Rich

I think Pieman 72 is as confused about Speedway as he is about Grasstrack Quote

i watched that too. A poor advert for Longtrack, shouldn't be run on a Speedway track IMO. FIM is trying to introduce Poland to Longtrack, but I don't think that's the way and judging by the tiny crowd it's not working. I doubt Zach was happy with 7 points from a possible 20 in the heats.

BSPL "rules" still have to abide by the law, whether Employment or Restraint of Trade laws. As Vince said, the ACU have previously tried to ban riders who've rode under other organising bodies, when taken to court they lost. Are the BSPL trying to deter other riders by making an example of Connor?

Both meetings cancelled, track waterlogged

I don't know where all these Grasstrackers are coming from for "Stadium Racing". One off meetings on Speedway tracks are well supported, but most Grasstrackers are weekend riders and can't or don't want to ride in the week. There's a great 2 days of Grasstrack this weekend at Pencombe, Bromyard, Herefordshire HR7 4SL. Saturday 7th, British Championship for 250, 350 Solos and 500 Sidecars and 1000 Left Hand Sidecars. Sunday 8th, The Ledbury Flyer big open meeting for 500 Solos and 1000 Right Sidecars. Admission £15 each day or £25 for both days, Under 16s free. Camping available, Speedway GP being shown on Saturday.

I'm not sure that the Grasstrack model is the way to go for Speedway. Some club meetings don't get much of a crowd, mainly friends and family. This year is a bit different, because of the lack of meetings here and abroad those meetings that are running are getting good class entries and healthy crowds. Usually only the meetings with 500 solos and 1000 RH sidecars such as the Masters and a few big open meetings get big crowds.

About what ?

Not if you read the dirthub report

Not 250s, regular Grasstrack 500s

Formula Grasstrack Association run 125 Hondas, very model specific, nothing too modern. I think the association Daniel Smith may be referring to is any Governing body such as the ACU or FIM. Like it or not, fossil fuels are being phased out and I don't think changing from an environmentally friendly fuel like Methanol to petrol is acceptable.

Nothing new, I rode in the South West Speedtrack Championship (for Grasstrack bikes) at Exeter in 1990 and my son rode in a couple of Meetings at Stoke in 2004/5. Next round of the World Longtrack Championship is at Rzeszow Speedway track in Poland.

Speedway / Grasstrack engines are designed to run on Methanol as, together with the heavy flywheels used,. it gives the best type of power delivery required for the sport, that is the explosive acceleration from a standing start with a single gear. They can run on petrol with a lot of modifications internally and to the timing and carburation, and quite a few Pre 65 Scramblers / MotoX riders use 2 valve Jawa engines. Engines designed to run on petrol can also be modified to run on Methanol, but many of the 1000cc Sidecar Grasstrack bikes using multi-cylinder Japanese road bike engines, although tuned, still use petrol.

It's not at the same venue .Postcode is CV31 1XJ

Mendip Raceway is a tarmac track.

There's housing in the part of Avonmouth that I live in ! I know what you mean though, there is plenty of room around the Avonmouth to Severn Beach area and what I believe to be suitable sites on land between the M5 and M49 motorways.

Lots of things have changed since the 60s

If it's Amateur I don't think "employ" is the word. In the past the ACU tried and failed to ban AMCA licence holders from riding in ACU events.

Not Speedway I know, but there's nothing to stop a rider with an AMCA licence holding an ACU licence at the same time and riding in events organised under both governing bodies.

Although I've not seen Speedway in France, I've visited all the tracks when watching Grasstrack. Morizes, LaReole and Marmande are all on the infields of Grasstracks, Lamothe-Landerron is purpose built for Speedway, all around the Bordeaux area. I don't know the crowd levels for Speedway, but it's a hotbed for Grasstrack with large crowds. The Marmande meeting on the eve of Bastille Day is one of my favourite Track Racing meetings and compares with Cardiff and any Speedway Grand Prix I've been to for entertainment and atmosphere. Don't be put off by the Grasstrack bit, the Stadiums are better than many Speedway tracks in this country

As far as I'm aware, GM engines have always come in kit form, then assembled to the riders / tuners own specification, not always using GM standard parts.

Is there any such thing as a standard, off the shelf, GM engine ?

Not much "bias advantage" there then.

How many current GP riders don't ride in the Polish League ?

Just come across a copy of an LP "Hello Faithless" by Reg Luckhurst and the Huntsmen. Does anyone know if it has any value to a collector ?

The one thing that has not changed in Speedway in the last 40+ years is the oil. JAPS, Jawas, Weslakes, Goddens, GMs, Uprights and Laydowns have all been designed to run on "R". Castrol, Morris, Rock and others all make R40 oils. I've been up close to running Grasstrack & Speedway engines, all using R, since the early 70s and I have to agree they don't smell the same these days, but as I know we've been using the same oil all that time, I put it down to me loosing my sense of smell.