ouch

Belle Vue always take a number 8 if we have to run R/R and there’s plenty of other times we have a Colt along for the ride, usually spannering for an Ace. We did propose several season ago that number 8’s should be standard at all meeting but it was knocked back due to the fact that many top flight clubs don’t engage with the junior process. A number 8 at the meeting link I posted earlier would have meant heat eight going ahead with the full four riders instead of just the three as was the case.

Robert Lambert guested for Sheffield in 2023 as an assessed rider so it must be ok now. Assessed riders do not get the 5% up lift on their home average. Fingers crossed for a big big witches win here.

Here it is. https://britishspeedway.co.uk/23results/ipswich_10.08.23_res.pdf To be fair to Ipswich, there was no rule breaking this time.

Question and Answer Where cheating is concerned Poole make Ipswich look like amateurs.

Please stop quoting these trolls. Where the hell has Zagar being against the rules come from? Trolling at its finest from a seasoned expert along with its ability to throw insults about for no reason. Grim. Bit rich when thinking about the cheating from Ipswich in the last few seasons (Crump, Klindt, Pearson) and the Tom scenario during last season. Their win at all costs (and it costs them a lot) is the kind of behaviour UK speedway can ill afford these days.

Terrific performance from The Aces with all the top 5 being at least paid a win and the reserves posting a credible paid ten, the result was only in doubt due to a below par performance from Dan - before the last heat. I’d pencilled Brady in as a super tac but the ef’s to the stars prevented that, curtailing our scoring somewhat. When I realise that the Harris scoring machine and stars best rider could take half of RS Ashton’s rides, I thought here we go again but The Aces prevailed with a gutsy finish. Fingers crossed for Ashton, I hope he’s at the NSS on Monday where the stars will be optimistic of snatching a result given our vulnerability at home. Hopefully our away form with continue to carry over from last year.

It’s 31 if Brady & Dan go through the card (33-2, Ht 13 & 15). That said if they are riding that well then we still only need 14 from the rest as they’d win the super heat and get the 2 match points. Looking forward to seeing how The Aces perform as a team in the league qualifiers after the Craven and early season challenge meetings.

I thought the crowd has gone up from nothing to 6-7k or did the English GP force Cardiff to end?

I know teams weren’t happy about the Tom & Jordan scenarios and it’ll be interesting to see if it was all chit chat or they actually follow through. The Aces at least doing their bit. Paying out 133 points every two legs. Ouch!

Deja Vue 2024 Start https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/other-sport/speedway-sheffield-leave-it-late-to-knock-belle-vue-out-of-ko-cup-with-superheat-drama-4622936 Finish https://www.bellevue-speedway.com/blog/latest-news-2/aces-are-2024-premiership-champions-351#:~:text=ACES ARE 2024 PREMIERSHIP CHAMPIONS | Belle Vue Speedway 2022 Start https://britishspeedway.co.uk/2022-premiership-league-cup/ Finish https://www.tntsports.co.uk/speedway/belle-vue-aces-win-british-speedway-premiership-title-to-end-29-years-of-hurt-as-they-beat-sheffield_sto9185541/story.shtml?welcome=eurosport

That was the year of Chris Holders awful crash I believe and Poole were quite rightly allowed an injury replacement. Anyone who feels a badly injured rider cannot be replaced at any point in the season is not my kind of folk. Anything that negates the impact of an injury to one of our hero’s is to be commended in my book. The current system adopted by the BSPL that sees guests - the former necessary evil of the sport - as the preferred option is lunacy. Play offs are not compatible with speedway as a way of determining the champions but this has been done to death over the years and forgetting logic it’s just down to if you like them or not. I’ve never seen a full play off since they came in.

I wouldn’t bother with that low life if I were you. It got a swift block when insulting my better half and saying fans like it when opposition riders get injured. Coupled with his inaccurate posts (trolling) he’s another Ipswich “fan” that needs to be avoided whilst they have their time in the sun

5 riders 20 starts 15 points Ipswich were good but against any team The Aces would have done what they do most and thats lose their first meeting at home. It was yet another poor opener but not unexpected. The biggest surprise and one if continued will see the witches take all before them was that they were racing. You don’t get that from a witches team and that has always been their downfall at the NSS. Cup wise we look forward to next years random draw 1st round clash with whoever that years favourites are, hoping we can build a big enough lead to take to the second leg away. Very entertaining meeting to start the team season with and excellent for the cameras More of the same to follow but hopefully with a different result

Never understood this 15/23 mins thing. I enjoy the rider interviews parade, warm up/warm down laps, fireworks, Chase the Ace and other fan engagement during the meeting plus the post match press conference when you get to meet and chat with the riders. Guess I’m lucky with that frame of mind as I get more bang for my buck.

