FAST GATER

I think that Doyle has come back in great form from his terrible injury last year and is riding has hard as ever but feel he just goes to the edge a little to often for my liking.I realise that is his style and has arrived on the world stage late many standards ,just hope he holds it all together for the whole series must be a good bet for champ this year.

must have missed that !!

Hancock easing his way back in thought he had lost his edge but was well on the pace tonight ,not popular with most of you I know just amazing to me at 47yrs old on Doyle's back wheel in final and making passes .

I think that this will be his final year in the GP's he has had a very serious injury just isn't looking like the rider he was and Hancock just looks like things are starting to get away from him I think that evolution is taking it's course no one can go on for ever sadly.

Mauger ,Briggs &co did something similar in the 80's it was quite popular but I believe that once a rider retires from the sport they are reluctant to return to track action ,I think also Ronnie Moore was seriously injured during the Golden Greats .

Spot on teaching old dogs new tricks is much harder much better to start at the youth base up, has to be the way foward

Sad that any rider leaves the sport through injury all the best for the future .

BSA/Triumphs were used on grass track particularly in the 250/350 cc classes up until the mid 70's when strokers took over the lower classes ,I raced a Barracuda 250 cc myself .

Would it matter if the GTR is 10hp less than a GM if all riders were on them ,please don't say the cost involved in changing because if the were 10hp more they would be sold out in double quick time.Perhaps as some have said working towards the GTR becoming the only engine for 2018 onwards would be a better way of riders getting used to them and and some use out of their existing GM 's. .

Why ,what on earth is wrong with the system we have except that there is an obsession about stopping riders making the gate if they sit still and get a flyer so be it .The Ref should make sure that riders cannot surmise or guess when the tapes go up no need for gadgets just mix it up a bit .

Speaking as someone who no longer watches F1 for all the tech intrusion I would never want any-other form of starting other than "tapes" but that's just IMO !

There is only "one" Tony A and he is not tootling round he is racing and justifying his inclusion in the team ,let a better rider step up and push him out of the team eveolution is the finest barometer in the end.

One of the main reasons JJ never went full time in the BL was that the terms of his sponsorship( which was full package) was he rode at the Port so his sponsor could watch him every week . There were some great riders in the NL at that time mid 70's I do believe that the ratio of older and younger riders was just about perfect and IMO is what is missing in the sport today. The other thing that I feel is the standard between the leagues today is not as great as it was then ,this I put down to machinery mainly .Most NL riders held down jobs as well because the money was not there to be full time unless you were one of the top riders .

All three of the riders you mention were better riders but they went on to the old Gulf league and PC to be w/champ, I meant as point scorers in the old NL and as stand out stars at that level if you follow my drift! . The one thing with JJ he was incredible fast and was renowned for breaking track records ,I think he once held six at one particular time in his career in the 70's.

Dai was instrumental in Jacko getting into speedway as he was friends with Fred Jackson( John's elder brother) from grasstracking , IMO JJ and Joe Owen were the two best riders of all time in the old NL. They were great times ( not rose tinted glasses either) IMO there was a perfect balance of youth and experience in the NL ,one worth a mention is Paul O'neal who was one of those hard but fair riders ,did a season at the Port at the end of his career. Back on topic Cyril was my first s/way hero rode in the first race i ever watch at the Port ,he had all the time in the world for the fans and a credit to the sport ,very under rated IMO.

Full credit to the promotion best of luck great track and great fans always enjoy my visits to one of the top tracks in the country

What if that is somewhere near the truth as has been said mix in experience ,skill and the confidence that the rest of the riders are only beating you because they are more skillful or have set their bikes set up better and not because they are riding rocket ships.

It's going to take time for riders to adapt to them and with all due respect I think I would take Freddie's opinion over Dan's at this stage in their respective careers,IMO Dan is perfectly placed to assist the intergration of the( sealed) GTR into speedway .I am afraid that cost within reason is not an obstacle I witnessed the 4 valve revolution and riders will always find the cash if a speed advantage is on offer.

GREAT NEWS for all of s/way and B/Vue in particular I for one hope the team is now secure for many years to come and this can only be good for the sport in general.One personal request is that some position be found in the new set up for Chris Morton who IMO deserves nothing less because without Mort there would not be this great stadium that is a jewel in our sports crown.

June 1972 my first s/way meeting was at the Port one of the best tracks in the country IMO hope the same fate does not befall the Robins don't let up keep pushing as much as you can

There is the point that these riders will be good for the league from the point of view that the inexperienced and younger riders may just learn a thing or two both on and off the track .

You are correct and I believe Ivan Mauger tried to console him after the race I seem to remember . What I think was truely amazing was KT returning to the sport to riding at Arena Ex probably the worst track for him to ride with the then disintegrating hip joint which ultimately ended his career both on shale and l/track.

Is the start of a speedway not part and parcel of the attraction I for one don't want the tapes replaced with some high tech equipment . I understand that people don't want riders gaining unfair advantage but IMO the Ref should be able to cope with this .We now overall have riders sitting still at the start and the rules are far more strict than when I first started watching s/way in the 70's( I am old and loved tape touching but accept the modern rules ) we still need the tension that you see once that green light goes on and how riders react under that enormous pressure . What needs addressing post haste IMO is the time wasting and continued trips to the pits after false starts etc , unless there is good reason the pit gates should stay closed and if fuel is a issue larger tanks should be fitted .

Is this any less dangerous than riding s/way at say NL level ,his inability to copes with injury was given as a reason for not making a comeback after becoming the GTR test rider after 10yrs away from the sport ? Oh and Kelvin every time for me going back on thread .

IMO if riders wish to ride past their mid 30's and stay at the top fitness is essential ,Hancock proves that as did PK it all gets that little bit harder as time goes on sadly !!!!!!!!!!!