, but sadly it feels like we don't have much choice atm.

Let's hope this somehow happens. Hellstrom-Bangs v Bubba Bednar around the NSS would be a beautiful watch.

Can't agree that there's a need for the Championship to "serve" the Premiership. Both leagues are equally reliant on each other to prosper, it isn't a one-way thing. Your last point is sadly an indictment of the situation we've sleepwalked into. If the riders are demanding twice the money due to only having one team place: good for them. Equally, the clubs are justified in only offering what they're happy to pay. Sadly, we're now in a situation where this isn't practical because even a handful of riders quitting would be catastrophic, so the tail continues to wag the dog.

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It feels like boiling the frog with some people. It's crazy to think we've gone from an 8-team Elite League, 18-team Premier League, plus a decent conference league to what we have now in a little over 20 years. If that happened overnight there'd quite rightly be serious questions asked, if not something more serious. Yet here we are, still being told the sport is in good shape and has an exciting future.

Kemp, Batchelor and Worrall all finished as their team's #1, though. Unless there's a sudden influx of riders then they (or equivalent) will likely be someone's number one. I agree they're not on Dan Thompson's level, but I don't think many number ones will be.

I struggle to think of many who he won't beat? Masters and Lawson maybe, possibly Harris & Wright at a push, not much else. This is a rider who put 1.5 points on his average this year, I'd back him to comfortably beat the likes of Kemp, Worrall (if he rides), Batchelor, etc. Tom Brennan improved in a similar way at Glasgow and then averaged 9+ the season after. I think Thompson is a relatively slow burner but is going to be a very, very good rider.

According to this: http://www.gbspeedway.com/2025/riderperf.php?mc1=x&mc2=r&mc3=av&mc4=x&rider=Dan Thompson&league=B&sort=date&comp=All&club=Overall, Dan Thompson averaged more away than he did at home. I think he'll be fine.

I completely agree re. betting. I've said before that we have a sport that seems perfectly tailored for the modern generation, and I think that equally applies to betting. 4 riders, 15(+) races, so many opportunities to bet. That Bet365 have gone to the time and expense of creating Virtual Speedway to allow people to gamble suggests that there is clearly some interest somewhere. Even a minority % levy flowing through into British speedway would surely be useful?