FAST GATER

I have always said s/way was a team sport ridden by individual's earning a living by piece work and I don't think it will ever change now sadly . That aside I think it needs someone to take control and inject enough money to get the riders attention something along the lines of Darts or Snooker with Hearne .Look at this LIV Golf a fraction of that money would launch British s/way to different level and customer base .

Sadly I just don't think the sport has any future as a full time ocupation for those that take part ,even in the boom years of the 70's most riders were part timers . I know it is said that riders need three bikes and paid pit crew these days but if there was a scaling back of such costs they may actually make more/same money .I remember talking in the 70's to a second string who after costs was making almost as much as the team's star rider.He had good reliable engines non of the flashy bike add on's .

I've always felt that he had an atittude ( when things don't go his way) that leaves a lot to be desired .

It's been gradually happening over the last couple of years IMO he should stick to league racing and make hay while the sun shines .

Possible the end of the road for him ,age and the extent of his injuries surely even he can't come back from this !

IMO over the GP Series the "cream will always float to the top" whatever the scoring system

No we think it was to do with the cam we bought it as a brand new complete bike out MCN ,most bikes came through Briggo then .

It was a special engine for some reason ( we never found out why ) broke many track records over 2/3yrs

We ran a 2 valve Piper Jawa with a crack in one of the crank cases repaired with Araldite for two seasons in the mid 70's !

Finished Ricko I am led to believe !

Great loss to the sport RIP Nigel

I think it was in 1975 saw Charlie Monk win an open meeting with the prize being a brand new Weslake Engine ,he beat the very best of the old Gulf League that night .Loved going there the shape and size similar to Crewe actually Paul O'neal ,Ian Cartwright and John Jackson rode for both teams a sometime or another .

In the Uk maybe but in Poland and the world stage I wonder if time and injury are catching up with him !

My daughter was speaking a RFL Rep at a recent match he said both RFL and the Stocks promotion are hopeful for s/way to return to Odsal possible as soon as 2023 !

I witnessed the hard work Mort put into selling bricks at Cardiff IMO there would be no NSS without his efforts ,I can't understand why he is not involved in some way in the sport now .I have read all that went on but firmly believe that he acted in good faith and in the best interest of the whole project ,IMO he is one of the all time greats of British s/way and has been treated appalingly .His name being honoured somewhere in the NSS is the least that could be done .

Excellent post I would watch speedway in the "pouring rain in the middle of a field " every night of the week but there are the majority who would not give it the time of day sat in a corporate box munching filet steak and best bubbly.

Give me speedway over F1 anyday even in the state speedway finds itself in ,I watched almost every F1 race for years (Prost ,Senna & Co) but have not watched a single race since Schuie retired the first time .

Your quite right 4 W titles between them speaks for it's self( Doyle should really have another) I am just not an admirer of their riding styles but Harris is box office when he is on it .IMO some of the issue is their height ,Bart turns the bike inside out and looks amazing but then he is only about five foot two . Grin like Mauger (gating aside )had such smooth style that he made it look too easy .

Doyle looks awkward to me very similar to Nikki P who also looks at odds to the bike at times .

Just feel it would be right to go leaving us wanting ,PK was one of all time favourites but he timed his departure from the sport to perfection Scotty could do the same .

Possible a perfect time to hang up his boots as well just as PK did a few years ago ,great servant to the sport and a shoe in for full time presenter/pundit with KT .

Sad news indeed always enjoyed my visits to Stoke a real loss to the sport RIP Dave ,you will be missed .

Said to be based on the old Stoke track which made for some great racing !

Bart is sheer Box Office everytime he races you just hope he misses the gate IMO if he were to win the" triple "it would be amazing I never thought it would be done again .I used to watch the GP 's on my own but particularly this year the rest of the family( my son never watched it on tv before) watch Bart's races and have become more interested in the sport in general ,isn't that just what's needed .

It is also true that even if you have loads of power rider still needs to know how to use it and often there has to be compromise for starting or flat out speed .I hate the term throttle Jockey because no matter what level of rider we are talking about a certain amount of skill and a huge amount nerve is required to ride a s/way bike flat out . At this moment it time the greatest exponent of this is Zmarzlik , as to handicapping IMO it is not his fault he weighs about 6 stone soaking wet .