FAST GATER

Can't resist anymore although this subject has been done to death it is IMO vital to the sport that something is done about engine costs in the long term.I say long term because that is how it has to be tackled what ever is decided and unlike most things in s/way a yearly knee jerk reaction .IMO it needs to start from the bottom NL is the training ground and developement league of the sport so let be used to start the reduction in costs of engines what ever the solution is. The biggest problem with s/way is that those that make the decisions have vested interests and appear to have no vision for the sport ,the word "can't" is the most over used word when change is considered IMO.I don't have the answers because I don't know all the facts but I do know that you can't please all the people all the time so some where along the line there are going to be unhappy parties . For what is worth I would give the NL two years( subject to new engine units i e Jawa or GM stock engines or mods to existing units etc) notice that present engines would be outlawed ,this would give time for anyone who has invested recently to get reasonable use out of their purchase .The othe two leagues would have thee years (one extra ) and the GP's five years in total as IMO that race series and it's costs have no direct effect on our domestic leagues. Sadly nothing new just some personal thoughts but one thing I will say is that I have nothing against engine tuners or the present engine manufacturers .They may well be casualties but they are not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts at the end of the day and like s/way they may need to adapt and change to retain their involvement in the sport .Nothing stays the same for ever s/way may think it can but it is sadly mistaken IMO.

Joe Owen Neil Collins John Jackson Louis Carr Steve Finch Phil Collins Chris Morton

Might replace Compton don't think he will be back after that nasty accident and who could blame him at his age with nothing to prove either .

Wonder if he will ride again at all really nasty crash may feel he has had a lucky escape ,hope not he was really riding well at the time.

I think you are right the team suffered from points not scored in Comptons absence ,will he be back this season or at all after that serious spill I wonder , I hope so but would fully understand if he called it a day for good this time.

Think you maybe right there he has nothing to prove and it was a very nasty crash,pity because he was riding almost a well as at his peak when it happened .

If you see most riders just before race they enter a certain mode , because the starts in s/way are so crucial and they need some thing to settle their nerves and pepare for the race .How much use gardening is at the end of the day I am not sure but it is something to do while you wait if nothing else ,this is a highly charged time for riders the pressure is huge I can assure you. It would be almost impossible to go out and sit 3/4 inches off the tapes for what seems an eternity .Instead of moaning try and look at how different rider go through their routines it is quite amazing how they are all quite different I find it rather entertaining .

I just have no problem with gardening it is part and parcel of the sport and has always happened in the 40yrs I have watched it one way or another.We lost the tape touching and rolling it has not IMO made the sport better to watch the same riders win races as would if the rules had not been changed.I don't want a meeting going on for hours but I also don't want to watch a match that's over 45 mins either .

I have no issue with the riders gardening IMO it is a way of settling down before the start but I agree that they should go back to the tapes after false starts ,without stopping.

Sadly it would appear not

Depends on what you consider cheating IMO rolling at the start is not cheating ,many do not agree but where money is concerned then there is always an element of cheating that is going to happen.IMO S/way overall is a resonable honest sport the riders to point regulate themselves and collusion is always going to happen sadly.

Blast missed it thanks for the nod though

Great news about Andre get back soon and a special mention to Aspgren who did his level best to avoid him at high speed and close quarters ,these fellows earn every penny they are paid and more IMO.

Sounds like AC is not too badly injured which is great news ,when he was struck by the rider following( who did everthing he could not to hit AC) I thought the worst as everyone else did .Hope to see him back on a bike in the near future ,the way he was riding last night proved IMO he was right to return to the sport.

That sounds hopeful that he may not be too badly injured after a heart stopping crash like that

Nasty to say the least and just when he was getting some of his oid form back best wishes and hope there are no bad injuries

Who cares as long as the tapes aren't broken let them do what they like I have never had an issue with it but I was brought up on 70's speedway and no one stopped going watch the sport because of rolling starts as far as I know.The sport has a reputation for being "bland" ,predicable and boring ,nothing better than Mauger ,Olsen and Co being sent back to the pits for breaking the tapes HAPPY DAYS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.The starts are half the race for me and I hate seeing four robots in line leaving the start as if they were welded together no wonder there are so many restarts with all four riders hurtling it the 1st turn side by side.No one got injured from a flying start as far as I remember so maybe the present rules for starting could be deemed dangerous LOL

You have me there what can I say dyslexia runs in the family ( not a joke) my apologies no offence meant to Tai

While the GP's are run in the present manner British s/way will always suffer whether it is run on one night or not and I for one can live without the glory boys .The sport is not suffering because people can't see Tia ( and his league scoring at times leaves a lot to be desired IMO) it is because the powers that be will not improve or invest in a better product and decent advertising . New fans would not know who was riding in races as long as they were competively match riders and presented in a manner that caught their attention the sport should sell itself .

One night a week for EL yes let's make it Saturday ,kids have no scchool better for young famiies the future fan base of the sport hang on the powers that be gave it to the Olsen Circus.

t Don't forget the "boys club"that run this sport or try anyway in their own inept manner, they will do their best to wreck any half decent idea that might threaten to help or improve the sport .

Wasn't the Isle of White run in a similar fashion?

IMO if I were to change things it would be to part with Lanham ( brought in as h/leader ) and Proctor who is hit and miss ,Compton is doing his bit riding to his average and is only a s/string these days with the odd big win left in him now and again.The big question is who and if you keep chopping and changing you don't help the situation either.One change in the right direction and your whole season could turn for the better, hope it will as it is a great track( worth 140 mile round trip when I can afford it ) and a decent bunch of supporters deserve it

He was one of the last to race a Jap I remember( memory could be playing tricks) him winning an open meeting at the SHAY in 74 i think and the prize was a new Weslake engine , there were some big names but the track was wet and he just flew that night .Remember thinking he looked about a 100yrs old ( I was 14yrs old) and did not even smile at the presentation but he looked almost asleep on a bike even round the Shay .

Could not agree more needs every scrap of help they can get but until the people running the sport realise that it needs to change the problems will just increase ,they need to improve the image in the eyes of prospective new fans .Many people I speak to think races are predictable and boring or that it is watched elderly bikers or people stuck in a time warp!!