Sir Sidney

My long awaited first visit to the NSS tonight, and to be honest I was somewhat disappointed with the racing - perhaps because my expectation was quite high. The outside line didn't really seem to be working, with the quickest line generally being on the inside. Indeed, most of the passing was riders going past anyone who moved off the line. The racing was fast and close in the main, and I enjoyed the view from the South stand. You are certainly close to the action. Two or three good races, and I certainly want to visit again.

Very true. I think like so many things, some liked it, some didn't. In this day and age surely it wouldn't be too difficult to have a race commentary app, that those who are interested in could listen to via their phones or a headset. When I go to Premiership or international rugby games you can buy a Ref Link and listen in to everything the ref is saying. I'm sure a commentary option would be doable - perhaps the issue is scale of investment to make it worthwhile

Good luck. I quite liked the remodelled track. The racing improved as the meeting progressed, with some excellent heats If you want to sit down don't forget to take a seat in with you. Enjoy your night

Hello Bunce I went myself (for the first time in many years) on Bank Holiday Monday and asked the same question. The advice I was given was arrive by 6.30pm to 7pm and it would be fine. I arrived at about 6.15pm and had no problem. It still looked as though there was room to park at 6.45pm

Thanks. Much appreciated.

Much appreciated. Thanks

I'm thinking about going to this. Is there still plenty of car parking on site please or has that reduced with the ongoing development? Thanks

What a shame I'm not a journalist. Thank you for pointing out my failings. I tried and failed to indicate that you asked the question on Facebook. The point remains that you already well know why cars continued and speedway didn't. Nothing to do with viability - all to do with the commercial aims of the owners. Off out now to have a laugh at myself. I frequently do so. Are you going to the Dons Den event on Friday? Perhaps I could buy you a drink and we could have a chat about it. Enjoy your day

You make me laugh Gustix. You know the answer because you asked exactly the same question / made the same comment on Facebook. You asked 'The puzzles is how after the end of speedway at Plough Lane did Spedeworth Motorsport and short circuit car racing survive there for I think another 11 seasons?' and Ian Perkin responded to you ' the reason why cars continued and speedway did not was because to run speedway the BSPA require that you enter into a contract with the stadium you use to help provide assurance that you can complete the season and not pull out mid season. Once the GRA sold their stadiums to Risk Capital Partners they were no longer prepared to lease Wimbledon Stadium to us anymore. The cars on the other hand never had a lease with the stadium they ran on a week to week basis as the didn't have to produce a contract to get licensed by their governing body so Risk Capital Partners could end their events whenever the re-development started. Ian'

I was a bit later than you - late 80s I think. I wasn't trusted with multi tasking! Someone else did the scoreboard. Lionel was still timekeeper at the time. Lovely man. Some years later I also did some of the timekeeping and incident recording. Working with the ref certainly gives you a different perspective on things

Only just catching up with this thread! Dear old Ken Tozer - not unknown for him to ask a rider who he was during the introductions. Happy days

For a time I had the pleasure of being the person who turned the lights out and then back on again at the end of the race. A vital job!

'Loved to get one over' and 'nobbling ' have very different connotations I would say.

Excellent Jon. Really looking forward to it

F1 - Red Bull and Torro Rosso?

I note the statement on the Birmingham website about the incident. I trust those who criticized Buxton and Jayne will now be offering apologies

Surely all Birmingham had to do was show the BSPA permission to the referee and that would have sorted it out. If they had written permission where would the argument have been?

I haven't checked and followed through the link to verify but this seems to allude to examples of music venues https://thebristolcable.org/2018/01/agent-of-change-nightlife-music-thekla-fleece/

Thanks Steve. I can see my spot!

My memories are very similar to Prodons. Standing on the pit bend was fantastic. Such an atmosphere. In the later years I had the pleasure of assisting on race days. What a venue. What a club. What riders. What supporters. It's a measure of the love we have for the club that there are still active Facebook groups, regular catch ups and active involvement with the riders. Gone, but never forgotten.

Very sad to see yesterday that the demolition of Wimbledon stadium has started. I have spent so many happy days there supporting the Dons. An important venue in the history of speedway is being lost and I doubt we will see a new stadium for speedway in London. A sad day

Thanks Richard, I think Jake has been hard done by here. He tried to do the right thing and has lost out as a result. I'm glad he can move on. Let's see if the rule is enforced in the future

Yes, I was just being a bit flippant - however, depending on just how bad a rider's machinery really is, the method of turning up but not being able to compete might vary. At National League level how many bikes and engines can a rider be expected to have, and what is a realistic timescale for him to get competitive equipment in place if he has had genuine issues? As HA said, the regulations need to reflect the realities at the particular level.

I would think Ond is referring to when Wimbledon were in the Conference / National league,so comparable to Eastbourne now. I find it incredible that this rule has been enforced against Jake Knight (I can't imagine he was pre warned that he would get a ban) - let's see if We get consistency in the future. Of course, any rider in similar circumstances will now just turn up and go through the motions - 5 exclusion s under the 2 min rule?

As someone who followed Wimbledon from the times the team included world champions and international stars, to the Conference League days I can only say that I was prepared to pay to watch my team regardless of the league they were in. My team was My team - and I suspect that throughout that time frame were much more stable and likely to have a greater deal of continuity,Not just from week to week but also from year to year. I don't believe I would have enjoyed the current doubling up rules