False dawn

Maybe when I went to Leicester for the Swindon match on 1st April (no I'm not joking) I saw something no one else has mentioned. Towards the end of the meeting, a few home riders were trying a very tight line into bend 1 not just in lap 1. It looked a bad line from I was standing, going down the straight very tight and turning extremely sharply into the corner. But what do I know? It proved quick and caught the leading rider totally by surprise. I think there is potential.

I think I said that Skidder1. My point being that guests don't invalidate a team under the current rules. Coventry with a couple of guests is still Coventry not a select side. We're beating ourselves up to keep the Coventry name alive. I know we're pushing water uphill but we're trying. Any sense that others may see this as futile or less than valid are welcome to their opinion. Just don't voice it in my company. You won't like it if you make me angry (my real name is Bill Bixby).

Oh, and before I go to bed, where do you, SS, come off calling our side a select? This was the team we signed to ride this year before all the rubbish with our stadium kicked off. If you are going to say that not all the riders pass my definition and were guests by any other name, then about half the teams every week should carry the Select tag. We are the Coventry Bees and we'll take on anyone. Don't demean our team. It is just as valid as any team drawn together under a common banner, be it domestic or international. And our banner is as valid as any you can name.

Funny. I never thought that when I raced there as a sidecar passenger. Always seemed plenty of room for overtaking.

That is a short term statement (with respect). You're right, as things stand. Brits have no more right to a team place than anyone else. But is this how we want it to be? Do we want to be nowhere on the World stage 10 years from now? Or now if you're honest. Well I was reminded of some history yesterday. Back in the 70's Ipswich were renowned for having a British side. Next to no foreigners. And why? Well they invested in their youth. There was a strong link with the Kent Motorcycle Club and in turn the grasstrack scene. We have lost our place in the European speedway hierarchy and we can no longer expect the best to come here just because. We have to go back to grass roots and build from within. There are some good signs with the British youth championships but it's not enough. If we continue to (try and) import solutions to our junior team slots we will 1) never be a world force (oh I know we got a 2nd in the WTC but come on) and 2) never get our operating costs under control (and that's the start of a lingering death).

Well bloody ages, is the answer. And if last night is anything to go by, the top scorer doesn't get a look in. Bizarre!

I find the delay before heat 15 in most meetings I've attended of late, very annoying. Yes the team managers have to choose their riders (we've done that 10 minutes earlier) and choose the gates (my excel spreadsheet would tell them that a few heats earlier). So is it time to set a maximum wait? I don't find it exciting or the sense of anticipation increased by the wait. Just get on with it please.

Good to see no Poole fans (one in particular) care to comment on this light hearted comment. It was good to see, despite getting stuffed, that we put NK back in his box last night. He scored some good points, but not the double figures the rest of us have come to despise (from reserve, I hasten to add).

Maybe KK could swap places with Nicolai. Seems fair!

I thought there was reasonable contingent from Coventry. Vocal at least. It is a bit disingenuous to suggest that loads of people could go to a mid week meeting 3 hours away with work and families to consider. I was one of the lucky ones. And I was given a lift. A big thank you to those concerned. I was pleased to be there and enjoyed some good racing.

Division 1 matches all on one night of the week, Division 2 matches on another. Doubling up not a problem.

I sort of go along with you Gustix if only it were so straightforward. For some years, pure sidecar speedway has not been held in the UK. Instead there has been a series of Track Racing championships. Meaning that, with some modification, grasstrack sidecar outfits have competed alongside sidecar speedway machines in the same meetings. Sure these have, for the most part, but not exclusively, been held on speedway circuits. But you see the confusion.And that's just the 1000's. The 500's race on grass, shale and sand tracks. There was even one at Telford one year on the ice! Sorry to be picky but us pedants rule in the final analysis

I have no real issue with Chris Harris. I wish him well for the future

He's too onery for that.

Where do you find this stuff? It's amazing that you have/find heat details including times from this era. I am suitably impressed.

An insightful and intelligent analysis not previously demonstrated. You could be right. But then...

That's the Bomber who asked for a transfer before we knew we weren't running this year is it?

So you care enough to go and knock it. But not enough to go and say thank you for the effort of the many behind the scenes not to mention the riders who put themselves on the line for challenge matches. I despair and hope sincerely that those working so hard to keep the Bees alive don't read this. Hang your heads in shame.

Imagine the alternative. No Bees matches whatsoever. Come on people. Not every match will be a classic. But that's always been true. Not every rider will be fit or available. But that's also always been true. There are people working very hard to get these meetings on and keep the Bees name alive. They deserve a large vote of thanks and our support. There were a lot of Bees fans and Wolves fans there last night. Now we can look forward to going south and beating Poole and a trip to Rye to see more than 7 Bees riders in the same meeting!

Yes indeed. The Dutch authorities refused to licence anyone to race 1000cc sidecars. They class it to be too dangerous. So Roel took out a German licence (I rode as normal on my ACU licence). When the FIM Gold Trophy was launched Germany were granted a place in the final. We went through the German qualifiers and made it to the final three times (IOW, Wayville in Adelaide and Kings Lynn). Oh alright, we were the only 1000cc team riding on a German licence so we were seeded to the final. But I did ride in an FIM world championship final three times. They can't take that away from me (cue a song!).

Josh is definitely a rising star. I look forward to seeing him ride so this is a disappointment.

Where has that been posted? Not on Coventry or Wolverhampton website.

I love it.....Try this one. I'm the passenger and I'm English. My driver, Roel Liemburg is Dutch (Fries actually, but that's in the Netherands). We rode together in 3 FIM World Championship Finals and represented........ Germany. Good eh? Well not really. But there were good reasons.

I enjoyed this match. I've attended many Leicester matches in my time (mostly at Blackbird Road) and without exception have shouted for the opposition. Such has been the rivalry between Coventry and Leicester over the years. But last night was different. I turned up as a neutral. Frankly I expected Swindon to win. But I just wanted to see some good racing, hopefully exciting. Well I was surprised. It was interesting that the riders rode the first and second bends as though the track hadn't been changed. At least in the early heats. But then, a few competitors started to try the narrow line into the first bend. For sure it was a hard turn into the corner but some found a fast way round that way. Enough to suggest there were at least two ways round that end of the circuit. Anyway, well done Leicester (even if you did have to rely on a couple of Coventry loanees!).

If someone is willing to pack up his life in suitcase and come halfway round the World on the back of his own self belief, who are we to deny him a chance. If you want to stop foreign imports, spend the money and develop home grown talent. We have youngsters who can do as well, just not as early. Arriving on the scene with a chance of success at 15 or 16 is not good enough. We have to invest in our youth and make it possible for them to be team players earlier. Otherwise the Aussies and half of Scandinavia and Poland will still find team berths for their lads (and lasses?) over here.