Great Central

Good to see some positive comments on the BV Forum from non-NL supporters who seemed to enjoy the excitement, incident packed night and to witness the tremendous commitment from all the lads on display. With currently only one meeting per week at Belle Vue, it is hoped that some more of the EL supporters come along to support the Colts. They won't be disappointed.

Sounds like it has been a bad day Malcolm!! We need a peasants revolt to get us back to normality. Do you know any that could lead us into battle? Martin

Malcolm, Eric Gundersen has made an offer to "British Speedway" on three occasions to my knowledge to come over to the UK and help set up youth speedway on the lines of how it is run in Denamrk, and at no cost, but that doesn't detract from the fact that you are right man to take it forward!!! Come on you know you can do it. Martin

Malcolm, When can you start in your new job!!! Martin

Just to add that the two reserves are cousins but the older one Lewis is not just starting out in speedway, having ridden for Sittingbourne in 2006 I think, and Oxford in 2007. Both have been riding in some Dragons and STR amateur meetings in 2010.

I suppose that it is who gets there first. Save me some if you find some decent ones!!

I think you will find that a vast proportion of tyres discarded by EL/PL riders are no good for anything. The wear on the tyre does relate to how the tracks are prepared so that statement may not apply to all discarded tyres, but in reality there is often not enough tread or blocks left to be used safely. Th exception is if you can pick up GP tyres. Tyres are not made to last and are overpriced using a single source for supply.

Thanks Lee. If that is the case I might try DEP this time round.

Is that the price in Holland or the UK? I seem to think that they were more expensive than that last year.

I asked the previous question but was signed in under my wife's log in hence the different signature!! I have seen no rules yet so cannot comment one way or the other but since the SCB have gone back on several other rules in pretty sharp time, I would hold off buying any yet. It is a topic in the General area but that has been dormant since before Christmas.

Excellent reply and it is not just Nigel Pearson that is complaining. In Speedway Star Dave Tattum was voicing his frustration as was Nicky Mallett. Can you imagine being in their position not knowing what the composition of the league is, what the rules are, not knowing which riders they can track and at the same time trying to attract sponsorship to this exciting sport. What a crazy situation.

Well said. They also have to work and therefore need to book holidays where clashes with riding and work occur, as do the spectators.

I can't comment on the Rye fish and chips since everytime I have wanted some they have run out, but those at Mildenhall are top quality every time.

Great idea. Things will speed up post the AGM in January. If someone can tell you how to make it a "sticky", it will stay at the top of the section and not drift down as it is doing right now.

Obviously everyone has their opinion but I can assure you that this year is much better tha the previous three years where we have been hanging on until late January before the AGM was held. The promoters have already held one meeting where a lot of items were discussed, and to have a final meeting in just under two weeks is fantastic. At least at that point, we should know who is in and who is out, what the rules are and whether the league is going to be promoted for what it is ie breeding ground for young British talent, including those Australians who hold a British passport.

Hang your head in shame. I'm guessing from your post that Chris Harris and Scott Nichols fast tracked straight into the EL / GP didn't bother with the CL/NL. Tina Widman

Hopefully all of the Stoke supporters will go and support the NL side. If they don't, they will join the band of supporters that don't have a local track, and once it's gone, it won't come back at Loomer Road. Believe me, on a track like Stoke it will provide excellent racing and will probably be as good as some of the PL racing taht has been seen there. You may not like the promotion but if you like your local speedway, keep supporting speedway at Loomer Road. Make Dave T an offer he can't refuse. If he is losing that much money every year, he may accept a sensible offer to offload the whole shooting match.

Steve, They can't keep a good man down, or is that a good speedway team!! I know that you had the stuffing knocked out of you previously but if you can come back, so can the Wildcats. I know that there were a lot of people down there who were put out by previous actions, so if they can all come together for the good of the club it can work. Martin

Many thanks for the information.

These are not the final GSA's - dated only to 1st October. Can't see any up to date ones on the BSPA website. Any help would be appreciated.

Dale, Thanks for the clarification on the date, and I have to say that this is one of the most positive steps forward in the NL for a few years. For so long, decisions have been on hold until well into the New Year and all concerned with the NL, whether it be promoters, riders or spectators couldn't get organised until very close to the season starting. There is no excuse now. Martin

Sarah, This looks like somebody is thinking "outside of the box". Great idea and I wish you well in the venture and hopefully Tamworth will get its own track back in some form or another in the not too distant future. With Long Eaton making an announcement and Leicester definitely opening next year, it looks like the Midlands is where it is at!! Keep up the good work. Martin Widman

I see that Richard has added dates for Scunthorpe and Newport in January, February and March, with Scunthorpe dates right through the year. No short term planning there. Well done Richard, but where on earth do you find the time to do it all!!!! Whilst on the forum could I add my thanks to all those who have run amateur meetings, practice sessions and 2nd halves this year and the promoters that make it all possible. People that we have come across this year are obviously Richard and Anne at Scunthorpe, Mike Gittings at Stoke, the Dragons club and the STR club, George and Linda Barclay at Rye, Des Quinney at Coventry, Nigel Hinchliffe at Sheffield, Steve Williams at Belle Vue, Lawrence Rogers and Kevin Brown at Newport and Dale Allitt at KL. There are obviously more than those listed since I have heard of good things happening at Berwick these days, but these are the people we have come in contact with so a great big thanks to you all. Hopefully I have not missed out anyone obvious that we know, but I am sure that all of these people will say that without flag marshalls, gate marshalls, machine examiners, first aiders etc none of this would be possible so a big thanks to all those "hidden faces" who put in hours of tireless work to make it all happen. Martin Widman(and Chris)

Vince, I think that you are right to take this stance. Phil may not have been everyone's cup of tea but at least he had a go at keeping Weymouth going and he shouldn't be castigated in the way he is being right now. Additionally if the figures are to be believed, he put in a lot of his own money which is not the right way to run a business. Weymouth had a lot going for it in the early days and it tried to develop youngsters by running regular training schools eg George Piper and Alex Mcleod to name two but it seemed to go wrong at some point and the crowds starting drifting. I heard all sorts of discontent on my last visit but how much was true I don't know so I won't comment. On the few occasions that I went, the track was very poor apart from ironically this year when it looked the best it had ever been, however on the live updates there appeared to be real problems with dust which certainly doesn't endear speedway to the holidaymaker taking in motorsport before going out to sample Weymouth at night. What is clear now is that Weymouth is now without speedway, the NL is without another team which will have an effect on available places for young British riders and the league will be much poorer without them. I can only hope that somebody comes along with the cash to settle the outstanding bills, get it up and running and really promote speedway in the town. One thing I did notice that on the run down into Weymouth where you could attract interest from holidaymakers because of the traffic jams, there were no signs promoting speedway in Weymouth. What a missed opportunity, but isn't that the case with lots of tracks. Martin

And may I ask who owns the GRA - a Venture Capitalist group whose sole interest is promoting greyhound racing. I think not. There is some very valuable real estate in those stadiums which will eventually all go the same way and that is into housing. That is when they will get their money back and in the meantime they just let them run down into delapidated facilities which any self respecting council will not object to a housing estate being built to get rid of the eyesore. Call me cynical but the only people venture capitalists look after is themselves.