They need to get it on there pronto to help with ticket sales. 🤣 We’ll have to agree to disagree on what’s “probably best”.

Must admit that plenty of pubs have shut in the area around Gorton when checking. There is around 6-8 pubs but most are on the high end of 15-20mins away. If it took that long to walk then I’d be more likely to go into town and pub crawl there. There is plenty of open space nearby and a lot is owned by MCC who will want to see this a success. I can see this being used to house marquee pop up drinking areas along with the fanzone etc. The GP, even with Cardiff crowds of 25-35 thousand wouldn’t make a dent on the Manchester day/nightlife. There is just too much going on and it would need coordination on social media to ensure we met in the same location to create any kind of speedway vibe.

Socialising and the fanzone will be just fine imo. Parking is on a par with Cardiff. Just incase anyone was put off by the bus comment these are the actual times a 10-15min walk from the stadium. (The duplicate times are when 2 buses are available). Buses 192, 201, 202, 203. 19.00 19.02 19.02 19.07 19.09 19.12 19.14 19.17 19.22 19.22 19.26 19.28 19.30 19.31 19.35 19.40 19.44 19.48 19.50 19.52 19.52 19.57 19.58 Later hours are very similar. I take on board your other points and respect your decision.

I think a packed NSS will give an equally or better communal feel than a third full Principality stadium. The fanzone on City Hall Lawn was 0.7 miles from the stadium using google maps. This equates to a 15-20 walk. I would imagine the fanzone this year will be a lot nearer and with the addition of festival style marquee bars and catering it shouldn’t be too difficult to replicate the booze, food and social aspect of Cardiff. If you do fancy the 15-20 minute walk as has been the norm then there is loads of bars to choose from. One other advantage of Manchester is the nightlife following the event as this is at a different level to Cardiff. A short trip on public transport would have you in the heart of the city where, if you want you can party on until morning.

Things are only sold at prices people can afford. That’s true of all things and has been for centuries. Nobody is being ripped off here. Looking at the sales, they could have charged more but choose not to - more fool them a Dragon would say. I use to visit other tracks to watch speedway RACING and came away feeling ripped off due to the poor product on show. I don’t visit away tracks anymore, like many many more. My biggest issue with this process is that day ticket buyers will have slim pickings once the 2-Dayers have swooped in.

Made me quite nostalgic for my trips to Monmore reading that. I almost miss that kind of abusive behaviour.

South stand works out at £2.50 per race (46 races) when for 33% less (£1.67) you get to watch Premiership standard races with 3 of those races being heat 2’s. It’s the big chunk of cash in one go that speedway fans cannot afford. Tickets should have been released sooner with the option to pay over several months. £2.50 for GP heats seems ok to me, I’ve more of a problem with the £1.67 for the heat 2’s. Also, as with any UK speedway meeting up & down the country, I hope it doesn’t rain and hope it’s a well attended success with no injuries but that’s just my opinion.

Exactly. They have been on TV, radio, newspapers and social media in the last few days. Any forward thinking promotion would have booked a place on Voyager's gold disc and advertised to the greater universe but not this lot. I’m so angry!!

No announcement since Monday, this is getting ridiculous now. https://www.bellevue-speedway.com/blog/latest-news-2/epic-launch-for-belle-vue-371 Sorry, there was also an update to fans attending the P&P on Wednesday but it’s Friday now ffs. Update us again please!!

Very likely. Since Covid our opening meetings have seen us lose 2 and win 2 with one of those wins being a last heat decider. Our famous home advantage goes missing - again.

Looking forward to our now customary KO Cup 1st round against one of the title favourites (unless it’s us of course). Considering it’s a random draw we’ve had terrible luck in drawing the toughest of opponents so early every time. Always having the second leg away doesn’t help either (see 2024). Looks like the swings & roundabouts are broke. Can’t see us progressing due to the strength of the witches. We need to make use of our massive home advantage* to build up a big lead. Using BSPL figures from last season our rider averages at home are a healthy 42.83 (equates to a 46 match score) so if we build a big enough lead we can take advantage at Foxhall where their rider averages at home are only 49.52 (equates to a 53 match score). *copywrite BSF