False dawn

Oh boy. This is twice this week that I've broken the unwritten rule (one of mine at least), that you don't quote your own posts. Are Edinburgh/Armadale going to sign one or two riders to ride for their newly launched team, some time soon?

Get your coat

Fellow posters. It would be remiss of me not to point out what RobMcCaffery has said earlier in this thread. I, like many other posters, dislike what the BSPA has decided to do in preventing a nomad Reading team from entering the NDL. However, there are other factors. It's only 4 pages. Read the full thread.

Come on Rob. I got out of line. You showed me the error of my ways. I apologised. I was amused, here, that people started saying almost the exactly same things I had, and the conversation seemed to be rerunning itself. No comment about your response. I had already acknowledged your better knowledge on this subject.

This discussion is like flares. If you wait long enough they'll come round again.

Except those that haven't been granted entry, e.g. Reading presumably

Never a dull moment when Roman was about. RIP

I heard they'd signed Anders Michanek, Dag Lövaas and Bernie Leigh as their heat leaders before the BSPA refused them entry into the league.

Just to report that I've just booked two pairs of tickets successfully. Print at home links sent via email and I've printed them. There was someone who said they had problems getting their tickets was there not? Could it be that the important email to print at home went to their spam box? A question. I've been to the NSS twice and have street parked both times. But for such a meeting as this, are their other options? I assume you can't book car parking at the stadium (?). But are there better options to parking at the stadium?

I remember reading some years ago an article about Billy Hamill. This was in his days at Brandon so was probably 2002-3. From memory, he had a plan to set up equipment on the centre green which I assume was "talking" to a transponder on his bike. The idea was that, in practice, he could measure his speed at all points on the circuit such that he could then determine his performance throughout the lap. Having measured many laps and experimenting with different lines etc. he could then determine the optimum way to ride the circuit. I wish I could tell you the end of the story, but I never heard anymore about it. Sounds like a good plan though, eh? And that was getting on for 20 years ago.

I apologise for my earlier outburst. We are clearly alike in the length and depth of our support. This would have been my 50th year at Brandon. And I saw the Bees being run in the NDL out of Leicester for allegedly questionable motives. However, from your much wider and deeper experience of actually doing something about reviving teams, you speak with far greater authority than I. Can I believe that there are folks in our sport that do things for less than the most laudable reasons? Life teaches me the answer to that one. So my comments were from the heart and arguably a bit naive. Would I change, even if I could?

I have no real opinion about Ulrich, but to say he is a trier could mean anything from Lee Adams to Eddie the Eagle Don't mind me, I'm in a funny mood I'll get my coat.

That is interesting. To a nerd like me at least, who seems to be a part of a dying breed interested in track records etc. A technical question. Can you reliably time races on a DVD playback? Are there reasons why the recording or the playback may not be strictly in real time?

No offense meant but this has got me riled...... I cannot imagine anyone ever has or could ever make any worthwhile money from such a venture. So, in answer to your second point, what's wrong with putting out a team with "an old name" as an enthusiast's dream? Besides, whatever happened to having teams competing in a development league to provide opportunities for new and upcoming riders that the public want to see and are willing to pay to do so?

But apart from that it's brilliant eh? Seriously. As a Championship fan who has never been to the Kent track, I did think that I might just make the trip this year. Should I abandon my plans?

Sorry to bang on about this but I've been discussing this with my other half. The more we talked, the less I can understand the thinking that went into this policy. Despite the many and various bad opinions of the ruling body, often voiced at length on here, I do try, at least, to have some empathy for it's position. But sorry, on this occasion, I have not the first idea of the logic behind this crazy stance by those in charge. If the promoters, collectively, are trying to destroy racing in the third tier, this is a good first step.

You don't need to book. Just mention Agincourt.

I am going to Cardiff. I love the fours. I'm fairly local to Leicester. But this decision seems to make very little sense to me. Running the fours anywhere on the Cardiff Sunday, with the possible exception of Somerset, seems slightly odd to me. Logistically, for the fans, how does this make sense.? Is the supporters coach from say Eastbourne, going to return home a day late, via Leicester? Why destroy the concept of the "fours weekend" by combining it with the GP weekend. And the hosting track. So Peterborough is not available (?). But even though it's convenient for me, Leicester would seem to have some severe limitations. Car parking for the fans is an issue. I got caught out at the Ben meeting last year. The supermarket parking we use every week has a strict 4 hour limit. And let''s not have any more discussion about the legality of the imposition of fines. If you get a parking fine, do you really want to challenge it or risk ignoring it? The car park is "policed" by comparing video images of you entering and leaving. If you can't leave because everyone else is at the same time, that's cuts no ice. I know. So you can't park there for the fours. You will not get out of the car park within the four hour limit unless you leave the meeting early. I don't know much about the accommodation of riders vans and pit space but I suspect that they will both be tight. And despite my misgivings, should this meeting be heavily supported, will the stadium house that many supporters comfortably?

I'm just having a bit of fun. Don't you start misinterpreting people posts!

But what if he really HAS SIGNED? Egg, face?

Reading your post makes me feel very sad indeed. The loss of iconic names like The Reading Racers, The Cradley Heathens and many others from our sport along with their loyal supporters is be regretted in the extreme. Shame on you BSPA.

I would have thought that a league with the word development in it's title, would welcome any opportunity for more youngsters to enter the sport. And retaining a homeless fan base, albeit a small one, is surely desirable.

I do. My comments were directed at a slightly bigger problem than what Speedway Star wrap their copies in.

Not earth shattering but did I miss an announcement? The NDL team are listed on the BSPA site as the Kent Kestrels. http://www.speedwaygb.co.uk/kentkestrels20

Had a bit of trouble finding this.... https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vintage-Motorcycle-Cotton-J-A-P-Engine-500cc-Single-KOZ-R44448/254471959116?hash=item3b3fb5f24c:g:tf0AAOSwXHReEOVf 1936 vintage and it looks like 4 people are interested in it . Up to £82 already. Nice to have something on here older than me!